Karen Weyant

Cover Photo Courtesy of McFarland Books Who doesn’t love a clown? Well, apparently many people who have Coulrophobia, or the fear of clowns. Clowns are popular characters in all kinds of venues including children's parties. But they are also scary figures in horror films. Glenn Tolle, in his book, Clowns in Horror: A Film and Television Guide (McFarland, 2026) looks at both the history of the clown and its image in horror films and television shows. Tolle starts his book by examining the...

Cover Photo Courtesy of McFarland Books On those hot summer days, what sounds better than a quick dip in the pool? Well, nothing. It’s the perfect way to cool off in the heat. However, Cullen Wade’s exploration of the swimming pool in S(P)lasher Flicks: The Swimming Pole in Horror Cinema (McFarland Publishing, 2026) may have you thinking otherwise. At first glance, a reader may believe that the swimming pool couldn’t possibly be prevalent enough in horror films that it would warrant a whole...

Cover Photo Courtesy of Hogarth/Random House After Caroline Bicks was named the University of Maine’s inaugural Stephen E. King Chair in Literature, she became the first scholar to be granted extended access to King’s private archives. For any writer, this would be a dream come true, and Bicks herself was thrilled. In her book, Monsters in the Archives: My Year of Fear with Stephen King (Hogarth, 2026), Bicks examines the stories behind five of King’s early books. Bicks chooses to review...