Really solid mix of essays on why these legends of contemporary horror write horror. Some really hit home, some are entertaining, some are informative. It’s perfect for the horror booktok lover in your life. Feels like a fan service as well as a love letter.

Book: Why I Love Horror
Editor: Becky Siegel Spratford
Publisher: Simon & Schuster’s Saga Press
Publication Date: 23 September, 2025
Capone’s Rating: 5 of 5 ⭐s
Let’s start this review by stating what might be obvious to you by just reading the list of contributors, whether or not you’re familiar with “horror librarian” Becky Siegel Spratford and her Good Works: Why I Love Horror is a must-read for any horror fan. This anthology of essays will appeal in particular to those wanting to get in the heads of favorite authors or, in the case of us horror writers, our heroes as well as favorites.
One point Stephen Graham Jones makes in his set-closing essay stands out among the rest: Horror is inclusive. We love it together, and our shared interest improves us and binds us. How deep does the binding go? How much blood would have to be spilled to break the curse—er, blessing? One can only guess. Thankfully, we know our shared kismet pulls us together in a welcoming community. I’ve felt that as a reader, writer, and publisher.
A few others remark in their essays that they came to horror somewhat late in life after making a start in the academy writing proper literary fiction (or attempting to do so) after realizing doing so felt hollow and untrue to them (my words, but that’s the gist). What struck me was how common my malady was in these writers whom I so admire. See, I also dismissed horror as uniformly dumpy schlock—I was as annoyingly pretentious as they come when the topic was literature. I read “only the classics” and avoided modern writing, in so-called genre fiction especially. Today, I realize that, while it was edifying to read all of that proper stuff, what really hits home today is the exploration only possible through that which is horrific. Some of that literary fiction appeals to me, sure, but mostly it feels stilted and contrived. The reins come off in horror, though, and we get to the meat of things much more clearly and directly—and clear and direct writing is good, right? It’s the best.
Writers like Tananarive Due talk about representation in horror, and for me, horror is an exercise in empathy without which I would see less of the world and those who inhabit it with me. Her work (see The Good House or The Reformatory, for example) has widened my own understanding of the world, and here I get a glimpse into her why. Malerman takes a less personal and more narrative approach, and his oddness definitely comes out in his essay. (Does the stranger on the train exist? Does Malerman?) Cynthia Palayo’s essay is heart-wrenching in its honesty, and I related strongly to her using horror and books and her comfortable writing office to stave off the outside. I get it, and though our experiences and perspectives are not the same, there’s so much she’s had to say that reaches me directly that I’m grateful to have read her essay and her fiction. Getting takes on horror from Hailey Piper, Jonathan Langan, Gabino Iglesias (who GETS IT), Jennifer McMahon, Paul Tremblay, and Grady Hendrix, among others (did I mention this crazy lineup?) was a treat.
This is a 5-of-5-star review because this book didn’t exist before and needed to exist. And here it is. September 2025. I've pre-ordered it for excerpts in my horror literature class this fall. Thank you, Horror Librarian!

My own why, dashed out in one sitting:
About six years ago, while I was amid writing my second or third young adult historical fiction novel, I had a conversation with the proprietor of my favorite local bookstore—The Printed Garden. We talked over our love of reading horror. We shared how intimidating horror was, as a genre, to write. It was hypothetical for me, as I had, in fact, never tried writing it.
As I always had done, I had been writing the sort of thing to which I was closest: at that time, it was spy stuff from the Cold War. I had been teaching mostly history to middle schoolers and was about a decade into an obsession with history, so it made sense that I connected with younger readers and was writing what essentially were historical adventure stories.
Horror was far from that, right? But it turns out—and I can only see this in hindsight—that I was secretly writing horror even then. My protagonist in Max in the Capital of Spies faces insurmountable odds and (spoiler alert) loses to the forces of totalitarianism in the end, though he saves himself. In so doing, he sacrifices his moral commitments for the sake of a love interest and his own more surface-level self-conception. This was intentional, and the turn at the end was a knife-twist, for sure.
What I didn’t realize was that this was a classic horror setup: protagonist faces insurmountable odds, is overwhelmed by them, and sacrifices something morally important for the sake of a desire. And while the book could never be marketed as straight-up horror, I seemed then as now to sneak horror elements into all that I do, just as I sneak philosophy and ethical questions into all that I do. I just can’t help it. It’s in my blood.
But I don’t like to be scared, and I swear I don’t know what horror is or how I write it. Sure, I have ideas, but it’s more of an aspiration than an understanding. I don’t set out to terrify readers, whether I’m writing my own stuff or editing a collection of others’ writing: I set out to communicate bizarre and curious circumstances, to see a character who we care about either making it through or failing to make it through those circumstances, and to run through thought experiments that parallel reality without being quite so scary as the real deal.
I live and have always lived my life in my head.
The people closest to me quake at the notion of living a day up there, and though I wouldn’t trade it for anything, I get it. My brain is a spooky place. I went through a period of psychosis when I was a teenager, and I believed—truly believed—my parents were government agents running tests on me and observing results. While the psychosis is long gone, I still have flashes. Every time I touch the doorknob to my house, I secretly pray the family inside hasn’t been switched out for strangers (to me) who think I’m someone I’m not or who don’t recognize me at all. Each night when I stand in the bathroom and peer into the back yard, I expect to see someone standing there, staring back at me. When I climb into bed, I pull up my feet and never let them dangle. I always check the backseat of my car at night. When I’m crossing the street, I hope I’m not hallucinating a clear pathway to the other side. These are real thoughts that I have on not only a regular but a consistent basis.
Horror books and movies are nothing compared to what I’m really thinking, most of the time.

