It’s officially Spooky Season! That magical time of year when the weather gets crisp, the leaves begin to fall and Hocus Pocus airs non-stop on TV. It’s also the perfect month to catch up on some great thrillers to add to the excitement of the Halloween season. Whether you believe in the supernatural or are an armchair detective these 13 books will keep you up at night and turning pages. (Plus an additional bonus book in case spooky isn’t your thing but you still want to celebrate the season.) So grab your favorite blanket, pour a glass of wine and get reading.

“A House of Ghosts” by W. C. Ryan

With England deep into the First World War the Highmounts, like many other families, are reeling from the loss of their two sons. Wishing to hear from them one more time, Lord & Lady Highmount have invited a specially selected group of people to their isolated island off the coast of Devon for a unique gathering. Their home, Blackwater Abbey is unlike any place you have been before. The estate is known to be haunted by ghosts from long ago, a setting perfect for the weekend’s planned seances. Kate Cartwright, a long time friend of the family, has been convinced to accept her invitation to attend by her boss in the intelligence service. Accompanying her will be another member of the military, undercover as a manservant. Plans for top secret weapons designed by Lord Highmount’s company have fallen into the German’s hands and Kate’s boss believes that the guilty party will be in attendance this weekend. Kate and Donovan have been tasked to figure out who has betrayed their country. The mediums the Highmounts have hired for the seance aren’t the only ones that are able to contact the spirit world. Kate has a secret gift of her own, one that will come in handy as she attempts to solve the mysteries that Blackwater holds within its walls. William Ryan has written an absolute page-turner! A murder-mystery at its core, “A House of Ghosts”, is told from multi-POVs so the reader doesn’t miss a beat of what is happening while the living are stranded for the weekend in the company of the dead.

Purchase a copy of “A House of Ghosts” here.

“Dark Matter” by Blake Crouch

Jason Dessen was a brilliant scientist on the verge of a major breakthrough in his career, his wife was an up and coming artist – then Daniela got pregnant and they gave up on their careers to start a family together. Neither of them regretting the choice they made even as their former colleagues gain notoriety that was destined to be theirs once upon a time. One night, Jason gets abducted on his way home. When he awakes he finds himself in an unfamiliar place. Everyone seems to know who he is and they are celebrating his “return”. Is this just a side-effect of being hit on the head by his attacker or is this all really happening? Jason discovers that in this “world” he and his wife never married, his son never born but professionally he accomplished everything he ever imagined. Something he only dreams of. “Dark Matter” explores the theory of mutli-universes and what life would have been like if you had chosen a different path? What if you had chosen a different college, accepted another job, married a different person? This book explores how much each decision we make shapes us and those we love. Jason Dessen wants nothing more than to get his life back…no matter what the cost. Blake Crouch has written an absolute page turner. I read this book in a day because I just couldn’t put it down. Crouch is also currently working on developing this book as a series for Apple.

Purchase a copy of “Dark Matter” here.

“Survive the Night” by Riley Sager

After the murder of her roommate and best friend Charlie wants to leave campus and get home as soon as possible as her guilt and grief have become unmanageable. Instead of waiting a few days so her boyfriend can drive her back to Ohio she opts to check out the school’s ride share board. As fate would have it Josh just happens to be looking for a passenger to make the same drive with and the two agree to share the journey. Her boyfriend, Robbie, begs Charlie to reconsider after all the Campus Killer is still on the loose leaving Maddy’s murder still unsolved. Charlie just can’t bear being in their room any longer and at 9pm the next night she climbs into the passenger seat of Josh’s car. As the night edges on and the dark, empty road stretches before them Charlie starts to recognize suspicious things about Josh and starts to believe she may just be sitting next to the man who took Maddy’s life, the Campus Killer himself. Trapped in his car, Charlie must play her cards carefully if she wants to survive the night. Riley Sager is one of my absolute favorite authors. He can do no wrong in my eyes and no matter what he writes, I’m buying it. Though “Survive the Night” wasn’t my favorite of Sager’s (“Home Before Dark” wins that title) it certainly is up there. Set in 1991 and filled with all the nostalgia – Nirvana on repeat in the tape deck, anyone? – I could not put this book down. However, this won’t be for everyone. Large portions of the book are set in the car with mostly conversation and inner dialog happening but man, can Sager bring it home. If you haven’t yet picked up a book by Riley Sager do yourself a favor and get on it immediately. You won’t regret it. Read on for two more of my favorites by this author…

Purchase a copy of “Survive the Night” here.

