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In this post, we’ll check out 11 spooky reads that will haunt you through Halloween and beyond!
Remember – horror is not just for Christmas!
Halloween is the perfect time to immerse yourself in eerie tales that send shivers down your spine. Witch book will you choose to slay with you through the long dark nights?
Whether you’re into classic gothic horror, paranormal thrillers, or dark fantasies with supernatural twists, there’s a spooky read for everyone!
From big monsters in small towns, to sinister figures lurking in the shadows, we’ve curated a list of 11 books to get you in the Halloween spirit. Oooohh!
Light a candle, grab a cozy blanket, and prepare for the fright of your life! Or just a nice cosy time 🙂
Happy Reading, friends!
Series or Standalone? :
This is Book One in the ‘Exorcist‘ series.
"The Exorcist" Book Blurb:
Georgetown, Washington D.C. Actress and divorced mother Chris MacNeil starts to experience ‘difficulties’ with her usually sweet-natured eleven-year-old daughter Regan. The child becomes afflicted by spasms, convulsions and unsettling amnesiac episodes; these abruptly worsen into violent fits of appalling foul-mouthed curses, accompanied by physical mutation. Medical science is baffled by Regan’s plight and, in her increasing despair, Chris turns to troubled priest and psychiatrist Damien Karras, who immediately recognises something profoundly malevolent in Regan’s distorted features and speech. On Karras’s recommendation, the Church summons Father Merrin, a specialist in the exorcism of demons.
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This book is a classic for a reason & could be hailed as the ultimate ‘possession’ story. If you’ve seen the movie, I’d highly recommend picking up the book and preparing for a closer look at the evil that afflicts poor Regan.
Series or Standalone? :
This is Book One in the ‘John Dies at the End‘ series.
"John Dies at the End" Book Blurb:
STOP. You should not have touched this flyer with your bare hands. NO, don’t put it down. It’s too late. They’re watching you. My name is David Wong. My best friend is John. Those names are fake. You might want to change yours. You may not want to know about the things you’ll read on these pages, about the sauce, about Korrok, about the invasion, and the future. But it’s too late. You touched the book. You’re in the game. You’re under the eye. The only defense is knowledge. You need to read this book, to the end. Even the part with the bratwurst. Why? You just have to trust me. The important thing is this: The drug is called Soy Sauce and it gives users a window into another dimension. John and I never had the chance to say no. You still do. I’m sorry to have involved you in this, I really am. But as you read about these terrible events and the very dark epoch the world is about to enter as a result, it is crucial you keep one thing in mind: None of this was my fault.
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I think this series is hilarious. It’s the perfect mix of zany, supernatural and clever. Things do get crazy very quickly, so it may be an acquired taste – however if you’re a fan of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, but always wished there was more mind-bending universe weirdness, this may be your jam!
Series or Standalone? :
This is a standalone novel.
"NOS4A2" Book Blurb:
Victoria McQueen has a secret gift for finding things: a misplaced bracelet, a missing photograph, answers to unanswerable questions. On her Raleigh Tuff Burner bike, she makes her way to a rickety covered bridge that, within moments, takes her wherever she needs to go, whether it’s across Massachusetts or across the country. Charles Talent Manx has a way with children. He likes to take them for rides in his 1938 Rolls-Royce Wraith with the NOS4A2 vanity plate. With his old car, he can slip right out of the everyday world, and onto the hidden roads that transport them to an astonishing – and terrifying – playground of amusements he calls “Christmasland.” Then, one day, Vic goes looking for trouble—and finds Manx. That was a lifetime ago. Now Vic, the only kid to ever escape Manx’s unmitigated evil, is all grown up and desperate to forget. But Charlie Manx never stopped thinking about Victoria McQueen. He’s on the road again and he’s picked up a new passenger: Vic’s own son.
