The Breakout Horror Author of 2013 is…

Written by: Matt Molgaard

Alison Littlewood’s, A Cold Season wasn’t a good book. It wasn’t a great book. It was a career defining masterpiece that exuded chills and almost… hurt, in a frightening way. Hands down one of the year’s greatest novels, it was the perfect debut and the ideal introduction to a welcoming worldwide audience. Littlewood’s, A Cold Season landed in the UK last year, far surpassed expectations, and subsequently made a major impact here stateside. If there’s such a thing as an overnight success, Ms. Littlewood is probably about as close as it gets (and don’t get me wrong, she’s invested plenty of time with shorter works, but for an official novel launch, it doesn’t get too much better).

Alison’s follow-up novel, Path of Needles – a mystery/fairytale hybrid – has been met with generally positive reviews. While not as heavily lauded as A Cold Season, Path of Needles most certainly sounds like a compelling piece of fiction that’s got media outlets issuing plenty an approving nod.

Allison is showing versatility in her conceptualizing, and variety in her prose. She’s also scored two modest hits and surfaced as a name that must suddenly be discussed in the same sentences as today’s standout talents. Does Littlewood have the history of a Stephen King, a Clive Barker – hell, even a Joe Hill? Nope. Not yet. But from the look of things, she’ll be headed down a path of similar success soon enough.

Congrats go out to Alison Littlewood, who may have had the most impact on the genre this year. She is without a doubt one of the greatest breakout authors of the year. In regards to horror in specific, she gets the nod from HNR, comfortably!