The Best Spooky Reads Perfect for Halloween

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

It is time to find the best spooky reads for Halloween! As October rolls in and the air turns crisp, it’s the perfect time to dive into some spine-chilling reads that will make your Halloween season unforgettable. Whether you’re gathering with your book club to discuss the eerie brilliance of Stephen King or searching for the best scary stories to curl up with. Our ultimate list of spooky books has got you covered.

From Mary Shelley’s classic ghost story to the modern horror of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic, there’s something for everyone. Don’t forget to check out Isabel Cañas and Shirley Jackson for more haunting tales that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Whether you’re selecting middle-grade thrillers for the kids or scouring Amazon for the perfect novel, this guide will fill your Halloween with the best in horror and thriller. Grab your cart, start your reading adventure, and get ready for a frightfully good time!

Scary Stories of Creepy Homes

The September House by Carissa Orlando

In this compelling debut novel, a woman’s dream home turns into a haunted nightmare, yet she remains resolute. Margaret and her husband Hal found their perfect Victorian house on Hawthorn Street at a surprisingly affordable price—until the hauntings began. Each September, the house becomes a scene of horror: blood drips from the walls, ghostly apparitions of former residents appear, and a menacing presence lurks in the basement. While most would flee from such a terrifying ordeal, Margaret remains determined to stay. Four years later, with Hal having left abruptly and their daughter Katherine searching for him, the house’s eerie phenomena only escalate. As the search intensifies, so do the ghostly encounters, revealing secrets that the house is desperate to keep hidden. This novel blends the suspense of haunted house stories with emotional depth, making it a must-read for fans of spooky books and psychological horror.

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

Every house has its secrets, and Baneberry Hall is no exception. Twenty-five years ago, Maggie Holt’s family fled from this sprawling Victorian estate in the Vermont woods after just three weeks, leaving behind a chilling account of their ordeal in her father’s bestselling memoir, House of Horrors. The book, filled with supernatural occurrences and malevolent spirits, captivated readers worldwide and sparked intense skepticism, rivaling The Amityville Horror.

Now an adult and a staunch disbeliever in ghosts, Maggie inherits Baneberry Hall following her father’s death. Determined to renovate and sell the estate, she returns to a community still haunted by her father’s infamous story. The locals resent the fame the book brought, and characters from House of Horrors lurk in the shadows, adding to the tension. As Maggie begins her renovations, she encounters strange and unsettling phenomena that mirror the eerie events described in her father’s book. As the house’s dark history unravels, Maggie faces the ultimate test of her disbelief and must confront the reality of Baneberry Hall’s haunting secrets.

The Spite House by Johnny Compton

On the run with his two daughters, Eric Ross is desperate for a fresh start. When he stumbles upon an ad seeking a caretaker for the notorious Masson House. Reputed to be the “most haunted place in Texas,” he sees it as a potential lifeline. The job requires documenting any paranormal activity in the house, a task that promises a substantial payout. Assuming the house’s horrors don’t drive him and his family to madness, as it has with previous caretakers.

Eric is drawn to the position not only for the financial reward but also for the chance to uncover the secrets hidden within the spiteful Masson House. If the rumors of the haunting are true, understanding the supernatural events may reveal clues about the eerie power that seems to chase his family from town to town. As Eric and his daughters settle into the unsettling environment of the Masson House, the line between reality and nightmare blurs. And they must confront the chilling truths lurking within its walls.

Gothic Horror

Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey

In Just Like Home, Sarah Gailey delivers a darkly gothic thriller that will captivate fans of Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House. When Vera receives a summons from her estranged mother, she returns to the family home. A place tainted by her father’s horrific legacy as a serial killer. The house, built with twisted love and buried secrets, now stands as a grim monument to the bodies hidden beneath.

Returning home is a daunting task for Vera. Made even more unsettling by the presence of a parasitic artist who has taken up residence in the guest house. As this intruder methodically dismantles Vera’s childhood, he denies being behind the disturbing notes that appear around the house. Written in her father’s unmistakable handwriting. With the notorious Crowder House harboring deep, undiscovered secrets. Vera must confront her family’s dark past and uncover the full extent of the rot that festers within its walls.

