I dreaded Halloween story hour as a kid. (Classic HSP.) The librarian inevitably read us too many ghost stories, and I’d spend the half hour with my fingers in my ears, humming softly to myself and trying not to hear. It never worked, and I’d have nightmares for weeks. (I can still recite the 3rd grade story about the scary dude in the backseat of some woman’s car …)
Now that I’m an adult, I still hate scary stories. I don’t read horror novels, not ever. But I do enjoy a good creepy book. I love chilling mysteries and psychological thrillers: books that make my hair stand on end, but still allow me to sleep at night.
If you hate horror but are still up for a spine-chilling read, these seriously spooky (but not quite scary) books are for you.
Spooky (But Not Scary) Books
The Distant Hours
Anything by Kate Morton could be classified in this genre of creepy, but not horror. She’s wonderful at psychological drama. This Gothic mystery is slow to build but those who persevere will be rewarded. The plot flips back and forth between World War II and the 1990s, but not in the way you'd expect. The setting is a crumbling old castle, which contributes to the story's feel. More info →
Never Let Me Go
Haunting and atmospheric, with a sad truth that dawns on you gradually. Ishiguro slowly introduces the reader to three teens in a 1990s British boarding school. His prose says so much while revealing so little, as it slowly dawns on the reader what is not-quite-right about these children's lives. More info →
When Mockingbirds Sing
Billy Coffey's combination of lyrical style plus quirky characters has drawn comparisons to Flannery O'Connor and Shirley Jackson. This novel centers around Leah, a 9-year-old whose unusual gift—and even more unusual imaginary friend—divide the community she lives in. More info →
Picnic at Hanging Rock
As I was reading this short novel, it strongly reminded me of something I'd read before, but I couldn't figure out WHAT. I finally realized it wasn't a book at all—it was the TV show Lost! (If that's not a recommendation, I don't know what is.) A recommendation from Episode 62 of What Should I Read Next; I couldn't believe I hadn't heard of this before and put it on my list immediately! In this short Australian classic, a group of girls from the Appleyard College for Young Ladies venture out for a picnic at Hanging Rock on a beautiful afternoon. Three of the girls set out for a hike, and are never seen again. More info →
The Thirteenth Tale
Every Jane Eyre fan worth her salt has this on her reading list. This mystery, set firmly in the tradition of Gothic greats, kept me guessing from start to finish. A little dark and deliciously creepy, perfect for curling up with on a cold day. More info →
And Then There Were None
This is the world's best-selling mystery—and when I found out the audio version was read by Dan Stevens, I couldn't resist. (Loved it.) Ten strangers are lured to a deserted island, and then they begin dying, one by one, victims of a disturbingly wide range of murders. They share one thing in common: each has something in their past they would prefer to keep hidden. Who is the murderer, and will any of them survive? More info →
He Said/She Said
The story opens when Kit and Laura are taking pains to keep any trace of their existence off the internet. We soon learn this is because of an event they witnessed at an eclipse festival in 1999, which had devastating consequences for all involved, consequences that still endanger them today. A fabulous psychological thriller. More info →
Rebecca
File this under: a classic that is not remotely boring. Don't be put off by its age: this thrilling novel feels surprisingly current. Suspenseful, and it holds its tension on a re-reading: a sure sign of a well-crafted thriller. A modern Gothic page-turner with discussion fodder galore -- marriage, Manderley, and (she says with a shudder) Mrs. Danvers. More info →
A Curious Beginning: A Veronica Speedwell Mystery
Raybourn writes historical fiction with a twist; she's best known for her Lady Julia Grey mysteries. This is her first novel in a Victorian series featuring the badass but well-bred Veronica Speedwell: her heroine travels the world hunting beautiful butterfly specimens and the occasional romantic dalliance. When her guardian dies, the orphaned Veronica expects to embark on a grand scientific adventure. But Veronica quickly realizes that with her guardian's death, she is no longer safe—and she begins to unravel the mystery of why she poses a threat to dangerous men. More info →
Frankenstein
Many critics consider Shelley's gothic tale of a dangerously ambitious young doctor and the monster he creates to be the very first science fiction novel, and influential on the horror genre as well. This book completely surprises many modern readers, who think they know the story and find it to be nothing at all like they expected. The novel's themes remain timeless. More info →
