RECOMMENDED READING: HALLOWEEN 2022
PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE, GHOST STORIES, “CHILLERS,” & MORE FOR YOUR SPOOKY SEASON TBR!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year: Halloween season is upon us! I firmly believe that you can read thrillers any time of year, but there’s something undeniably perfect about digging into a dark, creepy crime novel in the lead-up to Halloween. Honestly, every year I have a little bit of a hard time coming up with a list of Halloween reading recommendations, not because I don’t have enough books to recommend—quite the opposite! Just about every single book I’ve ever talked about here on Crime by the Book could be a great Halloween read, and that can make narrowing down my lists of Halloween reading recommendations really tricky. But I’m up for the challenge—and I’m thrilled with how this year’s reading list turned out! For this year’s Halloween reading list, I’m focusing on new (or new-ish!) releases—primarily books that have been published in 2022, with a few slightly older releases in the mix, too. My Halloween reading list this year includes a whole variety of crime, mystery, and suspense novels. It reflects my own personal growing interest in books with supernatural elements, while also incorporating some of my go-to favorite subgenres like Nordic Noir and psychological thrillers. From Gothic suspense to serial killer thrillers and twisty psychological suspense to dark humor, my hope is that there will be a little something for every reader to be found here! And if that’s not enough inspiration, you can also scroll to the very bottom of this blog post for a little recap of a few of my go-to Halloween reading recommendations from years past.
Without further ado: let’s dive into my picks for 2022 Halloween reading! Happy reading, and happy haunting! xx A
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THE HACIENDA by Isabel Cañas
Why I Loved It:
Gothic atmosphere, a very creepy house, forbidden love, a priest who is also a witch (!) - THE HACIENDA has it all and then some. This immersive, spine-tingling tale expertly blends elements of supernatural suspense with a compelling, heart-tugging romance and an element of historical fiction, too, and the result is a truly outstanding suspense novel I simply couldn’t put down. THE HACIENDA is the kind of book you don’t just read, you experience it. The author’s lush, vivid writing belies the darkness at the heart of this story; the deeper into this book’s maze you go, the more sinister it gets. We all know I have a fondness for crime novels that use setting as an integral part of the story, and this book has that to offer, too: the house at the heart of this novel - Hacienda San Isidro - is as much a character as any of this story’s humans. THE HACIENDA is a love story, it’s a ghost story, it’s a story of tumult and loss in the wake of the Mexican War of Independence--it’s a knockout.
About the Book:
Mexican Gothic meets Rebecca in this debut supernatural suspense novel, set in the aftermath of the Mexican War of Independence, about a remote house, a sinister haunting, and the woman pulled into their clutches...
During the overthrow of the Mexican government, Beatriz’s father was executed and her home destroyed. When handsome Don Rodolfo Solórzano proposes, Beatriz ignores the rumors surrounding his first wife’s sudden demise, choosing instead to seize the security that his estate in the countryside provides. She will have her own home again, no matter the cost.
But Hacienda San Isidro is not the sanctuary she imagined.
When Rodolfo returns to work in the capital, visions and voices invade Beatriz’s sleep. The weight of invisible eyes follows her every move. Rodolfo’s sister, Juana, scoffs at Beatriz’s fears—but why does she refuse to enter the house at night? Why does the cook burn copal incense at the edge of the kitchen and mark the doorway with strange symbols? What really happened to the first Doña Solórzano?
Beatriz only knows two things for certain: Something is wrong with the hacienda. And no one there will save her.
Desperate for help, she clings to the young priest, Padre Andrés, as an ally. No ordinary priest, Andrés will have to rely on his skills as a witch to fight off the malevolent presence haunting the hacienda and protect the woman for whom he feels a powerful, forbidden attraction. But even he might not be enough to battle the darkness.
Far from a refuge, San Isidro may be Beatriz’s doom.