As many of the authors in this anthology express, I escape in a safe way through horror. If you do, too, you’re part of our community. If you’re in it for the chills, you’re part of our community, too.
To quote an excellent forthcoming Michael Wehunt novel: You belong.

Becky Siegel Spratford might as well be America's Horror Librarian. The thoughtful, engaging essay collection she curates in Why I Love Horror is a love letter to the genre, the craft, and at times, a brilliant treatise on the psychological allure of the macabre. The Introduction by Sadie Hartmann, Mother Horror herself, adds credibility to her mentor's work and prepares readers to geek out on the thoughts from a Who's Who of today's horror novelists. Stephen Graham Jones. Tananarive Due. Paul Tremblay. They're all in there and more. A small but particularly effective touch is the brief introduction that precedes each essay, where Siegel Spratford dons her librarian's badge to offer starting points for readers unfamiliar with the work of the essayist. For example, to paraphrase her, "If you're not familiar with Jennifer McMahon, start with The Winter People. For a similar author, try Simone St. James." These are right on the money each time. Her recommendations are sure to give horror fans new and old someone new to read.

The essays themselves give insight into how many of these writers got started. If you enjoyed the memoir portion of Stephen King's On Writing, you will devour Why I Love Horror and leave with a better understanding of why we care about things that go bump in the night. This deserves a spot on any horror-lover's shelf.

I'm clearly an outlier here but this book is making me reconsider horror as one of my favorite genres. I've read almost all of these authors. Some are favorites and some I will never read again. The saying "never meet your heroes" applies here. Yes, they are creative geniuses but they imagine themselves as great defenders of justice. What a load of crap. You write fiction and it does resonate with some people but you're not shaping the future. This is escapism. Full stop. All of the authors have unique past experiences that made them love horror. I really enjoyed reading about those experiences and "hooks". This book is also trying too hard to justify the horror genre as quality and important. Who cares? I like what I like. I don't need to justify what I read and for that reason I am not the target audience of this book. This book comes off as pompous and preachy. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

This very enjoyable and diverse series of essays does exactly what it says on the tin – gives an overview from many horror authors’ perspectives about what got them into the genre. Some essays I enjoyed more than others, but all were insightful and witty, some funny, some heartbreaking. Highly recommended to fans of either the authors or the genre itself as there was much I related to.

I loved the varied essays in this book written by amazing horror authors. It was entertaining to read why some of my favorites love horror. They shared how they got started in horror, what started their love for the genre. I found some of the essays relatable and some of them showed why they are some of our favorite horror writers. I hope there will be a Vol II in the future.

Not even going to lie, I only requested this for the Grady Hendrix piece but I found myself locked completely in to a few of these other essays (namely Malerman and Due). A must read for any horror fan!

If you're a horror fan this is a most. A varied collection of authors surely to have a few of your favorites included. Some authors discuss the books and films that influenced then. Others tell about life events. It's a great read and I found it very relatable.

I had always loved horror movies, so I was excited to read these essays about horror. It was everything that I was hoping for and worked well in keeping me invested and enjoyed how each essay was written. I'm glad I got to read this as it was everything that I was hoping for.

A love letter to the horror genre from many of the most influential and bestselling authors in the industry. A captivating anthology and exacting tribute to the horror genre with essays featuring several of the most influential contemporary horror writers including Grady Hendrix, Stephen Graham Jones and Rachel Harrison. Will definitely be easier to bring more readers into the fold of the horror genre after reading this essay which perfectly puts into words how one feels reading these works of gothic literature.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 | 𝐒&𝐒/𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐈 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫: 𝐄𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐒𝐢𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐥 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝

Horror is my favorite genre and I get asked why a lot. I am always happy to discuss my opinions about the genre and specific works. This was like one of those discussions. Loved it and will be adding to my home library.

