Picture a Malaysian storyteller who spins nightmares into art—meet Cassandra Khaw! This award-winning author, once a game writer, burst onto the horror and speculative fiction scene with tales that blend the macabre with lush prose. From childhood ghost stories to crafting chilling novellas like Hammers on Bone, Khaw’s work haunts and captivates, making them a rising star in the genre.
The Making of Cassandra Khaw
Born Zoe Khaw Joo Ee on August 31, 1984, in Malaysia, Cassandra Khaw grew up steeped in folklore and the supernatural. The annual Hungry Ghost Festival, filled with performances for the dead, sparked their love for eerie tales. Khaw’s early career as a tech and games journalist for outlets like Eurogamer and Ars Technica honed their storytelling chops. This diverse background—blending Southeast Asian myths, trauma, and a knack for narrative—paved the way for their shift to fiction.
Cassandra Khaw’s Unforgettable Stories
Khaw’s debut novella, Hammers on Bone (2016), is a genre-bending gem, mixing hard-boiled noir with Lovecraftian horror. Its protagonist, John Persons, a monstrous PI, hunts a darker evil in a gritty London setting. The Rupert Wong series, starting with Rupert Wong, Cannibal Chef (2015), showcases Khaw’s playful yet gruesome style, following a chef navigating a supernatural underworld. Nothing But Blackened Teeth (2021), a USA Today bestseller, dives into Japanese folklore, trapping friends in a haunted Heian-era mansion. Khaw’s prose, vivid and visceral, weaves technology, mythology, and human fears, creating stories that linger like a bad dream.
Their short fiction, published in Tor.com, Clarkesworld, and Lightspeed, explores body horror, grief, and identity. The Salt Grows Heavy (2023), a dark mermaid retelling, pairs poetic dread with plague doctors, earning praise for its twisted elegance. Khaw’s ability to blend genres—horror, sci-fi, fantasy—while tackling themes like trauma and cultural intersectionality sets them apart.
Why Cassandra Khaw Matters
Cassandra Khaw’s impact lies in their fearless reinvention of horror. By infusing Southeast Asian folklore and personal experiences into their work, they challenge Western-centric narratives, enriching speculative fiction. Their awards—Bram Stoker, British Fantasy, and Locus finalists—reflect their influence. Khaw’s stories, raw and empathetic, resonate with readers who crave horror that mirrors real-world fears, from abuse to societal silence. As a non-binary author using they/them pronouns, Khaw also amplifies diverse voices in a genre often dominated by traditional perspectives.
- Born: August 31, 1984, Malaysia
- Key Works: Hammers on Bone, Nothing But Blackened Teeth, The Salt Grows Heavy
- Awards: Bram Stoker Award winner, British Fantasy and Locus Award finalist
Ready to shiver? Grab Nothing But Blackened Teeth and dive into Cassandra Khaw’s haunting world of horror!