We’re now firmly in the new year, which means the genre fiction calendar is filling up with more and more new releases from big names and rising stars. In the world of horror, that means some of the hottest authors in the game are about to release new books, including a must-read slasher, a vampire thriller, survival horror, and much more.
Featuring new books from Catriona Ward, V. Castro, and more, here are six books every horror reader should be picking up this month.
Dead First by Johnny Compton – February 10
Johnny Compton’s supernatural mysteries unfold gracefully, like a night-blooming flower, and his latest novel kicks off with a doozy. Dead First follows Shyla, a private investigator hired to investigate an eccentric billionaire with a dark secret: He can’t die, no matter what he tries. Why? How? These are the things Shyla is tasked with finding out, and if she can’t get to the truth, her own secrets might come to light. If you’ve read Compton’s The Spite House and Devils Kill Devils, you know this has a ton of potential. If you haven’t, this just might be the perfect place to start with his work.
First Date by Gemma Amor – February 10
First Date follows a pair of lonely people trying to put themselves back out there, only to end up on the first date from hell. What Amandine and Connor don’t know as they try to get to know each other is that a killer with a penchant for preying on couples is watching them, and the night is about to turn terrifying. If they want to survive, they’ll have to trust in each other, no matter how hard that might become. It’s a great setup, and a great place to dig into the work of one of horror’s fastest-rising stars.
Grace by A.M. Shine – February 10
The author of The Watchers is back this year with another dark novel steeped in folklore and Gothic traditions. Grace is the story of the title character, an adoptee with no memory of her roots, who gets a mysterious phone call beckoning her back to a lonely island off the coast of Ireland. Grace is about to get reacquainted with her past, on an island full of dark legends and even darker evil. This sounds like one of those atmospheric reads perfect for enjoying with a blanket and a roaring fire.
Maria the Wanted by V. Castro – February 10
The vampire has long been a metaphor for loneliness, feeling like an outsider, and searching for your true self amid all the blood, and this February, V. Castro is exploring that territory with Maria the Wanted. The book follows the title character, a newly turned vampire, as he journeys across Mexico and gets roped into a dark journey of immortal blood drinkers, drug cartels, and many more dangers. Through it all, Maria is a wanted woman, but her greatest challenge might be confronting her own true self. Castro’s work is always dazzling, so if you love vampire fiction, you’ll want to check this thing out.
Dollface by Lindy Ryan – February 24
Lindy Ryan’s novels are always a blast, and this one in particular feels like a treat for slasher fans. Dollface is the story of a horror writer named Jill who’s just trying to fit into suburban life and not weird anyone out with her dark obsessions. But when a masked killer starts picking off the local moms, Jill might be the only person who really knows what’s coming next, and how to stop it. This sounds perfect whether you’re a fan of Scream, My Heart is a Chainsaw, or the slasher genre in general.
Nowhere Burning by Catriona Ward – February 24
Few genre writers working right now can conjure up a place and an atmosphere as well as Catriona Ward, and Nowhere Burning should be no different. Set in the Colorado Rockies, the book explores the title setting of Nowhere, a movie star’s ranch turned burned-out shell of its former self, where a mysterious clan of runaways has taken shelter. But as two siblings seek out Nowhere and its safety, they also find that the ranch extracts a heavy price from its residents. If you’ve never read a Catriona Ward novel before, get ready to be happily lost inside this one.
The post Vampires, Slashers, and More: Six Must Read Horror Books in February 2026 appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