THE LIGHTHOUSE WITCHES by C.J. Cooke
Why I Loved It:
If you love suspense with strong Gothic elements, C.J. Cooke is a hidden gem writer who deserves to be on your reading list—particularly in the lead-up to Halloween. My personal favorite of the two books I’ve read of hers so far is THE LIGHTHOUSE WITCHES: an atmospheric story of family secrets with an element of witchcraft and supernatural suspense. THE LIGHTHOUSE WITCHES centers around “wildlings” (basically the same concept as a changeling—C.J. Cooke’s spin on the concept!)—supernatural creatures who mimic children. The story moves between a past timeline, following a single mother and her daughters as they settle into a new home on a remote Scottish island, and the present day, where one of those same daughters has been searching for her younger sister who disappeared without a trace all those years ago… and is finally getting the reunion she’s always wanted, albeit under some very strange circumstances. THE LIGHTHOUSE WITCHES weaves in elements of Gothic atmosphere, Scottish history, and supernatural suspense. It’s an immersive, spine-tingling tale perfect for fans of books involving lore, witchcraft, and the otherworldly.
About the Book:
Two sisters go missing on a remote Scottish island. Twenty years later, one is found--but she's still the same age as when she disappeared. The secrets of witches have reached across the centuries in this chilling Gothic thriller from the author of the acclaimed The Nesting.
When single mother Liv is commissioned to paint a mural in a 100-year-old lighthouse on a remote Scottish island, it's an opportunity to start over with her three daughters--Luna, Sapphire, and Clover. When two of her daughters go missing, she's frantic. She learns that the cave beneath the lighthouse was once a prison for women accused of witchcraft. The locals warn her about wildlings, supernatural beings who mimic human children, created by witches for revenge. Liv is told wildlings are dangerous and must be killed.
Twenty-two years later, Luna has been searching for her missing sisters and mother. When she receives a call about her youngest sister, Clover, she's initially ecstatic. Clover is the sister she remembers--except she's still seven years old, the age she was when she vanished. Luna is worried Clover is a wildling. Luna has few memories of her time on the island, but she'll have to return to find the truth of what happened to her family. But she doesn't realize just how much the truth will change her.
DAISY DARKER by Alice Feeney
Why I Loved It:
An Agatha Christie homage that’s also set at Halloween?! It doesn’t get much better than that. Alice Feeney’s latest release, DAISY DARKER, also just so happens to be my new favorite book of hers—and it’s no surprise why! This superb psychological thriller blends two elements I always love in a suspense novel: a plot inspired by the Queen of Crime (in particular, her book And Then There Were None!), plus the kind of masterful plotting that is guaranteed to keep you on your toes—no matter how confident you are you’ve got everything figured out. DAISY DARKER is atmospheric, spine-tingling suspense that takes place on a small, tidal island, where a family is gathering to celebrate their grandmother’s birthday at Halloween. As the tide comes in and the island gets cut off from the rest of the world, one among the family is found dead… and it quickly becomes clear that there’s a killer in their midst. Alice Feeney puts a fiercely original, mind-bogglingly-clever spin on a closed circle mystery in her latest release. I absolutely loved this one, and highly recommend it! It’s particularly perfect for spooky season given that it takes place at this exact time of year. Read this one and then let me know when you’ve finished it—the ending deserves to be discussed!
About the Book:
“A dysfunctional family meets Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None with a truly gasp-inducing twist. This is the book you've been looking for.” ―Catherine Ryan Howard, bestselling author of 56 Days
Daisy Darker was born with a broken heart. Now after years of avoiding each other, Daisy Darker’s entire family is assembling for Nana’s 80th birthday party in her crumbling gothic house on a tiny tidal island. The family arrives, each of them harboring secrets. When the tide comes in, they will be cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours.
But at the stroke of midnight, as a storm rages, Nana is found dead. And an hour later, the next family member follows…
Trapped on an island where someone is killing them one by one, the Darkers must reckon with their present mystery as well as their past secrets, before the tide goes out and all is revealed. As seen on the TODAY show and picked by Book of the Month, Daisy Darker's family secrets and Alice Feeney's trademark shocking twists will keep readers riveted.
SUCH SHARP TEETH by Rachel Harrison
Why I Loved It:
If you crossed supernatural suspense, a love story, a bit of dark humor, and, yes, werewolves, the result would be Rachel Harrison’s witty, irreverent, wildly entertaining new novel SUCH SHARP TEETH. This book has spooky season written all over it. SUCH SHARP TEETH follows a young woman who returns to her hometown against her better judgment… and things go from bad to worse when she’s bitten by a large animal one night, and begins to undergo some changes that defy all logic. SUCH SHARP TEETH is a wickedly clever story that packs an entertaining punch. Following a protagonist whose irreverence and relatability serve to keep an otherwise larger-than-life tale grounded in reality, SUCH SHARP TEETH is a top-notch blend of humor and horror.
