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Tell Me I'm Worthless
by Alison Rumfitt
Tell Me I am Worthless is a jagged, unrelenting descent into the ways history embeds itself in our bones. The story centers on two women who survived a night in a haunted house that functions as a literal and metaphorical manifestation of fascism, transphobia, and national rot. Years later, they are pulled back to that site, forced to confront the trauma that has since defined their existence. Reading this feels like being trapped in a room with a buzzing fluorescent light that is slowly driving you mad; it is claustrophobic, aggressive, and deeply uncomfortable. The prose is sharp and visceral, refusing to offer the reader any emotional safety or easy moral exits. If you are looking for a book that uses horror to dissect real-world cruelty rather than just providing a scare, this is essential reading.
10 Books similar to 'Tell Me I'm Worthless'
If the unsettling way Rumfitt blends personal trauma with systemic rot left a mark on you, these recommendations explore similar territory. We have selected books that lean into the idea of the environment as an active, malevolent force, alongside stories that utilize transgressive horror to confront political and identity-based violence. Whether you are drawn to the epistolary cruelty of LaRocca or the sprawling, occult-tinged political dread of Enriquez, these titles share that specific, gritty atmosphere where the past is never actually dead and the architecture of the world is inherently hostile.
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Like Rumfitt's work, this novel uses a claustrophobic setting to explore deep psychological trauma and the toxic power dynamics between its characters. It is a terrifying, visceral experience that blends survival horror with intense character study.
This is perhaps the closest tonal match to Rumfitt's writing, offering a brutal, unapologetically queer, and politically charged take on the horror genre. It tackles transphobia and societal collapse with the same visceral intensity and unflinching gaze found in 'Tell Me I'm Worthless'.
If the haunted house metaphor in Rumfitt's novel resonated with you, this classic of experimental horror will push those boundaries even further. It shares the disorienting, labyrinthine structure and the feeling that the setting itself is an active, malevolent participant in the characters' unraveling.
This novel masterfully weaves together historical trauma and modern-day horror, much like Rumfitt's exploration of past and present haunting. It features a meta-fictional, satirical edge that fans of Rumfitt's sharp social critique will appreciate.
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by Eric LaRocca
Fans of the raw, uncomfortable, and epistolary elements of Rumfitt's work will find a kindred spirit in this novella. It is a brief, shocking descent into codependency and cruelty that refuses to look away from the darkest aspects of human connection.
While more atmospheric and gothic than Rumfitt's punk-horror style, this book shares the core theme of a house that embodies historical rot and systemic evil. It explores the intersection of colonial history and personal trauma through a terrifying, tangible haunting.
This epic horror novel deals with the lingering, bloody legacy of political dictatorship, mirroring Rumfitt's fixation on how past atrocities infect the present. It is a sprawling, deeply disturbing, and emotionally resonant look at generational trauma and occult power.
by Mira Grant
This novel effectively combines scientific inquiry with visceral, creature-feature horror, providing a similar blend of intellectual engagement and pure terror. It features a strong ensemble cast navigating a hostile environment where the past comes back to haunt them.
by B.R. Yeager
This book captures the same nihilistic, drug-fueled, and deeply unsettling atmosphere that permeates Rumfitt's writing. It is a brutal exploration of youth, trauma, and the occult in a decaying town, perfect for readers who enjoy horror that feels dangerous and raw.
by Kathe Koja
A seminal work of transgressive horror, this book follows characters who discover a 'funhole' that defies physics and sanity. It shares the gritty, urban, and deeply psychological decay found in 'Tell Me I'm Worthless', focusing on how trauma and obsession consume the protagonists.
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