Horror bestsellers

How to Sell a Haunted House

“Remember that feeling of staying up late, reading a spooky Goosebumps book by flashlight under your blanket? How to Sell a Haunted House is kind of like that, but 100x more terrifying. Each element of this novel on its own is enough to give me nightmares (puppets, body horror, creepy children, etc), but combine them and you will never sleep again. Listening to this masterful horror novel had my yelling 'No, no, no, no, NO!' in public places. My heart rate tracker spiked while I was listening to it. I'm not sure how else to tell you to read this book if you're looking for a good old fashioned scare!”

Nicole, Bound to Happen Books

Mexican Gothic

“Creepy and romantic, Mexican Gothic is easily one of my favorite books of 2020! Upon receiving a strange letter from her cousin, Noemi Taboada goes to investigate the happenings of High Place, a decaying manor filled with secrets, and is plagued by terrifying dreams and visions. Moreno-Garcia delivers a fresh take on a classic gothic novel that will grab your attention from the very first chapter!”

Tyrinne Lewis, Rakestraw Books

The Only Good Indians

“I loved this book. Jones has a unique narrative voice, allowing ‘the entity’ to step in and take over unexpectedly, amping up the horror. Also, each character has a distinct voice that brings them to life. Jones combines the culture and traditions of the Blackfeet and Crow people with the social truths of their contemporary life. It is refreshingly different from any other horror novel I’ve read. This book is gruesome and honestly scary. I couldn’t put it down.”

Kristine Jelstrom-Hamill, Buttonwood Books and Toys

Jackal

“If you read and loved Cherish Farrah by Bethany C. Morrow at my recommendation, let this be your next read. Jackal is a social horror novel that is forever going to be mentioned in the same breath as Get Out, and that is incredibly well deserved. In Johnstown, PA, if you heard something or saw something in the woods? No you didn’t. Ignore the shadow, and it can’t get you. When it calls your name, don’t turn. When it snaps a branch next to you, don’t turn. When you see something out of the corner of your eye, don’t focus on it. If you give the shadow any attention at all, it will be the last thing you ever do. The shadow creature in the woods is terrifying, yes, but the true horror of this novel is the racism soaked into the very earth of the town, and the lengths the white residents will go to in order to keep the Black residents in their 'proper place.' This novel is exquisite and horrifying and is sure to stay on the forefront of your mind long after you’ve finished it.”

Ryan, Gibson's Bookstore

My Heart Is a Chainsaw

“This frequently amusing and ultimately satisfying meta-horror novel follows Jade, a Native high-schooler with no friends, no extant future outside her janitorial job, and a deep love for slasher flicks, which are her coping mechanism in the face of an alcoholic father and absentee mom. Film trivia pervade the narration at every turn, but slasher newbies (like myself) will find the references easier to follow thanks to Jade's essays, presented in between chapters. Soon enough, a series of deaths convince Jade that a real slasher cycle is starting. Is this the overactive imagination of a struggling teen? And if not, what is it? My Heart Is A Chainsaw balances its obligations to both developing real characters of the sort not seen in pulp films, and functioning as a slasher itself, one that will keep you guessing until the end. On the way there, horror tropes are used to examine Native American identity, economic inequity, and childhood trauma. If you're into slashers, this is one you can't afford to miss; otherwise I would suggest listening to a sample to see if the narrational style is up your alley.”

Graham, Next Chapter Booksellers

Don't Fear the Reaper

“It is no secret that I will read anything and everything that Stephen Graham Jones puts out. Doesn't matter: book, audiobook, even Tweet. This man is pure genius. I am SO glad to be back in Proofrock and in the slasher-inspired universe. To have a book on my shelf that continues the Lake Witch lore is truly an honor. Each chapter is inspired by a different slasher film and my favorite--which is also the longest--delivers on the gore, the tropes, and the worshiping of the genre. Jade is back and her bad-ass-ness gains steam as the book goes on. I loved the character of Letha and the journey she's gone on. The whole town is pulled into this slasher extravaganza and I was not left disappointed. This book felt like an accelerated growing up for Jade and her friends. The writing style is unparalleled and delivers a horror experience like no other. Seriously, if you haven't read SGJ, drop everything and do it now.”