Jane Eyre
Gothic mystery, psychological thriller, and love story, all rolled into one, Brontë's themes were astonishingly modern for 1847. If you never read it in high school, fall is the perfect time to pick up this groundbreaking classic that features one of literature’s greatest—if not universally beloved—heroines. More info →
We Have Always Lived in the Castle
I didn't hear of this short 1962 novel until a few years ago, since readers with great and diverse tastes kept recommending it. I first heard about it on the Books on the Nightstand podcast, but its themes of family secrets, hateful neighbors, and mysterious deaths aren't the stuff of bedtime reading. It's not exactly scary, but Jackson is sure good at infusing a story with a creepy atmosphere—and the audio version makes it come alive. More info →
The Hazel Wood
Alice and her mom have spent 17 years on the run, trying to dodge the persistent bad luck mysteriously connected to an unnerving book of stories penned by Alice's estranged grandmother. When Alice's grandmother dies, her mother thinks they're free—until the day Alice comes home from school to discover Ella has been kidnapped, leaving behind a page torn from her grandmother's book and a note: Stay away from the Hazel Wood. But Alice has to save her mom, so she enters what she slowly begins to see is her grandmother's book of stories-come-to-life—and they suddenly look a lot more like horror than fantasy. This seriously twisted and sometimes bloody fairy tale reminds me of The Thirteenth Tale, with a dash of The Matrix. More info →
Starbridge Series
Especially the later three books set in the 1960s. Seriously creepy supernatural elements. I've read Susan Howatch's Starbridge series (beginning with Glittering Images, set in the Church of England in the 1930s) before (maybe twice?) but it's time for a re-read. Each of the series' six books is self-contained, but is told from the perspective of a different character, allowing the reader to glimpse the same events from different viewpoints. There's lots of religion, sex, and psychoanalysis. This series isn't for everybody, but readers who love it really love it. More info →
The Martian Chronicles
This collection, which Bradbury called "a book of stories pretending to be a novel," was written in 1950. At the time, Bradbury set it in the distant future—which means right about now. In a series of vignettes, he chronicles the collapse and ultimate destruction of earth, the repeated human attempts to find safety on the red planet, and the conflict between the new arrivals and the native Martians. Bradbury never disappoints, and this strange work is among his best. More info →
The Singer’s Gun
I've read Mandel's most recent book Station Eleven multiple times (which would also be an excellent spooky pick), and have been slowly working my way through her backlist. I thoroughly enjoyed this terrific crime novel; its key plotline is still the stuff of headline news. More info →
The Giver
Welcome to the "ideal" future, where a perfect society embraces Sameness. But something sinister lurks beneath the surface of this tightly controlled community. At a much-anticipated ceremony, the resident twelve-year-olds are sorted into vocational assignments, Harry Potter-style. Jonas is skipped over, and the Chief Elder soon reveals why: instead of receiving a typical assignment, Jonas has been chosen to be the next receiver of memory. When he begins his training with the old man known as The Giver, he discovers books, colors, snow, and love—and he begins to understand what his people lost when they gave away their memories. More info →
Jane Steele
Jane Eyre lovers, you can relax: while Faye—and her heroine, Jane Steele—draw serious inspiration from Jane Eyre, it's not a retelling. Instead, it's delightfully meta: our titular narrator tells us the inspiration to write down her story came from "the most riveting book titled Jane Eyre." This Jane is a wise-cracking, whip-smart, unconventional young woman who rebels against Victorian convention, but she has a heart of gold. Numerous winks to the original make this tons of fun for Brontë fans: Jane becomes a governess, there's a stand-in for Mr. Rochester, and of course, something important is locked away in an attic. More info →
Not That I Could Tell
In Strawser’s new domestic suspense, a tight-knit group of women gather around the backyard firepit, drink a little too much wine, and stay up way too late. By morning, one of them has vanished, and so have her children. As the authorities (and the women) begin to investigate what might have happened, they find they have more questions than answers, and the husband’s suspicious behavior has them all looking over their shoulders. Did their friend simply run away, or was she harmed, and above all—why? This would make an excellent companion to I'll Be Your Blue Sky.
