13 Scary Books for Halloween With Heart-Pounding Jump Scares

Are you seeking out some ‘horror books for Halloween’ that will give you a similar feeling to the jump scare? Or some deliciously horror books that will give you a sudden leap of the heart, or a slow build of tension that eventually turns into a big spook?

You’re at the right place!

It’s officially the spooky season, our favorite month of the year, which means lots of tea and cozy socks, and nights in with scary books for Halloween. Whether it’s thrilling classic Gothic novels, mysterious supernatural horror, intriguing modern Gothic books, or even haunting Southern Gothic novels—we love them. There is something about this time of the year that makes our chills and thrills come alive when reading these eerie stories.

Here is the list of 13 Super Amazing Books for Halloween that will actually give you the jump scare experience and get you into the actual spooky mood.

So, start your spooky season reading off right with these masterfully horror books for Halloween!

A Chilling Crime Thriller Packed with Suspense and the Paranormal

1. Come With Me by Ronald Malfi

A book full of twists and revenge, sorrow and obsession, shadows of the living and the dead, Come With Me truly scares the reader. When his wife Allison is killed, Aaron realizes she kept certain dark secrets from him. It makes him wonder if he ever knew her. When he starts to follow her trail of breadcrumbs, what he discovers is something ever more darker than he had imagined. The narrative is atmospheric and eerie with an ending that will haunt you long after you’re done with the book.

Come With Me is a dark and disturbing tale of secrets, grief, and angst. It’s not only heartbreaking and meaningful, but also suspenseful, chilling, and heart pounding. Malfi is a master storyteller. His book is all in one—suspense, thriller, mystery and horror. A perfectly paced, page turning thriller for Halloween!

A Winning Combination of Jonestown Massacre, the Mansion Family, & the Supernatural

2. Within These Walls by Ania Ahlborn

A book that has everything a reader could ask for in a horror novel. Within These Walls is a mix of true crime, a cult, mass killings, and supernatural elements. All these elements are masterfully blended, leaving a creepy sensation. Lucas Graham is a washed up crime writer; his marriage is falling apart, his relationship with his daughter is strained and this is his last chance. When an infamous cult leader, Jeffery Halcomb, contacts him and says he will give him an exclusive interview, with the caveat that he must move into the scene of the crime, what choice does Lucas have?

Within These Walls is a creepy, psychological and paranormal tale with a dual timeline. It’s definitely one of the best books for Halloween that will actually give you the jump scare experience and get you into the actual spooky mood. Ania Ahlborn is a fantastic writer who knows how to grab the reader’s attention from the beginning and keep you invested till the end.

A Deliciously Twisty YA Thriller About a Mysterious Club with an Obsession for Horror

3. The Mary Shelley Club by Goldy Moldavsky

If ‘Fight Club’ and ‘Scream’ had a baby, it would be this book. A twisty, suspenseful YA horror, with awesome writing and pacing. The Mary Shelley Club follows Rachel Chavez, the new girl at an elite, prep high school. Rachel has just transferred to Manchester Prep after being the victim of a home invasion—she’s a final girl, and now she’s dealing with what that means. When she meets a group of students who are just as obsessed with horror movies as she is, Rachel begs to join-in on their secret club, a club that stages ‘fear tests’ (or pranks) to scare other students. But when things start going wrong and people actually get hurt, the trouble begins!

The Mary Shelley Club has all the qualities of a good horror film filled with jump scares. It has some great plot twists that keep you guessing until the end. One of the perfect books for your spooky Halloween night!

Mysterious, Clever & Thought-Provoking Tale Unlike Any You’d Have Read Before

4. The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

A tale as twisting and labyrinthian as the woods that surround the last house, Ward lulls you in the comforts of horror stereotypes and takes you on a ride you won’t easily forget. The Last House on Needless Street unfolds a story about a man, a teenage girl, and a cat who loves napping and reading the Bible. Ted lives in the last house on Needless Street with his daughter Lauren and cat Olivia on the edge of a wild forest. He has always been strange, but he is getting stranger—he digs amongst the paper birches in the forest, sets up online dating profiles and stays out for days. A mysterious woman moves in next door who believes Ted has something to do with her sister’s disappearance years ago. And her suspicion turns to terror.

