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Every book Joe Hill recommended on podcasts
Joe Hill appeared on The Book Review to share his insights on horror literature, spooky reads, and his own creative works. As a prominent voice in the horror and dark fantasy genres, Hill discussed several compelling books that terrify and entertain readers. He recommended Scott Carson's Lost Man's Lane, praising its mysterious premise, and highlighted Keith Rosson's Fever House alongside its sequel The Devil by Name for their classic and energetic conceit of an evil severed head. Additionally, Hill recommended Tananarive Due's award-winning paperback The Reformatory and pointed to John Bellairs's The House with a Clock in Its Walls as a quintessential dark fantasy and gateway book for younger readers discovering the genre. Beyond recommendations, Hill discussed his own bibliography, reflecting on his novel Nos4a2 as an intentional attempt to write in the shadow of previous familial works. He also noted how outside literary influences unexpectedly shaped his short story The Black Phone, which was originally published in his collection 20th Century Ghosts. Throughout his podcast appearances, Hill demonstrated a deep appreciation for classic tropes, innovative storytelling, and the rich history of scary fiction that continues to captivate modern audiences.
Books recommended by Joe Hill
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Fever House
Fever House by Keith Rosson is an energetic, fast-paced horror novel driven by a classic and macabre premise involving an evil severed head that wreaks supernatural havoc in an otherwise recognizable world.
Recommended“The next two books on your list, Fever House and The Devil by Name are by Keith Rosson. And the first one in particular has a classic conceit, which is that there's an evil severed head. We've all been there. Yeah. And the Fever House, and it's just out in hardcover sequel, The Devil by Name, is absolutely bonkers.”
Where to get it
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The House with a Clock in Its Walls
The House with a Clock in Its Walls by John Bellairs is a classic dark fantasy novel about an orphan boy who discovers witchcraft and magic after moving into his uncle's mysterious house.
Recommended“That said, there is a work of dark fantasy by a writer named John Bolair's called The House with a Clock in Its Walls.”
Where to get it
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Lost Man's Lane
Lost Man's Lane by Scott Carson is a mystery suspense novel blending atmospheric dread and supernatural elements.
Recommended“The first one is Lost Man's Lane by Scott Carson. Who is Scott Carson? Not who he appears to be.”
Where to get it
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The Reformatory
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due is a gripping historical horror novel set in Jim Crow-era Florida, following a young boy sent to a terrifying reform school where he can see and communicate with ghosts.
Recommended“This is a book called The Reformatory. Yeah, The Reformatory by Tanana Reef Du is just out in paperback. It also just won the World Fantasy Award for best novel.”
Where to get it
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20th Century Ghosts
20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill is a chilling and acclaimed short story collection that showcases the author's versatility and mastery of supernatural fiction, featuring inventive tales that explore grief, nostalgia, and terror.
Discussed“I think I did a short story called The Black Phone that was in 20th Century Ghost and at the time I wrote it, it was the furthest thing from my mind, but when I look at it now, I see the influence of that book all over that story.”
Where to get it
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Those Who Wish Me Dead
Discussed“Scott Carson is a pen name for the thriller writer Michael Karita. Michael's probably best known for a novel under his own name called Those Who Wish Me Dead, which was made into an intense backwoods thriller starring Angelina Jolie”
Where to get it
Books Joe Hill wrote
- Horns
- NOS4A2
- Heart-Shaped Box
- 20th Century Ghosts
- King Sorrow
- Locke & Key, Vol. 1
- The Fireman
- Full Throttle
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Hill's Scary Book Recs and Victor LaValle on "The Haunting of Hill House" (Rerun) | The Book Review | 2025-10-24 | 9 |
| Two Horror Authors on the Scary Books You Should Be Reading | The Book Review | 2024-10-26 | 2 |
Other mentions (5: passing, ad reads, own books)
“I remember that we spoke in a restaurant in Boston around 2010 for horns and shortly afterwards I had a nervous breakdown and a divorce.”
“I've got a new one that'll be out next year called King Sorrow where I was trying to write it.”
“I remember that we spoke in a restaurant on in Boston around 2010 for horns and shortly afterwards I had a nervous breakdown and a divorce”
“my third book NS feratu was sort of a stab my attempt to write it”
“this was my first book Heart-Shaped Box”