More info →
The Complete Stories: Flannery O’Connor
O'Connor's work is weird, imaginative, grotesque, and unforgettable. If you've never read her work (or haven't read it since high school?) this is a great place to jump in. Start with the classics Everything That Rises Must Converge, A Good Man Is Hard to Find, and The River. More info →
Among the Shadows
If you've read Anne or Emily, you know they have their creepy moments ... but when you gather these nineteen Montgomery stories together, you end up with a collection that feels quite different from anything else she wrote, ranging from the strange to the supernatural to the genuinely spine-tingling. If you're in the mood for a gentle ghostly story, this collection is for you. More info →
In the Woods (Dublin Murder Squad Book 1)
Seriously disturbing, but un-put-down-able. Tana French writes an amazing psychological thriller. This is the first book French's popular Dublin Murder Squad, and it’s twisty and unpredictable. The story has two primary threads: but if your book club can stomach it, you can talk about psychopaths and supernatural disturbances. (French has a new novel out October 9.) More info →
The Chief Inspector Gamache Series
A favorite series, set in a tiny village in Quebec. These mysteries are unlike anything I'd ever read: the whodunit plot lines are just an excuse to explore human nature, granting them a depth and psychological astuteness I never expected from this genre. (Note: if I thought Three Pines was a real place, I'd move there in a heartbeat.) These are great on audio. More info →
The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus
Although if "terrifying" is in the subtitle, perhaps this one goes beyond merely "spooky"? In this nonfiction thriller, Preston details the emergence of the ebola virus in a pageturning, day-by-day, truth-is-scarier-than-fiction account, starting with the initial discovery of the virus in the Washington, D.C. suburbs, and tracing its origin back to the central African rain forest. More info →
We Were Liars
An eminent family and a group of four friends gather on a private island for an annual reunion. But Cadence doesn't remember what happened one summer. As she slowly begins to remember, details of the accident are revealed. But what is the truth and which are lies? More info →
1984
I discussed this creepy classic with WSIRN guest Scott Flanary on episode 122. If you've never read this surprisingly timely story about the Big Brother who always watches over you and the Thought Police who can read your mind, October is a wonderful time to do so. More info →
Wuthering Heights
This groundbreaking classic was downright scandalous in its day—and it hasn’t lost much of its shock value in the intervening 160+ years. Heathcliff is every bit as much the abominable scoundrel now as he was then, and the English moors are every bit as creepy. The gloomy landscape and gothic feel make this a perfect read for this season. More info →
The Turn of the Screw
This is a wonderful opportunity to knock another classic off your reading list. In this novella-length story, a British governess becomes convinced the estate she's working on is haunted. A little bit gothic, a little bit ghost story. Give the audio version a try, narrated by Emma Thompson. More info →
The Sea of Tranquility
This gave me serious goosebumps, and I didn’t want to ever put it down. This is a book I can't stop recommending. It's well-written and un-put-down-able, and I just love the story (which I think reveals some of my own personal prejudices—I'm a sucker for young love). While not technically YA if you hate that genre it's not the title for you. More info →
The Book Thief
"You are going to die," begins this 2006 novel. A fitting beginning to a story about hard things: a little girl and her family struggling to endure in WWII Nazi Germany. The characters are interesting and unexpected, right down to the unusual narrator. Beautiful, haunting, fascinating, hopeful. More info →
The Complete Sherlock Holmes
If you've never read Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch doesn't count), start here: this collection features more than 50 short stories and four novels: A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of the Four, The Hound of the Baskervilles, and The Valley of Fear. These masterful works still feel fresh and new, and hold up to repeated rereadings. More info →
What are your favorite spooky-not-scary books? What would you add to this list? Please share your suggestions in comments!
