Genre lovers like me can rejoice. For the first time ever, so far as I can remember, the New York Times Book Review contains a column on horror fiction. Written by the film and book critic Terrence Rafferty, the column is smartly written, treats the horror genre with respect, and reviews books by both first authors and established authors. Nor does he distinguish between those books given hard covers and those appearing for the first time in mass market paperback, as much horror is. This is one of the most knowledgeable articles about horror fiction I've ever seen in a mainstream periodical.

Rafferty reviews Joe Schreiber's Chasing the Dead, John Saul's In the Dark of Night, Bentley Little's The Burning, and his pick of the crop, Sarah Langan's first novel, The Keeper. Rafferty convinced me to read the Langan. Read the review, see if he makes you reach for the Amazon "one click" button.