[Editorial] J-Horror Book Recommendations
In addition to all the content and movie talk during this month’s focus on J-Horror, here are five book recommendations to add to your reading list.
Japanese Tales of Mystery & Imagination
by Edogawa Rampo
If you think this author’s name sounds a bit like Edgar Allan Poe you’d be right and it’s a very fitting pen name for the creator of these tales of mystery and imagination. But the title alone of one of these stories, The Human Chair, should conjure up an idea that these are not your run-of-the-mill mystery stories. While some of them fit more neatly into the mystery and crime genres, some of them are straight up horror and the characters get up to some truly bizarre and disturbing things guaranteed to leave you unsettled.
The Graveyard Apartment
by Mariko Koike
A financially strapped
couple and their young daughter move into a wonderful apartment that they find at a cheap price but there’s a catch (because there’s always a catch!) which is that the view from their new home overlooks a graveyard. They experience some strange goings-on in the building which tests the relationships between the family members while the scepticism of others furthers their isolation. The combination of supernatural and psychological horror makes for a tense read with very effective creepiness, offering a unique spin on the classic haunted house tale.
Now You're One of Us
by Asa Nonami
Noriko marries an eligible young bachelor and moves in with her husband’s family where multiple generations live in the same home overseen by the enigmatic matriarch ‘Great Granny’. Married life isn’t quite what she envisioned and instead of wedded bliss her life is filled with paranoia and unease which culminates in the discovery of the family’s dark secret. Drawing comparisons to Rebecca and Rosemary’s Baby, this is a wonderfully atmospheric mix of gothic and psychological horror with some seriously twisted surprises.
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Revenge
by Yōko Ogawa
Strawberry shortcake, bizarrely shaped carrots and torture devices are just a few of the things you will find within these short stories, each one cleverly linked to the next. There is a macabre streak that runs through the collection, luring the curious reader in until they can’t look away when confronted with the horrifying things that these characters experience or are capable of, the impact of which will continue to haunt long after closing the book. A brilliantly written and fascinating look at the dark and the strange.
Goth
by Otsuichi
Two students form an odd friendship over their mutual obsession with true crime, specifically local cases which give them the opportunity to visit crime scenes and undertake their own investigations. But even when they come face to face with serial killers they prefer to act as impartial observers rather than reporting their findings to the police. Murder, kidnapping and suicide are all part of their research into what makes these people tick. This is a disturbing yet mesmerising study of emotionally detached teens and the grisly crimes they are infatuated with.
RELATED ARTICLES
Hag horror originated in the early 1960’s and enjoyed its heyday during this time. Golden Era Hollywood actresses such as Joan Crawford and Bette Davis suddenly found themselves struggling to win roles over the younger, rising starlets of the time. So, in an ironic moment of art imitating life imitating art, these women turned to psychological horror films centered on unstable and dangerous older women. And a new character archetype was born.
While thematically and tonally different from his first feature, All Jacked Up and Full of Worms (2022), director Alex Phillips continues to create some of the more surreal indie horror films around. While Anything that Moves plays off of giallo and grindhouse genre films of the 70s, there is a unique warmth that Phillips brings along with all the blood and sex.
Here at Ghouls, we’re not averse to getting a little soppy with it, so we’ve rounded up seven of the most romantic horror films to spice up your Valentine’s Day, and where to stream them.
We devoured films of blood, obsession, and brutality, letting the screams of terror soundtrack our time in the shadows. Below, are our favourite films that haunted, thrilled, and consumed us while the magazine was on hiatus:
Ahead of the Academy Awards ceremony, Ghouls has rounded up where you can stream all of the 2025 horror releases in the UK and the US from the comfort of your own home.
Films that blend horror with romance always fascinate me; add a niche contemporary setting that I’ve never heard of before and I’m hooked. Cannibal Mukbang was made by Aimee Kuge, a young woman from New York, and I was privileged to spend a little time talking with her over Zoom…
Now it’s time for Soho’s main 2023 event, which is presented over two weekends: a live film festival at the Whirled Cinema in Brixton, London, and an online festival a week later. Both have very rich and varied programmes (with no overlap this year), with something for every horror fan.
In the six years since its release the Nintendo Switch has amassed an extensive catalogue of games, with everything from puzzle platformer games to cute farming sims to, uh, whatever Waifu Uncovered is.
A Quiet Place (2018) opens 89 days after a race of extremely sound-sensitive creatures show up on Earth, perhaps from an exterritorial source. If you make any noise, even the slightest sound, you’re likely to be pounced upon by these extremely strong and staggeringly fast creatures and suffer a brutal death.