86 comments
I’m with you – I don’t read horror, but I do love a good spooky story. A number of Neil Gaiman books and stories would fit the bill, but my favorite is Coraline. Although it’s a children’s book, I think it would have been too scary for me as a kid, but when I read it as a young adult, it was the perfect combination of scary and redemptive.
YES to Neil Gaiman! The Ocean at the End of the Lane is one of my favorites! Creepy, sweet and wistful all at the same time.
I loved The Ocean at the End of the Lane as well. Really unusual book…but not for Neil Gaiman, I suppose. 🙂 And The Graveyard Book.
Yes to both these Neil Gaiman books! I loved both of these.
Coraline is a great one for this list!
I love horror books but I also love spooky ones. question: Why do you consider Wuthering Heights spooky?
Thank you for the list.
Rodo
The combination of the ominous moors and the claustrophobic home and unsafe people makes my spine tingle!
OK. That’s true. The moors ARE ominous. Yes, I always saw some mystery in them, which I LOVED!
Thank you.
I feel the same about horror. That’s a big no for me! And although psychological thrillers are not my favorite genre there are a couple that I have read that have been pretty interesting…Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson and The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins.
OK. That’s true. The moors ARE ominous. Yes, I always saw some mystery in them, which I LOVED!
Thank you.
OK. That’s true. The moors ARE ominous. Yes, I always saw some mystery in them, which I’ve LOVED!
Thank you.
I would add Lisa Jewell’s “Then She Was Gone” and “The Broken Girls” by Simone St. James, “Jar Of Hearts” by Jennifer Hillier is creepy too. All three of these stories are creepy books but not horror by any means I don’t read that genre at all. These were all solid four star books for me. I think I have seen them on other lists by Ann this year.
Such good recommendations! can’t wait to read Among the Shadows – LM Montgomery is my favorite.
I adored The Thirteenth Tale – if readers enjoyed that book, they should read The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton. I just finished it and found it to be really captivating and slightly creepy – very similar vibe to The Thirteenth Tale, I thought.
I’m a fan of the spooky-not-scary genre. Thanks for giving me a few new ideas. Some others: Daphne du Maurier’s short story collection The Birds and Other Stories, The Graveyard Book and Nevewhere, both by Neil Gaimon, The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Luis Zafron, the new Nevermoor middle grade series, and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.
I loved Shadows of the Wind and The Night Circus! These are both great suggestions!
Love these suggestions! This time of year, my tastes turn towards these type of books, as well as spooky movies from the 1930’s to 1940’s (no gore, & corny enough not to scare me ?). I would add a book I just finished, American Gothic by Robert Block-set in 1893 with the Chicago World’s Fair as a backdrop. I’ve read many books suggested by MMD over the last couple years, I thank you for so many hours of enjoyment!
After years – and I mean YEARS – of seeing you include Shirley Jackson in your lists, I have finally read “We Have Always Lived in the Castle.” It did not disappoint! I finished it last night, and I still can’t quite put into words WHY it scared me so much. The writing is pure genius, and it’s balance feels almost boring at times (and I mean that in the most positive way!). I have been suggesting it to everyone I talk to, and I’ll be handing off my purchased copy to a gothic novel loving friend on Saturday. Yay for Halloween creepiness!
1984 IS really soopky. I wouldn’t read it again unless I am forced to.
Rodo
The Witches of New York by Ami McKay – I’m about 1/3 of the way through it, and it’s a perfect October read!
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins is a not-to-scary Victorian page turner.
I was just going to recommend this one! Absolutely loved it.
I wanted to recommend this too! It was PERFECT!
Great Recommendations!
Someone once mentioned to me that The Shadow of the Wind is similar to The Thirteenth Tale. Is this true? If so, I’ll have to add it to my TBR. I loved The Shadow of the Wind and re-read it from time to time
My first thought was, WHAT? And my second was, that’s actually a pretty good comparison. Both are literary-driven mysteries in a dark and brooding setting with fraught family relationships.
Zafon has a new book out in the series!
Thank you Anne, and thank you to the other commenters. I’ve added almost all to my list. ? IG:julesintxreads
I read Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow every Halloween. Also Edgar Allen Poe stories/poems are suitably creepy for this time of year. Ooh, and Shakespeare! Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear… Those would be good reads. I just ordered “Among the Shadows” and can’t wait to read it!! Thanks for the recommendation!
