Last week I talked about some cozy mysteries that might be fun as a Halloween read. Now it seems only fair to look at some scarier mysteries that could make Halloween even more fun and special. Usually when we think of being scared by a book, we think of Horror novels, but there are some pretty scary mystery novels. At one time, almost all mystery novels involved serial killers and now psychological thrillers and domestic thrillers dominate. If you think about it most of the serial killers that mystery novelists have written about are totally terrifying and domestic thrillers that convince you that you will never be safe in your home are also horrifying. Whatever you find scarier serial killers or domestic thrillers, there are a lot to choose from so take your pick and perhaps some of the books below will help you get started.

Reading right now:

C. J. Tudor’s “The Other People” has been called creepy and chilling.  Gabe is driving home one night when he sees his 5-year-old daughter’s face in the rear window of the car in front of him. He spends years looking for his daughter until one day the car he saw his daughter in is found with a body inside. British author Tudor became famous in 2018 with her first novel “The Chalk Man” and “The Burning Girls” comes out next February.

 

On hold right now:

 In August, Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan combined forces to write a combination Mystery and Horror novel which is the first in a new series called the Blackwood Tapes series called "The Hallow Ones." FBI agent Odessa is forced to kill her partner when he turns violent while they are trying to arrest a murderer on a rampage. Odessa is convinced she saw a shadow flee her partner’s body after his death. It doesn’t take long for her to be on the trail of this evil being.

The latest and 19th novel in the Agent Pendergast series came out in February and was called “Crooked River.” This series started out with a Horror novel (“The Relic”) and morphed into an FBI mystery series with rather odd side stories. Pendergast always reminds me of Sherlock Holmes and is a series that I look forward to reading every time a new one comes out.

The 18^th book in the Charlie Parker series by John Connolly is coming out in November. His book may be a little late for Halloween, but if you haven’t read the series start with “Every Dead Thing.” Connolly has written Horror and Mystery novels, but his Charlie Parker series is always haunting and could well fit in for Halloween.

Laura Purcell has written both Horror and Mystery novels and her last “The House of Whispers” was a gothic historical mystery. This scary house by the sea where servants tell strange tales is reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier, Mary Stewart, and Diane Setterfield.

Other Mysterious Things:

Personally I feel that Ruth Ware’s books fit into the Halloween theme: from “The Woman in Cabin 10” to her latest “One by One.” Her latest has been compared to “And then There Were None” by Agatha Christie which was full of creep factor with people disappearing and being murdered and no idea of who the killer is. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Hound of the Baskervilles” is a terrific Halloween book. All of Thomas Harris’ Hannibal Lecter books fall into the most terrifying serial killer books ever written and if you haven’t read the series start with “Red Dragon aka Manhunter.” Raphael Montes’ “Perfect Days” falls into the terrifying “man who loves a woman so much that he kidnaps her” category. Stephen King’s Bill Hodges mystery series is the perfect choice for a scary holiday season and begins with “Mr. Mercedes.” If you get too creeped out turn on all the lights and hide under the covers.