4 Terrifying New Releases from Indie and Small Presses in October 2025

There's no more thrilling of a month for horror fans than October. Not only is the weather dropping to an eerie chill, the leaves are turning our favorite burnt orange, heralding the time of our beloved Halloween!

Early in the month is the perfect time to plan your Halloween movie marathons and sort out your spooky season TBR. And while some of you may have your mind set on thumbing through the classics, we've got a very special treat for you.

From smutty vamps to creepy cults, here are our most anticipated horror books from indie and small presses this October.

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Crafting for Sinners

By JENNY KIEFER

Ruth is stuck in more ways than one. She's a closeted queer woman struggling to live paycheck to paycheck who can't get out of her small, religious hometown of Kill Devil, Kentucky.

And when her manager finds out she lives with her girlfriend, Ruth is fired from the megachurch-owned craft store, New Creations.

In retaliation, Ruth tries to steal some yarn. When she's caught in the act, the employees don't call the cops—they lock her in the store and attack her.

Now Ruth must fight for her life with only craft supplies to aid her in battle. And in this struggle, she falls deeper into the twisted web of the New Creationists, who are harboring a horrific secret that threatens all of Kill Devil.

This book is now available for pre-order and will be released on October 7th by Quirk Books!

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Vampires at Sea

By Lindsay Merbaum

Rebekah and Hugh are a pair of immortal lovers who have set out on vacation. As a war rages on, they escape from the stress by hopping on a queer Black Sea Cruise, which promises relaxation, orgies, and a buffet of sorrow and desire for them to feast upon.

However, when a nonbinary social media influencer named Heaven leaves Hugh enchanted—magically or otherwise—Rebekah's true nature rears its head.

This book is now available for pre-order and will be released on October 7th by Creature Publishing!

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Cyanide Constellations: And Other Stories

By Sara Tantlinger

Bram Stoker Award-winning author Sara Tantlinger delivers a gripping debut fiction collection that pulls readers into the poignant relationship between nature and horror. From a twisted Eden blooming with poisonous plants to radium kisses, these stories will unfold destructive secrets that chill you to the bone.

This collection includes four bran-new stories, including the novelette “The Revenge of Rappaccini's Daughter,” inspired by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

This book is now available for pre-order and will be released on October 21st by Dark Matter INK!

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Mother-Eating

By Jess Hagemann

In this modern retelling of Marie Antoinette's reign as the queen of France, readers are taken to the accessible setting of Austin, Texas.

And instead of giving her daughter away to marry King Louis, Resa Habsburg sells her Mary Toni to a torturous religious sex cult in exchange for a TV deal.

This book is now available for pre-order and will be released on October 28th by Ghoulish Books!