21 Creepy Halloween Thriller Books to Read Now

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

Jess has arrived in Paris to stay with her half-brother, Ben while she gets back on her feet. While he reluctantly agrees to help, he doesn’t answer the door when she shows up to move in.

Soon she gains entry into his apartment and begins the hunt to find out what happened to her brother. With secrets lurking around every corridor and the other residents being shady and elusive, Jess begins to think something sinister happened to Ben.

The first half of this story was a little slow while the character groundwork was laid out, but once the big reveal comes halfway through, I was reading the rest of the chapters at lightning speed. This is one of those creepy books that will leave you wanting to keep the light on.

Stay Awake by Megan Goldin

Megan Goldin is quickly becoming a go-to thriller writer for me. In her latest, a murder witness has amnesia and can’t remember anything once she falls asleep.

Now, Liv’s wanted for murder and she must work as hard as she can to prove her innocence before the real murderer catches up with her… if only she could remember who the murderer is! This is one of the creepy books that you cannot put down.

This reminded me of Memento in all the best ways. It got a little repetitive at certain times because as the narrator, we needed to rediscover information alongside Liv. But overall, I was really into this story.

The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell

Of all the Lisa Jewell books, this is the one that I was most looking forward to reading. I put it third on this list after much debate. I loved The Family Upstairs and I think in order to get the full experience with this sequel, I think you need to that book first.

The book begins with the discovery of bones in the Thames River that are related to a 30-year-old cold case.

Rachel Rimmer is shocked to discover that her husband has been found dead in his cellar and Rachel has to answer questions that delve into Michael’s past. He is connected to Lucy Lamb who is trying to settle her family after leaving London 30 years ago. All the stories come together in a way that only Lisa Jewell can write. As Halloween thriller books go, this is a must-read.

The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager

Casey Fletcher is an actress who is fleeing bad press after the death of her beloved husband. She retreats to the family’s lake house, despite the fact that this is where he husband drowned.

Casey spends her days drinking and spying on the house across the lake. When she saves former supermodel, Katherine Royce from drowning, the two strike up a friendship. It becomes clear that Katherine and her husband are having some serious issues- after all, you find out a lot of things when watching the neighbors all day through binoculars.

Some points in the story moved slowly for me and at one point, the story nearly lost me. But, I am so glad that I kept reading. There were definitely surprises that I did not see coming. Everything about this book screams Halloween so much that this is one of the Halloween thriller books that appears on our list of ghost books as well.

The Grownup by Gillian Flynn

 A short and C-R-E-E-P-Y tale about a haunted house, I wanted to put down and continue at the same time.

When a woman pretending to be a psychic is hired to do an exorcism on a house, she learns that she just might believe in the supernatural after all.

It’s only 64 pages, but it will keep you up at night.

The Girl Before by JP Delaney

The house the story was set in is utterly fascinating. The female characters I loved, but I hated the architect. He was creepy in such a subtle way, but it totally made my skin crawl. This is one of the creepy books that we knew we need to include in a list of Halloween thriller books.

I was compulsively turning pages and staying up late into the night to find out what happened to Emma and Jane. Oh, and the ending was perfection. I can’t wait to see this adapted to the big screen!

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

It is so strange that I have read four paranormal fiction this month, but maybe I was craving creepy books in time for Halloween! Maggie Holt spend three weeks in a house that became the subject of a best-selling novel written by her father.

During the three weeks in the house, the family was haunted by ghosts before there were eventually forced to flee. 25 years later, Maggie is shocked to learn that her father still owned the house when he died and the house is now hers.

As Maggie returns to the house to find out what really happened, she might be in for more than she bargained for.

The Shining by Steven King

Steven King has a way of finding just the right blend of reality to add to his books to make them truly terrifying. The Shining is no exception. I don’t think there is anyone who has read this book who can think of an isolated cabin as a relaxing retreat ever again.

Jack Torrence is a recovering alcoholic with anger issues. He accepts a job as a winter caretaker at the Overlook Hotel in the hopes of writing his first novel. He brings his wife and son with him in the hopes of reconnecting with them. Obviously, things go terribly wrong.

The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse

February 2021 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

Oh boy, was this a creepy story! I wish I had chosen to read it during the wintertime instead of the summer because seeing snow while reading it would have made it that much creepier.

With dead bodies piling up, and a blizzard keeping the guests of the fancy sanatorium-turned-hotel stuck inside, will Elin be able to solve the mystery before she becomes a victim herself? This is such a great blizzard book from mystery books and is a must-read if you love Emily Henry books.

One by One by Ruth Ware

As a thriller, this book is fast-paced and heart-thumping as one person after another winds up dead.  As a mystery, I had a problem with the fact that I knew who the killer was from the very beginning. 

