It’s hard to believe it’s already October 2024, but these horror and thriller books will get readers in the mood for the spooky season. With Halloween fast approaching, there’s no better time to dig into these genres. And there are plenty of exciting new releases hitting shelves this month, from fast-paced thrillers by well-known authors to chilling horror tales that will keep you up at night. Many of them are worth adding to your TBR pile, especially if you enjoy a good scare.
The author of the best-selling novel The Girl on the Train is back with a thrilling new story this October, as is the writer behind 2022’s Hidden Pictures. Acclaimed horror writers Nick Cutter and Ronald Malfi are also returning with new novels, increasing the excitement for lovers of the genre. There are also a few highly anticipated debuts, making October 2024 a well-rounded month for new thrillers and horror books.
10 Society Of Lies By Lauren Ling Brown
Release Date: October 1, 2024
Lauren Ling Brown’s debut thriller novel Society of Lies comes out this October, and it’s shaping up to be a memorable addition to 2024’s release lineup. It’s certainly one of the biggest thrillers arriving during the fall, and its appeal goes beyond its stunning cover. Society of Lies follows Maya as she returns to Princeton for both her college reunion and her younger sister’s graduation. Unfortunately, the celebrations come to a halt when she learns her sister, Naomi, has died.
Those who enjoy secrets, twists, and a dash of dark academia will undoubtedly want to pick up
Society of Lies
this October.
Although the police deem her death accidental, Maya finds herself investigating it further — and unearthing unexpected secrets about her school and sister. Those who enjoy secrets, twists, and a dash of dark academia will undoubtedly want to pick up Society of Lies this October. It sounds like the perfect story to get readers in the mood for the darker days of fall.
9 The Bog Wife By Kay Chronister
Release Date: October 1, 2024
A blend of fantasy and horror, The Bog Wife is one of the biggest book releases of October 2024 — and it might become Kay Chronister’s best release yet. Its impressive 4.15 average Goodreads rating bodes well for its success, as readers are praising everything from the book’s gothic atmosphere to its actual story. The Bog Wife boasts a unique premise, following the Haddesley family, who take care of the cranberry bog. They also sacrifice every generation’s patriarch to the marsh, which gives them a “bog wife” in exchange.
In The Bog Wife, one generation of siblings disagrees on what to do with their property and their family tradition. And when the current patriarch unveils a dark secret, it upends everything the family knows about its relationship to the bog. The Bog Wife sounds like a dark, lush exploration of generational trauma, grief, and tradition. It’s a can’t-miss October release, especially with all the positive reviews it’s been generating.
8 I’ll Be Waiting By Kelley Armstrong
Release Date: October 1, 2024
Kelley Armstrong’s I’ll Be Waiting hits shelves in October 2024, and it sounds like the perfect ghost story to read ahead of Halloween. The book follows Nicola Laughton, whose Cystic Fibrosis diagnosis makes it difficult for her to envision a future — though that changes when she meets and marries Anton. Sadly, Anton dies not long after their wedding, uttering the words “I’ll be waiting for you” as he does. With bystanders insisting that Anton’s ghost is the one who said this, Nicola is eventually convinced to do a séance at his family’s beach house.
Things spiral from there, with strange occurrences happening as a result of the séance. And if all this isn’t reason enough for horror lovers to pick up Armstrong’s latest, the final sentences of the book’s synopsis should be: “Because, unbeknownst to the others, this isn’t her first time contacting the dead. And Nicola isn’t her real name. That’s when she finds the first body….” Needless to say, I’ll Be Waiting promises plenty of thrilling twists and turns, making it an ideal spooky read for the month of October.
7 Coup de Grâce By Sofia Ajram
Release Date: October 1, 2024
Sofia Ajram has contributed to horror anthologies, including Bury Your Gays: An Anthology of Tragic Queer Horror, but Coup de Grâce is their debut novella. Hitting shelves at the very beginning of October, Coup de Grâce is a psychological horror tale that imprisons its main character in a bizarre subway station with rooms and doorways that lead nowhere. Vicken comes to realize that there’s someone behind his inescapable situation, and they might even be in the never-ending subway station with him. It’s a claustrophobic setup but intriguing nonetheless.
A strange tale pitched to fans of Mark Z. Danielewski,
Coup de Grâce
is one of the most unique horror books coming out this fall.
A strange tale pitched to fans of Mark Z. Danielewski, Coup de Grâce is one of the most unique horror books coming out this fall. Its 3.91 Goodreads rating and positive reviews suggest it’s one that readers will want to keep on their radars, especially if they’re interested in the intersection of horror and the mind. It also boasts LGBTQ+ themes, making it an ideal pick for those looking for horror with queer representation this October.
6 The Last One At The Wedding By Jason Rekulak
Release Date: October 8, 2024
Jason Rekulak’s Hidden Pictures was one of the biggest horror books of 2022, and the author is back with The Last One at the Wedding in October 2024. Given Rekulak’s prior hit, The Last One at the Wedding is one of the most-anticipated horror releases of the entire year. The 2024 novel follows Frank Szatowski, who receives a wedding invitation from his daughter after a three-year estrangement. Eager to mend their relationship, he heads to the private New Hampshire estate where the wedding will take place — but he’s unsettled by what he finds there.
