Looking for some chilling new reading material this Halloween?

Then you’ve come to the right place. Even though I’m not very brave with scary stuff, I do love reading lots of great thrillers and spooky books at this time of year. Here I’ve put together a set of five book suggestions for you to check out. There are many more I could talk about, but for now I've kept the list down to five. As always though, feel free to get in touch if you'd like any more suggestions throughout October.
I’ve found each of these chilling stories very readable, creepy and perfect for the Halloween season. I hope you enjoy them too!
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My top Halloween pick for 2019:
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This October in the run up to Halloween I'm currently reading Imaginary Friend, the latest book from Stephen Chbosky. It is a haunting horror novel that has already been compared with authors such as Stephen King, I'm still in the early stages of the book but enjoying it very much so far! And, yes. It's definitely creepy. 

​You by Caroline Kepnes

Joe Goldberg is handsome, charming and ready to fall in love. And when aspiring writer Guinevere Beck strides into the bookstore where Joe works, he is instantly smitten. He knows he has to see her again.
So Joe does what anyone might: he looks Beck up online, and learns everything he can to set up another chance to meet her. Their chemistry is immediate. It seems like the perfect romance. But there’s more to Joe than Beck realises… and more to Beck than Joe could ever guess. Their relationship soon spirals out of control, and the darkness they unleash will have deadly consequences for everyone in their lives. 
 
Be warned, this is a hypnotic and creepy read, but ultimately You is a book I just couldn’t get myself to put down. The characters are just fascinating, the writing is brilliant and I’m hoping to get my hands on the sequel soon to see what comes next. This addictive thriller is definitely worth reading!

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Strangers on a Train
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Written in 1950, Strangers on a Train  is a psychological thriller novel  by Patricia Highsmith. The story is  about two men whose lives become entangled after one of them proposes they 'trade' murders. He then goes ahead and fulfills his end of the imaginary bargain, leading to fatal consequences for both.

It is a fantastic book that I would especially recommend this to those who like reading mysteries or crime fiction. A true original in crime fiction, from a superb writer. This really is a magnificent suspense thriller and one of my all-time favourites. Noir fiction at its finest and an absolute must-read.


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​​Interview With The Vampire 

This is the story of Louis, as told in his own words, of his journey through mortal and immortal life. Louis recounts how he became a vampire at the hands of the radiant and sinister Lestat and how he became indoctrinated, unwillingly, into the vampire way of life. It is told through the POV of one narrator, but it has a really big scope. Anne Rice shows an amazing skill in reflecting people's feelings and struggles. 
 
Within this book you will found beautiful yet deadly vampires, descriptive writing, and amazingly complex characters. This remains one of the best vampire books out there. It’s a classic, with an unforgettable and very creepy plot. I found myself quickly drawn in by the great characterisation.

Through The Wall

Through the wall is a chilling, gripping and breathtaking psychological thriller that will change the way you see your neighbours or anyone who lives with you through the wall. 

I really liked the plot of this one. The flow of the story was intense and dramatic. It had me gripped right from the start. I honestly couldn’t put it down, and I suddenly felt very sad once I realised I’d arrived at the very last page.

With Through The Wall, Caroline Corcoran has created a truly chilling and creepy debut with perplexing characters whose lives become entangled. Things gradually grow more and more sinister and the tension is almost unbearable at points, right up until the ominous unexpected ending. The writing is fantastic and I think it’s definitely one of the best thrillers I’ve read in a long time.

​​The Haunting of Hill House

Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House has been hailed as a perfect work of unnerving terror. It is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly pile called Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of a "haunting"; Theodora, the lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable phenomena. But Hill House is gathering its powers—and soon it will choose one of them to make its own.

Like the House of Usher, Hill House draws you into its mystery and the unfolding terror. From the outset, there is an undefinable sense of unease and dread. This is undeniably a weird, weird book. But so well worth the time reading it.

Jackson was a masterful storyteller, using a minimalistic approach and a terse, almost journalistic narrative, she creates a mood and sense of expectancy and mystery that grips the reader slowly and completely and lasts until the very end. `A great, classic horror story.