If you’ve followed me for any amount of time, you probably know that Halloween is my favorite holiday and time of year. It’s magical, but not in the same way as Christmas. It feels like the rules I place on myself soften a bit this time of year, and I can lean into my shadow side.
Reading scary books is a must all year for me but especially at Halloween! I’ve put together some books I think pair nicely with my newest thriller, Dead Girls Talking.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
Holly Jackson’s thriller is filled with killer secrets and smart girls with murder boards. The protagonist, Pip, doesn’t believe her childhood friend killed his girlfriend five years ago and sets out to prove it. But digging into the case upsets the wrong people, and soon her own life is in danger. This book is the first in a series.
The Silence of the Lambs
Reading about the cannibal serial killer psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter scared me. And books don’t often do that. (The movie game me nightmares.) FBI agent Clarice Starling is on the hunt for a serial killer nicknamed Buffalo Bill. She is tasked with interviewing Dr. Lecter in the hope he’ll have some insight into how Buffalo Bill’s mind works. It’s a brilliant cat-and-mouse game between Clarice and Dr. Lecter.
The Female of the Species
When I first read Mindy McGinnis’s story of a teenage girl hellbent on revenge for the murder of her sister, I was blown away. This story is raw and ugly and gritty. It does not hold back.
Bright Young Women
Jessica Knoll’s novel Bright Young Women tackles the serial killer story from the side of the survivors. The serial killer in the book is based on Ted Bundy, the infamous serial murderer who admitted to killing 30 women. If you want to see women fighting back, and not as much gore, this is the book for you.
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer
Author Michelle McNamara became obsessed with finding the Golden State Killer, a man who committed brutal assaults and murders over a ten-year period in California. Michelle read police reports, spoke with officers, and interviewed victims. Sadly, she passed away before she could finish writing her true crime classic. (Her lead researcher and a close colleague helped finish the book after her death.)
The Family Plot
If you’re looking for a creepy serial killer story that’s also really fun to read, check out The Family Plot by Megan Collins. The adult Lighthouse children return home after their father dies. But when they go to bury him in his plot, there’s already a body inside—their brother’s, who went missing 16 years ago. So. Much. Fun.