Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Forest | 2007 | Laird Barron | Buy |
| 2 | The Imago Sequence | 2007 | Laird Barron | Buy |
| 3 | The Lagerstätte | 2008 | Laird Barron | Buy |
| 4 | Strappado | 2009 | Laird Barron | Buy |
| 5 | The Redfield Girls | 2010 | Laird Barron | Buy |
| 6 | Hand of Glory | 2013 | Laird Barron | Buy |
| 7 | Hallucigenia | 2015 | Laird Barron | Buy |
| 8 | X’s For Eyes | 2015 | Laird Barron | Buy |
| 9 | Agate Way | 2025 | Laird Barron | Buy |
These individually published stories and novellas represent some of Barron’s most distinctive work outside his major collections. The Imago Sequence, his breakout novella from 2007, follows a man investigating a series of photographs that depict something progressively inhuman. The Forest, published the same year, drops characters into wilderness that feels alive and hostile. Both stories established the template for Barron’s cosmic horror: ordinary people stumbling into evidence of vast, indifferent forces.
Later entries expand his range. Hand of Glory (2013) is a prequel of sorts to his novel The Croning, featuring Old Leech cultists in a mid-century noir setting. Hallucigenia (2015) twists a domestic drama into body horror. The most recent entry, Agate Way (2025), shows that Barron continues to publish standalone horror at a steady pace. These individual releases often connect to the larger mythology that runs through his collections and novels, rewarding readers who follow the recurring characters and references.