Scream Read-A-Like

It has been 11 years since Ghostface’s last appearance. But after sharping his knife collection and compiling more phone numbers, he is back.

I am a sucker for slashers. I, for one, am hyped as hell for this film. While I will concede that I am more of a Friday the 13th kind of gal, Scream has been able to bring some iconic moments to the silver screen. 

To celebrate the release of the latest Scream film, I thought it would be fitting to share some novels that share some iconic elements to the film franchise or have similar vibes. Hopefully, one of them will chill your blood.

One of my favourite horror tropes is the final girl. But have you ever wondered what happens to those women once the killer is taken down? The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix answers that question. 

Lynnette Tarkington was a final girl back when she was a teen, and she still lives with the scars from that night, both physical and mental. She finds solace in her therapy group, nicknamed The Final Girl Support Group. Every one of these ladies has survived brutal massacres and must continue with the trama those events left them with. Things are going alright for her and her fellow former final girls until a new killer enters the picture. Picking up where the killers of the past left off.

The Final Girl Support Group is suspenseful, dramatic and bloody. If you enjoy rooting for women like Sidney Prescott, you will love this novel. There is even a Ghostface-like killer mentioned a few times.  

While coming up with suggestions, My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones instantly sprung to mind.

Jade Daniels is a social outcast. Not wanted by the community of Proofrock or even at home, leaving her angry at the world. The only comfort she has in life is horror films. When blood starts to stain the streets of her hometown, Jade’s knowledge and insight might come in handy as she starts to predict the killer’s actions.

Bleak, challenging and raw. My Heart Is a Chainsaw was written by a horror fan, for horror fans. 

Do you like the mindless, senseless violence that slashers provide? Then Popular Hits of the Showa Era by Ryu Murakami is the novel for you. 

After an incel-like guy kills an older woman in a random act of violence, it sets off the most unusual gang war. Said incels versus tough older women. Both sides are more than willing to spill the blood of the other in the name of revenge. With every dead body that hits the floor, the casualties become more extreme, downright cartoonish at points. Ghostface could never.

It is gritty, dark and hilarious. While not a horror book, I still think it counts. It is an absolute firework of a novel short, captivating and explosive.