Lauren, M. Judson Booksellers

The Blacktongue Thief

“Whew! What a delight! Come on an epic adventure a la Dungeons & Dragons style. Our thief/rogue is in trouble (as always) and must get out of town. Ah! a quest awaits! Christopher Buehlman does his own reading in the audio version and it is absolutely fantastic and I will absolutely listen to it again.”

Liesl, Boulder Book Store

Into the Drowning Deep

“In Into the Drowning Deep, Mira Grant has conjured up scary mermaids living in the depths of the Pacific Ocean. An expedition sets out to learn if mermaids truly exist and to uncover the fate of a previous expedition. The new crew is being recorded for a documentary, with the hope it will prove mermaids are real and clear the network of wrongdoing. Both Tory, whose sister was killed on the first expedition, and Jillian, who has been teaching about mermaids for years, are going out on the state-of-the-art ship; however, that ship has one major flaw. You will not look at The Little Mermaid the same way again!”

Jason Kennedy, Boswell Book Company

The Book Eaters

“This is a fantasy novel that I think readers of all genres will enjoy. It is rare that a book with this compelling of a premise pulls it off so well - but The Book Eaters did just that, and more! I loved listening to this dark fairy tale. Sunyi Dean filled the book with wonderfully complex characters and impeccable world building. The neurodiverse themes and characters are highlighted by a fascinating discussion at the end of the audiobook between Sunyi Dean and the narrator, Katie Erich (who does such a great job narrating). Now I wish every audiobook ended with a discussion like that! You will not be disappointed by The Book Eaters.”

Nadine, Birchbark Books

The Babysitter Lives

“Stephen Graham Jones is one of my favorite authors, so I am biased, but The Babysitter Lives left me gasping. It is gruesome, terrifying and the stuff of nightmares and I loved every moment of it.”

Rosie, One More Page

"Was desire something like being possessed by a nightmare?"

Fernanda and Annelise are so close they are practically sisters: a double image, inseparable. So how does Fernanda end up bound on the floor of a deserted cabin, held hostage by one of her teachers and estranged from Annelise?

When Fernanda, Annelise, and their friends from the Delta... Read more »

This audiobook includes unabridged recordings of 12 of H. P. Lovecraft's most well-renowned stories, read by Audie-Award winner Jonathan Keeble. The stories included here are:

- At the Mountains of Madness

- Dagon ; From Beyond

- In the Vault

- The Call of Cthulhu

- The Colour Out of Space

- The Dreams in the Witch House

- The Dunwich Horror

-...

The Cabin at the End of the World

“Wen and her dads are taking a break from everything by visiting a remote cabin for vacation. Wen is studying grasshoppers in their yard when a man comes up and warns her that she and her dads are going to have to make a decision. And that’s about all I can tell you without spoiling the story. This book was so creepy, in a very good way. I’d classify this as horror, but very realistic.”

Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires

“I don’t know about everyone else, but I, for one, am really excited that vampires are making a comeback. I think they’re such a fun trope in pretty much every genre, and this was no exception. True to the Grady Hendrix style, this book was the perfect campy, slightly off-kilter, and moderately gory suburban horror story I didn’t know I needed.”

Kendall, Brilliant Books Audio

The Last House on Needless Street

“This book was creepy! Ward weaves an intriguing and disturbing tale that at every page has you internally screaming for more (and also mouthing WTF IS HAPPENING). It's weird but clever and the wrap up is unexpected in the traditional horror/thriller world (though some may begin to suspect early on). In audiobook format, this tale lends itself to a terrifying, breath-holding experience as the narrator Christopher Ragland and author Caitriona Ward leave a trail that you can't help but follow though you know there can't be rainbows and puppies at the end.”

Kimi, Buttonwood Books and Toys

Hidden Pictures

“Hidden Pictures is reminiscent of the John Saul books I loved in the late 70s and 80s. As his usually did, this story includes a child and some unexplained happenings that may or may not have a rational explanation. Mallory is a 20-year-old just recently out of rehab and a halfway house for drug abuse. Her sponsor finds her a job as a nanny to an adorable 5-year-old named Teddy. Mallory is well aware that she is under intense scrutiny by Teddy’s parents, who are knowledgeable of her past history. So, when strange things begin to happen, she is at first very wary of telling them what she suspects. For those of you who shy away from mysteries with paranormal vibes be aware that there is nothing supernatural about what happens when Mallory inadvertently discovers some real truths and nothing supernatural about the totally unseen twist that the story takes.”

