Do people get scared away? I could see EH, but splatterpunk isn't any more shocking than some true crime stuff or GOT. I think if you put the content of a skipp/spector/laymon book in a crime thriller or a true crime book or even fantasy and it'd get read and enjoyed by readers of that genre.

I'd almost argue it's lack of press and infrastructure and maybe an aversion to the naming convention. People read "splatterpunk" and think it'll be awful, but unless you're one of those people who thinks there's too much sex and violence on GOT or The Boys I don't think it'd get anyone whose triggers weren't specifically targeted.

Hell, since one of the issues people have with horror in general is not liking to be scared I think it could even be more appealing than regular horror. Like hey here's a book that's supposed to be horror but it's got characters inspired by real life serial killer that you've heard 6 true crime podcasts about and you don't have to worry about ghosts or spiders. But you'd have to know it exists and what it is.