Fantastical Horror

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

On the windswept Yorkshire Moors, a hidden lineage of people, known as The Family, possesses a remarkable and peculiar trait. They consume books for sustenance. To them, spy novels serve as a spicy snack, romance novels are a sweet treat, and even maps can enhance their memory of distant places. However, misbehaving children are punished with dry, musty pages from old dictionaries.

Devon, a member of this reclusive clan of book eaters, grows up in a world where her brothers feast on tales of heroism and adventure. Like all the women of The Family, she feeds on a diet of fairy tales and cautionary stories. But the line between fiction and reality blurs when Devon’s son is born with a sinister hunger that goes beyond books. He craves human minds. As Devon confronts this dark twist of fate, she must navigate the terrifying implications of her son’s hunger and the challenges it poses to their hidden existence.

Occult Thrillers for That Special Eerie Feel

Dark Harvest by Norman Partridge

On Halloween night in 1963, the small Midwestern town is haunted by a figure known as the October Boy. Or Ol’ Hacksaw Face, or Sawtooth Jack. This chilling legend rises from the cornfields every year. Wielding a butcher knife, and heads toward town, where gangs of teenage boys eagerly prepare to confront this living nightmare. The October Boy, both hunter and prey, is the center of a grim tradition where life and death hang in the balance.

For Pete McCormick, killing the October Boy represents his only escape from a future trapped in this dead-end town. Desperate to prove himself and break free from his mundane existence, Pete is willing to risk everything. As the night unfolds, he faces the true terror behind the October Boy’s saw-toothed grin. Uncovering the horrifying secret that has plagued the town for generations. This Halloween, Pete’s quest for victory turns into a confrontation with pure, unrelenting horror.

Intercepts by T.J. Payne

Joe’s job at a facility dedicated to human experimentation was supposed to remain behind closed doors. His role in testing the limits of the human mind and sensory deprivation was shrouded in secrecy. But the results were always disturbing. Subjects driven to violent insanity. Despite these grim outcomes, the research pressed on, driven by the government’s relentless pursuit to unlock hidden mental capabilities.

Now, the project has reached a new level of refinement. Almost perfected. However, as Joe returns home, he finds that the disturbing effects of his work have followed him beyond the lab. The lines between his professional life and personal space blur in horrifying ways. And Joe is confronted with the terrifying realization that the experiments are far from over. As the shadows of his work encroach on his life, Joe must confront the consequences of a nearly perfected science gone awry.

Supernatural Page Turners

Ghost Eaters by Clay McLeod Chapman

Erin’s struggle to set boundaries with her charismatic but reckless ex-boyfriend, Silas, comes to a head when he asks for yet another bailout from rehab. Despite her resolve to cut ties, Silas’s overdose in their Richmond, Virginia hometown shatters her world.

In her grief and longing for closure, Erin learns about Ghost, a new drug that promises users the ability to see the dead. Desperate for answers and a final connection with Silas, she agrees to a pill-popping “séance.” However, the drug’s effects are far more terrifying than she anticipated. Once you’ve experienced its haunting revelations, there’s no turning back. As Erin delves into this dark new world, she must confront the profound and chilling consequences of seeking closure through Ghost.

Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez

In Our Share of Night, a young father and his son embark on a poignant road trip to the ancestral home of their recently deceased wife and mother. Bound by their shared grief, they seek solace but instead find themselves confronting a horrifying legacy. A sinister family known as the Order, engages in unspeakable acts in their quest for immortality.

For Gaspar, the son, the Order’s dark rituals represent a terrifying inheritance. As the cult attempts to pull him into their malevolent fold, Gaspar and his father flee. Striving to escape the clutches of a powerful clan determined to preserve its existence at any cost. Their journey unfolds across time, from the vibrant 1960s London to the harsh realities of Argentina’s military dictatorship and its turbulent aftermath.

This novel is a masterwork by one of Latin America’s most innovative novelists. It blends elements of family drama, ghostly horror, and occult intrigue. It explores the intricacies of love, loss, and destiny, with queer subplots and themes enriching its narrative. Our Share of Night is a unique and haunting story that intertwines the supernatural with the deeply personal. Offering a compelling examination of fate and survival.