I read “ The woman in the window” AJ Finn this summer and couldn’t put it down..creepy!
Just finished “ the last time I lied” by Riley Sager and “ pieces of her” by Karin Slaughter..equally creepy and not scary but fast paced..could not stop reading!:)
I love love scary and horror so if you ever need a terrifying book I have several suggestions:)
Thank you for this fantastic list! This last came out at just the right time. I too love spooky stories but have put away all of the Stephen King I read as a teenager. I just can’t stomach real horror anymore. I loved The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian. This spooky ghost story involved an old sealed door in a dusty corner of a Victorian home and the mystery of why it was sealed shut with 39 carriage bolts. It was just creepy enough and didn’t give me nightmares.
Something about Alice in Wonderland always scared me, to me that is a creepy shuddering read for the fall.
Just finished The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. I loved it!! Not too scary but definitely creepy.
Great choice!
I agree!
Oh my gosh, Yes!!
Although it’s a children’s book, it’s a classic “The Widow’s Broom” by Chris Van Allsburg . Great illustrations as well! Happy Halloween!
Ruth Ware is the author of several psychological crime thrillers that have a spooky element to them. (“In a Dark, Dark Wood,” “The Woman in Cabin 10”, “The Lying Game” and “The Death of Mrs. Westaway.”)
There are many books on this list I have not read, but I recently finished the Audible edition of Jane Eyre read by Thandie Newton – it was fantastic! I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys listening to books. The performance is done so well for such a beautifully written book. I had a “book-hangover” for about a week. Perfect pick for the fall! Wuthering Heights is on my list for November.
So many great books on this list! I would recommend The Secret History by Donna Tartt too. It definitely had a creepy and spooky vibe. Rebecca is on my fall TBR list; definitely excited to read that one.
I was going to say Secret History as well. Creepy.
I totally agree with The Secret History. Donna Tartt knows how to mess with my head and I had the most vivid dreams/nightmares while reading that book. To me so much better than The Goldfinch.
I have read all of the Gamache books by Louise Penny….can hardly wait for the next one in November. They should be read in sequential order.
We were Liars…read this for our teen book club.
Anyone read “The Bad Seed” by William March? That’s a scary one… I’d be afraid of the girl in that book.
The Bad Seed is a great one, makes you look around! A remake of the original movie is coming out.
Karen
I have. We did a reader’s theater version or something like that in my junior high theatre class. I cannot tell you how often, 30+ years later, that story comes to mind!
I absolutely love Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger for Halloween reading. I love the Inspector Gamache novels too.
I’d rank Dennis Lehane’s Shutter Island near the top of creepiest books I’ve ever read!
I usually stick to cozy books in autumn, but I read one creepy book each October, and this year’s choice is “The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein.” It’s definitely creepy, but not gruesome or horror-y (although there are suggestions of it). I’m only about halfway through (it’s long!), but so far it’s a good read!
I feel the same way. I do not like horror stories at all, but a good book that leaves you cringing just a bit is wonderful. I was just telling someone about The Hot Zone today. I would close the book and look away in parts it was so “scary.” Another one that had me that way in many parts is The Poisonwood Bible. What do you think?
I love Daphne DuMaurier, and any of her books could make this list. Everyone’s favorite is Rebecca, but mine is Jamaica Inn! This is a great list. I’m adding several to my TBR list.
I just reread To Kill A Mockingbird and it definitely has some spookiness, but not enough to give you nightmares. Plus it’s just such an amazing read! I feel like it would be a good fit with others on this list.
What? Where was Shirley Jackson’s “The Haunting of Hill House”?
That is a fabulous spooky/scary book. Not a horror/slasher book at all, but oh so suspenseful. And ONLY the original movie does it a bit of justice.
Great recommendations, but you’ve left the Queen of the Gothic out – Ann Radcliffe! I would suggest either The Mysteries of Udolpho or The Italian for this list.
