9 Horror Books with Queers, Queens, and Everyone in Between
Let’s support authors who authentically represent the LGBTQ community with their fictional characters.
Now is the season for horror books!
With so many authors taking a transphobic or anti-transphobic stand lately, I’m a firm believer in taking my own stand by only supporting those writers who support equality for my transgender son. My favorite genre to read and write is horror so, I thought I’d share some of my favorite stories that include queer characters.
(Note: None of the links provided are affiliate links. They are only included to make it easy for you to find the recommended books.)
Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
This truly terrifying tale has been made into a horror movie that will scare your socks off. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t represent the queer characters as accurately as the book.
The written story explores the friendship between a young boy and a vampire who was robbed of a human childhood presenting as an adolescent boy — although is actually somewhere between genders. It is well worth the read to grasp the queer individuality of the characters. It is a bold and creepy work of horror.
Wake of Vultures by Lila Bowen
This is an old-west inspired fantasy story with a gender-bending main character, Nettie (Nat), who discovers they can see monsters. I’ll admit this was the first western I’ve ever read. I was reluctant to pick it up, but I’m very glad I finally did.
Nettie/Nat is a sometimes annoying teenager, yet always an interesting character throughout the book. Gender identity, sexuality, self-acceptance, and race all play a part in our heroine/hero’s development in the story.
(Trigger warning: There are a couple of scenes that contain sexual violence.)
Sacrament by Clive Barker
Before I ever knew Clive Barker was gay, I admired him for his horrific tales. Although not every story of his includes queer characters, many do.
Sacrament centers around Will who works to stop Jacob from methodically causing the extinction of every species on the planet. The story explores what it means to be human, and specifically, a gay man. It delves into the themes of immortality, sexuality, and death.
Point Pleasant by Jen Archer Wood
As a kid, the main character, Ben, is confronted by the supernatural and it haunts him years later even as a famous adult horror writer. So Ben goes back to his hometown of Point Pleasant to explore the Mothman mystery and reconnects with his childhood best friend.
This book’s themes include surviving pain, loss, and horrific events as well as hoping for happiness in life on the other side of surviving what haunts us most.
Affinity by Sarah Waters
After her attempted suicide the main character, Margaret, meets a charismatic female inmate, Selina, while doing charity work at Millbank Prison. After her initial disbelief in Selina’s professed innocence regarding her crimes against two women during a psychic reading, Margaret’s feelings for the prisoner evolve into one of admiration. As their relationship grows Margaret becomes convinced of Selina’s spiritualistic gifts and determined to free her from her prison cell.
The mental instability of Margaret drives this gothic psychological thriller forward as it incorporates dark, gritty fantasy elements along the way. The story centers on the need to feel loved.
The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez
After the death of her mother, Gilda escapes slavery in the mid-1800s when she’s taken in by a vampire. I liked this book because the vampire isn’t your typical let-me-suck-your-blood-and-leave-you-to-die sort. This vampire teaches Gilda to leave payment for the blood she takes.
This book is about being black and being queer. It explores what it’s like living in a greed-filled world where life is constantly exploited and choosing to live with gratitude and empathy instead.
The Drowning Girl by Caitlin R. Kiernan
This author is commonly considered one of the most prolific LGBTQ horror/fantasy/sci-fi writers of all time. As a young adult, they transitioned to female and prefer gender-neutral pronouns. They have written hundreds of short stories and more than a dozen novels to date.
The Drowning Girl follows a schizophrenic girl known as Imp who proves to be an unreliable narrator. She tries to keep reality in check by journaling her daily life. The story centers around her mental madness and her feelings of love for a transgender woman named Abalyn.
Drawing Blood by Poppy Z. Brite
This specific book kept showing up on several recommended reading lists so I just had to give this author’s work a read. I was not disappointed.
The main character, Trevor, is eight-years-old when his father murders the rest of his family and then himself. As an adult, Trevor returns to his childhood home in the hopes of learning why he alone was spared. Once back in North Carolina we are introduced to Zachary, a man on the run from the FBI who makes Trevor’s journey through his past even riskier.
This story’s suspense drove me to devour it within two sittings. Gruesome murders, family ghosts, and sexy memorable characters kept me glued to the page.
Mysterium Tremendum by Laird Barron
This novella can be found in the book Occultation and Other Stories. It features four gay men — some friends, some lovers. The tension in the story builds as secrets surrounding the men are revealed.
I’m a short story junkie so this book’s combination of quick reads and terrifying tales makes it a new favorite of mine.
With the prolific writers on this list, it’s easy to choose books that not only send shivers up my spine but support authors who believe my son should have the same opportunities and rights as anyone else.
Let the spooky season begin with a horror story!
(Note: Due to many of the adult themes in the books listed above, I don’t recommend any of them for young readers.)
Here are 10 Questions Every Parent Should Ask Their Transgender Teen. Zada Kent is creator of LGBTQueer-ies & proud parent to her transgender son.
