This time of year is perfect for getting into autumn traditions. Pumpkins decorate patios, stores are filled with seasonal treats, and shorter days add a spooky atmosphere to nighttime.

If you’re the type of reader who likes to align your books with the season, now is a great time to snuggle under a warm blanket with a cup of tea and indulge in a lighthearted mystery or a whimsical fantasy tale.

Alternatively, if you have the courage, consider reading one of these thrilling horror novels.

Top horror novels to read this season of spookiness

If you’re prepared to immerse yourself in chilling tales, here are ten horror classics along with some new releases that are perfect for an October scare. Once you explore our recommendations, check out our list of spine-tingling books that even top horror authors find frightening.

‘A Certain Hunger’ by Chelsea G. Summers

This intriguing novel discusses the dark intertwining of food, desire, and gender roles, featuring Dorothy, a food critic who moves between New York and Italy for business. Dorothy’s suppressed yearnings explode into action when she takes a drastic step during a getaway on Fire Island. With a sharp and intelligent voice, “A Certain Hunger” reveals a woman’s journey as she embraces her most primal – or shall we say, cannibalistic – urges.

‘The Shining’ by Stephen King

In one of Stephen King’s iconic books, “The Shining” tells the story of Jack Torrance, a writer who takes a position as the winter caretaker of the Overlook Hotel. Anticipating a quiet chance to battle his writer’s block and spend time with his family, he soon realizes that the hotel is anything but peaceful. Its dark energy becomes palpable, especially as Jack’s gifted son senses the horrifying forces at play in the building.

‘The Troop’ by Nick Cutter

Even Stephen King was shaken by this book, admitting it “scared the hell out of” him. “The Troop” narrates the harrowing camping experience of a group of boys and their scoutmaster in the Canadian wilderness. Everything seems like a fun, traditional trip until they encounter an ominous visitor – “the human carrier of a bioengineered nightmare” – leading to unforeseen horrors.

‘The Only Good Indians’ by Stephen Graham Jones

“The Only Good Indians” blends psychological horror with a critique of identity and Indigenous culture. It chronicles the stories of four Native American men whose lives are changed forever by a tragic event from their youth. Years later, they find themselves haunted by a retaliatory spirit and the cultural memories they’ve tried to escape.

‘The Haunting of Hill House’ by Shirley Jackson

As a landmark in modern gothic literature, “The Haunting of Hill House” is one of Shirley Jackson’s most cherished novels. This captivating 1959 story invites four characters to Hill House, where they are drawn by the prospect of the supernatural. Among them is Dr. Montague, a scholar of the occult; his partner Theodora; and the vulnerable Eleanor, who grapples with her own insecurities as they delve into the mysteries of the mansion.

Luke, who will inherit the house, along with friends sharing their ghostly encounters, embark on what they expect to be a simple haunted house adventure. However, they soon realize this experience is anything but ordinary; Hill House is gearing up to claim one of them as a permanent inhabitant.

‘Tender is the Flesh’ by Agustina Bazterrica

“Tender is the Flesh” is not for the squeamish. In this unsettling reality, a virus has rendered all animal meat toxic, leading to the legal consumption of “special meat”—human flesh. The main character, Marcos, strives to distance himself from the brutal reality of his job in human slaughter. His perspective shifts dramatically when he receives a living human specimen as a gift, which he is instructed not to engage with personally. However, he ends up treating her with more compassion than he expected, seeing her as more than just a source of meat.

‘The Changeling’ by Victor LaValle

In “The Changeling,” new parents Apollo and Emma face the challenges of parenthood, compounded by Emma’s struggle with postpartum depression. Apollo is haunted by a peculiar collection of his father’s books and disturbing dreams related to his father’s mysterious disappearance during his childhood. When Emma commits a shocking act and vanishes, Apollo embarks on a perilous journey to unearth dark family secrets and search for his wife and child.

‘House of Leaves’ by Mark Z. Danielewski

“House of Leaves” presents a unique narrative structure as it unfolds within another story. When Will Navidson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, and his partner Karen Green settle into a quaint home with their children, they uncover a shocking reality—there’s far more space within the house than the exterior suggests. This enigmatic dwelling harbors ominous creatures, features inexplicable doors that lead to unsettling voids, and an alarming presence that threatens their safety.

‘Mexican Gothic’ by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

In “Mexican Gothic,” debutante Noemí transforms into an unexpected investigator when her cousin, recently married, sends a panicked letter begging for assistance from her secluded home in rural Mexico. Noemí must outmaneuver her cousin’s sinister husband and his father while grappling with foreboding, bloody nightmares related to the family’s estate. With the help of the youngest son, Noemí uncovers the hidden, violent truths behind a crumbling family legacy.

‘Dracula’ by Bram Stoker

No horror library is complete without “Dracula,” the groundbreaking 1897 novel by Bram Stoker. Jonathan Harker travels to Transylvania to assist Count Dracula in acquiring a residence in London, only to uncover the horrifying truth: Dracula is a dreadful entity that preys on the living. A series of bizarre occurrences ensue—a ship arrives mysteriously without a captain, a young woman discovers bite marks on her neck, and an inmate in an asylum speaks of a new “Master” awaited to arrive.