About the Book:
A young woman in need of a transformation finds herself in touch with the animal inside in this gripping, incisive novel from the author of Cackle and The Return.
Rory Morris isn’t thrilled to be moving back to her hometown, even if it is temporary. There are bad memories there. But her twin sister, Scarlett, is pregnant, estranged from the baby’s father, and needs support, so Rory returns to the place she thought she’d put in her rearview. After a night out at a bar where she runs into Ian, an old almost-flame, she hits a large animal with her car. And when she gets out to investigate, she’s attacked.
Rory survives, miraculously, but life begins to look and feel different. She’s unnaturally strong, with an aversion to silver—and suddenly the moon has her in its thrall. She’s changing into someone else—something else, maybe even a monster. But does that mean she’s putting those close to her in danger? Or is embracing the wildness inside of her the key to acceptance?
This darkly comedic love story is a brilliantly layered portrait of trauma, rage, and vulnerability.
THE DEVIL TAKES YOU HOME by Gabino Iglesias
Why I Loved It:
Heist-meets-horror in Gabino Iglesias’ outstanding THE DEVIL TAKES YOU HOME, a cross-genre mash-up about a reluctant hitman whose death-defying assignment brings him face to face with events beyond any earthly comprehension. The premise: a man who has just lost everything he holds dear and now finds himself buried in medical debt signs on for what might be a suicide mission, intercepting a cartel cash shipment before it crosses from Texas into Mexico. From this premise, readers might expect cinematic violence and a gripping heist plot—and they’ll get that, sure, but they’ll get so much more, too. As this story progresses, author Gabino Iglesias deftly weaves in elements of the supernatural that will upend everything that our story’s protagonist thinks he knows about the world around him. Page-turning pacing, vivid and beautiful writing, and some scenes of genuine shock and horror make this book a standout. THE DEVIL TAKES YOU HOME is a gripping thriller story, to be sure, but it’s also a powerful reckoning with faith, and with the evils of this world in its many forms.
About the Book:
From an award-winning author comes a genre-defying thriller about a father desperate to salvage what's left of his family—even if it means a descent into violence.
Buried in debt due to his young daughter’s illness, his marriage at the brink, Mario reluctantly takes a job as a hitman, surprising himself with his proclivity for violence. After tragedy destroys the life he knew, Mario agrees to one final job: hijack a cartel’s cash shipment before it reaches Mexico. Along with an old friend and a cartel-insider named Juanca, Mario sets off on the near-suicidal mission, which will leave him with either a cool $200,000 or a bullet in the skull. But the path to reward or ruin is never as straight as it seems. As the three complicated men travel through the endless landscape of Texas, across the border and back, their hidden motivations are laid bare alongside nightmarish encounters that defy explanation. One thing is certain: even if Mario makes it out alive, he won’t return the same.
The Devil Takes You Home is a panoramic odyssey for fans of S.A. Cosby’s southern noir, Blacktop Wasteland, by way of the boundary-defying storytelling of Stephen Graham Jones and Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
THE BOOK OF COLD CASES by Simone St. James
Why I Loved It:
Simone St. James is an author who really needs no introduction. Her work has been pivotal to my own reading life; believe it or not, back in the day, I hated crime novels involving anything remotely supernatural or otherworldly. Then I began reading two authors whose work changed my mind—one of whom was Simone St. James. Simone St. James writes the most deliciously dark, wildly entertaining crime stories that blend earthly mysteries with supernatural scares in the most perfect of ways. Earlier this year, Simone’s novel THE BOOK OF COLD CASES was published—and it is utterly exceptional. I loved the two characters around whom this story revolves (a true crime blogger + a woman acquitted of two cold case murders), and I loved the way the author laces this murder mystery with possibly-supernatural, spooky elements. Simone St. James never fails to deliver gripping, majorly entertaining crime stories, and THE BOOK OF COLD CASES is excellent in every way. Pick this one up if you love crime fiction that explores the world of true crime—and if you want a book with just the right amount of supernatural elements woven into an earthly mystery.
