A spine-tingling list of spooky reads
Editor’s note: Keeping with the Halloween theme, Tarini Uppal offers an excellent list of reads with haunted houses, dysfunctional families, sociopaths and even an Indian horror tale or two.
Written by: Tarini Uppal is a seasoned publishing professional, having worked at Penguin Random House India for close to a decade. She has worked with some of the country’s bestselling and award-winning writers—from Amitav Ghosh to Ramachandra Guha. She loves all things ‘food’ and has published some gorgeous cookbooks. You can follow her food journey on Instagram @toopsie.
About the lead image: 'The Nightmare' is one of Henry Fuseli's most famous works. You can check out the various intepretations of the painting here.
It is that time of the year again. The days are getting shorter, there’s a chill in the air, and you know the festive season has begun. I don’t know if it’s our love for dressing up or for the macabre, but we now have a reason to celebrate this spooky season with Halloween. It is only fitting to put together a list of eerie, creepy, bone-chilling, horror books with all the twists and turns to keep you up at night. Sometimes it isn’t the out-and-out horror but the mind-bending, truly messed-up psychological ones that get into your head and creep you out much more.
The usual suspects
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides: When a successful London-based artist murders her husband and never speaks again, a psychotherapist tries his best to work with her. He is on a mission to uncover the truth behind what happened and the reason for her silence. Among the most popular psychological thrillers of the last decade, you will not be able to put this book down. An intelligent build-up leads to a mind-boggling plot twist and the end.
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn: While everyone has read or watched ‘Gone Girl’, Gillian Flynn’s other books are just as dark, twisted, and unputdownable. Camille, a journalist has been sent back to her hometown to investigate and write about two girls who go missing. As she delves deeper into the case she is also forced to face her past. This has been adapted into a really good TV show with Amy Adams but as always, the book is much better.
A Season of Ghosts by Ruskin Bond: Imagine you’re on holiday with your friends and you’re sitting around a bonfire exchanging scary stories. This is the perfect collection for recall in moments like that. If you were a fan of ‘Goosebumps’ while growing up, these stories are going to give you a similar reading experience. Full of old-school charm and nostalgia, they are even more haunting against the dark and misty Himalayan backdrop.
The unexpected ones
Diavola by Jennifer Marie Thorne: A dysfunctional family goes on their annual vacation to a remote villa in Italy. What could possibly go wrong? If you love the haunted house trope, you’ll love this book. Just when you think it’s the usual family drama and they’re all driving each other insane, you realise it is the house that is slowly revealing itself. Interestingly, reviewers can’t decide what’s more horrific — the haunted house or the toxic family.
We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer: When a young couple gets a killer deal on a new house, they can’t believe their luck. Until one day when the previous inhabitants show up at their doorstep and ask them to look around. Things just aren’t the same after that. Deeply unsettling, this book is the perfect blend of horror and psychological thriller. It has been compared to cult classic films like ‘Get Out’ and ‘Parasite’. So, we’d say, read with caution.
Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kurian: You know you’ve got a winner of a horror book when the author has a PhD in psychology. On page one, we are introduced to the protagonist, Chloe, a confessed psychopath. As she enters college, she is plotting the murder of her childhood friend. In this tightly plotted, twisted, and utterly gripping novel, you get into the mind and workings of a psychopath. Spoiler alert: It’s always the seemingly normal ones.
Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough: Known for being among the best endings in a psychological thriller, the king of horror, Stephen King called it ‘bloody brilliant’. What begins as a run-of-the-mill love triangle between a man, his wife, and his secretary, turns into the darkest and most twisted story I have ever read. It is also some of the most gripping writing in the genre. A must-read for anyone who wants to feel all the anticipation and dread that comes with the genre.
The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter: This is the story of sisters who went through something unspeakable and terrible in their past. They haven’t seen each other in a decade until another horrible event brings them together. This is one of the most harrowing reads on the list. It has a lot of gore, violence, and some pretty brutal scenes. But if you’re feeling brave, it might be worth the effort. If you haven’t read Slaughter before, this is the perfect first book to get you started. And you’re sure to come back for more.
The Stillwater Girls by Minka Kent: For those of you who don’t want to read straight-up horror, this one is entirely psychological and the tamest of the lot. Sheltered from the ‘dangers of the outside world’, a mother raises her three daughters on a self-sufficient farm away from society. When their mother and sister go missing, Wren and Sage venture beyond the forest to discover the secret behind their hidden lives. It is something beyond their (and perhaps, your) wildest imagination.
Some Indian horror stories
That Night by Nidhi Upadhyay: When a fun night in college ends with someone dead, four friends decide never to talk about what actually happened. Many years later when they receive anonymous messages with threats to reveal everything. A short, gripping read, this book is perfect for a weekend getaway or that long-haul flight. You are likely to read it cover-to-cover in a single sitting.
Darkness by Ratnakar Matkari translated by Vikrant Pande: If you can’t seem to invest time in a novel, this collection of horror stories is perfect to dip into the many facets of horror writing. The translation is seamless though I’ve heard that the original is extra scary. If you read Marathi, you might want to get your hands on it. The rural setting of the stories makes the collection rather unique. It is suitable for younger readers and makes a perfect Halloween gift for a teenager.