This is it. This is THE book for everyone to read, even beyond those who love the horror genre. Every essay and every author articulated so poignantly why horror resonates with me and the way I perceive the world, internally and externally. I sobbed through so many, applauded for every single essay, and found myself nodding along to almost all, shouting, “yes! yes! This is it. This is why!” If my husband doesn’t get my love for horror after me reading so many passages to him, then I don’t know what will explain it better.
I am beyond grateful, I can’t even put into words, that I was able to get an eARC of this book. To have something to relate to, to know there are others who appreciate the darkness that lies within all of us, to have something like a love for horror articulated so wonderfully is such a validating feeling. I can’t wait to have the physical copy in my hands so I can go back and reread and annotate. I’ll be anxiously awaiting the release date. I will be shouting from the rooftops about this one. This is a book not only for horror lovers, but for those who are scared to venture into this beautiful, macabre genre of the reading/watching world. As crazy as it may seem to say, this book is a warm hug for those who find solace and meaning in horror. It’s beautiful, it’s validating, it’s a book that deserves to be on your shelves. This will definitely be in my top books of the year. Wow!

Thank you Saga Press and NetGalley for the eARC of this book. I am forever grateful!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC to review!
Rating (on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being excellent)
Quality of writing: 5
Pace: 5
Enjoyability: 5
Ease of Reading: 5

Overall rating: 5 out of 5

As with any collection of essays, my opinion on the essays themselves range from "wow, that was amazing" to "could have left that one out...".
The first two essays were among my least favorites but they quickly picked up from there. I particularly enjoyed Josh Malerman, Grady Hendrix, and Stephen Graham Jones's contributions.

Overall, I feel this is a solid group of essays that Becky Spratford does a great job of weaving together and providing context regarding. If you have read multiple of the authors I bet you will love to get a peek behind the curtain.

Thank you for the ARC from NetGalley!

Wow! What a collection of authors! I jumped right into this book by reading Stephan Graham Jones and Gabino Iglesias essays first. The other writers included are Victor LaValle, Tananarive Due, Paul Tremblay, Grady Hendrix and more. It’s an interesting psychological view of why people become writers, and what draws them to particular subject matter.

I have been really enjoying this one so far. I am not 100% finished with the book, but instead reading through different essays by people I am interested in and then going back to read the rest. These essays are mostly personal reflection, so it's a little different than a lot of the books I've read related to history of horror. Each essay is answering the question "Why I Love Horror" in their own way. It's interesting to get a little peek into someone's past and attachment to certain media.

Thanks so much to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me this eARC in exchange for an honest review. While I love read horror novels and short stories, I really enjoy the guts, the inner workings, the behind the scenes look at the genesis of ideas and what drew this author to horror.

This was a particularly interesting take on the anthology with 18 guest essays from most of the authors I am familiar with and whose works I've read and enjoyed. Several mystery guests whom I will have to follow-up on soon, I promise. Thanks for the recommendation reading list.

Hope to see a Why I Love Horror 2 with some more invited guest essayists. Highly recommended read.

Very interesting collection of essays by popular modern horror authors and it helped me build up my TBR list a bit as well. Definitely fun to read anecdotes from writers about what they do and how they came to do it.

*Why I Love Horror* felt like a love letter written directly to my spooky little heart. Becky Siegel Spratford doesn’t just *explain* the appeal of horror—she celebrates it, unpacks it, and reminds us why the genre is so much more than jump scares and gore.

Reading this felt like sitting down with a friend who truly *gets it.* Spratford writes with passion, humor, and an unapologetic enthusiasm for the dark and the twisted. But what I appreciated most was how thoughtfully she explores horror's deeper layers—how it helps us process fear, grief, trauma, and even joy. She gives space to the genre’s power, its history, and its often misunderstood brilliance, all while keeping it accessible and engaging.

This book is both a personal reflection and a critical guide. Whether you’re a lifelong horror fan or just starting to dip your toes in the blood-soaked waters, there’s something here for you—recommendations, insights, and maybe even a new lens through which to view your favorite frights.

*Why I Love Horror* isn’t just informative—it’s affirming. It reminded me why I fell in love with the genre in the first place and made me even more excited about where it’s headed. If you love horror—or want to understand the people who do—this book is a must-read.

I am cautious when it comes to collections of short stories or essay because I always end up feeling it’s disjointed - this is not the case with this collection. Becky Siegel Stratford does a tremendous job of not only introducing you to each horror author but WHY the essay appears in the order it does.

I ADORED reading about why each author loves horror. Horror is by far and away my favorite genre and each author hit on a part of why Horror is so important to me and the world.

This collection of essays reignited a passion in me for horror that had always been there but had been buried by life and other factors. It feels like a hug in the most sadistic and dramatic way.

I highly recommend reading if you love horror or even want to understand why someone could adore the most majestic of genres. This book is easy to read as a whole or piecemeal but should be devoured none the less.

Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for an advanced digital copy; all opinions expressed in this review are my own