Best New Horror Books For Thrills and Chills

Diavola blew me away. Labeled as a 'vacation gothic,' this book explores family dynamics and the weight of dealing with toxic relationships.

Anna, the protagonist, sets her own survival rules for the trip, knowing her twin is unreliable and her older sister is tyrannical.

Their luxurious villa in Monteperso starts as a dream escape but soon unravels into a nightmare. Strange noises, locals' chilling warnings, and a sense that Anna's horrors may have followed her after leaving.

Thorne balances oppressive gothic tension with a campy horror edge, making it both haunting and hilariously absurd in the best way.

Amy's Notes:

This book felt like American Horror Story: Murder House and White Lotus had a love child—it's that good!

Anna's prickly personality is the perfect lens through which to experience the story's genius, dark humor, and diabolical ending.

This novel was selected as a 2025 MomAdvice Book Club book, and Jennifer Thorne will share more about her story with this year's participants!

Related- Join the 2025 Book Club

Rachel Harrison delivers yet another hit with So Thirsty, a vampiric Thelma and Louise that's as seductive as it is thrilling.

Sloane's life is unraveling—she's stuck with a cheating husband, dreading her future, and refusing to admit her misery.

When a birthday trip with her wild-card best friend Naomi takes a dark, unexpected turn, readers experience Harrison's ability to explore complicated, even flawed friendships that is unparalleled

Harrison's sharp prose and knack for capturing messy relationships make this a standout.

Amy's Notes:

Rachel Harrison's books always hit the perfect notes for spooky season. While I haven't read So Thirsty yet, I enjoyed her novel Black Sheep immensely and can't wait to read more from the author.

Related- The Best Road Trip Books

We Used to Live Here terrified me in a way few books do, delivering a chilling blend of supernatural and social horror that felt deeply personal.

The story follows a young queer couple flipping houses, only to encounter strangers claiming they used to live there—and demanding to be let in.

While the book has its share of polarizing elements, its exploration of fear, safety, and the haunting idea that sometimes 'the horror is people' stayed with me long after I finished. It's not perfect, but it's unforgettable.

Amy's Notes:

This book dives into the genre of social horror, which can hit differently depending on your personal experience.

I encourage readers to dive into our Best Social Horror Books list to discover what makes social horror books so compelling, with incredible book recommendations on race, gender sexism, and capitalism.

Coup de Grace is a haunting, visceral novella that dives deep into depression and the struggle to escape one's darkest thoughts.

Trigger warning upfront—this story is heavy and centered around themes of suicide ideation, so approach it cautiously if you need to.

The narrative follows Vicken, who, after stepping off a subway train intent on ending his life, finds himself trapped in an infinite, looping subway station. As he explores the vast yet claustrophobic environment, he becomes convinced that his entrapment isn't accidental—and he's not alone.

What makes this book so powerful is its ability to encapsulate the overwhelming feelings of depression within the surreal horror of its setting.

At just around 120 pages, it's a quick but deeply impactful read. If you want to understand depression more profoundly or appreciate experimental horror, this is a perfect, albeit intense, choice.

The compact format makes it an excellent one-sitting read, leaving plenty of room to reflect and process.

Amy's Notes:

I'm so glad Joe brought a novella! We don't celebrate them enough on our show.

A Mask of Flies is a gripping blend of crime and horror, perfect for readers who enjoy both genres.

The story follows Anne Heller, a career criminal on the run after a botched bank heist. With her badly wounded partner Jessup and a hostage, police officer Dutch, she retreats to her family's remote Colorado cabin—a place steeped in haunting memories and dark secrets.

As Anne confronts the mystery of her mother's death in that very cabin, events spiral into something far more terrifying.

Jessup goes missing, only to reappear dead—and later, something wearing his face comes back, hungry. The lines between reality and nightmare blur in this isolated, atmospheric tale, keeping you on edge as the story unfolds.

This book is perfect for fans of creepy cabin settings, survival horror, and stories where the past refuses to stay buried. This book is a phenomenal starting point if you're a crime reader looking to dip your toes into horror.

It's haunting, intense, and absolutely unforgettable.

Amy's Notes:
Matthew Lyons describes this novel as "Reservoir Dogs meets The Thing." I'm adding this to my Libby holds right now!

This horror book made my Best Books of the Year list courtesy of Joe, who shared more behind-the-scenes information in his interview with Chuck Tingle on today's podcast.

The story centers on Misha, a gay screenwriter riding high on the success of an Oscar nomination. But his moment of triumph is shattered when he's faced with a disturbing ultimatum: kill off the queer characters in his hit series "for the algorithm" or risk sabotaging his career.

Misha refuses, and his defiance unleashes a series of terrifying events—literal monsters from his horror movie past come to life, bringing with them the weight of his childhood memories.

These deeply personal and haunting manifestations add emotional depth to an already chilling premise, creating a layered narrative that critiques an industry—and a society—that too often erases queer joy in favor of trauma.

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