Foster an ambience of sweet eeriness with these spooky books.
Our picks of blood-curdling titles
Stephen King once said, 'We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones'. Here are eight books bound to set the mood this spooky season.
The Starving Saints
by Caitlin Starling
With Aymar Castle under siege for six months and food supply running low, the beleaguered inhabitants consider deliberately thinning their numbers. Just as they are on the cusp of starvation, the stronghold’s stores are replenished with the arrival of Constant Lady and her saints. Under the sway of the divine saviours, the shut-ins partake in intoxicating feasts of terrible origin and descend into bacchanalian madness. As the war rages on beyond the walls, only three women — a sorceress, a knight and a servant girl — see the situation for what it is. They must band together to uncover the saints’ true nature and stop them before the castle destroys itself.
by Caitlin Starling
With Aymar Castle under siege for six months and food supply running low, the beleaguered inhabitants consider deliberately thinning their numbers. Just as they are on the cusp of starvation, the stronghold’s stores are replenished with the arrival of Constant Lady and her saints. Under the sway of the divine saviours, the shut-ins partake in intoxicating feasts of terrible origin and descend into bacchanalian madness. As the war rages on beyond the walls, only three women — a sorceress, a knight and a servant girl — see the situation for what it is. They must band together to uncover the saints’ true nature and stop them before the castle destroys itself.
The Lamb
by Lucy Rose
Revolving around Margot, a young girl who lives with her mother and leads a murderous and chaotic lifestyle, this dark fairy tale unfolds with a persistent sense of claustrophobic dread. The mother-daughter dynamic is complicated, fluctuating between love and violence. Mama Ruth has a grotesque urge to consume everything in her path, preying on “strays” that knock on their cottage door in the woods. Margot makes a bid for freedom in this gruesome and graphic coming-of-age story, which will keep the readers in a state of unease from the first chapter to the last.
by Lucy Rose
Revolving around Margot, a young girl who lives with her mother and leads a murderous and chaotic lifestyle, this dark fairy tale unfolds with a persistent sense of claustrophobic dread. The mother-daughter dynamic is complicated, fluctuating between love and violence. Mama Ruth has a grotesque urge to consume everything in her path, preying on “strays” that knock on their cottage door in the woods. Margot makes a bid for freedom in this gruesome and graphic coming-of-age story, which will keep the readers in a state of unease from the first chapter to the last.
Blood on Her Tongue
by Johanna van Veen
Lucy’s twin sister Sarah is unwell, refuses to eat, mumbles nonsensically and becomes increasingly obsessed with a centuries-old corpse discovered on her husband’s estate. The doctor has diagnosed her with temporary insanity due to a fever. In an attempt to save her sibling from a terrible fate in an asylum, Lucy must unravel the mystery surrounding her sister’s condition. However, Sarah’s behaviour takes a turn for the worse and she becomes angry — and hungry. Suspecting something has been trying to possess her sister, Lucy must reckon with a dark truth, or risk losing her twin forever.
by Johanna van Veen
Lucy’s twin sister Sarah is unwell, refuses to eat, mumbles nonsensically and becomes increasingly obsessed with a centuries-old corpse discovered on her husband’s estate. The doctor has diagnosed her with temporary insanity due to a fever. In an attempt to save her sibling from a terrible fate in an asylum, Lucy must unravel the mystery surrounding her sister’s condition. However, Sarah’s behaviour takes a turn for the worse and she becomes angry — and hungry. Suspecting something has been trying to possess her sister, Lucy must reckon with a dark truth, or risk losing her twin forever.
Moonflow
by Bitter Karella
With one bite, you see the whole universe and can commune with forgotten gods beyond human comprehension. They call it the King’s Breakfast. It only grows deep in the Pamogo forest, where the trees crowd so tightly that the woodland is pitch black even during the day. Although rumours of strange cults and disappearing hikers abound, Sarah ventures into the thicket with a man who is convinced there is no danger. As they go deeper, they realise they are not alone. There is something luring them into the heart of the forest, and they are compelled to answer its call.
by Bitter Karella
With one bite, you see the whole universe and can commune with forgotten gods beyond human comprehension. They call it the King’s Breakfast. It only grows deep in the Pamogo forest, where the trees crowd so tightly that the woodland is pitch black even during the day. Although rumours of strange cults and disappearing hikers abound, Sarah ventures into the thicket with a man who is convinced there is no danger. As they go deeper, they realise they are not alone. There is something luring them into the heart of the forest, and they are compelled to answer its call.