Where does that leave my feelings on the book? Although there were no surprises for me, this survival thriller had me cringing throughout.

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

This newest book by Alice Feeney is another great read.  Her books always have me turning the pages.  The book starts with Adam and Amelia Wright headed on a weekend away in a remote Scottish getaway to save their marriage. 

Told from the point of view of both Adam and Amelia, it is clear that one weekend away may not be enough.  Each year of their marriage, Adam and his wife exchange traditional wedding gifts, and she writes him a letter that she will not let him read.  

Not every twist in this book is unexpected but there were a few shocks that were completely unexpected.

The Woman in the Window by A.J Finn

Anna Fox lives alone in her house.  She is agoraphobic and cannot leave but, she can sit at her window and watch everyone in the neighborhood. 

When she sees something across the street, she is sure that there has been a crime but, what is real and what is imagined?  This thriller will leave you guessing until the end.

The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal

This historical fiction novel is part mystery, part love story, and part stalker thriller. MacNeal’s debut takes place in Victorian England during the time of The Great Exhibition. Iris dreams of learning to paint like a true artist, while she tolls away with her twin sister in a doll shop. Silas is a curiosity collector that can’t seem to get Iris out of his head after their chance meeting, and Albie is the rag-a-muffin street urchin I wanted to take home. Their stories weave together in a slow burn until the blood-pumping, heart-racing conclusion.

Goodnight Beautiful by Aimee Molloy

Thanks to Harper Audio and Libro.FM for my review copy. All opinions are my own. I was in the mood for a good thriller to go with this month’s reading challenge.

I absolutely loved this one. There were many twists and turns that I just did not see coming! I gasped out loud in more than one location as I watched this creepy book unfold. It’s easily one of my favorite thriller books of the year. I did not see the ending coming at all!!!

The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould

Something is dark and scary in Snakebite, Oregon where teenagers go missing and the weather is wonky. When Logan Ortiz-Woodley travels to her father’s hometown to film their ghost hunters television show, her dad becomes a suspect and is certainly acting strange.

This YA paranormal fiction was a really different read than anything I had read before and is one of our favorite fantasy books for teens.

Girls of Brackenhill by Kate Moretti

Holy gothic thriller, batman. This book is literally the stuff of paranormal legend.

Missing girls, ghosts, murder, and a legit creepy castle where it all goes down? Cue images of me staying up past my bedtime as I tried to get over the scary things happening in this book. I had chills a few times while reading.

I wish I had a few more answers at the end, but I think that’s part of the point, to leave the reader to decide what they think happens next. This is the perfect paranormal thriller for halloween.

Plain Bad Heroines by Emily Danforth

I started Plain Bad Heroines and I did not know what to think.  I was debating giving up on the book for a little while because I just wasn’t sure where the book was going.  Fast forward.  I loved it and I am glad I stuck with it. This book is unlike any other book I have ever read. It has all the makings of a cult horror. It is scary, complex and so well written.

The lines between reality and fiction are perfectly blurred. It is a book about a book and making a movie about that same book. ( follow that? Lol) The story intertwines the lives of all those that read the book and the mystery and supernatural that follows them 🐝. I don’t usually read horror but I loved this book.

When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole

Sydney Green lives in Brooklyn where she has lived for almost her whole life.  Her neighborhood is quickly changing as old neighbors move away.  What starts off as fiction about gentrification and neighborhood dynamics, quickly becomes a fast-moving thriller. 

Is Sydney being paranoid or are people out to get her?  To make matters worse, Sydney’s mother is sick and she does not want to put all her burdens on her best friend.  The only person Sydney can turn to is Theo but can she trust him? How far will people go to get what they want? I loved this thriller and how plausible it could be.

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

I love Lisa Jewell.  As I read her books I find each one creepier than the last, so this one is the perfect Urban Halloween thriller.  This book starts with Libby’s 25th birthday when she inherits a multi-million dollar home. She knows that she was adopted at 10 months old but, she doesn’t know the truth about what happened to her family. She is shocked to find that the story that she was told is not what happened to her family.

25+ years ago Henry, his sister, and parents are living a very privileged life.  When he is 12 years old, things change when David moves into the house with his wife and kids with no plans to leave.  He is charismatic and alluring to everyone except Henry. The story moves between past and present until the two stories come together and you finally understand what happened in the house all those years ago. 

The Therapist by B.A Paris

I listened to the book and I have to say that I think it added so much to the suspense! I love the way the narrators added to the story.

Alice and Leo move into a house on “The Circle”, an exclusive gated community. When Alice finds out a secret about the house, she wants to find out more about the therapist who lived there before.

As Alice tried to uncover secrets, she is met with lies and confusion until she is not sure what is true.

Thank you Macmillian Audio for my copy of this book. All opinions are my own