One thing I have come back to again and again in my horror creation is the horror of small town life. I even have my own creepy town called Knorr, set in Pennsylvania. I guess being raised in a city, the idea of small downs just scares the heck out of me. It's something many horror creators have used.
There’s something undeniably creepy about small towns. They’re charming on the surface, with their friendly neighbors, picturesque streets, and everyone-knows-everyone vibe. But that’s exactly what makes them the perfect setting for some of the most terrifying stories in horror fiction. Beneath that cozy exterior, dark secrets lurk, and danger hides in plain sight. Welcome to Small Town, Big Scares—where idyllic communities become the breeding grounds for horror.
The Isolation Factor: Cut Off From the World
In a small town, there's a sense of isolation that instantly ramps up the tension in a horror story. These communities are often far removed from the bustling chaos of big cities, nestled in secluded forests, remote valleys, or miles away from the next gas station. When things go south—like a murderer on the loose or a supernatural force wreaking havoc—help is often hours away. The characters are left to fend for themselves, heightening the sense of helplessness.
Example: Think about Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot. The tiny town of Jerusalem’s Lot is isolated from the rest of the world, making it the perfect feeding ground for vampires. The residents don’t know they’re doomed until it’s too late. The town’s isolation turns it into a trap, with no way out once the terror starts.
Everyone Knows Your Secrets... Or Do They?
One of the most fascinating aspects of small-town horror is the idea that everyone knows each other—or so they think. In small communities, rumors spread like wildfire, and privacy is practically nonexistent. Yet, it’s often the quiet, unassuming places that hide the darkest secrets.
Example: In Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery, the villagers’ seemingly normal lives mask a horrific ritual. The townsfolk’s familiarity with one another makes the eventual reveal all the more shocking. How can such a monstrous tradition exist among people who know each other so well? Small towns can be a web of lies, hidden histories, and dangerous traditions passed down through generations.
Trust No One: The Horror of Tight-Knit Communities
In horror stories set in small towns, the people you trust most might be the ones you should fear. Close-knit communities foster a sense of false security, where everyone knows everyone’s business. But what happens when that trust is broken? Horror thrives on this betrayal, turning neighbors, friends, and even family members into sources of terror.
Example: In Thomas Tryon’s Harvest Home, a seemingly perfect farming town hides a sinister secret, and the protagonist realizes far too late that everyone is in on it. The slow-building dread comes from the realization that the entire town has conspired against the outsider—an absolute nightmare for anyone who ever moved to a new town expecting to be welcomed with open arms!
Supernatural Thrills in a Simple Setting
There’s a unique charm to the simplicity of small-town life, but that simplicity can also make it a terrifying blank slate. A small town can feel timeless, untouched by the outside world, making it the perfect canvas for the supernatural. When you combine old legends, eerie traditions, and a setting that feels like it could exist in any time period, you have a recipe for spine-chilling horror.
Example: M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village is a great filmic example of this. Though technically not a "small town" in the traditional sense, it’s an insular community that clings to old traditions, and the residents live in fear of a monster in the woods. The twist only intensifies the horror, showing how a seemingly innocent small community can harbor a much darker truth.
The Inescapable Past
Many small-town horror stories revolve around the idea that the past never truly dies. Whether it’s a forgotten tragedy, an old grudge, or a buried secret, the history of the town comes back to haunt the present. The small scale of these communities means that everyone’s connected somehow, and the past tends to repeat itself.
Example: In David Lynch’s Twin Peaks, the small town is full of eccentric characters, but beneath the quirky surface lies a sinister, supernatural force that has haunted the town for generations. The show masterfully blends soap-opera drama with supernatural horror, showing how a small town’s history can be both its identity and its curse.
Monsters Feel More Real in a Small Town
There’s something about a small-town setting that makes the monsters—whether human or supernatural—feel more tangible. When a monster is terrorizing a major city, it feels like an abstract threat that could happen anywhere. But when it happens in a small town, it feels intensely personal. The small, contained environment makes the horror feel closer, more intimate, and more inevitable.
Example: In Jordan Peele’s Get Out, the idyllic suburban setting seems perfect at first, but beneath the surface, a terrifying secret is hiding in plain sight. The quaintness of the town and the friendliness of the residents make the eventual horror all the more disturbing—it feels like something that could happen right next door.
Conclusion: Why Small Towns Are Perfect for Horror
Small towns offer the perfect backdrop for horror because they embody the duality of comfort and fear. They seem like the safest places in the world, but it’s that very familiarity that can turn terrifying when things go wrong. From isolation to eerie traditions and hidden secrets, small towns are rich with potential for scares. They remind us that horror doesn’t always happen in the shadows—it can be right in front of us, hidden behind a friendly smile and a well-kept lawn.
So, next time you find yourself driving through a picturesque small town, don’t get too comfortable. After all, in horror fiction, the scariest things always happen in the places that seem the safest.
My upcoming psychological thriller Newcomers, is set in a small town! Preorder it here!
Check out all of my works of horror, set in small and large towns, at my Amazon store!
Comentarios