The Possession of Alba Díaz
by Isabel Cañas
In 1765, when a plague sweeps through Zacatecas, Alba escapes with her wealthy merchant parents and fiancé, Carlos, to the latter’s family’s isolated silver mine for refuge. Once they reach safety, other dangers emerge. Alba begins suffering from hallucinations, sleepwalking and violent convulsions. She starts to sense something cold and angry lurking under her skin. Carlos’ cousin Elías, an alchemist who refines silver with mercury, cultivates a forbidden romance with Alba, who deteriorates as the demon possessing her becomes more bloodthirsty.
by Isabel Cañas
In 1765, when a plague sweeps through Zacatecas, Alba escapes with her wealthy merchant parents and fiancé, Carlos, to the latter’s family’s isolated silver mine for refuge. Once they reach safety, other dangers emerge. Alba begins suffering from hallucinations, sleepwalking and violent convulsions. She starts to sense something cold and angry lurking under her skin. Carlos’ cousin Elías, an alchemist who refines silver with mercury, cultivates a forbidden romance with Alba, who deteriorates as the demon possessing her becomes more bloodthirsty.
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls
by Grady Hendrix
Fifteen-year-old Fern is welcomed into Wellwood Home in the summer of 1970 — pregnant, scared and alone. There, she encounters a dozen other girls in the same predicament and befriends Rose, a hippie who insists she will find a way to keep her baby and escape to a commune; Zinnia, a musician who is certain she will go home and marry the father of her child; and mute Holly, who has just turned 14 and has not told a soul who impregnated her. The girls are monitored every day, from what they eat to what they speak about. Fern then meets a librarian who gives her a book about witchcraft. However, the girls quickly learn that power is never given freely and the price is usually paid in blood.
by Grady Hendrix
Fifteen-year-old Fern is welcomed into Wellwood Home in the summer of 1970 — pregnant, scared and alone. There, she encounters a dozen other girls in the same predicament and befriends Rose, a hippie who insists she will find a way to keep her baby and escape to a commune; Zinnia, a musician who is certain she will go home and marry the father of her child; and mute Holly, who has just turned 14 and has not told a soul who impregnated her. The girls are monitored every day, from what they eat to what they speak about. Fern then meets a librarian who gives her a book about witchcraft. However, the girls quickly learn that power is never given freely and the price is usually paid in blood.
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil
by V E Schwab
In 1530s Spain, fiery-haired María is forced into marriage but finds comfort in a mysterious, ageless widow who owns an apothecary. Nearly 300 years later, nature-loving Charlotte is uprooted from her English countryside home to be molded into a proper lady until an encounter with a captivating older woman alters her fate. In 2019, Alice leaves Scotland for Harvard, only to awaken after a night of revelry consumed by a strange, endless hunger. As each woman challenges the roles society imposes, their stories intertwine through time guided by an unseen and powerful force.
by V E Schwab
In 1530s Spain, fiery-haired María is forced into marriage but finds comfort in a mysterious, ageless widow who owns an apothecary. Nearly 300 years later, nature-loving Charlotte is uprooted from her English countryside home to be molded into a proper lady until an encounter with a captivating older woman alters her fate. In 2019, Alice leaves Scotland for Harvard, only to awaken after a night of revelry consumed by a strange, endless hunger. As each woman challenges the roles society imposes, their stories intertwine through time guided by an unseen and powerful force.
Feral and Hysterical
by Sadie Hartmann
Feral and Hysterical is a curated collection of horror essays that honours the dark and complex journeys of women. Within these pages, readers will encounter vengeful maidens, vampires thirsting after their own desires, hysterical individuals reclaiming their power, and others enduring gruelling metamorphosis. Expect potions brewed, zombies slain and plenty of blood spilled. Featuring essay contributions from rising voices in the horror genre like Alma Katsu, Alexis Henderson, Christina Henry, Rae Knowles and Laura Purcell, this anthology will surely put you in the mood this spooky season.
by Sadie Hartmann
Feral and Hysterical is a curated collection of horror essays that honours the dark and complex journeys of women. Within these pages, readers will encounter vengeful maidens, vampires thirsting after their own desires, hysterical individuals reclaiming their power, and others enduring gruelling metamorphosis. Expect potions brewed, zombies slain and plenty of blood spilled. Featuring essay contributions from rising voices in the horror genre like Alma Katsu, Alexis Henderson, Christina Henry, Rae Knowles and Laura Purcell, this anthology will surely put you in the mood this spooky season.
This article first appeared on Oct 27, 2025 in The Edge Malaysia.
