Monsters only truly frighten this particular writer if they materialize in worlds we recognize—where the people, places, and histories feel real enough to get lost in.
For the better part of three decades, Christopher Golden has understood that the most effective horror comes from that collision between the familiar and the impossible, building an acclaimed body of work across novels, comics, screenplays and audio dramas that has resonated with readers because its fears always feel rooted in something real and close to home. His latest novel, Carry Me to My Grave, publishes tomorrow, July 21, through St. Martin’s Press.
Set in 1956, the novel follows Malcolm, who promises his dying mother that he will return her body to her birthplace in rural Maine. But when she dies aboard the Imperial Limited, the cross-country journey descends into a relentless battle for survival as ancient forces emerge to claim what she has left behind.
With its gripping fusion of supernatural horror, classic Western, and cinematic adventure, Carry Me to My Grave thrives when the impossible collides with deeply human concerns ranging from family and grief to loyalty and the secrets we keep from those closest to us. Golden skillfully transforms the confines of a long-distance train journey into a pressure cooker of tension, weaving together a timeless tale with unmistakable influences from the golden age of cinema.
Ahead of the novel’s release, CinemaChords’ Howard Gorman spoke with Golden about the enduring appeal of horror, the genre’s current creative resurgence, the cinematic influences behind Carry Me to My Grave, and why trains remain such compelling settings for stories where there’s nowhere left to run. The conversation also touches on adapting his work for the screen, with three of his novels currently in various stages of development.
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