Go Down the Rabbit Hole with these 7 Fairy Tale Horror Books
Fairy tales are all sweetness and light with happy endings, right?
Well, not all the time. When a horror author reimagines a classic children’s story, you end up with something dark and twisted and barely recognisable, where happy ever after is more like happy never after.
The following horror books are based on some of the classic children’s stories that we all grew up with.
But they’re not quite like any of the fairy tales you think you know.
- This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Table of Contents
The Trouble with Rabbits – Kelvin Allison
Fairy tale horror (Alice in Wonderland)
Imagine waking up in a cell with no recollection of how you came to be there.
Then imagine finding that not only are you dressed in a white rabbit suit but that you are being hunted by a man named Queenheart and a pair of homicidal twins named Dumbdee and the only way to safety is to head through a mirror.
Welcome to New London…
“I was still holding the ears when my eyes noticed the words…”
Children of Chicago – Cynthia Pelayo
Fairy tale horror (The Pied Piper)
Chicago detective Lauren Medina’s latest case is the investigation of a brutally murdered teenager in Humboldt Park. The crime is eerily similar to the murder of her sister decades before.
Unlike her straight-laced partner, Lauren recognizes the crime, and the new graffiti popping up all over the city, for what it really means: the Pied Piper has returned.
When more children are found dead, Lauren is certain her suspicion is correct.
Still reeling from the recent death of her father, she must find out who has summoned him again, and why, before more people die. Lauren’s torn between protecting the city she has sworn to keep safe, and keeping a promise she made long ago with her sister’s murderer.
She may have to ruin her own life by exposing her secrets and lies to stop the Pied Piper before he collects.
“Chicago was plagued with hundreds and hundreds of unsolved murders and missing persons cases.”
Lost Boy – Christina Henry
Fairy tale horror (Peter Pan)
There is one version of my story that everyone knows. And then there is the truth.
Once I loved a boy called Peter Pan. Peter brought me to his island because there were no rules and no grownups to make us mind. He brought boys from the Other Place to join in the fun, but Peter’s idea of fun is sharper than a pirate’s sword. He wants always to be that shining sun that we all revolve around. He’ll do anything to be that sun.
Peter promised we would all be young and happy forever.
Peter will say I’m a villain, that I wronged him, that I was never his friend.
Peter lies.
“Peter will tell you that this story isn’t the truth, but Peter lies.”
Bryony and Roses - T Kingfisher
Fairy tale horror (Beauty and the Beast)
Bryony and her sisters have come down in the world. Their merchant father died trying to reclaim his fortune and left them to eke out a living in a village far from their home in the city.
When Bryony is caught in a snowstorm and takes refuge in an abandoned manor, she stumbles into a house full of dark enchantments. Is the Beast that lives there her captor, or a fellow prisoner? Is the house her enemy or her ally? And why are roses blooming out of season in the courtyard?
Armed only with gardening shears and her wits, Bryony must untangle the secrets of the house before she, or the Beast, are swallowed by them.
“She was going to die because of the rutabagas.”
Lethal Red Riding Hood – Leonard Wilson and Ann Marie Wilson
Fairy tale horror (Red Riding Hood)
Bloody Scarlet, the skull collector of the Crimson Forest, is just a cautionary tale to keep children from wandering in and getting lost. Isn’t she?
In a world dominated by a cruel Inquisition that sees demons and witches everywhere, Keely just wants to make a dishonest living convincing the obscenely wealthy to part with their excess riches through guile and trickery.
When the Inquisition shows up to destroy her life, Keely goes on the offensive rather than scurry back into the shadows. To set it up for a fall, she lures the Inquisition into an invented race to find a heretical book of prophecy that may never have existed.
When Keely builds her lies on existing rumors, and points the hunt in the direction of the Crimson forest, a new player introduces herself to the high stakes con game as a deadly wild card.
Whether or not the woman in red is the real Bloody Scarlet, the closer Keely gets to the dark, twisted heart of the forest the more quickly things spiral out of control.
“The moment Keely saw that flash of red, she began wishing she was dealing with those feral dogs instead.”
Red as Blood – Anna Santos
Fairy tale horror (Snow White)
Queen Marlena needs her stepdaughter gone if she intends to rule the Meadows Kingdom without anyone else influencing the King’s mind. Therefore, she convinces her husband that it’s time for Princess Snow to get married.
A ball is arranged, and Snow is forced to choose a husband among the human, fae, vampire, and werewolf princes. The future looks grim for the princess.
The vampire prince of the White Cloud Kingdom has no wish to marry a human princess for political leverage. Arriving late at the ball, Dorian encounters a fascinating young lady who seems to be in distress. When their eyes meet, their fate is sealed.
The last thing Queen Marlena wants is for her stepdaughter to find happiness and immortality with a handsome vampire prince. If she can’t make Snow’s life miserable, she’d rather have her dead.
“All she needed was to find the Fate Mirror and unleash ultimate power.”
Fairy Tale Horrorshow – RJ Roles (editor)
Fairy tale horror anthology
Once upon a time, you may have read a story about a wooden puppet who dreamed of being a real boy, or about Alice’s trip down the rabbit hole.
I bet you can even recall one about a trickster that promised to spin straw into gold, or one about a girl being stalked in the woods while on her way to Grandma’s house.
Well, you won’t quite find those stories within these pages. What you will find is a collection of new horrific takes of classic fairy tales.
Ten indie authors from around the world have come together to twist your childhood memories into dark retellings that are sure to give you nightmares.
From the minds of RJ Roles, Thomas R Clark, Lance Dale, Ruthann Jagge, Natasha Sinclair, M Ennenbach, Kevin J. Kennedy, Tara Losacano, Matthew A. Clarke, and Denise Hargrove.
“…the great swarm of rats seemed to move as one, just as he had painstakingly trained them to do.”
Published: 2 April 2024
Subscribe
Horror-themed clothing, notebooks, homewares, and accessories
