By Maggie Giles
As the air chills and darkness follows, there is nothing better than a book that gives you goosebumps, whether from magic, dread, or mysteries that worm into your mind. Below are spooky season reads broken into moods: Romance, Horror, Thriller, and Fantasy. Light your candle, settle in, and let your favorite genre lead the way.
Romance with Spirit & Spells
Mourner for Hire by Caitlin Moss
A charming supernatural romance with grief, contracts, and the kind of emotional pull that lingers after the last page.
A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
Picture a cozy inn with hidden magic, secrets in the walls, and witches running the rooms. This one leans gentle but satisfying, perfect for those nights when you want something magical rather than terrifying.
Horror for the Brave
Bad Things Happened in This Room by Marie Still
You’ll feel the walls breathe and watch the garden grow. A slow dread, fever dream as domestic spaces twist into unfamiliarity.
We Love You Bunny by Mona Awad
A surreal, horrifying twist on power, ritual, and identity. It’s the kind of horror that feels like stepping through a mirror into something warped.
Thrillers to Twist Your Mind
The Art of Murder by Maggie Giles
Slick, suspenseful, and full of clever pivots. Each chapter makes you question the motive behind the mask.
The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware
Creepy hotel, hidden wings, guest histories. Ware delivers exactly the kind of claustrophobic mystery you want for October evenings.
A Most Puzzling Murder by Bianca Marais
A locked-room mystery that keeps you guessing, with charm and layers of secrets to peel back.
Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang
Sharp, funny, unexpected. What starts as a mystery becomes something more complicated and more haunted.
Fantasy with a Spooky Edge
Among Ghosts by Rachel Hartman
An atmospherically haunted fantasy featuring ghosts, haunted estates, and uneasy alliances.
A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
Charming, eccentric, with a dash of romantic tension and spells that don’t always act how you expect.
The Devils by Joe Abercrombie
Dark fantasy meets moral horror. Monsters, betrayal, murk, and the sense that evil is seldom clear.
How to Choose Your Spooky Read? Comment below your favourite spooky season read!