About the Book:
A true crime blogger gets more than she bargained for while interviewing the woman acquitted of two cold case slayings in this chilling new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Sun Down Motel.
In 1977, Claire Lake, Oregon, was shaken by the Lady Killer Murders: Two men, seemingly randomly, were murdered with the same gun, with strange notes left behind. Beth Greer was the perfect suspect—a rich, eccentric twenty-three-year-old woman, seen fleeing one of the crimes. But she was acquitted, and she retreated to the isolation of her mansion.
Oregon, 2017. Shea Collins is a receptionist, but by night, she runs a true crime website, the Book of Cold Cases—a passion fueled by the attempted abduction she escaped as a child. When she meets Beth by chance, Shea asks her for an interview. To Shea’s surprise, Beth says yes.
They meet regularly at Beth’s mansion, though Shea is never comfortable there. Items move when she’s not looking, and she could swear she’s seen a girl outside the window. The allure of learning the truth about the case from the smart, charming Beth is too much to resist, but even as they grow closer, Shea senses something isn’t right. Is she making friends with a manipulative murderer, or are there other dangers lurking in the darkness of the Greer house?
GHOST 19 by Simone St. James
Audiobook Available Now | E-Book Available January 3
Why I Loved It:
Imagine a cross between Rear Window and a chilling ghost story, and you’ve got GHOST 19—Simone St. James’ spine-tingling novella that was released as an audiobook this month, just in time for Halloween, and will later be released as an e-book in early January! This spooky short story immediately drew me into its world; I was so impressed with the way Simone St. James made me so invested in her story’s characters and universe in a relatively short amount of time. (My only complaint? I wished this were a full-length novel, simply because I loved its characters so much.) If you love psychological thrillers like The Girl on the Train—stories that rely on that classic Hitchcock/Rear Window kind of premise—you’ll love the spooky, chilling twist Simone St. James puts on the trope in this compelling short story.
About the Book:
A woman moves to a town where she becomes obsessed with watching the lives of her neighbors while stuck in a house that refuses to let her leave in this first ever short story from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Cold Cases.
Is there something wrong with Ginette Cox? It’s what everyone seems to think. When a doctor suggests that what she might need is less excitement, she packs up and moves from New York City to a house in suburban NY: 19 Howard Ave.
The town offers Ginette little in the way of entertainment in 1959, but at least she has interesting neighbors. Whether it’s the little girl with her doll or the couple and their mother-in-law, Ginette watches them from her window and makes up names and stories for them.
But it’s not all peaceful in suburbia. Ginette finds it hard to sleep in her new house. There are strange and scary noises coming from the basement, and she is trapped, either by a ghost or her own madness.
But when Ginette starts to think a murder has taken place and a mysterious man starts making terrifying appearances outside her window, it’s clear she must deal with whatever isn’t allowing her to escape this house…
THE HAUNTING OF MADDY CLARE by Simone St. James
Why I Loved It:
As I’m writing this blog post, I literally just finished reading Simone St. James’ debut novel, THE HAUNTING OF MADDY CLARE, which her publisher has just reissued in a brand-new (and gorgeous!) edition this month. We already know how much I love Simone St. James, but how is it possible that I love her even more after reading Maddy Clare?! This might actually be my new favorite Simone St. James novel. THE HAUNTING OF MADDY CLARE is a work of historical fiction-meets-supernatural suspense, and Simone St. James convincingly brings her story’s time period to life in this spine-tingling novel. I couldn’t get enough of this book’s protagonist, Sarah--a strong-willed, brave, tender-hearted young woman who finds her life turned upside down when she is hired by a ghost hunter (!) to help research his latest case. THE HAUNTING OF MADDY CLARE combines a genuinely scary ghost story with a romance element that I absolutely loved. You’ll fall in love with these characters—and then you’ll be on the edge of your seat, hoping they survive their encounter with a seriously scary spirit who seems hell-bent on revenge.
About the Book:
A woman of limited means and even less experience must confront a vengeful spirit in this haunting novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Broken Girls and The Sun Down Motel.
1920s England. Sarah Piper’s lonely, threadbare existence changes when her temporary agency sends her to assist an obsessed ghost hunter. Alistair Gellis—rich, handsome, and scarred by World War I—has been summoned to investigate the spirit of the nineteen-year-old maid Maddy Clare, who is said to haunt the barn where she committed suicide.
