7 Scary Reads You Need to Check Out

For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved a good scare. As a child I read and re-read The Dollhouse Murders, by Betty Ren Wright more times than I can count.*** Then I graduated to Mary Higgins Clarke and Stephen King. Today, scary reads remain my all-time fave.

One thing I love about scary stories is they fall into all kinds of genres. You’ve got your good old-fashioned ghost stories, straight up horror, fast-paced action thrillers, murder mysteries, and psychological suspense. So whether you are into the paranormal or not, it’s not hard to find a great scary read.

I personally don’t mind a supernatural story as long as I know what I’m in for at the start. I don’t want to be surprised by the appearance of an apparition or an other-wordly explanation for a scary story that otherwise wouldn’t make sense. But, during October especially, I love curling up in front of the fire with a warm cup of tea and a not-so-friendly ghost.

I even wrote a ghost story. It’s called “Lady of Darkness” and published in the short story collection, Fireside. The perfect anthology of scary reads for October.

But don’t worry . . . if you’re not into ghosts, there are plenty of other scary read suggestions on this list that don’t include any hauntings.

Rebecca, Daphne De Maurier

Our first scary read is Rebecca. A classic for a reason. I actually watched the Hitchcock movie long before I ever picked up the book. But since then, I have reread this gothic novel no less than five times.

Captivating, atmospheric, and creepy, Rebecca is the perfect mystery to curl up by the fire with on a cold night. Maybe bring a salted caramel apple cider cocktail with you.

Don’t let the pub date fool you. This classic thriller novel feels surprisingly current. It’s the perfect read for those wanting to dip their toe in spooky read, suspenseful but not scary, Rebecca will keep your attention as the tension builds. Don’t be surprised if you stay up all night to finish this one.

Lock Every Door, Riley Sager

No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the rules for Jules Larsen’s new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan’s most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and completely broke, Jules is out of options. She is immediately taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.

But you know what they say: if it sounds too good to be true . . . It’s not long before Jules learns that not everything is as it seems in the luxury apartment building.

Lock Every Door walks a fine line between classic horror and psychological thriller with a modern twist on the locked room trope. It’s a fast-moving story that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you try to guess what’s really going on. This scary read is perfect for spooky season.

Her Every Fear, Peter Swanson

The story begins with an apartment swap. Second cousins Corbin and Kate have never met, but decide to house swap for six months. Kate leaves her tiny London flat behind for Corbin’s beautiful Boston brownstone.

Shortly after arriving in her new large and lavish digs, Kate discovers that there is a dead girl next door. A murder investigation begins and the cops are not the only ones trying to find out why sweet Audrey next door was brutally mutilated. Kate starts to wonder if her cousin Corbin is a murderer. 

This is a creepy thriller with complex and layered characters. An expertly woven plot keeps this scary story moving forward, and you just might find yourself gasping out loud.

The Turn of the Key, Ruth Ware

A naïve nanny with skeletons in her closets. A creepy, Victorian house surrounded by a garden of poisonous flowers. Three difficult children and a baby. A snobby, work-a-holic mom who’s never around (that’s why they need a nanny) and an inappropriately flirty father. Creaking floors, huts in the woods, secret attics, ghost stories, and an isolated setting.

What more do you need for a scary read?

This fast-paced thriller is the perfect blend of modern and gothic horror. Although none of the characters are particulary likable, you’ll find yourself drawn into this story. And the ending is quite satisfying. (Something that I find is often lacking in these types of novels.)

I listened to this book on Audible and it was particularly good with the gifted narration of Imogene Church.

The Haunting of Hill House, Shirley Jackson

I can’t believe that I just got around to reading Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House this year! I can still remember the chills I got the first time I read her famous short story The Lottery in high school English class. And I often used the story in my Legal Studies class back when I was a college professor. I loved watching my students’ faces as they realized what was happening. But somehow, I never got around to reading this novel.

The Haunting of Hill House is a creepy tale that leaves lots of room for interpretation. An occult scholar invites guests to Hill House to help him prove whether it’s really haunted. Are the ghosts they encounter real, or only in their heads? The cast of quirky characters makes it difficult to know for sure and Jackson leaves it to the reader to decide. A great scary read, even if you aren’t sure you believe in ghosts.

Stilllife, Louise Penny

If you aren’t yet familiar with Louise Penny, you are in for a treat. This is the first of 19 books featuring Inspector Gamache as he investigates a spate of murders in Three Pines, a seemingly idyllic village in Quebec, Canada. Rich and atmospheric, the story is a modern-day take on the traditional detective story. Gamache possesses extraordinary detective skills, allowing him to see things others do not. While not scary in the traditional sense (the deaths primarily occur off the page), this book and in fact the entire series, makes you second guess what you know about your closest friends and brings up the question, “is everyone capable of murder?”

In this first book of the series, Gamache is called to investigate a suspicious death in the rural village. A local woman, who was a fixture in the tiny town, has been found dead in the woods. The locals believe her death is nothing more than a tragic hunting accident, but Gamache smells something rotten in the remote woods, and sets out to prove that Jane Neal’s death was caused by someone much more sinister than a careless bowhunter.

This book is available for free on Kindle Unlimited.

The Stranger Beside Me: The Inside Story of Serial Killer Ted Bundy, Ann Rule

If you prefer nonfiction, then you might like The Stranger Beside Me. This true crime book was considered revolutionary at the time it was published in 1980. And it remains one of the most chilling accounts of a serial killer ever written. Ann Rule shares intimate details about her relationship with a friendly coworker at a suicide hotline: Ted Bundy. Unbeknownst to Rule at the time, Ted Bundy was the very man responsible for a series of killings she was researching for a true crime book. Bundy would eventually confess to murdering 36 women. Knowing what we now know about Bundy, Ann’s description of him as a charismatic and attractive law student will frighten you to your core — and it will make you wonder if you’d be able to recognize if a monster lived among you now.

The perfect scary read for fans of serial killers and true crime. But you might want to sleep with the light on. Real life is scarier than fiction.

Let me know what other scary reads you’d add to this list!

Off we go!