Horrid
From the author of You Must Not Miss comes a haunting contemporary horror novel that explores themes of mental illness, rage, and grief, twisted with spine-chilling elements of Agatha Christie and Stephen King.
Following her father’s death, Jane North-Robinson and her mom move from sunny California to the dreary, dilapidated old house in Maine where her mother grew up. All they want is a fresh start, but behind North Manor’s doors lurks a history that leaves them feeling more alone … and more tormented.
As the cold New England autumn arrives, and Jane settles in to her new home, she finds solace in old books and memories of her dad. She steadily begins making new friends, but also faces bullying from the resident “bad seed,” struggling to tamp down her own worst nature in response. Jane’s mom also seems to be spiraling with the return of her childhood home, but she won’t reveal why. Then Jane discovers that the “storage room” her mom has kept locked isn’t for storage at all—it’s a little girl’s bedroom, left untouched for years and not quite as empty of inhabitants as it appears…
Is it grief? Mental illness? Or something more … horrid?
About the Author
Katrina Leno was born on the East Coast and currently lives in Los Angeles. She is the author of seven critically acclaimed novels, including You Must Not Miss, Horrid, and Sometime in Summer. You can visit her online at katrinaleno.com.
From NOVL Nation
“Horrid had me captivated in a way that doesn’t happen too often because the grief Jane felt was so raw and real it was overwhelming at times. And the mysterious gothic horror elements with the house and roses in the garden made for an eerie fascination.”
—Brandy, @Better_0ff_read
“I devoured this story in a little over 4 hours. If you are looking for a ghastly story to haunt your Autumn and give you all the spooky vibes pick up a copy of Horrid by Katrina Leno.”
—Kimberly, @whimsicalnarratives
“Do not begin reading this book unless you have time to read it in one sitting, unless you want to spend all of the intervening time thinking about the story and feeling desperate to get back into it. You’ve been forewarned!”
—Kelsea, A Novel Escape
“I loved everything about this book, but my favorite part was the sheer feeling of unease that crept off the pages. From unexplained noises to strange voices and irrational behavior from other characters, this book had me not only second-guessing each of the characters, but also second-guessing every strange noise and light in my own house.”
—Meigan, @DreamingInPages
“Katrina Leno jump started my spooky season mood with Horrid. A wonderful, atmospheric stand-alone story that left me on the edge of my seat and reading nonstop.”
—Ash, @ashesofabookdragon
#HorridBook
On the Blog
Choose a Horror Movie, Get a Book Just as Scary!
What to Read if You Loved Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Pick Your Poison, Get a Book Rec
NOVL BookTober Week 3 Recs
Pick a Horror Movie, Get a Book Just as Scary!
Books to Help You Wait for the Final Season of Stranger Things
15 Halloween Reads Ranked by Scare Factor
Choose a Halloween Costume, Get a Book Rec
Books for When You Really Want to Lean into Your Latent Goth Phase
One Night Standalones
Choose a Book You’ve Already Read, and We’ll Give You a Book to Add to Your TBR
Want Free Books?
By clicking ‘Sign Up,’ I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Hachette Book Group’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use