Where Should You Start Reading Cassandra Khaw?
Cassandra Khaw is renowned for writing lush, poetic, and deeply unsettling horror. Because their work spans multiple distinct universes and distinct subgenres, the best starting point depends on what kind of nightmare you want to experience:
- For Haunted House & Folklore Lovers: Start with the standalone novella Nothing But Blackened Teeth (2021). It is a quick, intense read about a group of friends who spend the night in a Heian-era haunted mansion, drawing heavily on Japanese myth.
- For Cosmic Horror & Noir Fans: Start with Hammers on Bone (2016), the first book in the Persons Non Grata series. It features a private investigator who is secretly a multi-tentacled monster hiding in human skin.
- For Dark Fantasy & Twisted Fairytale Devotees: Begin with The Salt Grows Heavy (2023), a gorgeous and gruesome reimagining of mermaid mythology featuring plague doctors and visceral body horror.
Gods & Monsters: The Rupert Wong Saga
Set in a shared universe originally published under the Abaddon Books imprint, this series follows Rupert Wong, a sorcerer and chef who prepares human meat for ghouls and works for the Ten Chinese Hells. While the broader Gods & Monsters universe features books by other authors (like Chuck Wendig and Stephen Blackmoore), Rupert's specific storyline should be read in this order:
- Rupert Wong, Cannibal Chef (2015) – The debut novella introducing Rupert and his high-stakes supernatural culinary duties.
- Rupert Wong and the Ends of the Earth (2017) – The follow-up novella where Rupert is sent to the Greek underworld.
- The Last Supper Before Ragnarok (2019) – A full-length novel wrapping up Rupert's chaotic dealings with various pantheons.
Note: The compilation volume Food of the Gods (2017) collects the first two novellas (Cannibal Chef and Ends of the Earth) into a single physical edition, making it a convenient shortcut for readers.
The Persons Non Grata Series
This cosmic horror duology blends hard-boiled detective noir with Lovecraftian entities. You should read them in publication order:
- Hammers on Bone (2016) – Follows John Persons, a private eye hired by a young boy to kill his abusive stepfather.
- A Song for Quiet (2017) – Set in the same universe, focusing on a blues musician named Deacon James who gets infected by a parasitic song, leading to a crossover with Persons.
Carrion City (Co-authored with Richard Kadrey)
Co-written with the creator of the Sandman Slim series, this series blends urban fantasy with heavy cosmic dread.
- The Dead Take the A Train (2023) – Follows Julie, a drug-fueled magic user in New York City who gets in over her head with elder gods.
Caveat: This is planned as a duology, but the second volume has not yet been officially dated or published.
Standalone Novels, Novellas & Collections
These books do not share continuity and can be read in any order:
- Bearly a Lady (2017) – A rare lighthearted romantic comedy from Khaw, featuring a werebear fashion editor in London trying to manage her dating life.
- The All-Consuming World (2021) – A mind-bending cyberpunk space opera centering on a crew of resurrected clone mercenaries.
- Nothing But Blackened Teeth (2021) – A bestselling haunted house horror novella.
- Breakable Things (2022) – A Bram Stoker Award-winning collection of Khaw's short stories and dark speculative fiction.
- The Salt Grows Heavy (2023) – A gothic dark fantasy novella about a mermaid and a plague doctor traveling through a creepy forest.
Franchise and Media Tie-ins
Khaw has also lent their distinct style to established gaming franchises. For these books, you only need to read the specific volume written by Khaw:
- Vampire: The Masquerade: Walk Among Us (2021) – An anthology where Khaw contributed the novella "Fine Print," detailing a tech entrepreneur's deal for immortality.
- Critical Role: Bells Hells – What Doesn't Break (2024) – A prequel novel detailing the origin story of Laudna. While part of the broader Critical Role book line, it is a standalone story.
- Warhammer Horror: Maledictions (2019) – An anthology containing Khaw's sci-fi horror short story "Nepenthe," which follows two Tech-priests on an ancient ship.