6 Spooky Books to Read This Fall, Picked by 6 Sisters

Spooky reading season is here.

So we asked each sister to pick one book she’d recommend for this time of year. We ended up with psychological thrillers, dark fantasy, YA suspense, a trip back to Hogwarts…and, because Faith doesn’t do spooky, an entire series of cozy fall romances.

Basically, there’s something here for every level of spooky reader. Here’s what each of us picked.

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Grace’s Pick: Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

Grace is bringing the psychological thriller to the list with Rock Paper Scissors. Adam and Amelia head to a remote location in Scotland for an anniversary weekend that’s supposed to help their struggling marriage. Except there are secrets between them, someone is lying, and their getaway might not be as accidental as they think.

This one has all the ingredients we want in a fall thriller: an isolated setting, a troubled marriage, plenty of secrets, and a story that keeps you guessing.

Emma’s Pick: A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

Emma went a completely different direction with a dark fairy-tale fantasy. A Sorceress Comes to Call is a reimagining of the Brothers Grimm’s “The Goose Girl,” following Cordelia, a girl living under the control of her very powerful, and very evil, sorceress mother. When the two arrive at a wealthy family’s country manor, things get increasingly dark.

It has witches, forbidden magic, murder, an old manor house, and just enough creepiness to make it such a good October read.

Eliza’s Pick: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

If you want a book that makes you need to know what happened, Eliza picked The Silent Patient.

Alicia Berenson seemingly has the perfect life until she shoots her husband and then refuses to speak another word. A psychotherapist becomes determined to understand why she did it, pulling him deeper and deeper into the mystery surrounding her silence.

This is less ghosts-and-witches spooky and more psychological, twisty, stay-up-way-too-late-because-you-need-answers spooky.

Faith’s Pick: The Falling for Autumn Series

Faith does not like spooky books, so instead of subjecting herself to a thriller for the sake of this post, she’s giving us the cozy option.

Falling for Autumn is a collection of eight interconnected standalone romances written by eight different authors, all set in the cozy town of Autumn Ridge, Vermont. Think small-town romance, pumpkin patches, fall festivals, farms, and lots of autumn atmosphere.

So if you clicked on a list of spooky books and immediately started questioning that decision, Faith is your sister. Skip the murder and creepy houses and head straight for Autumn Ridge.

Lucy’s Pick: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Lucy’s pick takes us to a private island and a wealthy family with a whole lot of secrets.

We Were Liars follows Cadence and a group of friends known as the Liars as she tries to piece together what happened during a summer she can’t fully remember. The less you know going into this one, the better.

It’s atmospheric and mysterious with the kind of story you immediately want someone else to read so you can talk about it.

Hope’s Pick: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

And Hope is going classic cozy-spooky with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Harry’s third year at Hogwarts brings an escaped prisoner, Dementors, the Marauder’s Map, Professor Lupin, Buckbeak, and plenty of mystery. It’s one of those books that just feels like fall.

If your version of a spooky read is less psychological thriller and more candles, blankets, Hogwarts, and a little bit of magic, this is the pick.

What Are You Reading This Fall?

Apparently our definition of a good fall read ranges from murder and evil sorceresses to Dementors and cozy Vermont romances.

Whether you want to be genuinely creeped out or you’re firmly on Team Faith and would prefer your fall reading without anyone dying, hopefully one of our picks belongs on your list.

And now we want yours. What’s the book you’d recommend for spooky season?

X.o.
The Threads Between Sisters