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Joe Hill is an accomplished writer and has carved out a solid fan base despite being in his Dad’s (Stephen King) formidable shadow. NOS4A2 is probably one of my favourite of his novels, and Christmasland will haunt you right through to the festive season for years to come. There’s also a cool graphic novel tie in that’s a hoot to read, and the TV series is very well done – when you’re after a second helping.
Series or Standalone? :
This is a standalone novel.
"Rebecca" Book Blurb:
The novel begins in Monte Carlo, where our heroine is swept off her feet by the dashing widower Maxim de Winter and his sudden proposal of marriage. Orphaned and working as a lady’s maid, she can barely believe her luck. It is only when they arrive at his massive country estate that she realises how large a shadow his late wife will cast over their lives–presenting her with a lingering evil that threatens to destroy their marriage from beyond the grave.
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This gothic novel has a huge fan base, and – in my opinion – lives up to the hype. Brooding and atmospheric, this classic is easy to read but will have you gasping just like a shocked dowager at all the twists and turns. A very enjoyable addition to your Halloween bookstack.
Series or Standalone? :
This is a standalone novel.
"Swan Song" Book Blurb:
An ancient evil roams the desolate landscape of an America ravaged by nuclear war. He is the Man with the Scarlet Eye, a malevolent force that feeds on the dark desires of the countless followers he has gathered into his service. His only desire is to find a special child named Swan—and destroy her. But those who would protect the girl are determined to fight for what is left of the world, and their souls. In a wasteland born of rage, populated by monstrous creatures and marauding armies, the last survivors on earth have been drawn into the final battle between good and evil that will decide the fate of humanity.
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This is a chunker of a book, and often compared to King’s ‘The Stand’ – but a solid read in its own right. For those looking for post-apocalyptic thrillers, you could do a lot worse than add this to your TBR pile. Strong characters, a pacy plot and once you read McCammon’s work, you might just find yourself a new fave author!
Series or Standalone? :
This is Book One in the ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ series.
"Rosemary's Baby" Book Blurb:
Suppose you were an up-to-date young wife who moved into an old and elegant New York apartment house with a rather strange past. Suppose that only after you became pregnant did you begin to suspect the building harboured a diabolically evil group of devil worshippers who had mastered the arts of black magic and witchcraft. Suppose that this satanic conspiracy set out to claim not only your husband but your baby. Well, that’s what happened to Rosemary… Or did it…?
Grab yourself a copy:This book will have you looking a little bit closer at your new neighbours! Content warnings for SA, this book is a horror classic that – while not a perfect book – is an interesting read and consistently creepy, with a little baby antichrist at the end.
Series or Standalone? :
This is a standalone novel.
"The Terror" Book Blurb:
The men on board HMS Terror have every expectation of triumph. As part of the 1845 Franklin Expedition, the first steam-powered vessels ever to search for the legendary Northwest Passage, they are as scientifically supported an enterprise as has ever set forth. As they enter a second summer in the Arctic Circle without a thaw, though, they are stranded in a nightmarish landscape of encroaching ice and darkness. Endlessly cold, with diminishing rations, 126 men fight to survive with poisonous food, a dwindling supply of coal, and ships buckling in the grip of crushing ice. But their real enemy is far more terrifying. There is something out there in the frigid darkness: an unseen predator stalking their ship, a monstrous terror constantly clawing to get in. When the expedition’s leader, Sir John Franklin, meets a terrible death, Captain Francis Crozier takes command and leads his surviving crewmen on a last, desperate attempt to flee south across the ice. With them travels an Inuit woman who cannot speak and who may be the key to survival, or the harbinger of their deaths. But as another winter approaches, as scurvy and starvation grow more terrible, and as the terror on the ice stalks them southward, Crozier and his men begin to fear that there is no escape.
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This is a chilling (pun intended) story of survival, with the haunting elements of the monster on the ice an additional bonus. This is another chunker of a book, but one that led me into a long-standing love of Dan’s writing. Watching the crew suffer through frozen hardship and terror, you’ll need a bowl of comforting snacks handy – and maybe a large glass of orange juice to ward off the scurvy!
