My 5 Favorite Sapphic Vampire Books

Let’s start with the classics. I’ve read Carmilla in several editions, but I highly recommend picking up the one edited by Carmen Maria Machado. She manages to reclaim the narrative for queer readers with only a short introduction and a handful of footnotes. It’s brilliantly done and cast the story in a whole different light. Also, there are some illustrations included! I wrote a whole post about how much I loved this edition: Bringing the Lesbian Vampire Home: Carmen Maria Machado’s Reclamation of Carmilla.

I’d argue that the other essential classic in the world of sapphic vampire books is The Gilda Stories. It follows a vampire over two centuries, from being turned into a vampire as an enslaved woman to 2050. It’s called The Gilda Stories because it’s structured like a collection of short stories, each exploring her life in a different decade and location. I found this a fascinating structure because, for one thing, it really imagines the scope of being immortal. She also follows the evolution of racism in the U.S. over the centuries.

Unlike most sapphic vampire books, this isn’t really horror or erotica. It does, however, delve into more vampire mythology, like not being able to cross running water. It was published in 1991, but it’s still groundbreaking as a queer, Black take on the vampire genre.

My most recent addition to this list is An Education in Malice, which is inspired by Carmilla. It’s a dark academia gothic set at a 1960s women’s college, where Laura joins an exclusive and demanding poetry class. This gave me exactly the vibes I want from a dark academia vampire novel: angsty, erotic, and obsessive. It’s atmospheric and immersive, and it’s one I wish I could give my 19-year-old self, because she would be obsessed.

Yes, this is another S.T. Gibson book. A Dowry of Blood is a queer polyamorous reimagining of Dracula’s brides, and it starts with Constanta killing Dracula (though his name does not appear in these pages) within the first few pages, then it goes back to see how we got here. Like An Education In Malice, this is an atmospheric, erotic read. It’s an exploration and meditation on an abusive relationship, so be aware of that going in. This is a thoughtful read that is also sexy and bloody. What more could you want from a vampire novel?

When I Arrived at the Castle is a gorgeous and unsettling graphic novel that lives at the intersection of horror and erotica. The black, red, and white colour scheme is arresting, and each page is arranged differently. If it wasn’t so creepy, I’d want to hang each spread up on my wall. I can’t say I completely understood what happened in this book, but that didn’t stop me from loving it. This was out of print for years, but now it’s back in a new edition!