Have I told you about Mayhem Film Festival before? It’s a favourite event of mine, so I’ve blurted about it in anticipation to many people I know. The event has just passed, so now is the time to gush its praises to those I don’t know.
You've now found the staple t-shirt of your wardrobe. It's made of a thicker, heavier cotton, but it's still soft and comfy. And the double stitching on the neckline and sleeves add more durability to what is sure to be a favourite!
• 100% ring-spun cotton
• Sport Grey is 90% ring-spun cotton, 10% polyester
• Dark Heather is 65% polyester, 35% cotton
• 4.5 oz/y² (153 g/m²)
• Pre-shrunk
• Shoulder-to-shoulder taping
• Quarter-turned to avoid crease down the centre
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You've now found the staple t-shirt of your wardrobe. It's made of a thicker, heavier cotton, but it's still soft and comfy. And the double stitching on the neckline and sleeves add more durability to what is sure to be a favourite!
• 100% ring-spun cotton
• Sport Grey is 90% ring-spun cotton, 10% polyester
• Dark Heather is 65% polyester, 35% cotton
• 4.5 oz/y² (153 g/m²)
• Pre-shrunk
• Shoulder-to-shoulder taping
• Quarter-turned to avoid crease down the centre
PLEASE NOTE: AT THIS STAGE, ALL OUR PRODUCTS ARE MADE TO ORDER BY OUR SUPPLIERS AS PER YOUR REQUIREMENTS. THEREFORE, WE CANNOT ACCEPT RETURNS UNLESS FAULTY OR INCORRECT. PLEASE SEE OUR FULL POLICY HERE
DELIVERY
UK & EUROPE: 5 - 10 DAYS
USA: 10 - 20 DAYS
You've now found the staple t-shirt of your wardrobe. It's made of a thicker, heavier cotton, but it's still soft and comfy. And the double stitching on the neckline and sleeves add more durability to what is sure to be a favourite!
• 100% ring-spun cotton
• Sport Grey is 90% ring-spun cotton, 10% polyester
• Dark Heather is 65% polyester, 35% cotton
• 4.5 oz/y² (153 g/m²)
• Pre-shrunk
• Shoulder-to-shoulder taping
• Quarter-turned to avoid crease down the centre
PLEASE NOTE: AT THIS STAGE, ALL OUR PRODUCTS ARE MADE TO ORDER BY OUR SUPPLIERS AS PER YOUR REQUIREMENTS. THEREFORE, WE CANNOT ACCEPT RETURNS UNLESS FAULTY OR INCORRECT. PLEASE SEE OUR FULL POLICY HERE
DELIVERY
UK & EUROPE: 5 - 10 DAYS
USA: 10 - 20 DAYS
You've now found the staple t-shirt of your wardrobe. It's made of a thicker, heavier cotton, but it's still soft and comfy. And the double stitching on the neckline and sleeves add more durability to what is sure to be a favorite!
• 100% ring-spun cotton
• Sport Grey is 90% ring-spun cotton, 10% polyester
• Dark Heather is 65% polyester, 35% cotton
• 4.5 oz/y² (153 g/m²)
• Pre-shrunk
• Shoulder-to-shoulder taping
• Quarter-turned to avoid crease down the center
PLEASE NOTE: AT THIS STAGE, ALL OUR PRODUCTS ARE MADE TO ORDER BY OUR SUPPLIERS AS PER YOUR REQUIREMENTS. THEREFORE, WE CANNOT ACCEPT RETURNS UNLESS FAULTY OR INCORRECT. PLEASE SEE OUR FULL POLICY HERE
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USA: 10 - 20 DAYS
• 52% combed ring-spun cotton, 48% polyester
• Slim fit
This racerback tank is soft, lightweight, and form-fitting with a flattering cut and raw edge seams for an edgy touch.
• 50% polyester, 25% combed ring-spun cotton, 25% rayon
• Fabric weight: 4.2 oz/yd² (142 g/m²)
• 32 singles
• Fabric is laundered to reduce shrinkage
• Raw edge seams
PLEASE NOTE: AT THIS STAGE, ALL OUR PRODUCTS ARE MADE TO ORDER BY OUR SUPPLIERS AS PER YOUR REQUIREMENTS. THEREFORE, WE CANNOT ACCEPT RETURNS UNLESS FAULTY OR INCORRECT. PLEASE SEE OUR FULL POLICY HERE
DELIVERY
UK & EUROPE: 5 - 10 DAYS
USA: 10 - 20 DAYS
This racerback tank is soft, lightweight, and form-fitting with a flattering cut and raw edge seams for an edgy touch.