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

To eight-year-old Bela, her family is her entire world—Mommy, Daddo, and Grandma Ruth. Yet lurking in the shadows is a malevolent presence known as Other Mommy, who daily asks Bela a chilling question. “Can I go inside your heart?”

As unsettling events unfold around the house, Bela realizes that Other Mommy’s patience is wearing thin. The entity’s relentless questioning suggests that if Bela doesn’t answer soon, her family will face dire consequences.

With Other Mommy growing more restless and powerful, Bela’s sense of security is threatened. The cracks in her parents’ marriage only add to the tension, revealing that the stability Bela depends on is beginning to fracture.

In Incidents Around the House, the true horror emerges from both the supernatural and the vulnerabilities within the family. This chilling and unique tale explores a home and a family haunted by forces. One’s far more terrifying than any ordinary ghost.

Creepy, Compelling, and Utterly Original

Such Pretty Flowers by K.L. Cerra

Holly’s world is upended by the chilling death of her brother, Dane, who was found gruesomely murdered in his girlfriend’s opulent townhouse. Despite the police’s conclusion that it was a suicide fueled by psychosis, Holly can’t dismiss Dane’s final message hinting at a mysterious “game” Maura wanted to play.

Driven by a need for answers, Holly begins to shadow Maura. A mesmerizing florist with haunting black eyes and a fascination for carnivorous plants. What starts as a quest for truth soon spirals into an obsession as Holly is drawn into Maura’s enigmatic world. One of Savannah’s high society, eerie black roses, and a disturbing undercurrent of malevolence. As Holly’s fixation deepens, she finds herself entangled in Maura’s dark allure. Faced with a harrowing choice: uncover the truth behind Dane’s death or risk falling victim to the same sinister forces that claimed him.

Gorgeous Gruesome Faces by Linda Cheng

You’ll love them to death . . .

Two years after the tragic and mysterious death of her best friend Mina, Sunny Lee remains haunted by unanswered questions. Once part of an emerging teen pop sensation with Mina and Candie, Sunny can’t shake the suspicion that Candie might be linked to Mina’s violent end.

Determined to uncover the truth, Sunny tracks Candie to a new K-pop workshop, hoping to find answers about Mina’s death. As she reunites with Candie, old feelings resurface, complicating their interactions. But romance takes a back seat as the lines between nightmare and reality begin to blur. Competitors in the workshop were found grotesquely mutilated. To escape this horror, Sunny must unravel the dark secrets of Candie and the workshop’s disturbing pursuit of fame.

Linda Cheng’s gripping feminist thriller delivers a chilling critique of the dark side of stardom and beauty standards. Blending suspense and social commentary that will keep readers both screaming and swooning.

And don’t forget the companion novel coming Fall of 2025. That is sure to be one of the best spooky reads for Halloween 2025!

Genre Defining Horror

Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin

We couldn’t include a list of the best spooky reads for Halloween without including one of the best-selling books of all time. Rosemary’s Baby remains a cornerstone of suspense and psychological horror. Its masterful blend of gothic tradition and modern New York City settings paved the way for future classics like The Exorcist and The Omen. The New York Times even recognized it among “The 25 Most Significant New York City Novels From the Last 100 Years.”

In the story, Rosemary Woodhouse and her struggling actor husband, Guy, are thrilled to move into the Bramford. A coveted Manhattan apartment with a Victorian charm, and an ominous facade. As they uncover the building’s dark history and grow closer to their enigmatic neighbors, the Castevets, underlying tensions seep into their lives. Guy’s newfound success and Rosemary’s pregnancy initially seem like positive changes. But as her pregnancy takes a sinister turn, Rosemary begins to question the Castevets’ intense interest. And Guy’s behavior—signals something far more horrifying. Is Rosemary unraveling her sanity, or is she gaining insight into a nightmarish reality?

Check Out These Posts:

10 of the Best Spooky Books you should read this Fall

Hushed Fears: Books with an Atmosphere of Creeping Terror

Castle of the Cursed Review: Beyond the Castle Walls

Mood Reading vs. TBR: Unlocking the Secrets to Becoming a Better Reader

Lurking Beneath: Unveiling the Secrets of ‘A Misfortune of Lake Monsters’