Hey guys! I need some suggestions. I -love- horror/thriller/murder novels and I want to know which ones you all would suggest I read. I've read every Stephen King book and multiple books by Dean Koontz and James Patterson. Currently I'm reading The Fisherman by John Langan. What else should I look into?

I’m not as well read as I should be in horror novels but here is what I’ve read in the past two years that stood out to me:

The Ring by by Kōji Suzuki, especially if you like horror films as well! It has some flaws but the horror parts of it get better with age. And it is actually quite spooky. There where a few parts that bugged me a lot but it’s my favorite horror novel I’ve read recently.

Zone One by Colson Whitehead is a decent but bleak zombie apocalypse book. I thought the setting was very well done and there was a sense of dread through the whole thing. It is a slow burn though so might not be for you if you’re looking for a thriller.

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James was a lovely, eerie ghost story and murder mystery that I’d recommend for anyone who likes classic New England hauntings, combined with a little crime/detective mystery.

Beneath the Mountain by Luca D’Andrea is another murder mystery/thriller with some horror minor vibes. Not too much action because the murder being investigated is 30 years old, but it sure is a grisly one. But it keeps a good pace and it’s easy to read, and the scenery is just gorgeous.

I didn’t personally enjoy Lakebridge by Natasha Troop or The Devil You Know by Mike Carey but they might be in the right vein for you: they’re both murder mysteries with dark supernatural elements, and part of a series so if you do like them you can find more by the same authors.

The only other horror book I’ve loved recently is The Beauty by Aliya Whitely, though it’s nothing like any book I’ve read before and quite bizarre. Nothing like a classic King novel- it challenges a lot of concepts and honestly it's one of the most bold, daring books I've read in my whole life. I loved it and I think it deserves more recognition, even if it's not a standard horror novel!

A lot of books I find online that say they’re horror novels actually aren’t very scary. I’ve read In The Night Woods by Dale Bailey, Blister by Jeff Strand, and White Death by Christine Morgan and while they are decent, I wouldn’t categorize any of them as horror novels despite being labeled as horror on Goodreads. Do you run into this problem? I probably cast too wide a net when I search for new books to read. Sometimes it pays off and sometimes it doesn’t.

Oops I should tag you lol