“The Breakdown” by B. A. Paris

Cass is out with her co-workers celebrating the end of the school year when a huge storm begins to brew. She decides to head for home promising her husband, Matthew, that she won’t take the shortcut through the woods. Driving conditions are terrible on the main roads so she decides to make a break for it and head in the direction she said she wouldn’t. She’d get there faster this way anyway. Sheets of rain are coming down as she nears the end of the lane. She can finally see another set of lights ahead of her and hurries on to catch up so they can share the use of headlights for the remainder of the drive but as she gets closer she sees that the car isn’t moving but instead is parked in the lay-by. Annoyed that she now has to squeeze past, she flashes the woman inside a dirty look as she passes. Realizing this woman might be in trouble out here all alone in the woods, Cass decides to pull over as well. When the woman makes no effort to get out or signal for help, Cass decides to continue on and call the police when she regains cell service once she clears the woods…something she ultimately forgets to do. When she wakes the next morning, Matthew informs her there has been a murder not 5 minutes from their home. A woman in the woods was found dead in her car. Knowing Matthew would be furious with her if she told him she returned that way last night she keeps her run-in with the woman to herself but when the silent phone calls start coming, Cass begins to wonder did Jane’s killer see her that night? Does he know who she is? This was my first book by B.A. Paris (big thanks to my friend who recommended it!) and it certainly won’t be my last. When an author keeps you up until 1 a.m. you know you’ve found a gem. Add this to your TBR list immediately.

Purchase a copy of “The Breakdown” here.

“Strangers at the Gate” by Catriona McPherson

Paddy & Finnie have just been offered the jobs they have always dreamed of, a partnership for Paddy at a small law firm and a full-time deaconship for Finnie. Along with the jobs, Paddy has been offered a small cottage on the property of his new boss, Lovett Dudgeon, rent free. After settling in, Finnie begins to question the decision they made moving to Simmerton. Their new home is dark and isolated and she has been hearing things in the woods. On Monday evening Paddy and Finnie are invited up to the Dudgeon’s home for dinner. Despite willing herself not to enjoy Tuft Dudgeon’s company she finds the woman engaging and Finn decides she is looking forward to the new start after all. The young couple start their short walk down the path back to their cottage when Finn realizes she has left her purse behind. Turning back Finn & Paddy discover the front door open and what they discover inside will upend everything they believe to be true. Catriona McPherson has written a wicked page-turner! For all of you armchair detectives out there, I challenge you to try and figure this one out. McPherson kept me guessing right through to the last page. Suspense fans, this one is a must!

Purchase a copy of “Strangers at the Gate” here.

“Home Before Dark” by Riley Sager

Maggie doesn’t believe in haunted houses, after all, she supposedly lived in one. At least that’s what her father’s best-selling novel led everyone to believe all those years ago. At 5 years old Maggie’s family purchased Baneberry Hall, a large Victorian estate in the Vermont woods. The home’s reputation made the property a steal but the Holt family weren’t completely aware of what they were getting themselves into. Maggie and her parents, Ewan & Jessica, last three weeks before escaping their home in the middle of the night. The world became fascinated by their ordeal when Ewan’s account of what happened at Baneberry Hall was published in his true story “House of Horrors”, a book that Maggie believes to be completely fictional considering she has no memory of what her father has written. When her father passes away 25 years later, Maggie learns that not only did her father never sell Baneberry Hall but now it belonged to her. Defying her promise to her father on his deathbed to never go back there, Maggie decides she has to see the house for herself and figure out once and for all why her family really fled that night in July. “Home Before Dark” is another smash by author Riley Sager. This page turning thriller had me seconding guessing what I thought to be true the whole way through. Definitely not one to be missed. Be sure to add this to your TBR list.

