Epistolary Horror Beyond Dracula & Frankenstein?

RedDragoness · Mar 30, 2017

Any quality epistolary style horror novels out there besides the Big Two?

I'm thinking of rewriting my ghost story as epistolary since it's multiple POV anyway, and want to read some that are well done. I'm already re-reading Dracula for the third or fourth time and I have to say, it really stands up even over a century later. I don't usually get scared by books but this one is giving me chills, despite having read it multiple times!

I realize epistolary is not for everyone, and it's not a traditional way to do horror, but figured I'd ask if anyone has any they recommend.

TIA.

Anna Iguana · Mar 30, 2017

Carrie (Stephen King's first novel) has an epistolary structure.

RedDragoness · Mar 31, 2017

Anna Iguana said:
Carrie (Stephen King's first novel) has an epistolary structure.

Oooh, thank you! That's one of his I haven't read yet, so now I will.

JKDay · Mar 31, 2017

World War Z (Max Brooks) has what I suppose could be described as an epistolary structure, although the commonality with Dracula/Frankenstein is pretty minor...

RedDragoness · Mar 31, 2017

JKDay said:
World War Z (Max Brooks) has what I suppose could be described as an epistolary structure, although the commonality with Dracula/Frankenstein is pretty minor...

I'll check it out, thanks!

the bunny hugger · Mar 31, 2017

The St Germain vampire novels also use a lot of letters.

Curlz · Mar 31, 2017

Sarah Lotz "The Three" comprises of individual first person accounts which are similar to, although not quite epistolary. Yet she's much closer to Dracula/Frankenstein structure than SK's Carrie.

RedDragoness · Apr 5, 2017

Awesome, thanks!

Diana Hignutt · Apr 6, 2017

A lot of Lovecraft's work uses that structure.

Spooky · Apr 10, 2017

The Whisperer in Darkness by that prophet of indescribable dread Lovecraft is a bumpy ride in epistolary form.

phyrebrat · Apr 13, 2017

Yes, a lot of Lovecraft does follow this style.

In more recent fiction - though set in the days of the Puritans - I remember buying an excellent companion 'prequel' novel to The Blair Witch Project which was a collection of letters and/or diary entries from the 16/17 hundreds. (Just checked online - it is called The Curse of the Blair Witch by Frank Pastor). I can't recall much of it, except that I did enjoy it very much.

pH

JoeBrat · Apr 19, 2017

I never read Carrie. I didn't realize it was an epistolary novel. I tried to write an epistolary structured story in high school and it was a disaster. I think I just might give it another shot one day.
A friend of mine told me about a book called Bats of the Republic. I'm not sure if its a good read but he seemed to enjoy it.

Epistolary Horror Beyond Dracula & Frankenstein?

RedDragoness

Not your mother's dragon

Anna Iguana

reading all the things

RedDragoness

Not your mother's dragon

JKDay

RedDragoness

Not your mother's dragon

the bunny hugger

practical experience, FTW

Curlz

cutsie-pie

RedDragoness

Not your mother's dragon

Diana Hignutt

Very Tired

Spooky

Even the sphinx has eyes O_O

phyrebrat

JoeBrat

JoeBrat