{"id":92643,"date":"2025-08-25T22:46:11","date_gmt":"2025-08-25T22:46:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/92643\/"},"modified":"2025-08-25T22:46:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T22:46:11","slug":"liked-weapons-here-are-7-books-to-read-next-literary-hub","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/92643\/","title":{"rendered":"Liked Weapons? Here are 7 books to read next. \u2039 Literary Hub"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019ve been gushing about Zach Cregger\u2019s new horror flick Weapons in the Lit Hub Slack (\u201cLit-lack\u201d? \u201cLhlack\u201d? \u201cSlub\u201d?) The movie, from a sketch comedian turned horror filmmaker, is scary and funny with just enough formal creativity and snappy writing to set it apart\u2014and if you haven\u2019t seen it yet, you should read nothing else and go in as blank as you can.<\/p>\n

But once you have seen it, you\u2019re almost certainly going to want to keep the scary times going, so Drew<\/a>, James<\/a>, and McKayla<\/a> pulled some books off their shelves to keep you in Weapons\u2019s witchy, creepy, funny zone.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Stephen King, \u2018Salem\u2019s Lot<\/a><\/p>\n

I\u2019m a sucker for any kind of \u201cA [blank] Comes To Town\u201d horror story\u2014a genre into which Weapons is a sterling entry, iykyk. There are a ton of variations on that theme to be found in literature, but I had to go with the big one of the bunch: \u2018Salem\u2019s Lot. It\u2019s one of my all-time favorite King novels and it too features that gripping sense of menace as we watch things go from bad to worse in a small town beset by a recently-arrived supernatural evil. Also, I do wonder how Barlow and Gladys might get along. \u2013Drew Broussard, Podcasts Editor<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Sam Rebelein, Galloway\u2019s Gospel<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not out for a couple more weeks, but Rebelein\u2019s latest return to Renfield County (his fictional horrorscape in Upstate New York) is a treat for folks who love a laugh alongside their horror stories. Multiple timelines, spoooooky children, an early instability about the true extent of the supernatural, laugh-and-gasp-simultaneously horror-humor\u2014Rebelein has a bit of that indie-horror-filmmaker, let\u2019s-have-some-fun energy to his writing and if there\u2019s any justice in the world, this book will be a comparable hit for Rebelein as Weapons has been for Cregger. \u2013DB<\/p>\n

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Fredrik Backman, Anxious People<\/a><\/p>\n

Weapons makes a strong structural choice in how the story is revealed, similar to Fredrik Backman\u2019s book about a crime gone sideways told through different points of view and backstories. The book is sad and moving, but it\u2019s also darkly funny, and Anxious People\u2019s slapstick reminded me of how Cregger, true to his sketch comedy roots, will reach for a physical gag in unexpected moments. \u2013James Folta, Staff Writer<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Charles Maclean, The Watcher<\/a><\/p>\n

This book was out of print for too long\u2014a shame since it\u2019s such a classic. An average suburban commuter commits an act of shocking violence on his wife\u2019s birthday, which sends him to a psychiatrist for answers. The doctor takes him deep into the historical layers of his psychic past, told through session notes and transcripts. Are the protagonist\u2019s past lives real, or just figments of his psychosis? A wild \u201cdescent into madness\u201d book, this is a fun one to check out if you liked the shifting perspectives in Weapons. \u2013JF<\/p>\n

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Carissa Orlando, The September House<\/a><\/p>\n

If you liked Weapons as much for the humor as the horror, you\u2019ll love The September House. This book will have you giggling even as you\u2019re chilled to the bone. The September House is about a woman who moves into her dream home, only to discover that it\u2019s extremely haunted. But this is her dream home, after all, and she\u2019s determined to stay no matter how dark and malicious the ghosts become. It\u2019s witty, it\u2019s spooky, and it goes out in a wild blaze of glory that Weapons fans are sure to appreciate. \u2013McKayla Coyle, Publishing Coordinator<\/p>\n

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Mona Awad, Rouge<\/a><\/p>\n

File under: books Gladys would love (if she had time to read. God knows the woman\u2019s busy). Rouge deals heavily in weird, witchy shit, complicated parent\/child dynamics, and an obsession with youth\u2014all things that the Weapons antagonist is very into. Mona Awad\u2019s Southern California-gothic novel follows a young woman getting indoctrinated into a supernatural skincare cult. It\u2019s a twisty hall of mirrors and totally unputdownable, and it\u2019s got huge microbangs vibes. What are microbangs vibes? Don\u2019t worry about it. Gladys understands. She gets it. \u2013MC<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Tana French, The Secret Place<\/a><\/p>\n

One thing about Tana French: she\u2019s going to put some kids in danger. Most of the Dublin Murder Squad books deal with murdered and\/or missing children to some extent. So, you know, feel free to just pick up a different Tana French book if The Secret Place isn\u2019t your vibe but you definitely want to read about kids having a bad time. The Secret Place is set at an all-girls school and is about kids dealing with the fallout of a traumatic event, much like Alex Lilly. Although there is less soup in this book, and few-to-no fork incidents. Might be witchy shit though! Or is there\u2026 \u2013MC<\/p>\n

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