Maddy hated men in life, and she will not speak to them in death. But Sarah is unprepared to confront an angry ghost—real or imagined—on her own. She’s even less prepared for the arrival of Alistair’s associate, rough, unsettling Matthew Ryder, also a veteran of the trenches, whose scars go deeper than Sarah can reach.
Soon, Sarah is caught up in a desperate struggle. For Maddy’s ghost is no hoax—she’s real, she’s angry, and she has powers that defy all reason. Now, Sarah and Matthew must discover who Maddy was, where she came from, and what is driving her desire for vengeance—before she destroys them all....
THE MIRROR MAN by Lars Kepler
Why I Loved It:
We all know how obsessed I am with Swedish crime writing duo Lars Kepler—and their latest release, THE MIRROR MAN, is my favorite book of theirs yet. If your idea of a perfect Halloween read is more serial killer-y than ghost-y, THE MIRROR MAN is the book for you. Yes, this book is part of a series, but it can absolutely be read on its own. THE MIRROR MAN is a dark (very dark!), twisty deep-dive into a horrific case: someone is kidnapping young women in Sweden and holding them captive. When one of the missing girls is found dead in a playground, police find themselves on the hunt for a vicious killer. THE MIRROR MAN blends Lars Kepler’s irresistible pacing (seriously, you will tear through this book) with their knack for writing terrifying villains and endearing heroes and heroines for readers to root for. THE MIRROR MAN is, in my opinion, Kepler’s darkest book yet—this story is not for the faint of heart, but if you love dark serial killer thrillers, this one is not to be missed. For fans of: Criminal Minds and The Silence of the Lambs.
About the Book:
Detective Joona Linna is on the trail of a kidnapper who targets teenage girls and makes their worst nightmares a reality.
"Dark, disturbing, and chillingly relentless. Picture Hannibal Lecter sitting down to channel Stieg Larsson and then dial it way, way up!" —Brad Thor, #1 New York Times best-selling author of Black Ice
Sixteen-year-old Jenny Lind is kidnapped in broad daylight on her way home from school and thrown into the back of a truck. She’s taken to a dilapidated house, where she and other girls face horrors far beyond their worst nightmares. Though they’re desperate to escape, their captor foils everyone of their attempts.
Five years later, Jenny’s body is found hanging in a playground, strung up with a winch on a rainy night. As the police are scrambling to find a lead in the scant evidence, Detective Joona Linna recognizes an eerie connection between Jenny’s murder and a death declared a suicide years before. And when another teenage girl goes missing, it becomes clear to Joona that they’re dealing with a serial killer—and his murderous rampage may have just begun.
THE MOTHER NEXT DOOR by Tara Laskowski
Why I Loved It:
Sometimes I just need a great “popcorn read”—and if the idea of a “popcorn read” that’s perfect for Halloween sounds up your alley, you’re going to love THE MOTHER NEXT DOOR by Tara Laskowski. THE MOTHER NEXT DOOR is true domestic suspense, a story that delves into the inner workings of marriages, friend group dynamics, and clique mentality—but does it all against the backdrop of Halloween. In THE MOTHER NEXT DOOR, readers are given a deep-dive into the inner workings of an influential group of moms (known as the “Ivy Five”) whose annual Halloween block party takes a dark turn when a new mother moves to town. THE MOTHER NEXT DOOR moves between the days leading up to the Halloween block party in the present and flashbacks to Halloween night 2005—the very same night that a fateful, mysterious tragedy occurred. What happened all those years ago? And what do the “Ivy Five” have to do with it? THE MOTHER NEXT DOOR is all kinds of spooky fun, and if you love “popcorn reads” + domestic suspense, this is the Halloween book for you.
About the Book:
GOOD MOTHERS…
Never show their feelings.
Never spill their secrets.
Never admit to murder.
The annual Halloween block party is the pinnacle of the year on idyllic suburban cul-de-sac Ivy Woods Drive. An influential group of neighborhood moms—known as the Ivy Five—plans the event for months.
Except the Ivy Five has been four for a long time.
When a new mother moves to town, eager to fit in, the moms see it as an opportunity to make the group whole again. This year’s block party should be the best yet... until the women start receiving anonymous messages threatening to expose the quiet neighborhood’s dark past—and the lengths they’ve gone to hide it.