Nancy, Fiction Addiction

Leech

“This book slowly builds your sense of vertigo by combining body horror and gothic family drama. To find oneself empathizing with a parasite only heightens the sense of dis-ease. I’m still reeling.”

Keith Glaeske, East City Bookshop

From Ryan La Sala, the wildly popular author of Reverie, comes a twisted and tantalizing horror novel set amidst the bucolic splendor of a secluded summer retreat.

Mars has always been the lesser twin, the shadow to his sister Caroline's radiance. But when Caroline dies under horrific circumstances, Mars is propelled to learn all he can...

The Hollow Places

“I do not recommend listening to this audiobook while driving down the Pike in the dark after your shift at the bookstore because this is one of the most creepy, terrifying books I’ve ever listened to. While horror is not my usual genre, the main characters were so relatable and endearing that I had to follow them to the end. Even when I was yelling at my car speakers when they couldn’t see what was right in front of them. Kara, or "Carrot" as she is know by her uncle, is a freshly-divorced 30-something who has managed to find mostly-stable ground working and living at her uncle’s curios museum, the Glory to God Museum of Natural Wonders, Curiosities, and Taxidermy in North Carolina. And then she finds a hole in the wall. Which leads to a hallway that shouldn’t be physically possible. Which leads to a locked bunker with a body inside. Which leads to a new world, filled with water, and bunkers, and willow trees. But of course, there’s much more than meets the eye. With more curiosity than common sense, Kara and her best friend, Simon decide to explore. And discover the meaning of the ominous graffiti they find, "Pray they are hungry." If you, too, wish you could celebrate Halloween year-round, this is the book for you.”

Cassie, Wellesley Books

WINNER OF THE 2015 BRAM STOKER AWARD FOR SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN A NOVEL

A chilling thriller that brilliantly blends psychological suspense and supernatural horror, reminiscent of Stephen King's The Shining, Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House, and William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist.

The lives of the Barretts, a normal suburban New...

This is the way the world ends: with a nanosecond of computer error in a Defense Department laboratory and a million casual contacts that form the links in a chain letter of death.

And here is the bleak new world of the day after: a world stripped of its institutions and emptied of 99 percent of its people. A world in which a handful of panicky... Read more »

Devolution

“ Take a natural disaster + an isolated community + the Bigfoot legend and you are rewarded with a suspenseful spooky tale that may or may not be a good idea to read if in an isolated location in the woods. You will be kept on the edge of your seat as you devour this survival/adventure story mashed up with a mystery that unfolds through a journalistic inquiry combining research excerpts, interviews, and a found diary. It also provides a not so subtle cautionary tale about our reliance on technology and convenience. A multiple narrator cast made for an enjoyable audiobook listen.”

Cori, Bright Side Bookshop

In the six months since Anthony, Lucy, and George survived a night in the most haunted house in England, Lockwood & Co. hasn't made much progress. Quill Kipps and his team of Fittes agents keep swooping in on Lockwood's investigations. Finally, in a fit of anger, Anthony challenges his rival to a contest: the next time the two agencies... Read more »

The Lost Village

“Hearing this book described as a cross between The Blair Witch Project and Midsommar meant I could not grab it fast enough. This chilling novel, set in a remote village in Sweden, tells the story of a scrappy documentary film crew trying to find out why the entire town disappeared many years ago. The camp they set up in the town square is immediately beset with mysterious happenings that become less and less harmless. Tension mounts as they explore the mystery of where the residents of Silvertjarn went and wonder if they will meet the same fate.”

Andrea Richardson, Fountain Bookstore

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Before Doctor Sleep, there was The Shining, a classic of modern American horror from the undisputed master, Stephen King.

Jack Torrance’s new job at the Overlook Hotel is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the off-season caretaker at the atmospheric old hotel, he’ll have plenty of time to spend reconnecting... Read more »

If you enjoyed Meddling Kids, then you’ll love My Best Friend’s Exorcism.

“Hey you got your horror tribute to the 80's in my Meddling Kids! Well you got your horror tribute to Scooby Doo in my Best Friend's Exorcism! Two great books that go better together! My Best Friend's Exorcism is one of my new favorites. It's got 80's pop songs, it has a demonic tapeworm, it's got scares, it's got heart; everything you could ever want! Meddling Kids is a great follow up as it's also a love-letter to a bygone era, that being the 70's and Scooby Doo. It's just Scooby meets Cthulhu and it's honestly one of the most fun things I've read in a while.”

