7 books that will haunt your thoughts
This isn't a list of your typical horror novels.
As the days grow shorter and a chill settles in the air, we're after more than just a fun, summer fling with a book, we want something that'll get under our skin and stay there. While ghosts, ghouls, and jump scares have their place, sometimes the truly haunting stories are the ones that explore the darkness of human nature and the quiet terror of the unknown. We've curated seven unforgettable works of fiction – a mix of genres and styles – that promise to stick with you and haunt your thoughts long after you've finished reading.
Girl Dinner
by Olivie Blake
A darkly fun and deliciously twisted new novel from bestselling author Olivie Blake, Girl Dinner explores the hidden cost of ambition and achieving true belonging. The story follows two women, a desperate college student and a struggling mother, as they are drawn into an exclusive sorority with a sinister secret. This is a story of perfection and a chilling look at what women are willing to sacrifice for power. If you’re looking for a read that will get under your skin and leave you questioning just how far is too far, this one is for you.
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls
by Grady Hendrix
If you're searching for a twisted and unforgettable horror novel to haunt your thoughts, you need to read Grady Hendrix's Witchcraft for Wayward Girls. Set in the summer of 1970, this chillingly addictive Southern Gothic tale unfolds at a Florida home for unwed mothers. Fifteen-year-old Fern and the other girls discover a new source of strength when they discover an occult book about witchcraft, but they soon learn that this power comes with a price. A Sunday Times bestseller, this is a must-read story of oppression, resistance, and consequences.
The Girlfriend
by Michelle Frances
What happens when the new girlfriend isn't as perfect as she seems? This chilling psychological thriller delves into the complex and sinister relationship between a mother, her son, and his seemingly charming girlfriend. Laura has a perfect life, and her son Daniel is the centre of it all. But when Cherry enters their lives, she brings with her a dark past and a desire to possess everything Laura has. After a terrible lie is told to protect Daniel, the women are locked in a battle of wills that will change their lives forever. This is a must-read for anyone who loves a good twist, and is now an Amazon Prime TV series starring Robin Wright, Olivia Cooke and Laurie Davidson.
Station Eleven
by Emily St. John Mandel
If you're looking for a novel that explores what it means to be human after the world ends, Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel is a perfect choice. When a famous actor collapses on stage, a lethal virus is simultaneously taking hold across North America, and the world. The story picks up twenty years later, following a traveling symphony of actors and musicians who perform Shakespeare for the small communities of survivors. This profound and haunting novel asks what we would preserve if civilization were lost, and how far we would go to protect it.
The Family Experiment
by John Marrs
When an overpopulated world makes parenthood a luxury, a new alternative is born: MetaChildren, virtual babies raised in the Metaverse. To launch this technology, a reality TV show is created, inviting contestants to raise a virtual child from birth to age eighteen in a condensed nine-month period. The prize is the right to keep their virtual child, or to risk it all for the chance of a real baby. As contestants face impossible moral and emotional choices, you’ll be hooked on their journey until the very end. The line between what's real and what's virtual has never been more blurred.
Bright Young Women
by Jessica Knoll
Based on the chilling real-life crimes of Ted Bundy, this novel focuses on the women affected by his violence rather than the killer himself. When a sorority president and a young woman searching for her missing friend find themselves at the centre of a national tragedy, they refuse to be victims. Their shared conviction that a single man is responsible propels them on a harrowing quest for justice. This powerful and unforgettable thriller reclaims a dark chapter of history for the women who survived it, making for a compelling and hypnotic read that will linger in your thoughts long after you've finished.
The Ritual
by Adam Nevill
Reuniting for a hiking trip in the Scandinavian wilderness, four old university friends find themselves lost in a forest untouched for millennia. Tensions mount as they struggle with their strained relationships, but their problems become horrifyingly urgent when they stumble upon a house filled with the macabre remains of pagan sacrifices. They soon realize they're not alone; a bestial presence is on the hunt and they are now the prey. This award-winning novel is a masterclass in slow-burn dread and ancient, primal terror, and it will absolutely haunt your thoughts.