As secrets seep out and the threats intensify, the Ivy Five must sort the loyal from the disloyal, the good from the bad. They’ll do anything to protect their families. But when a twisted plot is revealed, with dangerous consequences, their steady foundation begins to crumble, leaving only one certainty: after this year’s block party, Ivy Woods Drive will never be the same.
From award-winning author Tara Laskowski, The Mother Next Door is an atmospheric novel of domestic suspense in which the strive for perfection ends in murder…
SIGN HERE by Claudia Lux
Available October 25
Why I Loved It:
I picked up Claudia Lux’s darkly humorous debut SIGN HERE on a bit of a whim—and I’m so glad I did, because it ended up being an instant-hit for me. At first glance, SIGN HERE might not look like a typical “Abby” book. And honestly, it isn’t… and it’s all the better for the ways in which it surprised me and pushed me a bit outside my comfort zone as a reader. SIGN HERE is a dark-but-wildly-fun blend of satire, supernatural elements, and mystery. It’s a dark comedy that anyone who has ever worked an office job will love—a biting satire of office life on one level, and a surprisingly poignant consideration of mortality on another. In this particular story, the “office” in question—the backdrop against which the primary action of the story takes place—is a literal office in Hell, where one employee is (pardon the pun) hell-bent on getting out, no matter the cost. SIGN HERE expertly moves between our world, where a seemingly ordinary family is heading on summer vacation, and an imagined underworld where not a single pen works, and the coffee machine is always out of order. I loved the way author Claudia Lux blends the supernatural with the very relatable; I caught myself laughing out loud more than once while reading SIGN HERE. At the same time, this book isn’t just dark humor—it’s also a compelling mystery, and a deep-dive into one family’s dark secrets.
About the Book:
A darkly humorous, surprisingly poignant, and utterly gripping debut novel about a guy who works in Hell (literally) and is on the cusp of a big promotion if only he can get one more member of the wealthy Harrison family to sell their soul.
Peyote Trip has a pretty good gig in the deals department on the fifth floor of Hell. Sure, none of the pens work, the coffee machine has been out of order for a century, and the only drink on offer is Jägermeister, but Pey has a plan—and all he needs is one last member of the Harrison family to sell their soul.
When the Harrisons retreat to the family lake house for the summer, with their daughter Mickey’s precocious new friend, Ruth, in tow, the opportunity Pey has waited a millennium for might finally be in his grasp. And with the help of his charismatic coworker Calamity, he sets a plan in motion.
But things aren’t always as they seem, on Earth or in Hell. And as old secrets and new dangers scrape away at the Harrisons’ shiny surface, revealing the darkness beneath, everyone must face the consequences of their choices.
THE HOUSE ACROSS THE LAKE by Riley Sager
Why I Loved It:
I’m sure it will come as a surprise to absolutely no one that Riley Sager is on this Halloween reading list—no CBTB list would be complete without at least one of his books! Riley Sager is one of my go-to, absolute favorite authors—and this summer, he delivered what I think must be his most ambitious - and most downright fun to read - thriller yet. THE HOUSE ACROSS THE LAKE is Riley’s take on a Rear Window-inspired story of voyeuristic suspense (think: Riley’s spin on a story that sounds a whole lot like The Woman in the Window or The Girl on The Train… but is anything but). In THE HOUSE ACROSS THE LAKE, Riley takes a familiar premise—a woman whose life is spiraling out of control, and who relies a bit too much on alcohol to escape from her woes, spots something suspicious about her neighbors—and twists and turns this story in genuinely shocking ways you absolutely won’t see coming. I loved every moment spent in this wildly entertaining and truly unpredictable thriller. Inspired by movies Riley loves, and aimed at upending all our expectations of what has become quite a familiar thriller premise, THE HOUSE ACROSS THE LAKE is bold, ambitious, and seriously fun to read—an absolute winner from one of my favorite authors. You could truly read any Riley Sager thriller during spooky season, but this year, I’m recommending THE HOUSE ACROSS THE LAKE.
About the Book:
The bestselling author of Final Girls and Survive the Night is back with his “best plot twist yet.” (People, "Best Summer Books")
Be careful what you watch for . . .
