Horns: The darkly humorous horror that will have you questioning everyone you know

Joe Hill

Mar 2010 · Hachette UK

About this ebook

A darkly humorous horror that will get under your skin and have you questioning everyone you know . . . Read it if you dare . . .

Ignatius Perrish spent the night drunk and doing terrible things. He woke up the next morning with one hell of a hangover, a raging headache ... and a pair of horns growing from his temples.

Once, Ig lived the life of the blessed: born into privilege, the second son of a renowned American musician, and the younger brother of a rising late-night TV star, Ig had security and wealth and a place in his community. Ig had it all, and more - he had the love of Merrin Williams, a love founded on shared daydreams, mutual daring, and unlikely midsummer magic.

Then beautiful, vivacious Merrin was gone - raped and murdered, under inexplicable circumstances - with Ig the only suspect. He was never tried for the crime, but in the court of public opinion, Ig was and always would be guilty.

Now Ig is possessed with a terrible new power - with just a touch he can see people's darkest desires - to go with his terrible new look, and he means to use it to find the man who killed Merrin and destroyed his life. Being good and praying for the best got him nowhere. It's time for a little revenge; it's time the devil had his due.

Readers love Horns:

'Truly scary and disturbing . . . I also loved the devilish humour inserted throughout the story' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'it wasn't hard to get into the story because Joe Hill's writing has this dark humour to it . . . he created such an amazing book with a concept that just blows my mind just think about it' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'This brutal and edgy story is a dark fantasy full of mystery and tension. The characters in this story are human, they're likeable and they have their faults . . . What an incredible talent. Highly Recommend' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Hill crafts one fiery tale that is compact, emotional, and darkly fantastic . . . It's a very easy, yet compelling read . . . if you like horror, dark fantasy or a thriller that's a little bit out there, give this a try' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Becomes a unique mystery, love story, coming of age tale that brings all the characters to vivid life. It's horrible, beautiful, emotional, darkly humorous and one of the best books I've read' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'I am so pleased to say that Joe Hill has followed in the footsteps of his father, the King of horror (see what I did there?!), and has adopted a writing style that keeps you engrossed . . . your heart will be ripped from your chest and squeezed until you sob over the pages of the book' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Ratings and reviews

I know what the writer means about this book. It is as close to the bone as Iggy' s horns, and made me very emotional; sometimes scared and edgy, also moved. Merrin's morse code letter made me weep, and, weird at 47, this book has made me madly in love with my girlfriend of twenty five years. And very protective as well as horny.

I read the book in bits and pieces on the way to and from work, but in the end I was staying up until 6am to get that little bit further in. Overall the book was amazing, it had it all. The only thing is I felt the ending was rushed and vague. Other than that, I would happily read it over and over again.

If it is your first time reading Joe Hill then this is an excellent starter. Be warned. . It will hold you and you will feel very smart if you pick out what might happen early on.

About the author

Joe Hill is a recipient of the Ray Bradbury Fellowship and the winner of the A.E. Coppard Long Fiction Prize, William Crawford, World Fantasy, British Fantasy, Bram Stoker and International Horror Guild Awards. His short fiction has appeared in literary, mystery and horror collections and magazines in Britain and America. For more information, visit www.joehillfiction.com or follow @Joe_Hill on social media.