Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Best Horror of the Year: Volume One | 2009 | Peter Straub | Buy |
| 2 | The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Two | 2010 | Peter Straub | Buy |
| 3 | The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Nine | 2017 | Peter Straub | Buy |
| 4 | The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Four | 2012 | Peter Straub | Buy |
| 5 | The Best Horror of the Year Volume Five | 2013 | Peter Straub | Buy |
| 6 | The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Six | 2014 | Peter Straub | Buy |
| 7 | The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Seven | 2015 | Peter Straub | Buy |
| 8 | The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Twelve | 2020 | Peter Straub | Buy |
| 9 | The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Eight | 2016 | Peter Straub | Buy |
| 10 | The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Ten | 2018 | Peter Straub | Buy |
| 11 | The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Three | 2011 | Peter Straub | Buy |
| 12 | The Best of the Best Horror of the Year: 10 Years of Essential Short Horror Fiction | 2018 | Peter Straub | Buy |
| 13 | The Best Horror of the Year Volume Thirteen | 2021 | Peter Straub | Buy |
| 14 | The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Eleven | 2019 | Peter Straub | Buy |
| 15 | The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Fourteen | 2022 | Peter Straub | Buy |
| 16 | The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Fifteen | 2024 | Peter Straub | Buy |
| 17 | The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Sixteen | 2024 | Peter Straub | Buy |
| 18 | The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Seventeen | 2025 | Peter Straub | Buy |
The Best Horror of the Year is Ellen Datlow’s long-running annual anthology, bringing together the strongest short horror fiction published each calendar year. The series began in 2009 and has continued through eighteen volumes, with a special “Best of the Best” retrospective released in 2018 to mark the tenth anniversary. Each volume draws from magazines, original anthologies, and online publications to present a snapshot of where horror fiction stands in any given year.
Peter Straub’s connection to the series comes through his contributions as an author rather than as editor. Datlow’s editorial taste runs toward literary horror with psychological depth, which aligns well with Straub’s own fiction. For readers looking to discover new horror writers or keep up with the genre’s best short fiction, these anthologies serve as a reliable yearly guide.