• 50% polyester, 25% combed ring-spun cotton, 25% rayon
• Fabric weight: 4.2 oz/yd² (142 g/m²)
• 32 singles
• Fabric is laundered to reduce shrinkage
• Raw edge seams
PLEASE NOTE: AT THIS STAGE, ALL OUR PRODUCTS ARE MADE TO ORDER BY OUR SUPPLIERS AS PER YOUR REQUIREMENTS. THEREFORE, WE CANNOT ACCEPT RETURNS UNLESS FAULTY OR INCORRECT. PLEASE SEE OUR FULL POLICY HERE
DELIVERY
UK & EUROPE: 5 - 10 DAYS
USA: 10 - 20 DAYS
This racerback tank is soft, lightweight, and form-fitting with a flattering cut and raw edge seams for an edgy touch.
• 50% polyester, 25% combed ring-spun cotton, 25% rayon
• Fabric weight: 4.2 oz/yd² (142 g/m²)
• 32 singles
• Fabric is laundered to reduce shrinkage
• Raw edge seams
PLEASE NOTE: AT THIS STAGE, ALL OUR PRODUCTS ARE MADE TO ORDER BY OUR SUPPLIERS AS PER YOUR REQUIREMENTS. THEREFORE, WE CANNOT ACCEPT RETURNS UNLESS FAULTY OR INCORRECT. PLEASE SEE OUR FULL POLICY HERE
DELIVERY
UK & EUROPE: 5 - 10 DAYS
USA: 10 - 20 DAYS
This racerback tank is soft, lightweight, and form-fitting with a flattering cut and raw edge seams for an edgy touch.
• 50% polyester, 25% combed ring-spun cotton, 25% rayon
• Fabric weight: 4.2 oz/yd² (142 g/m²)
• 32 singles
• Fabric is laundered to reduce shrinkage
• Raw edge seams
PLEASE NOTE: AT THIS STAGE, ALL OUR PRODUCTS ARE MADE TO ORDER BY OUR SUPPLIERS AS PER YOUR REQUIREMENTS. THEREFORE, WE CANNOT ACCEPT RETURNS UNLESS FAULTY OR INCORRECT. PLEASE SEE OUR FULL POLICY HERE
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USA: 10 - 20 DAYS
Everyone needs a cozy go-to hoodie to curl up in, so go for one that's soft, smooth, and stylish. It's the perfect choice for cooler evenings!
• 50% pre-shrunk cotton, 50% polyester
• Fabric weight: 8.0 oz/yd² (271.25 g/m²)
• Air-jet spun yarn with a soft feel and reduced pilling
• Double-lined hood with matching drawcord
• Quarter-turned body to avoid crease down the middle
• 1 × 1 athletic rib-knit cuffs and waistband with spandex
• Front pouch pocket
• Double-needle stitched collar, shoulders, armholes, cuffs, and hem
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A snug, form-fitting beanie. It's not only a great head-warming piece but a staple accessory in anyone's wardrobe.
100% Turbo Acrylic
12" in length
Hypoallergenic
Unisex style
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A spacious and trendy tote bag to help you carry around everything that matters.
• 100% spun polyester fabric
• Bag size: 15″ × 15″ (38.1 × 38.1 cm)
• Capacity: 2.6 US gal (10 l)
• Maximum weight limit: 44lbs (20 kg)
• Dual handles made from 100% natural cotton bull denim
• Handle length 11.8″ (30 cm), width 1″ (2.5 cm)
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Whether you're drinking your morning coffee, evening tea, or something in between – this mug's for you! It's sturdy and glossy with a vivid print that'll withstand the microwave and dishwasher.
• Ceramic
• 11 oz mug dimensions: 3.85″ (9.8 cm) in height, 3.35″ (8.5 cm) in diameter
• 15 oz mug dimensions: 4.7″ (12 cm) in height, 3.35″ (8.5 cm) in diameter
• Dishwasher and microwave safe
PLEASE NOTE: AT THIS STAGE, ALL OUR PRODUCTS ARE MADE TO ORDER BY OUR SUPPLIERS AS PER YOUR REQUIREMENTS. THEREFORE, WE CANNOT ACCEPT RETURNS UNLESS FAULTY OR INCORRECT. PLEASE SEE OUR FULL POLICY HERE.
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Spice up your outfit by adding an eye-catching embroidered patch. Thanks to its durable twill fabric, the patch is resilient to heat. Order it today and get ghoulish!
