by Angie E.

The newest Grady Hendrix book, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, is out but a lot of people have already reserved it. While waiting on the holds list, you may want to re-familiarize yourself with his previous works or start fresh, you can always start with We Sold Our Souls or My Best Friend’s Exorcism.

Grady Hendrix is renowned for his ability to mix spine-chilling scares with biting wit and heartfelt humanity. Born in South Carolina and based in New York City, Hendrix has carved a place in the literary world by revitalizing classic horror tropes with a fresh, often darkly comedic twist. His novels, such as Horrorstör (a haunted IKEA-esque nightmare) and The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires (suburban-mom vs. ancient-evil), have earned him a cult following for their nostalgic charm, social commentary, and genre-bending creativity.   

If Black Sabbath and Stephen King ever had a love child, it would be We Sold Our Souls, flowing with distortion, saturated in dread, and rocking a leather jacket. Hendrix’s novel is a wild, riff-loaded joyride through the dark side of fame, where the price of stardom isn’t just your soul… it’s way messier. Kris Pulask, once a guitarist for the 1990s metal band Dürt Würk, is a down-and-out hotel night manager. When her ex-bandmate emerges as a superstar solo act, Kris uncovers a menacing plot involving Faustian deals, creepy contracts, and a conspiracy that makes Spinal Tap’s exploding drummers look tame.

Hendrix cranks the amp to 11, mixing gnarly horror with a love letter to metal’s rebellious spirit. Kris is a hero you’ll root for (think Alien’s Ripley with a Gibson SG) in a quest that is equal parts hair-raising and headbanging. Don’t let the gore and guitar solos fool you, though; beneath the blood-splattered surface lies a sharp critique of sellout culture. Hendrix nails how the music industry (and capitalism in general) chews up artists and spits out hollowed-out souls. It’s smart, savage, and uncannily uplifting, like a mosh pit that leaves you bruised but grinning. 

And if you’re left wanting more and Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is still on hold, there is also My Best Friend’s Exorcist. The Exorcist meets Clueless in Hendrix’s loving ode to the 80s, with a John Hughes-level devotion to teen angst. Hendrix nails the era’s aesthetic like a crimped hair goddess: think demonic possession via Jell-O Pudding Pops, exorcisms with soundtracks by Whitesnake, and a villainous priest who probably shops at Spencer’s Gifts. The horror is gruesome, but the heart is pure ’80s cheese. 

Hendrix’s work frequently explores themes of community, resilience, and the everyday fears of modern life, all while delivering page turning plots and memorably offbeat characters. A long-time horror enthusiast, he also wrote the nonfiction bestseller Paperbacks from Hell, a fond deep dive into the wild world of 1970s and ’80s horror paperbacks. In 2023, he snagged the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Novel for How to Sell a Haunted House, proving his gift for turning even the most absurd ideas into emotionally resonant tales. You can’t go wrong, really, with any of his books.

Angie is an Instructor & Research Specialist at Central Branch and is a co-facilitator for Reads of Acceptance, HCLS’ first LGBTQ-focused book club. Her ideal day is reading in her cozy armchair, with her cat Henry next to her.