It's autumn, it's spooky season, and it's time to read all those spooky books you've had on your shelves for a while (or even treat yourself to some new
ones 👀). I scoured my shelves for the best spooky books that I've read
over the years and, very appropriately, found 13 spooky recommendations for
you. We have some popular books, some less well-known books, some horrors
and thrillers, adult books and some YA. So, hopefully there's something for
everyone here!
1. 172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad
This is a translated sci-fi horror book that I read several years ago. I ended up reading it in one sitting because it was so intense. This is also the book that made me realise that sci-fi horror is one of my favourite genres. Three teenagers are going on the trip of a lifetime, but only one is coming back. It's been more than forty years since NASA sent the first men to the moon, and to grab some much-needed funding and attention, they decide to launch an historic international lottery in which three lucky teenagers can win a week-long trip to moon base DARLAH 2 - a place that no one but top government officials even knew existed until now. The three winners, Antoine, Midori, and Mia, come from all over the world. But just before the scheduled launch, the teenagers each experience strange, inexplicable events. Little do they know that there was a reason NASA never sent anyone back there until now-a sinister reason. But the countdown has already begun...
I don't want to spoil this book by hinting at the main horror element, but even just the isolated setting of the teenagers on a moon base alone is enough for me. It felt like a Doctor Who episode without the levity and it's much darker. It's a pretty short book and so incredibly intense. If you've never tried a sci-fi horror then this is the one I recommend picking up first.
2. The Shining by Stephen King
Can you even have a spooky recommendation list without a Stephen King or
two? This is a very popular book that I'm sure you've heard of before. I
love King's writing but there are so many of his books that are incredibly
long and lose the suspense that they intended to have so they aren't scary
anymore (*cough* IT *cough*). While I still enjoy those books, I don't find
them particularly scary. However, this was one of the Stephen King books
that actually scared me. Jack Torrance's new job at the Overlook Hotel
is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the off-season caretaker at the
atmospheric old hotel, he'll have plenty of time to spend reconnecting with
his family and working on his writing. But as the harsh winter weather sets
in, the idyllic location feels ever more remote... and more sinister. And
the only one to notice the strange and terrible forces gathering around the
Overlook is Danny Torrance, a uniquely gifted five-year-old.
If you've only watched the film, then it's worth saying that this is so
much better. The suspense in the hedges kept me on the edge of my seat and,
even though I knew the ending (thanks to popular culture), I still couldn't put the book down. If you want a horror and/or an introduction to
Stephen King then I recommend this book or my next recommendation.
3. Misery by Stephen King
Another Stephen King (and the last one on this list, don't worry). Misery is a classic horror novel that you've probably already
heard of. If you haven't, this book follows Paul Sheldon, an author, who
has just finished the final book in a series. He has killed Misery
Chastain, the main character of his book with relief and joy. Misery had
made him rich; she was the heroine of a string of bestsellers. And now he
wanted to get on to some real writing. That's when the car accident
happened, and he woke up in pain in a strange bed. But it wasn't the
hospital. Annie Wilkes had pulled him from the wreck, brought him to her
remote mountain home, splinted and set his mangled legs. The good news was
that Annie was a nurse and has pain-killing drugs. The bad news was that
she was Paul's Number One Fan. And when she found out what Paul had done
to Misery, she didn't like it. She didn't like it at all.
This book was intense. The tension lasts throughout the whole book and
doesn't let up once; it's probably the first King book I've read where I
felt nervous through the entire story - start to finish. Despite the fact
that there are only two characters in most of the book there are no
moments of boredom. That scene when Paul found the book was easily my
favourite and I couldn't stop turning the pages. Annie Wilkes is a
terrifying figure, partly because she also feels realistic and also
because Paul couldn't fight her 'logic'. As a warning, there are a lot of
torture/gory scenes, but they don't feel gratuitous; they further the
story every time. To be honest, the only slower points were when we went
into the Misery book and I just wanted to get back to the main story.
Overall, a very scary read.
4. Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
Mira Grant aka Seanan McGuire is one of my favourite writers no matter what genre she writes in, but this is another sci-fi horror, but this time the setting is in the Mariana Trench - the deepest part of the ocean. Seven years ago, the Atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a “mockumentary” bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend. It was lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a maritime tragedy. Now, a new crew has been assembled. But this time they’re not out to entertain. Some seek to validate their life’s work. Some seek the greatest hunt of all. Some seek the truth. But for the ambitious young scientist Victoria Stewart this is a voyage to uncover the fate of the sister she lost. Whatever the truth may be, it will only be found below the waves. But the secrets of the deep come with a price.