For one, Frank’s daughter is marrying the son of a billionaire who’s fairly standoffish. She isn’t much better upon Frank’s arrival, leaving him to his own devices during the festivities. And Frank learns that Maggie’s new in-laws aren’t viewed kindly by the residents in the area. The revelation sends him investigating, risking his relationship with his daughter in the hopes of saving her from a grim fate. The Last One at the Wedding sounds like a heartfelt thrill ride, and its synopsis promises plenty of surprises. Those who love family drama and horror shouldn’t miss it.
5 The Narrows By Ronald Malfi
Release Date: October 8, 2024
Ronald Malfi is a must-read horror author, and the October 2024 re-release of The Narrows will put his work back in the spotlight this fall. The Narrows initially debuted in 2012, chronicling the aftermath of a terrible storm that swept through the town of Stillwater, Maryland. It’s not just the flooded roads and destroyed buildings that the townspeople must contend with. They also begin seeing ghosts, all while other disturbing occurrences take place throughout the town.
There’s a reason The Narrows is one of Malfi’s best books; it was even a Bram Stoker award finalist. The eerie novel does an impressive job of drawing readers into its mysteries, and it’ll get the chance to do so all over again this October. It’ll be interesting to see what the re-release brings to the table, making it a worthwhile read for longtime Malfi fans and newcomers alike.
4 Memorials By Richard Chizmar
Release Date: October 22, 2024
Richard Chizmar’s Memorials will take readers on a road trip through Appalachia, with the October 2024 horror book chronicling the journey of three students filming a documentary. Set in 1993, the novel sees these characters tracking down roadside memorials — though their recording project soon takes a dark turn. As the group gets deeper into the backwoods, they begin to spot a strange symbol in many of the memorials they’re finding. They also realize they’re being followed, raising questions about the true cause of these roadside deaths.
Eerie and atmospheric, Memorials promises to unravel intriguing mysteries while highlighting how terrifying being isolated in nature can be. The novel has a whopping 4.35 average Goodreads rating ahead of its October 22 release, and that’s a promising reason to pick it up. The fact that it’s from the same author who wrote Chasing the Boogeyman also makes a case for keeping this release on your radar.
3 The Blue Hour By Paula Hawkins
Release Date: October 29, 2024
Paula Hawkins is best known for writing The Girl on the Train, but she has continued to release thriller books after her 2015 hit. The newest one arrives on October 29, and The Blue Hour promises to be one of the biggest novels of 2024. The Blue Hour‘s narrative revolves around a remote Scottish island that’s “accessible to the mainland only twelve hours a day.” An artist named Vanessa once lived there, and her cheating husband mysteriously disappeared two decades ago.
If the book contains the types of twists Hawkins is known for, it’s certain to be a much-discussed new release this October.
Now Grace resides on Eris, and she finds peace in the secluded setting — though that’s disrupted when someone arrives after having a revelation while visiting an art gallery. This is likely related to Vanessa and her husband, and it seems unraveling their story could dredge up some of Eris’ dark secrets as well. The Blue Hour‘s unique premise sounds intriguing enough to hook readers from the beginning, and if the book contains the types of twists Hawkins is known for, it’s certain to be a much-discussed new release this October.
2 Don’t Let the Forest In By C.G. Drews
Release Date: October 29, 2024
A young adult horror story with an LGBTQ+ relationship at its core, C.G. Drews’ Don’t Let the Forest In is shaping up to be one of the most exciting releases coming out in October. Don’t Let the Forest In follows high school senior Andrew, who will do just about anything for his friend Thomas — and he means anything. When Thomas withdraws and starts acting strangely, Andrew trails him into the forest outside Wickwood Academy. It’s there he discovers that the monsters Thomas draws are coming to life and killing people if he doesn’t fight them off first.
The monsters go after anyone close to Thomas, which puts Andrew at risk — especially “as their obsession with each other grows stronger.” This premise alone is intriguing and anxiety-inducing, and Andrew may need to make difficult decisions to rid the world of these monsters once and for all. Don’t Let the Forest In already has a 4.34 Goodreads rating ahead of its release, and it’s getting praise for its asexual representation. It sounds like an angsty, gripping addition to the horror genre that readers won’t want to miss.
1 The Queen By Nick Cutter
Release Date: October 29, 2024
Nick Cutter is best known for writing The Troop, and he’s returning with another horror book in October 2024: The Queen. Cutter’s latest unfolds over the span of “one feverish day,” and it sees a young woman trying to locate her missing friend after an unexpected surprise shows up on her doorstep. This woman is Margaret Carpenter, and the surprise in question is an iPhone. On this phone is a text message from Charity Atwater, her friend who has been missing and assumed dead.
Charity wants to share her secrets with Margaret, and they run deep — and even veer into sci-fi territory. Charity is a subject in an “unorthodox gene manipulation experiment,” and her involvement has directly led to tragedy. As Charity unravels her friend’s past, she uncovers her secrets and comes closer to solving the mystery surrounding her disappearance. The Queen sounds like the perfect blend of sci-fi and horror, and it’s definitely going to be a big deal upon its October 29 release.