The fall season is upon us and you know what that means, time to read some spooky thrillers! These creepy books made me break out in goosebumps and deadbolt my doors. They’ve both been turned into movies as well, so whether you prefer reading or watching, I highly recommend these fall-approved books/movies! Grab your hot cocoa, a blanket, and get ready to curl up on the couch for the night.
The Girl on the Train, by Paula Hawkins
This psychological thriller was everything I could have hoped for and more. You quickly learn that not one character can be trusted. The book does start off a little bit slow and I wasn’t immediately hooked on the plot, but once all the events started to occur, I could not put the book down. Paula Hawkins sure knows how to stump her readers. The story is told by three different narrators: Rachel, a depressed alcoholic who spends her days riding the train, creating storylines for people she passes, and drunk dialing her ex-husband, Tom. Anna, who is Tom’s new wife, has given Tom a baby, something Rachel could never give him. And, last but not least “Jess” who is later revealed as Megan, a younger woman who doesn’t like to settle and has a dark past that may catch up to her.
Rachel is the epitome of the girl on the train. She takes her mind off her own life by imagining the lives of others. Each day, she looks out the train window to observe “Jess and Jason” in their home, until one morning, things are not as they are supposed to be and Rachel sees something that completely shatters the image she’s made up in her head. To Rachel, ‘Jess’ is supposed to have the perfect relationship, home and life. But Megan is far from perfect and her life slowly starts to uncoil as Rachel helplessly watches. When Megan goes missing, Rachel may be the only one who can help solve the case.
This book is full of secrets that will grip your attention with each passing page. It will have you questioning what truly goes on behind closed doors and how well you can really know a person. No one is the good guy in Hawkins novel! No one. It was creepy, sinister, and most of all mind-blowing! How? Who did what? All the questions and all the feels are thrown your way throughout this book. Get ready to be creeped out!
Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn
This psychological-thriller contains so many plot twists that you’ll have to take a couple of breaks just to absorb all the information. The novel revolves around the marriage of narcissist Nick and Amy, a straight up sociopath. Celebrating your fifth anniversary with your significant other should be a glamorous affair — a celebration. Instead, on their 5th anniversary, Amy goes missing and all eyes are looking at Nick, because someone must be at fault. Nick and Amy’s marriage has been less than perfect over the years but their internal problems are unknown to most.
After meeting at a party seven years earlier, the two fell in love. Amy, born to two authors who documented her entire life through a telling book series, didn’t know she was capable of love but found herself falling for Nick. The next years of their relationship took them on a rollercoaster ride, especially with the financial crisis leading Nick to lose his job. Amy is used to living a luxurious lifestyle, but with no income Nick decides to move he and Amy from New York to Missouri, putting a strain on their marriage. While Nick uses Amy’s trust fund money to open a bar with his twin sister, Amy sulks around at home with nothing to do. You can’t help but understand how this relationship was so right but suddenly went so wrong. Their entire lifestyle was uprooted and dramatically altered.
Gillian Flynn is brilliant in that each chapter alternates between present-day Nick and journal entries written by Amy, ranging over the past seven years. The reader will constantly be switching sides not knowing who to put their trust in. While police continuously look into Amy’s disappearance, truth about their marriage starts to leak out. Nick is deemed as the nice guy but is he really so innocent or faithful? Amy thinks of herself as her husband’s doormat but can be rather manipulative and awful. So who do you root for? Who’s side do you choose to believe? The second half of this book will have you flying through the pages. The plot twist is so unbelievable that you won’t be able to put the book down. Even if you have seen the movie, you still need to read the book as it holds so many more crazy details. It’s evident why this book is constantly recommended to those who love thrillers. It’s just that good and twisted.
What spooky thrillers have you read this fall? I’ve never been one to read many scary books but after these, I am hooked! If you’ve read any good ones lately, comment below and let me know!
* All of the books have been linked and can be purchased on Amazon or checked out at your local library.