If you're looking for your next slasher style horror book Daphne by Josh Malerman should be at the top of your list. This is his first foray into this particular subgenre and he's found a way to not only do it right but also adds elements that could change it for the better.
Several things stand out in this novel. The main villain, Daphne, is the type of slasher you've not read or seen before. Josh said in an interview that he was not trying to make the female Jason Vorhees nor was he going for the typical sexualised female antagonist that are the norm.
Daphne is a very different killer with a very distinct way in which she wields her powers. She's seven foot tall, wears denim jackets, and listens to heavy metal. And, yeah, she's technically dead!
In this book, her killing spree takes aim at a team of a high school girls basketball team. Basketball, as you'll see when you read, plays an intregal part of this story. These girls treat the sport as a way to better themselves and get out of the small town they call home. To them, it's less a sport and more a religion almost. And when members start dying off, it's up to them to get to the reason why.
Daphne was actually once a real live girl, bullied by her classmates and the popular jock crowd. But the entire town has collectively forgotten her. They don't talk or even think about her...and for good reason. Doing either of those things causes her spirit to roam once again committing her murderous ways. And, unbeknownst to the girls, a few fanatical followers of Daphne's legend have been putting her in the forefront of people's minds and lips.
Now, while these soon to be victims have to figure out their lives, they have to figure out what's going on and why before they're all dead at Daphne's hand. Because how do you defeat something that's always on your mind when not thinking about it is the only way to stop the carnage?
This book is genuinely frightening and contains not only a unique antagonist but is also an effective coming of age story. I would love to see this made into a movie. I think it could bear a franchise and give us our first true female horror villain.
Daphne releases on September 20th but you can pre-order it on Amazon right now. And, of course, I recommend you do!
If you want to see my full video review you can find it on my Horror Reads YouTube channel here.
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