by E.G. Rand

Best Southern Gothic Horror Novels From Micheal McDowell

We love Southern Gothic Horror, and we will not apologize. If you haven’t, read part one to learn more about this uniquely American genre.

Below are some of my favorite Southern Gothic Horror novels from Micheal McDowell.

Cold Moon Over Babylon

I must confess, this is one of my favorite novels. Cold Moon Over Babylon is southern gothic horror at its finest. Set in the fictitious town of Babylon, this book has everything. The southern grotesque, exploding graves, rattlesnakes and a piece of shit privileged villain. No spoilers, but the villain gets their comeuppance in a truly horrifying way. 

Looking for a beach read? Well you have found it. And if possible, try to buy your copy from Valancourt Books. They reprint literary horror that would otherwise be lost to modern readers, and their collections are awesome. 

The Elementals

The Elementals is a haunted house story unlike any you have read. Taking place in two of three Victorian beach houses in the remote south, the story is gruesome and haunting in a way that is hard to forget about. Like it or not, you will see those images at night when you close your eyes. 

I am not going to say it's perfect. One of the main criticisms of McDowell is his depiction of black characters. At best they are one dimensional and at worst they are the kind of hurtful stereotypes of black people that damage the black community to this day. 

The issues surrounding black stereotypes displayed in this book, such as the Mammy archetype as well as the “Magical Negro Stereotype”, could fill their own blog post. If that is reason enough for you not read it, that is your choice. 

But the Elementals has stuck around because it is one of the best Southern Gothic Horror novels in the game. This sun drenched horror is full of the kind of nightmarish visions readers of the genre look for, and you will leave satisfied. 

Blackwater 

Technically this was published as a series of paperbacks, but Valancourt struck again and republished them together. 

This multi-generational southern saga cannot be done justice in a blurb. The description of the town and its residents, the familial jealousies and changing world (the first novel is set in 1919 and goes on through the first World War) all shape the landscape of horror. The main character is a local legend, and stalks the banks of the Perdido river.

I don’t mean a serial killer. I mean an actual monster. What if you found out your sister in law was an ancient water creature? A demi-god that chooses to live and breed with humans for inscrutable reasons? Isn’t that horrifying enough?

The answer is no. There are more horrifying things in the story. There are also lots of interesting characters, including those who are openly gay. The black characters are still short-shrifted, but are slightly more rounded than his previous works. If you love southern gothic horror, you need to check out Blackwater. 

Southern Gothic Horror is American Past, Present and Future

Not all southern gothic lit is problematic. In fact, there are lots of black southern gothic horror authors both past and present. Examples include the award winning novella “Ring Shout.” and Octavia Butler’s “Kindred”. One of the best examples of southern gothic literature is “Beloved” written by pillar of American literature and Nobel prize winner, Toni Morrison. 

Southern Gothic Horror is about more than spanish moss and parasols. This literary genre looks at the ghosts that continue to haunt us all as we fumble from a violent past into an unsheltered future. 

What do you think? Comment below!