With multiple POVs, The Last House on Needless Street moves quickly, twisting and turning. One of the dark, chilling, and thought-provoking books for Halloween!

A Gothic Noir with an Engrossing Plot that will Send Shivers up your Spine!

5. Behind the Veil by E. J. Dawson

Start your spooky season reading off right with this masterful novel! Behind the veil has all ingredients of a great period Gothic suspense story. It follows Letitia, a psychic in 1920s Los Angeles, who really cares about her clients and wants to give them peace. When word of mouth brings Alasdair Driscoll to her door looking for help, she doesn’t want to tangle in the weird case. But a web of otherworldly possessions and serial killings bring Letitia and Alasdair together to untangle the mysteries casting darkness upon their lives. As the two investigate, Letitia faces a difficult decision: to further use her ability to help those in trouble or to stop before she loses herself in the process.

Dawson’s skillful writing and engrossing plot pulls you at once into the supernatural aura surrounding Letitia and her clients. Darkness begins to wrap you as she reaches into her past looking for answers to bring the current evil to heel. The suspense of the story will have you on the edge right up until the very end. And there are certain moments where you experience jump scares. A page turning Gothic paranormal suspense novel, Behind the Veil will send shivers up your spine!

A Gripping, Dark and Twisty Tale that will truly give you the Jump Scare Experience!

6. Revelator: A Novel by Daryl Gregory

An eerily Gothic, Depression era tale, Revelator takes place in the backwoods of Tennessee. It’s engrossing and creepy with deeply buried secrets that will give you all the real chills. The story starts during 1933, when 9-year-old Stella was dropped off by her father to live with Motty Birch, her grandmother. There are some strange happenings surrounding all of the women in the Birch family, especially the newest member, a little girl named Sunny. Things in Tennessee are not exactly what they seem and there are some big family secrets along with a god being held within the Smoky Mountains, literally.

Haunting and immensely intriguing, summoning mesmerizing voices and giving shape to the dark, Revelator is one of the must-read books for Halloween that are filled with jump scares.

A book that dwells in the lasting Impact of Trauma and Psychological Effects of a Solo Expedition

7. The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling

A chilling survival horror, The Luminous Dead takes place entirely inside a cave. The book is brilliantly claustrophobic horror featuring some extremely intense moments. Set in a dystopian future, our protagonist Gyre is tasked with mapping an intricate cave system. Her hi-tech suit is surgically attached to her body, and she relies on a team to monitor her stats. But she soon realizes that there is only one woman who is keeping her alive. And that woman is hiding her own secrets. So what happens when you feel like you can’t trust your handler? When you begin to suspect that she may have ulterior motives and may not actually have your safety at heart?

A great psychological, sci-fi take on horror, The Luminous Dead is a totally captivating and nerve-wracking tale that will certainly give you jump scares. It’s, in fact, a well executed ride where the suspense builds up until you’re ready to jump out of your own skin!

An Intriguing Historical Horror that will stick with you for a long time!

8. Hearts Strange and Dreadful by Tim McGregor

A fantastic read of historical horror, Hearts Strange and Dreadful is absolutely chilling and engrossing. The story is set in 1821 New English. Hester Stokely, an orphan whose parents were lost in a fire, lives with her relatives in the pious town of Wickstead. The book slowly builds a sense of dread and foreboding that keeps you reading. But the actual drama begins with the arrival of a nearly dead stranger on horseback. When he regains consciousness, he tells an unsettling tale of people falling ill and some kind of greater evil trying to get a foothold here, leading to its complete destruction. Not long after, Hester watches the people of Wickstead quickly fall ill. And another mysterious stranger arrives…

Atmospheric and character-driven, McGregor’s Hearts Strange and Dreadful intrigues you from the beginning. It’s unsettling, unusual and dreadful. One of the most intriguing books for Halloween!

A Page Turning Atmospheric Horror that can be read in two sittings!