Series or Standalone? :
This is a standalone novel.
"The Ruins" Book Blurb:
Craving an adventure to wake them from their lethargic Mexican holiday before they return home, four friends set off in search of one of their own who has travelled to the interior to investigate an archaeological dig in the Mayan ruins. After a long journey into the jungle, the group come across a partly camouflaged trail and a captivating hillside covered with red flowers. Lured by these, the group move closer until they happen across a gun-toting Mayan horseman who orders them away. In the midst of the confrontation, one of the group steps inadvertently backwards into the flowering vine. And at that moment their world changes for ever.
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You may need a strong stomach for this one. Mysterious and gross – a twisting page turner about an island with plants that have minds of their own. I’d suggest reading it inside, away from any hanging vines 😉
Series or Standalone? :
This is Book 3 in the ‘Assassins‘ series.
"The Woman in White" Book Blurb:
Famously opens with Walter Hartright’s eerie encounter on a moonlit London road. Engaged as a drawing master to the beautiful Laura Fairlie, Walter becomes embroiled in the sinister intrigues of Sir Percival Glyde and his ‘charming’ friend Count Fosco, who has a taste for white mice, vanilla bonbons, and poison. Pursuing questions of identity and insanity along the paths and corridors of English country houses and the madhouse, ‘The Woman in White’ is the first and most influential of the Victorian genre that combined Gothic horror with psychological realism.
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While this 600 page classic isn’t a ghost story as such, the lack of spooks didn’t deter me from seeking out the machinations behind Sir Percival & Count Fosco’s dastardly plans! It amazes me that a book written in 1860, can still be enjoyed by present-day me – and you! A gothic thriller to add to your pile o’books this season.
Series or Standalone? :
This is a standalone novel.
"Weaveworld" Book Blurb:
Weaveworld begins with a rug — a wondrous, magnificent rug — into which a world has been woven. It is the world of the Seerkind, a people more ancient than man, who possesses raptures — the power to make magic. In the last century they were hunted down by an unspeakable horror known as the Scourge, and, threatened with annihilation, they worked their strongest raptures to weave themselves and their culture into a rug for safekeeping. Since then, the rug has been guarded by human caretakers. The last of the caretakers has just died. Vying for possession of the rug is a spectrum of unforgettable characters: Suzanna, granddaughter of the last caretaker, who feels the pull of the Weaveworld long before she knows the extent of her own powers; Calhoun Mooney, a pigeon-raising clerk who finds the world he’s always dreamed of in a fleeting glimpse of the rug; Immacolata, an exiled Seerkind witch intent on destroying her race even if it means calling back the Scourge; and her sidekick, Shadwell, the Salesman, who will sell the Weaveworld to the highest bidder. In the course of the novel the rug is unwoven, and we travel deep into the glorious raptures of the Weaveworld before we witness the final, cataclysmic struggle for its possession.
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A dark fantasy novel on a spooky reads list? Yes! Anything Clive Barker is fit for All Hallows, and your bookshelf. This is an inter-dimensional creature feature, with believable characters and a sweeping storyline. Set fire to your fanciest pumpkin and curl up with the Weaveworld for a magical adventure.
Series or Standalone? :
This is a standalone novel.
"We Have Always Lived in the Castle" Book Blurb:
Living in the Blackwood family home with only her sister Constance and her Uncle Julian for company, Merricat just wants to preserve their delicate way of life. But ever since Constance was acquitted of murdering the rest of the family, the world isn’t leaving the Blackwoods alone. And when Cousin Charles arrives, armed with overtures of friendship and a desperate need to get into the safe, Merricat must do everything in her power to protect the remaining family.
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A bewitching classic, this book will keep you guessing. Our creepy central character, Merricat has a few tricks up her sleeve, and I’d be wary about sitting down for dinner in the Blackwood family home. Both a crime story and a suffocating, twisty character study. A great story to have on your shelves.
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