The paranormal and supernatural genres are fascinating to many folks, and the world of books is no exception to this phenomenon. While many subgenres embrace paranormal elements, the one that it’s most often associated with is horror.
Horror and the paranormal are a perfect match, and there is no shortage of incredible reads to choose from, including many that you may not have had a chance to pick up. Here are 10 great paranormal horror books to add to your roster.
10. The Watchers by A.M. Shine
This atmospheric and isolating Irish horror novel has garnered positive reviews, with a film adaptation produced by M. Night Shyamalan and directed by his daughter Ishana due out in 2024.
After her car breaks down at the edge of a dense forest, Mina sets out alone only to find herself lured into a bunker run by the Watchers. She and several strangers will have to contend with these supernatural beings and outwit them if they are to have any possibility of survival.
9. What Moves The Dead by T. Kingfisher
What’s better than a paranormal horror novel that’s also a retelling of an Edgar Allan Poe classic? Nothing, that’s what.
What Moves The Dead is a retelling of Poe’s tale The Fall of the House of Usher (which has had quite the renaissance recently thanks to the Netflix series from 2023). This iteration follows Alex Easton, who arrives to visit their dying friend, Madeline Usher, only to discover a dark and twisted estate full of nightmares around every corner.
8. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
It’s difficult to classify this at once haunting and sometimes confounding novel as simply paranormal, but House of Leaves certainly has more than enough of it to go around.
When a young family moves into a new home, they discover that the house is larger on the inside than on the outside. As they explore their new abode, what seems like a straightforward tale is anything but.
Related5 Best Modern Gothic Novels To Read This Fall
7. The Ruins by Scott Smith
If you’re looking for a little vacation horror for the winter months, Scott Smith has you covered.
Two young couples venture into the Mexican jungle to search for a missing friend, but what they discover is a site of ancient ruins, and the nightmarish presence that lurks within wants them to stay.
6. The Hunger by Alma Katsu
True events throughout history often carry their own set of horrors, and the grisly fate of the Donner Party in 1847, who attempted a migration from the Midwest to California via wagon party.
Katsu’s reimagining sees a dark force hindering their progress and proposes that entities not entirely human were responsible for the ill-fated group whose journey remains a fascinating piece of American history.
Enjoying this article?
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter5. My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix
Demonic possession is surely a reason to skip class, right? Blending Grady Hendrix’s perfect mix of horror and humor, My Best Friend’s Exorcism sees besties Abby and Gretchen tackle a small town living, a demon taking over Gretchen’s body, and high school.
The story is chock full of scares and 80’s nostalgia, making it a great read for anyone looking for a spooky good time.
4. Pet Sematary by Stephen King
Adding a Stephen King novel to a list of paranormal horror books isn’t difficult, it’s narrowing down the choices that truly takes some time.
Despite multiple film adaptations, many people haven’t read Pet Sematary, arguably one of King’s most visceral and haunting stories. A couple and their two children move to a small Maine town, and they soon discover a makeshift pet graveyard close to their property. But this is no ordinary burial plot, and the Creed family is about to find that the animals who are laid to rest don’t stay dead for long…
RelatedThe 15 Best Vampire Books Every Fan Should Read
3. Road of Bones by Christopher Golden
A camera crew, a Siberian highway, and a decades-long ghost story. Felix Teigland sets out to produce a documentary about Siberia’s famed Road of Bones, and he works his way along the stretch of highway in order to do just that.
But when strange occurrences follow them on their journey, the filmmakers will find themselves fighting for survival instead of simply investigating it.
2. Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison
Werewolf stories can often be heavy on the Alpha male, testosterone spectrum, but Rachel Harris circumvents expectations with her tale of transformation and sisterhood.
Rory Morris has begrudgingly returned to her small town in order to help her pregnant sister. What she doesn’t count on is being attacked by a large wolf while out alone one night. When she begins to change, she’ll confront her traumatic past as well as her potential future; that is, if she can make it through the full moon.
RelatedWhy Do We Like To Be Scared? A Discussion
1. The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
Paranormal horror books often tackle issues of trauma and identity, and Stephen Graham Jones seamlessly blends these and many other themes into The Only Good Indians.
The novel follows four Native American friends, who after having experienced a traumatic event as young men, struggle with an entity that stalks each of them in turn. Expect genuine terror and an unsettled feeling throughout.