If you've heard this book is a mermaid book, then don't let that put you off. This is a book that explores an area of the ocean that we know next to nothing about, and the dark creatures we could uncover there. I would adore seeing this as a film. Another tense book throughout and some horrific scenes still haunt me to this day. It’s also got a range of representation that is standard for this author - we have an autistic character and two deaf characters, as well as bisexual rep - which is all seamlessly included and well handled. If you're not scared of the ocean before reading this, you will be after you've finished.
5. White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson
Tiffany D. Jackson is fast becoming a favourite author, and this YA horror/psychological thriller is one I really enjoyed. White Smoke follows Marigold, whose family move to give both her and the family a fresh start. They arrive at the renovated picture-perfect home on Maple Street... but it sits between dilapidated houses, surrounded by wary neighbours who may or may not have secrets of their own. That’s only half the problem: household items vanish, doors open on their own, lights turn off, shadows walk past rooms, voices can be heard in the walls, and there’s a foul smell seeping through the vents only Mari seems to notice. Worse: Piper, her kid sister, keeps talking about a friend who wants Mari gone.
Overall, this book was fantastic. The atmosphere was on point, the characters were so well-developed, believable, and flawed without being unlikable. I read this in one sitting and was on the edge of my seat the whole time. The twist was fantastic and I loved the way everything tied together in the end. It also explored so many systemic issues, particularly around racism. The only reason this book didn't get 5 stars was the ending for me. While the twist was great, the ending itself didn't feel like it gave me enough closure with some of the other characters. That lack of closure just brought it down for me, but it was a brilliant book overall and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes a good psychological thriller.
6. Verity by Colleen Hoover
Verity is a strange, adult, psychological thriller and it's also very hit and miss with people who read it. Personally, I found it totally messed up, very dark, but a really good thriller overall. The book follows Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish. Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity's recollection of what really happened the day her daughter died. Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen's feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife's words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her. Ahhh the twists in this book just kept coming, and that Epilogue left me shook. The first 50 pages or so were a little slow, but after that this becomes an intense read. If you want a weird romantic(?) thriller, then pick this up.
7. Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
This is another adult thriller by one of my favourite thriller writers, Riley Sager. To be honest, I would recommend most of Sager's back catalogue for anyone wanting some creepy thrillers, but this is the one that stuck with me the most. Twenty-five years ago, Maggie Holt and her parents, Ewan and Jess, moved into Baneberry Hall, a rambling Victorian estate in the Vermont woods. They spent three weeks there before fleeing in the dead of night, an ordeal Ewan later recounted in a nonfiction book called House of Horrors. His tale of ghostly happenings and encounters with malevolent spirits became a worldwide phenomenon, rivalling The Amityville Horror in popularity—and scepticism.
Today, Maggie is a restorer of old homes and too young to remember any of the events mentioned in her father’s book. But she also doesn’t believe a word of it. Ghosts, after all, don’t exist. When Maggie inherits Baneberry Hall after her father’s death, she returns to renovate the place to prepare it for sale. But her homecoming is anything but warm. People from the past, chronicled in House of Horrors, lurk in the shadows. And locals aren’t thrilled that their small town has been made infamous thanks to Maggie’s father. Even more unnerving is Baneberry Hall itself—a place filled with relics from another era that hint at a history of dark deeds. As Maggie experiences strange occurrences straight out of her father’s book, she starts to believe that what he wrote was more fact than fiction. The atmosphere of a haunted house and the creepy things happening were on point and Sager really captured that perfectly. As mentioned above, this truly has Amityville Horror vibes, and while I saw one of the twists coming, it wasn't enough to spoil this for me.
8. Night Film by Marisha Pessl
Night Film is a very weird adult mystery thriller told in a mixed media format. On a damp October night, 24-year-old Ashley Cordova is found dead in an abandoned warehouse in lower Manhattan. Though her death is ruled a suicide, veteran investigative journalist Scott McGrath suspects otherwise. As he probes the strange circumstances surrounding Ashley's life and death, McGrath comes face-to-face with the legacy of her father: the legendary, reclusive cult-horror film director Stanislaus Cordova - a man who hasn't been seen in public for more than thirty years. For McGrath, another death connected to this seemingly cursed family dynasty seems more than just a coincidence. Though much has been written about Cordova's dark and unsettling films, very little is known about the man himself. Driven by revenge, curiosity, and a need for the truth, McGrath, with the aid of two strangers, is drawn deeper and deeper into Cordova's eerie, hypnotic world. The last time he got close to exposing the director, McGrath lost his marriage and his career. This time he might lose even more. So much of this is a terrifying atmosphere and I honestly didn't know what to expect for 90% of the book. If you want a thriller that's a little bit different then I recommend this one.
