Books for Horror Authors Looking to Research Cannibalism, Poison, and All Things Morbid
We’re all a little curious about what happens when we die, where we go, and how it feels, right? That’s why you’re here. The books I’ve collected in this list cover cannibalism, survival, the horrors of the medical industry, and death as a new beginning. Some I’ve read and will give my opinion on. Some I have yet to read, and maybe we can read them together. If you’d like to support this blog and the videos I make, using the links I’ve provided will send you straight to each book’s Amazon listing where you can purchase them, and, at no extra cost to you, I make a small percentage for referring you :)) Read on 🤘
Books for those interested in Ghosts and Folklore
As an atheist, many people think I don’t believe in ghosts, but having grown up in a haunted house, it’s always interested me, and the idea of being stuck here on Earth after death is scarier than ceasing to exist. So here are some books I’ve been reading lately about ghosts, superstitions, and folklore all over the world.
Ghost Stories of California by Barbara Smith
Each chapter is an in-depth look into a different category of haunted places here in Cali, and Barbara has a whole series of books like this!!
Get Ghost Stories of California on Amazon
Ghost Towns by Publications International Ltd.
I've yet to read this one but it's full of modern and historical photos, and is likely a great read for history buffs as well as those who are looking to travel to haunted places.
Superstitions by D. R. McElroy
FULL of information. Great for leads. Only about a paragraph per myth. Less about superstitions and more about myths, folklore, and gods from around the world.
Books for those interested in Poison
These are NOT recipe books. They are for RESEARCH ONLY. Have fun :))
Plants that Kill by Elizabeth A. Dauncey and Sonny Larsson
Textbook style with chemical breakdowns, the historical uses, and images of the plants mentioned.
Get Plants that Kill on Amazon
Poison by Ben Hubbard
Wow! I started this one and was immediately hooked. Information oozing from the pages. From chemical poisons to bacteria to animals that are poisonous and so much more!
Books for those interested in the real life horrors of the medical industry
After reading part of Stiff by Mary Roach and learning about medical theatres, I can’t stop thinking about all the horrors of the medical industry and how we’ve gotten to our world of modern medicine, hence this collection of books.
Stiff by Mary Roach
PACKED with crazy historical and modern medical facts. The worst which I've read so far (I'm a slow reader XD) is her section on surgical theatres. Terrifying! Oh, and the bit about how doctors used to practice face lifts *screams*
Medical Apartheid by Harriet A. Washington
I JUST got this one, and will be reading it for my October reading challenge. After seeing a lot of posts about "doctors" experimenting on African American slaves, I knew I had to read this one. I know this one is going to be less light-hearted than Stiff, but this is essential reading for anyone with an interest in the horrors of the medical industry. The few pages I've read so far have already twisted my stomach into a knot.
Get Medical Apartheid on Amazon
Hot Zone by Richard Preston
I have yet to read this one, but I watched the series based on this book, and wow. If you like fictional books about outbreaks, wait until you learn about the outbreak of Ebola that actually happened. I found my copy in a thrift store shortly after watching the series and it felt meant to be. It's on my November reading challenge list.
Internal Bleeding by Robert M Wachter M.D. and Kaveh G. Shojania M.D.
Another one that has been waiting on my shelf to be read. This one is going to be a TOUGH read. From surgical mistakes to prescription errors and more, I look forward to squinching my eyes shut while reading this one.
Get Internal Bleeding on Amazon
Books for those interested in cannibalism
Looking to devour some cannibalism fun facts? These are the books for you.
Mummies, Cannibals, and Vampires by Richard Sugg
Slowly progressing through this book as it is fact-packed. This has been my best resource for medicinal cannibalism.
Get Mummies, Cannibals, and Vampires on Amazon
The Ultimate Serial Killer Trivia Book by Jack Rosewood
Not just cannibals, but it's also full of facts about serial killers, why they serial kill, and a bunch of cases of serial killers. Great resource for leads on criminal cannibals and serial killers.
Get The Ultimate Serial Killer Trivia Book on Amazon
Cannibalism by Bill Schutt
My favorite book on this list. FULL of facts on animal and human cannibalism written in a way that, despite the author being a biologist, the common person can understand. This book is where I would start if I were just getting into cannibalism...researching it that is...
Cannibal Killers by Moira Martingale
Partially through this one. Great resource on criminal cannibalism, but a bit outdated and sensationalized. 10/10 would fact check anything from this book prior to speaking about it.
Get Cannibal Killers on Amazon
The Delectable Negro by Vincent Woodward
This book has been recommended to me over and over again, so I had to get it. I haven't read it yet, but it is about United States slavery's relation to cannibalism, objectification, and homoeroticism. Out of the few pages I've read, I can tell it's going to be a very emotional read.
Get The Delectable Negro on Amazon
Alive by Piers Paul Read
I accidentally picked this one up at a thrift store years ago and found it on my shelf recently. I haven't read this one yet, but it's an account of the Andes Survivors, and I know it is going to be heartbreaking.
Books for those interested in witchcraft
Whether you are a practicing witch, or writing a fictional witch, these books have information on plants, crystals, colors, moon phases, and so much more. Personally, I think these are all super fun, even if you don't believe in magick.
Moon Magic by Aurora Kane
So. Much. Info. About. Moon. Phases. Like how to incorporate them into rituals based on your zodiac, what each phase means, and how to use crystals in your moon magick.
Arin Murphy-Hiscock Collection 3 Books Set (The House Witch, The Green Witch, The Witch's Book of Self-Care)
Super fun for modern witchery. Great for practicing witches as well as those who like to sort of practice here and there and those creating modern witch characters.
