Seven Spooky Books to Get You Ready for Halloween
Right now is the prime time for thriller/horror books, with Halloween only a few short weeks away. The Edge is recommending our top seven thriller/horror novels to help prep you for the season!
1. The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
A seemingly perfect week on a luxury cruise line turns to nightmare as secrets begin to unravel onboard. A paranoid woman paired with the claustrophobic feeling of being at sea, this book is sure to get your pulse quickening. Ruth Ware is quickly becoming a notable name in the thriller novel industry!
2. Room by Emma Donoghue
This novel became a box office hit in 2015, starring Brie Larson and William H. Macy (you might know him as Frank in Shameless!) But, as everyone says: the book is better than the movie. It follows the story of a woman and her son who have been held captive in a room for years. Her son has never seen the outside world, and when they gain their freedom it shows his experience in our reality. Heart wrenching and imaginative, Room is a perfect read for fall.
3. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Liane Moriarty was a sort of one hit wonder with Big Little Lies. While she has a few other novels, none of them are worth reading as much as Big Little Lies is. It was a New York Times best seller, following three women in a rich town whose lives intertwine with scandals, and, you guessed it, lies. It weaves the thriller, drama, and comedy genres together effortlessly, making it a really fun read. HBO also made it a mini series last year with Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Zoe Kravitz, and more!! Season two just finished filming and should be debuting soon.
4. Final Girls by Riley Sager
This plays on the classic horror movies like Scream, or Cabin in the Woods. Final Girls depicts the story of Quincy Carpenter, who went on vacation with five of her friends but came back alone, the only survivor. The press deems her a member of the ‘Final Girls’, a group of similar survival stories which you find out throughout the book. This one keeps you guessing and is perfect for college students, since it involves vacations and sororities, plus some shady hotels.
5. You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott
Dance Moms meets gymnastics meets murder. What crossover would be better? This novel is all about the inside world of gymnastics and what parents will do to bring their daughters fame, and keep their name clean in the industry.
6. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
You probably know this one from the hit movie with Saoirse Ronan (who recently portrayed Ladybird!) and Mark Wahlberg (need I say more?). Let us reiterate: the book is always better than the movie!!!! This one is perfect for Halloween since it includes some ghost elements. 14 year old Susie was killed, and she watches over her family as they try to solve her murder. The Lovely Bones is on Netflix too for once you finish the book ;)
7. Carrie by Stephen King
C’mon now. Of course we had to include a classic in this list. You’ve probably seen the movie (either the 1976 one with Sissy Spacek or the 2013 one with Chloe Grace Moretz), but reading it is a whole different experience. Stephen King has been crowned the king (ha) of horror fiction for decades. This was his first published novel that came with great success. Set in the late 70s, misfit Carrie has supernatural powers that she uses to get revenge on her classmates and overly religious mom.
All of these can be found at your school or local public library! Nothing beats curling up with a Chai latte (or your drink of choice, that’s our personal fav though) and a good book on these cool fall nights. Tag us your fall reads at @theedgemag on Insta!