9. The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling
Are we surprised to see another sci-fi horror on this list? No, absolutely not. A thrilling, atmospheric debut, in which a caver on a foreign planet finds herself on a terrifying psychological and emotional journey for survival. When Gyre Price lied her way into this expedition, she thought she’d be mapping mineral deposits, and that her biggest problems would be cave collapses and gear malfunctions. She also thought that the fat paycheck - enough to get her off-planet and on the trail of her mother - meant she’d get a skilled surface team, monitoring her suit and environment, keeping her safe. Keeping her sane. Instead, she got Em. Em sees nothing wrong with controlling Gyre’s body with drugs or withholding critical information to “ensure the smooth operation” of her expedition. Em knows all about Gyre’s falsified credentials, and has no qualms using them as a leash—and a lash. And Em has secrets, too . . .
As Gyre descends, little inconsistencies - missing supplies, unexpected changes in the route, and, worst of all, shifts in Em’s motivations - drive her out of her depths. Lost and disoriented, Gyre finds her sense of control giving way to paranoia and anger. On her own in this mysterious, deadly place, surrounded by darkness and the unknown, Gyre must overcome more than just the dangerous terrain and the Tunneler which calls underground its home if she wants to make it out alive—she must confront the ghosts in her own head. But how come she can't shake the feeling she’s being followed? This book is so tense and creepy. The only reason this didn't get a 5 star from me was because 172 Hours on the Moon holds a special place in my heart and this was just quite.
10. Confessions by Kanae Minato
This is one of the most messed-up thrillers that I've ever read. I read this in one sitting because I couldn't look away. After calling off her engagement in wake of a tragic revelation, Yuko Moriguchi had nothing to live for except her only child, four-year-old Manami. Now, following an accident on the grounds of the middle school where she teaches, Yuko has given up and tendered her resignation. But first she has one last lecture to deliver. She tells a story that upends everything her students ever thought they knew about two of their peers, and sets in motion a maniacal plot for revenge. Narrated in alternating voices, with twists you'll never see coming, Confessions explores the limits of punishment, despair, and tragic love, culminating in a harrowing confrontation between teacher and student that will place the occupants of an entire school in danger. You'll never look at a classroom the same way again. Honestly, probably hands down the best thriller I've read. I need to read more of Minato's work.
11. Sadie by Courtney Summers
This is a YA thriller that did the rounds on Booktube a few years ago now, but I think it still holds up. It's told in the format of a Serial-like podcast and follows a missing girl on a journey of revenge, and the clues she's left behind. Sadie hasn't had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she's been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water. But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie's entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister's killer to justice and hits the road following a few meagre clues to find him. When West McCray―a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America―overhears Sadie's story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie's journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it's too late.
I will say that the audiobook for this is also great because the book reads like a podcast, so listening to the full cast and interviews really brings this book to life. If you're a fan of thrillers and true-crime podcasts then pick this up.
12. The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich
I read this in 2015 when it first came out and it stuck with me ever since. This is a YA paranormal mystery and it's told in a multi-media format that keeps the reader completely hooked. Twenty-five years ago, Elmbridge High burned down. Three people were killed and one pupil, Carly Johnson, disappeared. Now a diary has been found in the ruins of the school. The diary belongs to Kaitlyn Johnson, Carly’s identical twin sister. But Carly didn’t have a twin... Re-opened police records, psychiatric reports, transcripts of video footage and fragments of diary reveal a web of deceit and intrigue, violence and murder, raising a whole lot more questions than it answers. Who was Kaitlyn and why did she only appear at night? Did she really exist or was she a figment of a disturbed mind? What were the illicit rituals taking place at the school? And just what did happen at Elmbridge in the events leading up to ‘the Johnson Incident’? I remember some of the video transcripts were so easily imaginable to me that it felt like I was watching a horror film at times. I really loved this book and it was such a quick read.
13. Say Her Name by Juno Dawson
If you like The Dead House, talked about above, then you'll also like this book. It follows a similar vein - a paranormal YA set in a high school where mysterious things are happening. Roberta 'Bobbie' Rowe is not the kind of person who believes in ghosts. A Halloween dare at her ridiculously spooky boarding school is no big deal, especially when her best friend Naya and cute local boy Caine agree to join in too. They are ordered to summon the legendary ghost of 'Bloody Mary': say her name five times in front of a candlelit mirror, and she shall appear... But, surprise surprise, nothing happens. Or does it?
Next morning, Bobbie finds a message on her bathroom mirror... five days... but what does it mean? And who left it there? Things get increasingly weird and more terrifying for Bobbie and Naya, until it becomes all too clear that Bloody Mary was indeed called from the afterlife that night, and she is definitely not a friendly ghost. Bobbie, Naya and Caine are now in a race against time before their five days are up and Mary comes for them, as she has come for countless others before... It's a truly spine-chilling yet witty horror and I definitely recommend this for a quick horror/thriller read.
So, those are the 13 spooky books that I recommend for the autumn season! Have you read any of them? What spooky books do you recommend? Let me know below. Also if you have any recommendations for sci-fi horrors, I'm always on the lookout for more.
💀
