I am likewise only an extremely occasional consumer of horror novels (slightly more regular for movies, but mostly for monsters e.g. the Alien, Godzilla, etc. franchises). However, one that I highly recommend if you want to continue exploring the genre is Hildur Knutsdottir's "The Night Guest." Partly I was hooked by the somewhat comedic open sequences with the narrator recounting attempts to get a diagnosis from her doctor for her mysterious fatigue symptoms, which is hilariously recognizable to anyone who's ever suffered from long COVID or other post-viral fatigue symptoms. But also it's taut, perfectly paced, and more of a bracing novella than something longer that you have to worry about whether you'll last to the end. Oh, and thanks for the rec re: "Whalefall," which I had not heard of but will check out. :-)
I am likewise only an extremely occasional consumer of horror novels (slightly more regular for movies, but mostly for monsters e.g. the Alien, Godzilla, etc. franchises). However, one that I highly recommend if you want to continue exploring the genre is Hildur Knutsdottir's "The Night Guest." Partly I was hooked by the somewhat comedic open sequences with the narrator recounting attempts to get a diagnosis from her doctor for her mysterious fatigue symptoms, which is hilariously recognizable to anyone who's ever suffered from long COVID or other post-viral fatigue symptoms. But also it's taut, perfectly paced, and more of a bracing novella than something longer that you have to worry about whether you'll last to the end. Oh, and thanks for the rec re: "Whalefall," which I had not heard of but will check out. :-)