Harry, Country Bookshelf

Certain Dark Things

“What an engrossing, vibrant, new take on vampires. Part forbidden love story, part revenge caper, part bloodbath, this is easily one of my favorite vampire stories now. I love how Moreno-Garcia creates complex social structures and vampire-specific physical attributes to heighten tensions. This divide between vampires, as well as the human-vampire rift, shines a stark light on the haves & have-nots. Moreno-Garcia is so deft at telling whirlwind stories while also presenting important social commentary. Aida Reluzco is an excellent narrator as well! Loved her narration style and tonal intonations.”

Riona, Books & Books @ The Studios of Key West

Fever Dream

“The creepy child vibes are strong with this one, and narrator Hillary Huber absolutely nails it. One mother’s attempt to save her child is met with a curse, and another’s vacation is brought to a screeching halt when she wakes up dying with little memory of how she got there. This is one of those books where you don’t really know what’s going on at first, the story gradually unfolding through its final pages. Fever Dream has a sense of foreboding, unsettling urgency and reads like a short story. In search of 'the exact moment' everything went wrong, you won’t want to put it down.”

Mary, Raven Book Store

A House With Good Bones

“I was pleasantly surprised at how quick and almost light this was despite the book discussing intergenerational trauma and abuse. This is really a credit to the wonderful narrator, Sam, and the comedic tone Kingfisher maintains even in the most perilous of moments. A love letter to mother/daughter relationships AND vultures.”

Audrey, BookWoman

Patricia Wants to Cuddle

“This book is so much fun! I loved this story about the contestants on a reality Bachelor-like show, and the audio recording includes various actors playing each character, which adds an engaging layer to the narratives. This is the kind of book to read when you just want to have fun, and there is a twist that is absolutely wild! Come along for the ride!”

Mikah, Beach Books

The Final Girl Support Group

“Lynnette has been going to the same support group for years — only this isn't a normal support group. It’s a secret group for final girls. This is a fast-paced and shocking thriller that I couldn't put down!”

Katie Cerqua, Gramercy Books

The Chalk Man

“The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor is an unusually gripping mystery reminiscent of Arthur Conan Doyle's story 'The Adventure of the Dancing Men.' It is amazingly well-written, and the pace does not let up, from the shocking beginning all the way through to the unsettling ending. This suspenseful page-turner is definitely a cut above and will keep you riveted. Highly recommended!”

Margo Conklin, Brown University Bookstore

The Bone Houses

“Featuring a pair of lovable, courageous misfits and their unexpectedly charming goat companion, "The Bone Houses" is truly a magical read. One part historical fiction, one part Welsh fairy tale, and one part zombie horror, this story will chill your bones and warm your heart in equal measure.”

Molly, Gallery Bookshop

"The audiobook read by Lauren Ezzo makes for compulsive, edge-of-seat listening." - Buzzfeed

"Ezzo's dark tone and emotional connection terrify and comfort listeners in equal measure. Not for the faint of heart."-AudioFile Magazine

Titanic meets The Shining in S.A. Barnes’ Dead Silence, a SF horror novel in which a woman and her crew board a...

From the macabre mind of a Bram Stoker Award-nominated author, this heart-pounding novel of horror and psychological suspense takes a ghost hunting reality TV crew into a world they could never have imagined.

Fade to Black is the newest hit ghost hunting reality TV show. Led by husband and wife team Matt and Claire Kirklin, it delivers weekly...

A terrifying Gothic thriller about grief and death and the depths of a father's love, Johnny Compton's The Spite House is a stunning debut by a horror master in the making—The Babadook meets A Head Full of Ghosts in Texas Hill Country.

Eric Ross is on the run from a mysterious past with his two daughters in tow. Having left his wife, his house,...

Reminiscent of Doll Bones and Small Spaces, this “delightfully eerie” (Erin A. Craig, New York Times bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows) middle grade novel tells the story of a girl who must rescue her aunt by entering a world of ghosts, witches, and monsters to play a game with deadly consequences.

Evie Von Rathe lives in Blight... Read more »

One of the Ten Best Books of The New York Times Book Review
Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize
Now a miniseries from Hulu starring James Franco

ON NOVEMBER 22, 1963, THREE SHOTS RANG OUT IN DALLAS, PRESIDENT KENNEDY DIED, AND THE WORLD CHANGED. WHAT IF YOU COULD CHANGE IT BACK?

