Harvest the Horror: 10 Terrifying Titles for November
Posted on November 19, 2025
by Sam P
Ah, cornfields. The quintessential backdrop of the Midwest. From the hardworking farmers caring for their lands, to bored teenagers speeding down country roads, thousands of ears are listening to life rolling by. Horror teaches us that yes, cornfields, apple orchards, scarecrows, and more may have something hiding behind them, but it also showcases resilient heroes who protect their homes and loved ones with the ferocity this genre demands.
starve acre by Andrew Michael Hurley
A devastating folk horror which explores grief alongside occult belief. Ewan is dead. Juliette seeks assistance from a group of occultists. Richard continues his dig into the earth searching for a mysterious oak tree. Nothing is good.
thanksgiving
What's worse than spending time with your family around the holidays? Being terrorized by someone in a John Carver mask. Thanks Eli Roth for probably the only Thanksgiving themed horror film!
dark harvest by Norman Partridge
One of the most recommended novellas for the harvest season, Dark Harvest takes place in a Midwestern hamlet wherein young men take part in a hunting ritual, tracking down the giant pumpkin-headed Sawtooth Jack. (Not to be confused with Ray Bradbury's The Halloween Tree which also rules).
children of the corn
Based on Stephen King's short story of the same name, is it any wonder this 80s slasher is on the list? There's a sickle on the cover! I'm obligated to include some low-hanging fruit.
universal harvester by John Darnielle
When VHS tapes are returned to Video Hut... wrong... Jeremy takes it upon himself to figure out what's going on. The harvesting, in this case, mostly lies in the cornfields of Nevada, Iowa and how they have gone from placid and endless to quietly menacing.
black river orchard by Chuck Wendig
The orchard in Harrow, where apples so richly red they appear almost black, has certain properties. At once, a source of happiness for the townsfolk, the more they consume, the more of the orchard's dark history they uncover.
the messengers 2
Ignore it's origins. Fully contradicting the original film, the only thing that matters here is that young Norman Reedus and Claire Holt star alongisde a very gnarly scarecrow.
slewfoot by Brom
A tale as old as time? Pagan versus Puritan. Slewfoot is fully a Brom tale-- dark fantasy, terror, and pieces of original art make it worth picking u p even before you read the summary.
the nightmare man by James Markert
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... not Freddy Krueger? Nah, it's the nightmare man committing a series of "Scarecrow cries." Think the cotton candy cocoons from Killer Klowns from Outer Space, except the victims are contained within corn husks stitched together. And also, no klowns.
scary stories to tell in the dark
An adaptation of the absolutely essential horror read for children! Alvin Shwartz stories coupled with Stephen Gammell's charcoal illustrations still haunt me. Harold the Scarecrow might not even be the scariest legend in the film, but he certainly makes a chilling cover.
Did you like this blog post? Keep up to date with all of our posts by subscribing to the Library’s newsletters!
Keep your reading list updated with our book lists. Our staff love to read and they’ll give you the scoop on new tv-series inspired titles, hobbies, educational resources, pop culture, current events, and more!
Looking for more great titles? Get personalized recommendations from our librarians with this simple form.