For more modern authors, try Antonia Hodgson’s Thomas Hawkins series. The first one is The Devil in the Marshalsea.
I’m currently reading the Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths, and while I didn’t pick it up because I wanted a good spooky October read, this list has me realizing that it fits that description perfectly. Ruth is an archeologist so the stories explore ancient curses and vengeful gods and all sorts of eerie things. Plus Ruth lives on a creepy English moor. This is the first mystery series I’ve found since finishing Louise Penny’s Gamache books that I really love.
I loved “We Have Always Lived In The Castle” so much I read it twice, and I’m not a big re-reader at all. “A Stranger In The House” by Shari Lapena is a thriller, but it’s also super fun. It actually put me more in mind of a CW drama than a horror film so that might be a good choice!
This list is wonderful, Anne! I’ve saved so many to my TBR. Thank-you!
I’m with you on “spooky not scary”! I like reading The Scarlet Letter around this time of year or something by Dickens. This is a fun post! I’m taking Rebecca with me on vacation next week, so I’m looking forward to that. 🙂
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters! Creepy and atmospheric, complete with a crumbling estate.
Yes!! Loved The Little Stranger. The author created such a gradual sense of foreboding and dread. I couldn’t stop reading!
Yes, an excellent read! Creepy & suspenseful for sure. The PBS (I think) movie is quite good also.
Reading Jane Steele now! Loved The Thirteenth Tale years ago. May need to reread that one. Also love the Veronica Speedwell series.
Such a fabulous book! I agree Neil Gaimon would be a great addition. Oceans was a bit scary for me, I am a lightweight. Lol But I LOVE Neverwhere. I read or listen to it at least once a year. I think Stardust would fit this list too.
Great list! I’m with you about preferring spooky to scary books! I’m currently reading As I Descended by Robin Talley, which is a modern day lesbian retelling of Macbeth and so far I think it would definitely fit into this list!
You will love the fast-paced writing by Hank Phillippi Ryan, first her cozies and now her thrillers. TRUST ME is her latest release which follows other wonderful play on words titles like THE OTHER WOMAN and WHAT YOU SEE!
I’m always happy to see Flannery O’Connor appear on a book list. I’d add Night Film by Marisha Pessl and both books by Riley Sager.
Ooh, such a good list! I’ve read and been deliciously creeped out by many of these. I always reread The Crucible this time of year… Salem Witch trials are just too perfect. I think Puritans have the right amount of creep factor and no horror for me. I’ve also added Rebecca and Among the shadows to my TBR list, thanks!
I’m with Alison – The Little Stranger is spooky & atmospheric; and a great depiction of a crumbling house & a way of life. Oh, and yes, Night Film and The Historian are great choices. Daniel Hecht has written several books about a ghost-hunter; the first, City of Masks, has some SERIOUSLY creepy moments. Jonathan Aycliffe, F G Cottam, and Sarah Rayne write rather old-fashioned British, spooky, haunted house-type novels. Gemma Files’ Experimental Film is not an old-fashioned ghost story, but instead the tale of an evil presence brought to life through film. Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand is an excellent spooky, atmospheric novella. I recently read The String Diaries by Steven Lloyd Jones and it falls on the spooky but not horror spectrum too.
I’m with Alison – The Little Stranger is spooky & atmospheric; and a great depiction of a crumbling house & a way of life. Oh, and yes, Night Film and Oops, I should have posted my comment here, I think.. Please ignore if you see the duplicates! Creepy, supernatural, but not horror is my favourite genre! I’m with Alison – The Little Stranger is spooky & atmospheric; a great depiction of a crumbling house & way of life. Night Film and The Historian are great choices. Daniel Hecht has written several books about a ghost-hunter; the first, City of Masks, has some SERIOUSLY creepy moments. Jonathan Aycliffe, F G Cottam, and Sarah Rayne write rather old-fashioned British, spooky, haunted house-type novels. Gemma Files’ Experimental Film is not an old-fashioned ghost story, but instead the tale of an evil presence brought to life through film. Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand is an excellent spooky, atmospheric novella. I recently read The String Diaries by Steven Lloyd Jones and it falls on the spooky but not horror spectrum too. Love this post and thread!