In this brilliantly conceived tour de force, Stephen King—who... Read more »

What Moves the Dead

“This was one of the best retellings of The Fall of The House of Usher I’ve ever read. Between the representation and the absolutely witty humor and excellently horrifying descriptions. This was an absolute joy to read. Also, half way through the book I learn that Avi Roque narrates the audiobook and I will listen to anything he narrates, because he’s: Just. That. Good. He added the right vibe and feel that this book begs to have. Now, no one talk to me about mushrooms for the next week or so, I’m temporarily horrified by them.”

Armilene, Rediscovered Books

#1 BESTSELLER • Soon to be a new major motion picture • Writer Ben Mears has returned to his childhood home of Jerusalem’s Lot in hopes that exploring the history of the Marsten House, an old mansion long the subject of rumor and speculation, will help him cast out his personal devils and provide inspiration for his new book.    

Writer Ben... Read more »

It: Chapter Two—now a major motion picture!

Stephen King’s terrifying, classic #1 New York Times bestseller, “a landmark in American literature” (Chicago Sun-Times)—about seven adults who return to their hometown to confront a nightmare they had first stumbled on as teenagers…an evil without a name: It.

Welcome to Derry, Maine. It’s a small... Read more »

The author of the “evocative, spine-tingling, and razor-sharp” (Bustle) I’m Thinking of Ending Things that inspired the Netflix original movie and the “short, shocking” (The Guardian) Foe returns with a new work of suspense following an elderly woman trapped in a mysterious facility.

Penny, an artist, has lived in the same apartment for decades,... Read more »

From the co-host of chart-topping true crime podcast Morbid, a thrilling debut novel told from the dueling perspectives of a notorious serial killer and the medical examiner following where his trail of victims leads Something dark is lurking in the Louisiana bayou: a methodical killer with a penchant for medical experimentation is hard at work... Read more »

Don’t miss the “harrowing” (The Washington Post) #1 New York Times bestselling thriller from master storyteller Stephen King that inspired the hit television series, following the apocalyptic scenario of a town cut off from the rest of the world.

On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester’s Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and... Read more »

Hide

“I gulped and gasped my way through this book as fast as I could and I still couldn't get it all down fast enough. The Minotaur-ish monster in the maze is terrifying, the violence is all there, the narration for the audiobook is breathtaking, but there’s still so much more to this book. Kiersten White's ghastly adult debut is as much a character study about trauma in the many forms it takes and the debt we owe to the living and the dead alike as it is about who’s going to get ‘voted off the island’ next. Hide delivers on everything it promises and more. I couldn’t breathe until I’d finished.”

Kvothe, Rediscovered Books

As a massive outbreak of supernatural Visitors baffles Scotland Yard and causes protests throughout London, Lockwood & Co. continue to demonstrate their effectiveness in exterminating spirits. Anthony Lockwood is dashing, George insightful, and Lucy dynamic, while the skull in the jar utters sardonic advice from the sidelines. There is a new... Read more »

Set in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine

Master storyteller Stephen King presents the classic #1 New York Times bestseller about a mysterious store than can sell you whatever you desire—but not without exacting a terrible price in return.

The town of Castle Rock, Maine has seen its fair share of oddities over the years, but nothing is as... Read more »

#1 New York Times bestselling author Peter Straub’s classic tale of horror, secrets, and the dangerous ghosts of the past...

What was the worst thing you’ve ever done?

In the sleepy town of Milburn, New York, four old men gather to tell each other stories—some true, some made-up, all of them frightening. A simple pastime to divert themselves...

Relic, a Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child thriller that introduces FBI Special Agent Pendergast

Just days before a massive exhibition opens at the popular New York Museum of Natural History, visitors are being savagely murdered in the museum's dark hallways and secret rooms. Autopsies indicate that the killer cannot be human...

But the museum's...

Bad Cree

“Bad Cree is a gem. A gore-laden love song dedicated to Aunties, Sisters, Cousins, and Mothers. When nightmares become all too real, there is rarely anyone better to turn to. Jessica Johns' prose is smooth, original, and paints vividly with the imagination; maintaining a delicate tension throughout and propelling the reader forward. Even in this story's most frigid, frightening moments, there is a depth of warmth between these characters that renders this book unforgettable.”

Jack, Raven Book Store