3 best new horror books to read in April
Polygon highlights three notable horror novels releasing in April, each offering distinct scares for readers seeking literary frights beyond April Fool’s pranks. The month features an eclectic mix: a haunted house narrative, a serial killer thriller comparable to Hannibal, and historical horror where the dead refuse to stay deceased.
One featured title is Odessa by Gabrielle Sher, a historical fiction set during 20th-century Russian pogroms and drawing inspiration from Jewish folklore. The novel follows Yetta, a teenage protagonist who meets a violent, untimely death despite her parents’ protective efforts. Devastated by grief, Yetta’s father leverages his limited knowledge of traditional practices—the excerpt cuts off before fully explaining his actions, though the context suggests an attempt to supernatural consequences of his daughter’s death.
The anthology emphasizes that these books are designed to leave lasting impressions on readers through their horror elements, with the implication that their impact should extend beyond the April publication month.