Get The Witch 3 Book Set on Amazon
Nightmares by Stase Michaels
A butt-load of information on nightmares, dreams, what they mean, and how to interpret them.
Wiccapedia by Shawn Robbins and Leanna Greenaway
GREAT resource which covers the basics. Herbs. Crystals. Even modern, digital rituals. History and symbolism. Awesome modern resource.
The Crystal Witch by Shawn Robbins and Leanna Greenaway
Another great, modern resource on crystals, colors, and more. I always refer to this guide when it comes to what crystals and what colors to use in rituals.
Get The Crystal Witch on Amazon
Books for those interested in vampires
Whether you're looking to know more about blood sucking myths or blood sucking animals, these books have got you covered.
Dark Banquet by Bill Schutt
With how much I enjoyed his book Cannibalism, I cannot wait to read this one! Bats and blood-sucking worms and more!!
Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology by Theresa Bane
An insane amount of entries on vampires all over the world. Our Count Dracula isn't the only type of vampire to exist and I've been thoroughly enjoying learning more about the hundreds of other vampires which exist.
Get Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology on Amazon
Websites I suggest for research:
It’s easy to get lost in misinformation online. I mean, anyone can publish a blog nowadays (including me 👀) and that means we can type whatever we want for anyone to read. Being factual is important to me, as it should be for everyone else. Stick to reputable publications like these when researching.
Smithsonian
Check out this article about the Korowai and their cannibalistic practice:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/sleeping-with-cannibals-128958913/
Britannica
I like their coverage on the origins of the zombie:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/zombie-fictional-creature
National Geographic
This article on items preserved in honey lives rent free in my head:
https://outofedenwalk.nationalgeographic.org/2015-05-honey-im-dead/
And don’t forget my books!
If it weren’t for these books, I would have no interest in the books above. Diving further into writing and sharing it has blossomed into full-fledged research on all things macabre. Here’s a little bit of info on each of my books and where you can get them:
Mukbang
Inspired by the influx of splatterpunk I was seeing online, I wanted to throw my hat into the ring and write something about a trend I could never understand: MUKBANG
Jack is a mukbang star who couldn’t give a shit about his health, his cleanliness, or his wife. His wife, Mia, has major OCD, something I’ve struggled with for as long as I can remember, and she cannot take his bullshit anymore. Meanwhile, his biggest fan, Rochelle, is all for the nasty, the splattery, and the sweaty.
Or get signed paperbacks here on my website: https://authoralyannapoe.com/products/signed-mukbang-new-cover
Or get signed hardcovers here on my website: https://authoralyannapoe.com/products/mukbang-deluxe-hardcover
Home
I’ve never been one to like first dates, and Charlotte’s first date with Jeff is going about as well as a band recital in a hurricane. Pills and beatings and cannibalism follow this first date in a whirlwind of memory-wiping confusion.
Who will Charlotte be at the end of it all?
Or get signed paperbacks here on my website: https://authoralyannapoe.com/products/home-signed-paperback
No Graceful Death
Short stories are like a playground for me. I get to play with new subgenres, tropes I’ve never touched before, and flesh out ideas that are too short for full length novels. Here in No Graceful Death, you can expect…well…death. From invisible aliens in the jungle to a criminal family heirloom to a heinous Halloween tradition, I really stretched my legs with this collection.
Read NO GRACEFUL DEATH on Amazon
Or get signed paperbacks here on my website: https://authoralyannapoe.com/products/no-graceful-death-signed-paperback
Adam’s Murder
Your brother is murdered, and no one cares to find out whodunnit, so what do you do?
You drop everything and investigate yourself to hide from the pain and guilt you feel…at least that’s what Abigail does here in Adam’s Murder. After losing a loved one that I never got the chance to know too well, I wrote Adam’s Murder. It didn’t fill the hole in my chest, but it helped me grieve and has connected me to others who have lost their loved ones, too.
Or get signed paperbacks here on my website: https://authoralyannapoe.com/products/adams-murder-signed-paperback-new-cover
You can also request Adam’s Murder at your local library or bookstore using this information:
Title: Adam’s Murder
Author: Alyanna Poe
eBook ISBN: 9798986466910
Paperback ISBN: 9798986466903
Eaten and Void
My first two novels about a flesh eating bacteria trying to end the world. Dramatic for a 14 year old to be writing, right? From the ages of 14-19 I wrote and self-published this series, and as I’m a much more skilled author now, I’ve taken them off of Amazon. In May of 2027, I plan on republishing both the original and a rewrite so y’all can see how far I’ve come as a writer, but in the meantime, you can read the eBooks here exclusively on my Patreon.
Sign up to THE VAULT tier and read all of my eBooks, even the ones out of print AND the ones I’m currently writing, here: https://www.patreon.com/c/alyannapoe/membership
Or you can purchase the eBooks individually here: https://www.patreon.com/collection/1729037?view=expanded
Eaten on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AlyannaPoe/posts/eaten-ebook-140516532?collection=1729037
Void on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AlyannaPoe/posts/void-ebook-147211502
Afterword
At the end of the day, no matter how many times I get called a worthless freak, I’m going to continue researching the gross, the taboo, the dark little wet corners of our minds, because who else will? Oh, yeah! You! And I’m glad you’re here for the ride :)) Be sure to sign up to my newsletter here, and DM me wherever you usually do to let me know if you want a mega FICTIONAL reading list!
Happy reading!