Great roundup! If I could add a book to this list, it would be THE GRIP OF IT by Jac Jemc.
The scariest book I have read in quite some time is The Handmaid’s Tale. Especially considering the political climate of today I found the situation of the women so chilling!
This is an exceptionally great list! I want to read every one.
Wonderful list – and I fully agree, I can’t do ‘proper scary’ i.e. horror in either books or films, but I love a good thriller.
A few more recommendations in a similar vein – ‘The Name of the Rose’ is full of suspense and mystery and is genuinely unsettling at times whilst never lingering too long in the shadows.
‘The Heart of Darkness’ is short and the tension is palpable throughout, never letting up
‘The Picture of Dorian Grey’ is another brilliantly crafted an unnerving read
‘The Wasp Factory’ is possibly the single most unsettling book I’ve read in a long time, partly because it stays so close to reality but without much in the way of redemption
And lastly a short book by Penelope Fitzgerald called ‘The Gate of Angels’ which doesn’t feel like it’s going to be scary at all, and then suddenly, when it is, it’s all the more effective.
I love that you included THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Katja Millay. It’s one of my favorites. How the book came to be published is also an amazing story: self-published book that caught the interest by word-of-mouth of someone from Simon & Schuster!
I didn’t know its origin story—thanks for sharing!
My favorite creepy-not-scary book is “Her Fearful Symmetry” by Augrey Neifenger. I loved it 10x more than The Time Traveler’s Wife.
I agree I do not like creepy horror books. I like the sweet mysteries that have a little humor . The Molly Murphy mysteries series ,The Royal Spy mysteries series and the Mrs. Jeffers mysteries series also Mary-Jane Deeb’s mysteries.
Marilyn
Quick shout out for Phillip Pullman. There’s a lot of gripping tension and creepy ideas in the ‘His Dark Materials’ trilogy, I remember being scared out of my wits reading ‘The Lost Boy’ chapter in ‘The Northern Lights’ (The Golden Compass). And his latest book ‘The Book of Dust’ is full of gripping menace and creepy tension from the first page.
The Stranger Diaries by Emily Griffith is one of my favorites. I actually found this list trying to find more books like it.
Ruth Ware’s new the Turn of the Key is almost verging on top creepy. I had some trouble sleeping after reading it—but I could not put it down!
As a fellow scaredy cat I am so thankful for this post! I learned my lesson after listening to The Shining on Audible a few years ago and being terrified to walk in the house from the car! Since then I try to find books that are set during Halloween, or include ghosts, vampires etc but not necessarily in a scary way. So far my fall favorites have been Neil Gaiman’s Coraline and The Graveyard Book, Sookie Stackhouse series, Lincoln in the Bardo, Circe by Madeline Miller, The Girl with All the Gifts and Fellside by MR Carey, the Stephanie Plum books have a Halloween volume, Harry Potter, Carry On by Rainbow Rowell and Gillian Flynn books.
Verity by Colleen Hoover!!!
I gave up on scary books when I read something by S King. Don’t remember the title, I only remember that plants uprooted to chase someone. When I say it aloud it sounds ridiculous. When I read it, though, in a trailer at work, I was scared stiff and couldn’t read more. Gave it up. But I have read 10 books on the not-too-scray list.
Oooh I was hoping Rebecca would make this list!
The Essex Serpent was definitely in the “creepy not scary” place. I rarely use the word “atmospheric”, but this book requires it! The town, the water, the mist and the serpent all give you a spooky feeling as you try to figure out what is really causing the eerie behavior and happenings in the community. It’s the perfect October read.
We best know Louisa May Alcott Little Women, but she also wrote some spooky novels. One I’ve enjoyed again again is called A Long Fatal Love Chase. A lonely girls makes an agreement with a man too good to be true, and the plot takes off from there.
If you’re interested in spooky southern ghost stories with a hint of historical fiction and a teeny bit of romance, the Tradd Street Series by Karen White is a must. Not too spooky but just enough to get you in the Halloween spirit.