12 Thriller Horror Books to Chill You to the Bone

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-horror book. This situation is totally plausible which makes this one of the more disturbing psychological thriller books on this list.

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

Riley Sager is quickly becoming a must-read author for me. I absolutely loved this last book, The Last Time I Lied, so I was eager to pick this one up. The story is told via a dual timeline about 4 days apart.

Jules is hired to apartment-sit at a ridiculously wealthy building in NYC. But there are strange rules to protect the residents of The Bartholomew – no visitors, no disturbing the neighbors, and no spending nights away from the apartment.

There are also some concerning urban legends surrounding the lush residence. It was fun to read a haunted house book that was set in an apartment.

Let’s just say I was glad I was not alone while I was reading this thriller horror book. If you love disturbing psychological thriller books, don’t miss our entire list of The Best Riley Sager Books Ranked by Super Fans!

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

This book is definitely one of the most disturbing psychological thriller books that I have read in a while. It took me about 1/2 of the book to figure out what in the heck was going on.

There are a few stories going on simultaneously and at times I was extremely confused but if you stick with it, all was revealed in the end.

This thriller horror book is told from multiple perspectives: a man with memory gaps, a cat who reads, a little girl who is not allowed outside, and a neighbor who moves next door. Sound crazy? It absolutely is and it will definitely creep you out!

The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling

Jane is a very practical woman. She has done her research and has found the perfect man to be her husband. She assured him that the relationship will be strictly business. But as her feelings for him grow, she starts to learn there is more to this hard-working and quiet doctor.

As a matter of fact, there is something strange going on at his house that cannot be explained and she starts to worry for her health as well as that of her husband.

I was looking forward to this gothic horror with a touch of fantasy mixed in. While I was unfortunately left disappointed, this pick from thriller horror books, is definitely creepy and is a must-read book for fall.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

This is the book that started it all. Jonathan Harker is a young English solicitor who finds himself in Count Dracula’s castle in Transylvania. Count Dracula has strange customs and mannerisms and things go from strange to scary to completely horrifying.

The story of Dracula is timeless and has been remade into countless movies. But, in my opinion, none have been able to capture the truly terrifying essence of this book. It is truly a disturbing thriller horror book. If you love vampire books and have not read this one, it is a must-read that will scare the pants off you and is a perfect book for fall!

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 haunted hotel 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. This 70s book is one of the scariest thriller horror novels I’ve ever read and its perfect for our list of winter books!

Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz

Winter 2022 YA Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

This gothic YA historical fiction is centered around Hazel, a 16-year-old woman who lives in Edinburgh Scotland with her mother and younger brother. She has always had an obsession with anatomy and wants to be a surgeon despite the fact that no women are allowed to study to become doctors.

In order to study and pass her exam, she must have dead bodies to look at. Enter Jack, who earns extra money by taking bodies from their graves at night.

This was such a quick read with amazing details to keep the story moving. Some surprise details really added to the story. The ending, however, felt very rushed to me- especially when compared to the rest of the book. This is such an original thriller horror book.

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 YA fantasy book is unlike any other book I have ever read. It has all the makings of 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 witch book. If you’ve read this dark academia novel, I have to talk to someone about it!!!