It is October, which means that fall and spooky season is upon us. One of my favorite things about this time of year is the sheer number of spooky movies, television shows, and, especially, books that are released. I am a massive fan of the horror and mystery genre, and something I have noticed over the years of consuming this media is that white authors and creators tend to be at the tops of all best-selling or most-watched lists, while BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) creators tend to be lower on these lists or not on them at all.
As much as I love horror movies, I want to speak more to books because this is where I personally see the most disparity between white and BIPOC stories. I myself tend to gravitate towards stories written by white authors because they are all that is talked about. Every person has their own bias, and until our biases are recognized there is no way that personal growth can be had.
A major criticism when it comes to horror/mystery/thriller stories written by non-white people is that it is not “scary” enough. But, have you ever stopped to wonder, maybe it is not scary to you? For example, clowns really freak me out. So, if I read a book with a clown, I am going to be way more scared than someone reading that book who does not find clowns scary. What I am trying to say is that it is all a matter of preference. What you find frightening may not be frightening to someone else, and vice versa.
These stories are not talked about as much as white stories. If you go on horror book recommendations, you are most likely going to get a list filled with white authors. So, I have compiled a list of books written by BIPOC authors that deserve way more credit than they receive. These are all non-spoiler synopsis, and everything written has already been disclosed in the synopsis released by the publisher. Some synopsis I give little detail as I think it is more worthwhile to go into these books with little information. I would like to note that many of these books have content that some readers may find harmful or triggering. For more information, please visit Book Riot for more information regarding trigger warnings.
- “The Only Good Indians” by Stephen Graham Jones
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Four men made a mistake in their youth. Years later, an entity destined on revenge comes back for these men. This story lets tradition and culture rule this story of vengeance and violence.
- “Mexican Gothic” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
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Set in 1950’s Mexico, party-girl Noemí Taboada receives a strange letter from her cousin that she is in danger. Noemí decides to go to the countryside and visit the mansion in which her cousin resides. Is Noemí in for more than she bargained for? Or is she just imagining the creepiness of High Place?
- “When No One Is Watching” by Alyssa Cole
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Sydney Green is horrified as she watches the neighborhood she was born and raised be gentrified. Every neighbor is suspicious of each other, and what can you really do when you cannot trust anyone around you, even the place you grew up?
- “My Sister, The Serial Killer” by Oyinkan Braithwaite
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Korede receives a phone call from her sister, Ayoola, to help her dispose of an ex-boyfriend’s body. This satire explores Korede’s relationship with her sister and her own romantic relationships.
- “The Majesties” by Tiffany Tsao
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Two sisters from a Chinese-Indonesian family grapple with their wealth after one of them poisons their entire family. Secrets and betrayal surround this domestic thriller, and when no one can remember what happened, the story becomes quite fuzzy.
- “Cemetery Boys” by Aiden Thomas
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To prove himself to his family, Yadriel summons a ghost. Except this summoning goes awry, and he summons the resident bad boy, Julian Diaz. And the only way to get rid of Yadriel is to find out what happened to Julian.
- “Winter Counts” by David Heska Wanbli Weiden
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When justice fails for the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota, and heroin is found within his community, Virgil Wounded Horse makes it his mission to find out where the drugs are coming from and how he can stop it without hurting his community further.
- “Even If We Break” by Marie Kijkamp
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Five people go to a cabin. None of them are safe. Will their secrets help protect their reputation? Or leave them dead in the woods?
- “The Year of the Witching” by Alexis Henderson
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Immanuelle lives in Bethel, a Puritan town where Prophet’s words are law. When plagues start infecting the town, will Immanualle find out the truth about her lineage or will she perish as a witch at the stake?
- “Things We Lost in the Fire” by Mariana Enriquez
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This is a collection of macabre short stories taking place in Argentina. There is black magic, drug cartels, powerful women and so much more. These atmospheric tales are sure to make any skin crawl.
There are so many other stories that are not on this list. This is just a tiny slice of the pie when it comes to BIPOC spooky stories.
It can be difficult to even find stories by BIPOC folks because they are never talked about or praised as highly as white stories are. But once you take the time to find them, you are open to a whole new world of storytelling. Understanding our biases and going past our cultural comfort zone is what will really expand each and every one of our minds. Happy (or scary) reading!
For more details on these books, feel free to check out the Goodreads shelf I made.