Nothing beats curling up with a Gothic horror or a spooky thriller as the temperature cools and Halloween approaches. Here is a roundup of some of my favorites for the fall months.
Every September, the walls of this house bleed. And that's not the weirdest part of this book.
The September House
Don't go into the woods behind the house.
The Twisted Ones
A town stuck in 1994? A missing woman? A horrifying twist? Yes, yes, and yes.
Dead Eleven
I love anything by Malfi, and this one is excellent with paranormal aspects and small-town horror.
Come With Me
A classic for a reason. There are some scenes I cannot get out of my head.
Ghost Story
Suspenseful and atmospheric, set in a small town in upstate NY.
The Sun Down Motel
A nanny takes a new job in the Scottish Highlands in a “smart home.” But that home becomes downright terrifying.
The Turn of the Key
I re-read this classic every year. It's just that good.
Rebecca
A psychological, claustrophobic thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end.
The Last House on Needless Street
A true crime blogger gets the opportunity to interview the woman acquitted of two cold case killings - but did she do it?
The Book of Cold Cases
The twist in this book remains one of my favorite of all times.
Shutter Island
Kids drawing horrifying pictures are creepy. Period.
Hidden Pictures
Described as “the Blair Witch Project meets Midsommar,” this book was a hit in my horror book club.
The Lost Village
The hunt is on. It's bloody and weird, but oh so enertaining.
Winterset Hollow
A group of college students goes to an island, only to begin to be picked off one by one. It gives And Then There Were None Vibes and is a Japanese mystery classic.
The Decagon House Murders
Southern gothic set in North Carolina - I love a good haunted house story.
A House With Good Bones
One of the scariest books I've read, set on Halloween. Read your trigger warnings!
All Hallows: A Novel
Aspiring writers trapped in a house with their idol? Oh yeah, things go downhill.
The Writing Retreat: A Novel
Stephen King vibes with a twist that is truly shocking. Reminds us that the past is never really dead.
Small Town Horror
An atmospheric, gothic tale that is perfect for a rainy day.
Return to Wyldcliffe Heights
A teen wakes up on the side of the road with no memory of what happened. When a man claims he is her father, she has to figure out the truth - and fast.
That's Not My Name
An exploration of race and suburban life, wrapped in a horrifying tale.
We Came to Welcome You: A Novel of Suburban Horror
Shutter Island vibes, set in an English mental hospital for veterans of WWII.
Silence for the Dead
A mind-bending horror debut, with more twists that you can imagine.
We Used to Live Here
An excellent anthology of dark stories from Indigneous authors.
Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology
A new mom struggles with her postpartum life and decides to let her estranged mom back into her life. The twist is…stunning.
Dearest
A debut novel that's historical fiction / horror with a spooky house that is bound to stay in your nightmares for a while.
House of Monstrous Women
Short story collection of horrifying tales that center on books.
Ghostwritten
Horror meets fantasy in this utterly imaginative and creepy tale.
The Butcher of the Forest
A Southern thriller set in South Carolina.
Forget Me Not
What lengths would you go to to learn a new language in just days?
The Centre
Grapples with families and legacy, all while set in a pretty spooky (angry) house.
The Manor of Dreams
A tale of cults and how escaping your roots may be harder than it looks.
A Mother Always Knows
A genre-bending horror/romance set in a Gothic mansion. (Trigger warnings and spicy scenes!)
All of Us Murderers
Trapped on an island? Check. Being killed off one-by-one? Also check.
Daisy Darker
A story of missing girls in Louisiana that is set to be made into a limited series.
A Flicker in the Dark
Everything you bring into your house may carry baggage.