• 26% cotton, 74% polyester
• 3″ (7.6 cm) in diameter
• Attachment options: iron-on, sew-on, or safety pin
• Blank product sourced from China
EXPLORE
Hag horror originated in the early 1960’s and enjoyed its heyday during this time. Golden Era Hollywood actresses such as Joan Crawford and Bette Davis suddenly found themselves struggling to win roles over the younger, rising starlets of the time. So, in an ironic moment of art imitating life imitating art, these women turned to psychological horror films centered on unstable and dangerous older women. And a new character archetype was born.
Here at Ghouls, we’re not averse to getting a little soppy with it, so we’ve rounded up seven of the most romantic horror films to spice up your Valentine’s Day, and where to stream them.
We devoured films of blood, obsession, and brutality, letting the screams of terror soundtrack our time in the shadows. Below, are our favourite films that haunted, thrilled, and consumed us while the magazine was on hiatus:
Ahead of the Academy Awards ceremony, Ghouls has rounded up where you can stream all of the 2025 horror releases in the UK and the US from the comfort of your own home.
Now it’s time for Soho’s main 2023 event, which is presented over two weekends: a live film festival at the Whirled Cinema in Brixton, London, and an online festival a week later. Both have very rich and varied programmes (with no overlap this year), with something for every horror fan.
In the six years since its release the Nintendo Switch has amassed an extensive catalogue of games, with everything from puzzle platformer games to cute farming sims to, uh, whatever Waifu Uncovered is.
A Quiet Place (2018) opens 89 days after a race of extremely sound-sensitive creatures show up on Earth, perhaps from an exterritorial source. If you make any noise, even the slightest sound, you’re likely to be pounced upon by these extremely strong and staggeringly fast creatures and suffer a brutal death.
If you like cults, sacrificial parties, and lesbian undertones then Mona Awad’s Bunny is the book for you. Samantha, a student at a prestigious art university, feels isolated from her cliquey classmates, ‘the bunnies’.
The slasher sub genre has always been huge in the world of horror, but after the ‘70s and ‘80s introduced classic characters like Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, Leatherface, and Jason, it’s not harsh to say that the ‘90s was slightly lacking in the icon department.
Mother is God in the eyes of a child, and it seems God has abandoned the town of Silent Hill. Silent Hill is not a place you want to visit.
MORE ARTICLES
Redux Redux comes to streaming off the back of a fair amount of hype after playing several festivals, including South by Southwest, where it had its premiere as part of their Midnighter strand last year. Festival hype is, of course, always to be taken with a grain of salt, but in the case of Redux Redux, it feels very warranted.
Anyone who’s ever spent any time in Japan will likely be familiar with the allure of the convenience store. The humble konbini is so much more than just a place to buy cheap coffee and cigarettes – it’s a beacon aglow on even the darkest of nights, where a fluffy egg sando or crisp sliver of Famichiki awaits, the convenience store serves as a reminder that you are never too far from creature comforts, and the company of another human being.
Fairy tales and horror almost go hand in hand; from a young age, we read cautionary tales, warning us about whom we should trust and, in Little Red Riding Hood’s case, to ‘beware of the Big Bad Wolf’. So it doesn’t come as a surprise that we see horror filmmakers take these stories and adapt them to the big screen with their own spin on the classic tales.
“This is not a George Romero movie. There is no such thing as a zombie, okay?” No girl, this is a Tina Romero movie! Funny, fabulous and unapologetically queer, Queens of the Dead is the debut feature from Tina Romero.
Kicking off the final day, we have Violence, a blood-soaked thriller set in an alternate 1980’s that will shake away any remnant of hangover from the night before and wake up the audience.
While many horror films may feature a similar set-up, few pack the emotional punch of Adam O’Brien’s new film Bury the Devil, which premiered March 6 at FrightFest Glasgow.
Like the analogy of a frog in a boiling pot of water, the tension steadily builds upon itself throughout the film, until the climatic ending, when the viewer can hardly believe that just eighty minutes ago Joe was flying high on his upcoming freedom.
Mark "Markiplier" Fischbach has been a staple of the YouTube horror gaming scene since his debut in 2012. Now he's traded his computer screen for the big screen with his adaptation of David Szymanski's 2022 indie game Iron Lung.
It’s a subculture that leans decidedly, sinisterly far-right – and it’s with this thread of baked-in horror that author Saratoga Schaefer gleefully runs riot in their new novel, Tradwife (2026).
Canadian horror God of Frogs, a psychedelic blend of creature feature, folk and body horror manages this feat remarkably well. Each segment has a different director, but all four follow the same monster, which returns to feed every 25 years.

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