Good and Joyful Things
novel · First published 2025
Author guide
Ania Ahlborn Books in Order
Ania Ahlborn is a Polish-American author of horror, psychological thriller, and suspense fiction. Born in Ciechanów, Poland, she moved to the United States as a child and began her writing career by self-publishing Seed. Her work often explores family trauma, isolation, abuse, grief, and the darker sides of human nature. She lives in North Carolina with her family.
horrorpsychological thrillersuspensedomestic thriller
Catalog record updated .
Ania Ahlborn's Newest Book
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
Seed
Her debut novel and an accessible starting point for her supernatural horror.
Brother
One of her best-known and most acclaimed psychological horror novels.
The Unseen
Her latest novel and a representative example of her recent work.
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (14)
- Seed
novel · 2011
With nothing but the clothes on his back--and something horrific snapping at his heels--Jack Winter fled his rural Georgia home when he was still just a boy. Watching the world he knew vanish in a trucker's rearview mirror, he thought he…
- The Neighbors
novel · 2012
Andrew Morrison sacrificed everything--his childhood, his education, and the girl of his dreams--to look after his alcoholic mother. But enough is enough, and now he's determined to get out and live his life. That means trading the home…
- The Shuddering
novel · 2013
A group of friends vacationing at a remote Colorado cabin find themselves stranded by a blizzard and stalked by cannibalistic monsters.
- The Bird Eater
novel · 2014
Twenty years ago, the mysterious death of his aunt left Aaron Holbrook orphaned and alone. He abandoned his rural Arkansas hometown vowing never to return, until his seven-year-old son died in an accident, plunging Aaron into a nightmare…
- Within These Walls
novel · 2015
With his marriage on the rocks and his life in shambles, washed-up true-crime writer Lucas Graham is desperate for a comeback, one more shot at the bestselling success he once enjoyed. His chance comes when he's promised exclusive access…
- The Pretty Ones
novella · 2015
A terrifying e-novella from the bestselling author of Within These Walls, Brother, and The Bird Eater! New York, 1977. The sweltering height of the Summer of Sam. The entire city is gripped with fear, but all Nell Sullivan worries about…
- Brother
novel · 2015
From the bestselling horror author of Within These Walls and The Bird Eater comes a terrifying novel that follows a teenager determined to break from his family’s unconventional—and deeply disturbing—traditions. Deep in the heart of…
- The Devil Crept In
novel · 2017
"--a small-town boy investigates the mysterious disappearance of his cousin and uncovers a terrifying secret kept hidden for years. Young Jude Brighton has been missing for three days, and while the search for him is in full swing in the…
- I Call Upon Thee
novella · 2017
A terrifying e-novella from the bestselling author of The Devil Crept In, Brother, and Within These Walls. Maggie Olsen had a pretty ordinary childhood—swimming and sleepovers, movie nights and dad jokes. And then there were the other…
- If You See Her
novel · 2019
The house on Old Mill Road has stood in an open field for longer than Jesse Wells has been alive, its crooked windows and jutting turret tormenting the kids of Warsaw, Michigan the way only a haunted house knows how. Everyone imagines…
- Dark Across the Bay
novel · 2021
In the vein of John MacDonald's Cape Fear, Ahlborn takes the classic stalker tale and updates it for the modern era. The house sits stoic and slightly askew off the coast of Raven's Head. Its off-kilter windows are both charming and…
- Palmetto
novella · 2021
- Good and Joyful Things
novel · 2025
- The Unseen
novel · 2025
A terrifying new novel from bestselling #HorrorBookTok sensation Ania Ahlborn—the acclaimed author of the modern classic Brother. Hailed as a writer of “some of the most promising horror I’ve encountered in years” (Seanan McGuire, author…
Frequently asked questions about Ania Ahlborn
Who is Ania Ahlborn?
Ania Ahlborn is a Polish-American author known for atmospheric horror, psychological thrillers, and suspense fiction with dark themes and complex characters.
Is Ania Ahlborn Polish or American?
She is Polish-American: she was born in Ciechanów, Poland, and moved to the United States at about age three.
Sources: aniaahlborn.com (opens in a new tab)cemeterydance.com (opens in a new tab)
How did Ania Ahlborn become a published author?
After an agent declined to represent her, Ahlborn self-published Seed through Kindle Direct Publishing. Its success led to film-rights interest from Amazon Studios and later publishing deals.
What influenced Ania Ahlborn’s writing?
She has cited Stephen King, Ira Levin, Poppy Z. Brite, Gillian Flynn, and Bret Easton Ellis as influences, along with 1980s film, music, and the different places she has lived.
Was Ania Ahlborn nominated for horror awards?
Yes. Brother was nominated for This Is Horror’s 2015 Novel of the Year, and The Devil Crept In was nominated in the same category for 2017.
Sources: thisishorror.co.uk (opens in a new tab)thisishorror.co.uk (opens in a new tab)