Suburbs have long been criticized for their segregated attributes, attributes that were oftentimes put forth by design. An interesting factoid about the author: she lost her job at the college newspaper when she refused to alter a column that she had written supporting integration. I’ve yet to read it myself, but hope to rectify this soon. Stephen King listed this as one of the finest horror novels of the 20th Century in his non-fiction book Danse Macabre. Surely the house can’t be “haunted,” yet something about it seems to destroy the goodness of every person who comes to live in it, until the entire heart of this friendly neighborhood threatens to be torn apart. Soon, though, they come to realize that more is wrong than their diminished privacy. Then, to their shock, construction starts on the vacant lot next door, a wooded hillside they’d believed would always remain undeveloped. Life is made up of enjoyable work, long, lazy weekends, and the company of good neighbors. Thirty-something Colquitt and Walter Kennedy live in a charming, peaceful suburb of the newly bustling Atlanta. The House Next Door by Anne Rivers Siddons Comment below for any that we might have missed. Here at HOWL Society, we have provided a short list of novels that we consider suburban horror. These attributes and contradictions are perfect for the horror genre to take a crack at. From The ‘Burbs to American Beauty, the notion of the suburbs and the rot beneath the surface has always been fascinating. This undercurrent has been the subject of various social commentaries over the years, especially in the popular media. Perhaps there was a sort of fear that led to the rise of suburbs, the idea that an enclave could be built to protect its inhabitants from all manner of things deemed offensive. Close enough to the city to reap its benefits, but far enough away to have a separate set of perks, the suburbs vowed to offer increased space, less crime, less air pollution, and more nature.

In the middle of the 20th Century, the suburbs emerged as the pinnacle of family living. Jones, curator of HOWLS book club nominees for July’s “The Monsters on Nextdoor” category

The Happy Man by Eric C. Higgs