The days grow shorter, the nights grow longer and there’s a distinct chill in the air. (That sounded like I was channeling Vincent Price, right? No? Ok.) That can only mean one thing: It’s my very favorite time of year. The time when television channels start airing horror movie marathons and publishers release deliciously spooky horror novels. What better way to celebrate the arrival of fall and the witching season than with a terrifying book?

Here is a list of new horror titles coming out this fall—perfect to cuddling up with on a cold, wicked night.

Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

The sequel to Stephen King’s classic horror novel The Shining, Doctor Sleep stars Danny Torrance as a middle-aged man, struggling with his father’s legacy and the ghosts of the Overlook hotel. After recently rereading The Shining, we cannot wait for this follow-up effort from the king of horror.

Asylum by Madeline Roux

The novelization equivalent of found footage horror, Asylum hits many familiar (and, ok, probably tiresome) genre tropes. But a horror novel, set in a haunted former mental asylum? How could you say no?

The Waking Dark by Robin Wasserman

Robin Wasserman, author of the dystopian science-fiction trilogy Skinned and more recently The Book of Blood and Shadow, takes on small town USA horror (à la Stephen King) with The Waking Dark. One quiet day like any other, the good people of Oleander go on a random killing spree—and something dark is awakening in this sleepy Kansas town.

3:59 by Gretchen McNeil

Gretchen McNeil writes in a style reminiscent of one of my favorite horror authors as a teen: Christopher Pike. In this novel, a young woman dreams of another version of herself—a version that is popular, happy and has everything she's ever wanted—every night at 3:59 a.m. When she is invited to swap places with this perfect version of herself, she takes the leap—only to find that her dreams were not quite as perfect as she thought. Doppelgängers, parallel dimensions and horror—how could you go wrong? 

Let the Old Dreams Die by John Ajvide Lindqvist

The new short-story collection from John Ajvide Lindqvist (who has been called the Swedish Stephen King), Let the Old Dreams Die includes a sequel to his very popular vampire tale Let the Right One In. As a big fan of the movie adaptations and original novel, I’m very excited to see what happens with Oskar and Eli.

The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey

Ok, I’m cheating with this one. The Girl with All the Gifts isn’t out until early next year, but it looks amazing so I’m keeping it on this list. Based on a short story from Mike Carey (“Iphegenia in Aulis”), this is meant to be a title on par with Justin Cronin’s The Passage—featuring a very important little girl.

The Small Hand and Dolly by Susan Hill

Technically, this is two of Susan Hill’s earlier books—The Small Hand (2010) and Dolly (2012)—combined in a new single volume. Both are ghost stories set in the English countryside, featuring—what else?—the spirits of children. If you’ve read Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black (one of the best haunted house stories I’ve read in years), you know what a master Hill is at chilling, atmospheric ghost stories. I can’t wait to devour this book.

Blue Moon by James Ponti

This is the second book in the middle grade Dead City series, an unexpected and refreshing take on zombies (and the humans who police them) rooted in the history of New York City. Fun, smart, with just the right amount of horror, Dead City should appeal to readers of all ages and persuasions.

The Abominable by Dan Simmons

A loose sequel to Simmons’ 2007 gothic horror/exploration novel, The Terror, The Abominable tells the story of a group of intrepid explorers with their sights on the summit of Mt. Everest. Of course, death, blood and horror wait for them in the snowy peaks....

Project Cain/Cain’s Blood by Geoffrey Girard

In the simultaneously published Project Cain and Cain’s Blood, author Geoffrey Girard writes two different novels—one for young adults, one for adults—written about the same event but from different points of view. The military has done a very bad thing, creating clones from the DNA of the most notorious and reviled murderers in history, and in Project Cain and Cain’s Blood, we see the inevitable chaos that ensues.

And that’s it from us! Are there any other forthcoming horror novels you have your eye on?

Thea James and Ana Grilo are The Book Smugglers, a website for speculative fiction and YA. You can also find them on Twitter.