9. The Whispering Dead by Darcy Coates

One of the fantastic spooky books for Halloween, The Whispering Dead is filled with ghosts, mystery, and eeriness. It’s a tale of a woman with amnesia and ghosts with unfinished business. Having no idea who she is, and why she can see and talk to ghosts, Keira finds herself in the town of Blighty. She’s temporarily staying in a cottage surrounded by a hundred year old graveyard, where restless spirits roam. Though she can’t remember who she is, they are after her. She doesn’t know who they are, but they know her. In the dark she can hear their whispers…and when one of those spirits reaches out to her, Keira goes on a dangerous fact finding mission.

Atmospheric and chilling, The Whispering Dead has an air of danger. There are so many jump-scares to be found and the story will definitely give you the don’t turn off the lights vibe!

A ‘Super Spooky Book’ that will truly scare you!

10. Naomi’s Room by Jonathan Aycliffe

A classic ghost story which tingles with dread, horror and shocks up the reader to the very last paragraph. Naomi’s Room starts off with the death of a child and turns into something you never could have imagined. It’s deeply unsettling, dark, twisty and sinister with a story that will leave you scared out of your wits. Charles and Laura are young and happy with their four year old daughter, Naomi. But their world turns upside down when she goes missing and is later found out to be brutally murdered. But why does Charles still keep sensing her around?

A chilling story of supernatural horror, psychological suspense, family secrets and heart breaking sorrows, Naomi’s Room is such an excellent read. It’s a classic ghost story with a hint of gruesomeness. It’s definitely one of the super spooky books for Halloween!

A Gripping and Genuinely Terrifying Book for Horror Fans!

11. Take Your Turn Teddy by Haley Newlin

Take Your Turn Teddy centers around childhood trauma and the dark aspects of mental illness in a starkly real manner. The author has masterfully blended supernatural thriller and psychological horror with plenty of gore. Teddy, a boy with a big and recently broken heart, comes home from school to find his abusive father making a big mistake. In hopes of starting a new life, he and his mother move to his grandparents’ old home in Indiana. Scared, heartbroken, and vulnerable, lonely Teddy makes friends with the golden-eyed shadow in the basement. The Shadow helps him adapt to his new home, and spends countless days taking turns picking games, until one day everything changes. The Shadow’s help comes at a great and terrible cost and now Teddy has to accept the last game!

Absolutely haunting, captivating and unique, Take Your Turn Teddy is a must-read for horror lovers. It presents a disturbing glimpse of how a broken spirit can unleash powerful demons of the soul. A brilliant slice of modern writing, an effective horror-drama, and a mesmerizing page-turner!

A Complex and Deliciously Dark Thriller with Haunting Real-World Connections!

12. The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Nichols Gould

Atmospheric, dark, and super twisty, The Dead and the Dark is a gripping YA thriller about the things that haunt us: of course, ghosts, but also loss, loneliness, and unbearable grief. The book follows Logan who, with her paranormal investigator dads, moves back to their hometown, Snakebite, supposedly in search of ghosts for their ghost hunting show. But after their arrival in the town, teens mysteriously begin to disappear and the townsmen start suspecting Logan’s fathers. Now, Logan teams up with a local girl, Ashley, to solve the mystery and free her dads of the crime charge, all while definitely not falling for each other. And as Logan starts to explore, she discovers something terrible. She also finds out that her family has more secrets than she ever realized.

Courtney Gould’s debut novel, The Dead and the Dark presents a chilling story of a murder conspiracy and familial bonds, packed with the sheer darkness pervading the society and even the most purest of its people.

One of the Quintessential Books for Halloween!

13. Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

A chilling thriller that literally has twists at almost every chapter, Home Before Dark keeps the reader turning the pages and not wanting it to end. The book revolves around a haunted house known for its history of murder, mystery and menace. According to the story, Maggie’s whole life is defined by her father’s book, which allegedly processed a real story, their story. Maggie is fed up with this, especially because she doesn’t remember anything that the book describes at all. After Maggie’s father dies, she goes to the book-based villa and tries to figure out the truth. Well, what happens next is neither Maggie nor the reader could anticipate!

Written in Riley Sager’s signature hair-raising style, Home Before Dark is full of engrossing mystery. It will get you into the actual spooky mood and there are many jump scares to be found as well.

Hope you’ll enjoy all these spooky books for Halloween!