It’s thriller season! My favorite time of year! While you can read a good thriller any time, this genre is always best when read in the fall, especially during the month of October. You could always give yourself a good scare by watching a horror movie, but reading a chilling tale hits differently. You can’t look away from a screen when the suspense starts to climb or cover your ears from the jump-scares.
While you settle in with your gothic horror or good old gaslighting tale, this probably isn’t the vibe you want to bring to bedtime with the kids. You can still give them a fun fright with a number of “not-so-scary” books that highlight the silliness of the spooky season.
We’ve compiled a great selection of popular thriller reads just for mom and whimsical reads we’ve found joy in sharing with our kids every fall. Happy reading! And don’t forget to leave a light on…
Fall Thriller Reads for Mom
HOW TO SELL A HAUNTED HOUSE – This one will definitely scare your socks off! Great mix of thriller and horror. A grieving daughter returns to her childhood home after her parents’ death to get it prepared to sell. Among her father’s stacks of papers is her mother’s obsessive collection of dolls and puppets – all of which refuse to move out.
THE UNKNOWN – Mysterious disappearances, a suspicious old diary and evil supernatural forces all take center stage in this new paranormal horror novel from Riley Sager. His most recent anticipated novel is sure to bring on the goosebumps.
THE CARETAKER – I’ll admit I had to put this one down a couple of times because I got so throughly creeped out. A young woman struggling financially takes a job as a caretaker for, who she assumes, is an elderly man. When she arrives at his wealthy estate, she finds that the man is already dead and her job is caring for the home itself. Via VHS tape, the deceased man gives her strict ritualistic tasks that must be completed or else the “Visitors” from the woods will come.
THE YELLOW WALLPAPER – Y’all. This one caught me way off guard! Only 30 pages, this short story was written in the 1890’s and has A LOT to say about postpartum depression (way ahead of its time). A woman is sent to a countryside manor by her physician husband to help her recover from “nervousness” after giving birth. Forced to spend most of her time in her bedroom, she becomes fixated on the room’s yellow wall-paper. After weeks of isolation she begins to hallucinate and believes she must free the “creeping woman” living in the wallpaper.
THE SILENT PATIENT – Hands down, one of my favorite psychological thrillers. A famous artist shoots her husband. After the tragic incident, she is sent to a psychiatric facility and never speaks another word. Eventually, a therapist seeks out a job at the institution because of his interest in this peculiar case, confident he can get her to speak again. After gaining access to her diaries that detail the events of the shooting, something isn’t adding up and the mystery consumes him. The twist at the end will make your jaw drop.
MY HUSBAND’S WIFE – A must read to the very end because the last chapter of this book changes everything! A woman goes out for a run and returns home to find that her key won’t fit the lock. After knocking, a woman who looks almost identical to her, answers the door along with her husband, who insists this strange woman is his wife. Police are called and she runs. At the same time, a woman from London inherits the home the husband and wife lived in, once belonging to her Grandmother. Long buried family secrets begin to unfold in both women’s lives and they both must uncover the truth from the lies.
WEYWARD – This novel weaves together stories of three women from the same ancestral line across five centuries. Each woman is trapped, either physically or emotionally by others, and tries to escape. Along the way, the women uncover their family’s secret: a magical, innate connection to the natural world and wildlife. Eventually, this power emboldens them to confront the abuse and oppression they experience in their respective eras.
BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN – This soul-chilling novel is inspired by the victims and true events of serial-killer Ted Bundy. The story alternates between two female characters: one perspective told from an eye-witness to a brutal sorority house massacre and the other told from a victim. Equal parts disturbing and empowering, this book will have you checking the locks on your doors.
Spooky Silly Books For Kids
ROOM ON THE BROOM– This book is full of fun pictures and rhymes about a kind witch trying to share her broomstick with her animal friends. When a dragon threatens to eat the witch, her friends band together to save her in silly, but very clever way.
GUSTAVO THE SHY GHOST – This beautifully illustrated and heartwarming picture book follows sweet ghost, Gustavo, who overcomes his fear of making friends by sharing his love of playing his violin. It teaches young readers that they can do hard things, overcome fears, find true connection by being themselves.
CREEPY CRAYON – This clever tale tells the story of a rabbit who discovers his magical purple crayon can do all his homework for him, until the crayon starts to take over his life. The book is hilarious and the message is obvious: there is value in honesty and hard work.
NOTEBOOK OF DOOM SERIES – This series is perfect for the kid who might not be old enough for Goosebumps or Nancy Drew, but still wants a good mystery. This series follows a group of friends who live in a mysterious town full of monsters. They quickly form the SSMP (Super Secret Monster Patrol) to solve mysterious incidents at their school. Perfect for beginner readers, these chapter books are the perfect combination of silly and non-scary monster encounters. Oh! And there are lots of pictures!
GOOSEBUMPS SERIES – These classic, creepy chapter books were legendary in my house. They’re great for older readers (8+) and offer the perfect mix of light horror/comedy. Kids can pick their poison from supernatural encounters to neighborhood vampires with each book offering an unforgettable twist ending.
THE WITCHES – I loved this book when I was a kid because it kind of scared me, but in a way I enjoyed. This is classic Roald Dahl: strange, mysterious, and a little bit dark. The Witches is about a young boy who discovers a secret plot among a group of witches living among us, to turn children into mice. It’s filled with suspense, action and humor and I love the theme of family.
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK’S HALLOWEEN – Such a great lift-the-flap book. This book takes little readers on an adventure with Little Blue Truck as she picks up her friends on the way to a Halloween party. Discover who is hiding behind masks, hats, and sheets before the party is over!
THERE’S A GHOST IN THIS HOUSE – This interactive picture book is brilliant. Young readers will discover a hidden, non-scary world of friendly, mischievous ghosts living in an old Victorian home. A little girl is certain ghosts live in her home, but she can never seem to spot them, but YOU can with special pages designed to see beyond the world in front of us.
THERE’S A WITCH IN YOUR BOOK! – I love a good, interactive book and this one delivers. Your little reader’s mission is to stop the witch from making a mess of the book by tapping, shouting silly spells, and using their finger as a magic wand. It turns reading into a magical experience for you and your little one.