Casey Fletcher, a recently widowed actress trying to escape a streak of bad press, has retreated to the peace and quiet of her family’s lake house in Vermont. Armed with a pair of binoculars and several bottles of bourbon, she passes the time watching Tom and Katherine Royce, the glamorous couple living in the house across the lake. They make for good viewing—a tech innovator, Tom is powerful; and a former model, Katherine is gorgeous.
One day on the lake, Casey saves Katherine from drowning, and the two strike up a budding friendship. But the more they get to know each other—and the longer Casey watches—it becomes clear that Katherine and Tom’s marriage isn’t as perfect as it appears. When Katherine suddenly vanishes, Casey immediately suspects Tom of foul play. What she doesn’t realize is that there’s more to the story than meets the eye—and that shocking secrets can lurk beneath the most placid of surfaces.
Packed with sharp characters, psychological suspense, and gasp-worthy plot twists, Riley Sager’s The House Across the Lake is the ultimate escapist read . . . no lake house required.
HIDE by Kiersten White
Why I Loved It:
For me, HIDE is one of those books I just want to beg everyone around me to read. All those thriller-reading clichés—that the book was “unputdownable,” that it kept me on the edge of my seat, that it kept me up past my bedtime reading—all of them were true for me with this book. I read HIDE in two breathless sittings, unable to tear myself away from this page-turning story of a game of hide-and-seek with deadly consequences. Expertly blending character development, folk horror, and a truly spine-tingling cat-and-mouse game, and setting it all against the perfect backdrop for a horror story (an abandoned amusement park!!), HIDE is an absolute knockout of a horror story—and Halloween is the perfect time of year in which to read it. Bonus: the endpapers for this book are a stunning, color map of the creepy abandoned amusement park in which this nail-biting supernatural thriller takes place.
About the Book:
“The suspenseful plot combines elements of Thomas Tryon’s classic Harvest Home, Netflix’s Squid Game, and the social commentary of Jordan Peele’s film oeuvre and mixes these with a revelatory pacing reminiscent of Spielberg’s Jaws.”—Booklist
The challenge: Spend a week hiding in an abandoned amusement park and don’t get caught.
The prize: enough money to change everything.
Even though everyone is desperate to win—to seize a dream future or escape a haunting past—Mack is sure she can beat her competitors. All she has to do is hide, and she’s an expert at that.
It’s the reason she’s alive and her family isn’t.
But as the people around her begin disappearing one by one, Mack realizes that this competition is even more sinister than she imagined, and that together might be the only way to survive.
Fourteen competitors. Seven days. Everywhere to hide but nowhere to run.
Come out, come out, wherever you are.
Plus: Honorable Mentions from Previous Halloween Reading Lists
(Older CBTB recommendations that I still love!)
There are a few tried-and-true CBTB Halloween recommendations that I’ve shared previously that I just can’t go a year without recommending. If you’re looking for even more inspiration for your Halloween reading list, you can find those picks linked below!
THE CRAFTSMAN by Sharon Bolton
Serial killer story + small-town secrets + elements of the occult
FINAL GIRLS by Riley Sager
Homage to the leading ladies of slasher films! Perfect for fans of Scream, Halloween, etc.
I REMEMBER YOU by Yrsa Sigurdardottir
Icelandic supernatural suspense + missing persons mystery
KILL CREEK by Scott Thomas
Horror + haunted house + story about writers
THE RETURN by Rachel Harrison
A story of female friendship with a strong supernatural component
THE BURNING GIRLS by C.J. Tudor
Folk horror + small town secrets + endearing characters. Perfect for fans of Midnight Mass!
THE LINGERING by S.J.I. Holliday
Gothic vibes + set in a former psychiatric facility + spooky vibes!!
Home ownership feel like a distant dream? Zillow listings have you convinced you’ll be renting for the rest of your life? The woman at the heart of Carissa Orlando’s debut The September House feels your pain—and she’s prepared to put up with a lot if it means she and her husband can finally have a place to call their own. In this case, that might just mean living in a house that’s haunted. Playful and irreverent, spine-tingling and spooky, The September House puts a fresh spin on the classic haunted house story, delivering an immersive tale about the secrets lurking within one building’s walls, and within the lives of its inhabitants.