Who won the Locus Award for Best Horror Novel in 2026?

“The Buffalo Hunter Hunter” by Stephen Graham Jones won the Locus Award for Best Horror Novel in 2026.

Who are the most recent Locus Award for Best Horror Novel winners?

2026: “The Buffalo Hunter Hunter” by Stephen Graham Jones; 2025: “Bury Your Gays” by Chuck Tingle; 2024: “A House with Good Bones” by T. Kingfisher; 2023: “What Moves the Dead” by T. Kingfisher; 2022: “My Heart Is a Chainsaw” by Stephen Graham Jones.

Has anyone won the Locus Award for Best Horror Novel more than once?

Yes - 2 authors have: Stephen Graham Jones (2022, 2026); T. Kingfisher (2023, 2024).

Locus Award for Best Horror Novel

Locus Magazine (with winners voted on by readers/subscribers in an annual online poll)

An annual award presented by Locus Magazine as part of its Locus Awards, recognizing the best horror novel of the year as voted by readers in an online poll; winners are announced at the Locus Awards Weekend.

Latest winner · 2026

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter · Stephen Graham Jones

Next · expected May 2027

Shortlist announced Full award calendar

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2023

What Moves the Dead
T. Kingfisher
Won
Echo
Thomas Olde Heuvelt
Shortlisted
Gwendy's Final Task
Stephen King, Richard Chizmar
Shortlisted
Just Like Home
Sarah Gailey
Won 1 more award
Shortlisted
No Gods for Drowning
Hailey Piper
Shortlisted
Road of Bones
Christopher Golden
Shortlisted
Saturnalia
Stephanie Feldman
Shortlisted
Sundial
Catriona Ward
Nominated for 2 more awards
Shortlisted
The Devil Takes You Home
Gabino Iglesias
Won 2 more awards · Nominated for 2 more awards
Shortlisted
The Fervor
Alma Katsu
Nominated for 1 more award
Shortlisted
The Pallbearers Club
Paul Tremblay
Shortlisted

2022

My Heart Is a Chainsaw
Stephen Graham Jones
Won 2 more awards · Nominated for 1 more award
Won
A Broken Darkness
Premee Mohamed
Nominated for 1 more award
Shortlisted
Billy Summers
Stephen King
Shortlisted
Later
Stephen King
Shortlisted
Moon Lake
Joe R. Lansdale
Shortlisted
Revelator
Daryl Gregory
Shortlisted
Sorrowland
Rivers Solomon
Nominated for 2 more awards
Shortlisted
The Book of Accidents
Chuck Wendig
Nominated for 2 more awards
Shortlisted
The Death of Jane Lawrence
Caitlin Starling
Shortlisted
The Final Girl Support Group
Grady Hendrix
Nominated for 1 more award
Shortlisted

2021

Mexican Gothic
Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Won 1 more award · Nominated for 5 more awards
Won
Beowulf
Maria Dahvana Headley
Shortlisted
Devolution
Max Brooks
Shortlisted
Plain Bad Heroines
Emily Danforth
Nominated for 2 more awards
Shortlisted
Survivor Song
Paul G. Tremblay
Nominated for 1 more award
Shortlisted
The Deep
Alma Katsu
Nominated for 1 more award
Shortlisted
The Hole
Hiroko Oyamada
Shortlisted
The Hollow Places
T. Kingfisher
Nominated for 1 more award
Shortlisted
The Only Good Indians
Stephen Graham Jones
Won 3 more awards · Nominated for 3 more awards
Shortlisted
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires
Grady Hendrix
Shortlisted

2020

Black Leopard, Red Wolf
Marlon James
Won 1 more award · Nominated for 1 more award
Won
Anno Dracula 1999: Daikaiji
Kim Newman
Shortlisted
Curious Toys
Elizabeth Hand
Nominated for 1 more award
Shortlisted
Imaginary Friend
Stephen Chbosky
Shortlisted
Prisoner of Midnight
Barbara Hambly
Shortlisted
The Grand Dark
Richard Kadrey
Shortlisted
The Institute
Stephen King
Nominated for 1 more award
Shortlisted
The Pursuit of William Abbey
Claire North
Shortlisted
The Toll
Cherie Priest
Shortlisted
The Twisted Ones
T. Kingfisher
Nominated for 1 more award
Shortlisted

2019

The Cabin at the End of the World
Paul G. Tremblay
Won 1 more award · Nominated for 1 more award
Won
Coyote Songs
Gabino Iglesias
Shortlisted
Cross Her Heart
Sarah Pinborough
Shortlisted
In the Night Wood
Dale Bailey
Nominated for 2 more awards
Shortlisted
The Hunger
Alma Katsu
Nominated for 1 more award
Shortlisted
The Listener
Robert McCammon
Shortlisted
The Outsider
Stephen King
Shortlisted
Tide of Stone
Kaaron Warren
Shortlisted
Unlanguage
Michael Cisco
Shortlisted
We Sold Our Souls
Grady Hendrix
Nominated for 1 more award
Shortlisted

2018

The Changeling
Victor LaValle
Won 1 more award · Nominated for 4 more awards
Won
After the End of the World
Jonathan L. Howard
Shortlisted
Behind Her Eyes
Sarah Pinborough
Nominated for 1 more award
Shortlisted
Food of the Gods
Cassandra Khaw
Shortlisted
Ill Will
Dan Chaon
Nominated for 1 more award
Shortlisted
Mormama
Kit Reed
Shortlisted
Red Snow
Ian R. MacLeod
Shortlisted
The Night Ocean
Paul La Farge
Nominated for 2 more awards
Shortlisted
Ubo
Steve Rasnic Tem
Nominated for 1 more award
Shortlisted
Universal Harvester
John Darnielle
Shortlisted

2017

The Fireman
Joe Hill
Won
Certain Dark Things
Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Shortlisted
Disappearance at Devil's Rock
Paul G. Tremblay
Won 1 more award · Nominated for 1 more award
Shortlisted
Fellside
M. R. Carey
Shortlisted
HEX
Thomas Olde Heuvelt
Shortlisted
Lovecraft Country
Matt Ruff
Nominated for 1 more award
Shortlisted
Mongrels
Stephen Graham Jones
Nominated for 2 more awards
Shortlisted
The Brotherhood of the Wheel
R. S. Belcher
Shortlisted
The Family Plot
Cherie Priest
Shortlisted
The Fisherman
John Langan
Won 1 more award
Shortlisted

Frequently asked questions

Who won the Locus Award for Best Horror Novel in 2026?: “The Buffalo Hunter Hunter” by Stephen Graham Jones won the Locus Award for Best Horror Novel in 2026.
Who are the most recent Locus Award for Best Horror Novel winners?: 2026: “The Buffalo Hunter Hunter” by Stephen Graham Jones; 2025: “Bury Your Gays” by Chuck Tingle; 2024: “A House with Good Bones” by T. Kingfisher; 2023: “What Moves the Dead” by T. Kingfisher; 2022: “My Heart Is a Chainsaw” by Stephen Graham Jones.
Has anyone won the Locus Award for Best Horror Novel more than once?: Yes - 2 authors have: Stephen Graham Jones (2022, 2026); T. Kingfisher (2023, 2024).