Purchase a copy of “Home Before Dark” here.

“The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” by Stuart Turton

A man wakes in the forest at dawn with no memory except for the name, Anna. While still confused and uncertain of where or who he is, he makes his way towards Blackheath Manor. What he doesn’t yet know is that he will be forced to repeat this same day over and over again until he can solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle, the only way out of this game. Each morning he wakes in the body of a different guest staying at Blackheath, bringing pieces of his days inside his other hosts with him. Peter & Helena Hardcastle have invited everyone to the Manor to welcome their daughter, Evelyn back home from Paris after 19 years. The Hardcastle family have been at odds since the death of young Thomas that day by the lake and morbidly this party falls on the anniversary of his murder. Can the man piece together what becomes of Evelyn Hardcastle and escape the endless trap that is Blackheath before someone else beats him to it? This original, creative and clever mystery gave me a Clue meets Groundhog Day meets sci-fi feels. It was so intriguing to see where author Stuart Turton was taking the reader next it made the book hard to put down. There are so many twists, turns and time jumps it will keep you on your toes. “The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” was really unlike anything I’ve read before, really creative. This is a great read for fans of the mystery/suspense genre. Will definitely be rereading this!

Purchase a copy of “The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” here.

“An Unwanted Guest” by Shari Lapena

The guests arriving at Mitchell’s Inn for a weekend of relaxation, connection and romance are in for an experience that they will never forget and for some…not survive. The hotel’s luxury rooms, fireplaces, gourmet food and endless activities draw ten unsuspecting guests to the Catskills during a terrible winter storm. With the blizzard raging outside and its employees unable to come to work the hotel is only staffed by its owner/head chef James and his twenty-two year old son Bradley. The two promise that their guests will still be well taken care of despite being short handed. After dinner the guests retreat to their rooms until an early morning scream draws everyone to the grand staircase where they find a guest dead. Unable to call for help due to down power lines, the occupants of Mitchell’s Inn turn to a guest, a defense attorney, for advice on how to handle the accident. But soon when another guest is found dead it starts to look more and more like there is a killer hiding out in the hotel…or among them. Can the rest of the guests survive the weekend until help arrives or are more of them destined to die at Mitchell’s Inn. “An Unwanted Guest” is the second book I’ve read by author Shari Lapena (I reviewed “The Couple Next Door” back in September of 2018) and this one was far and away my favorite of the two. Once you get settled in on the number of characters and perspectives you hear from you can’t put this book down. For those of you who love a good twisty who-done-it mystery be sure to add this one to your list.

Purchase a copy of “An Unwanted Guest” here.

“The Guest List” by Lucy Foley

Dear Reader, you are cordially invited to attend the wedding of Julia Keegan & Will Slater on a private island off the coast of Ireland. Guests begin to travel across choppy waters the day before the ceremony as celebrations start with the champagne flowing freely. Julia’s 19 year old half-sister, Olivia, will act as her only bridesmaid, Will’s best man and ushers are friends from his elite private school days and the evening will be MC’d by Julia’s long time best friend, Charlie. With a celebrity bride and groom no expense has been spared to make The Folly’s first wedding spectacular. Sure the cell-phone service is lacking and the weather an impending disaster but that doesn’t stop Folly Owner/Wedding Planner, Aoife, from trying to pull off the perfect event. As day turns into night the guests get drunker, the storm outside grows increasingly more angry and tightly-wound threads of secrets begin to unravel in all directions. Speeches are given, the cake is cut and then the lights go out. A scream can be heard outside the marquis, someone has found a body. Told from the POVs of Olivia, Julia, Johnno (the best man), Aoife and Hannah (Charlie’s wife) “The Guest List” is a perfect, slow-burn mystery. Just when you think author Lucy Foley has shown all the cards she comes back with yet another shocker that you didn’t see coming. Highly recommend this one for all fans of this genre.

Purchase a copy of “The Guest List” here.

“The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides

Artist Alicia Berenson hasn’t said a word in years. Not since the night she murdered her husband. Alicia has been living in a medicated state since then for her own safety as well the employee’s safety at the hospital she’s been living in. Due to the notoriety of the case, the price of Alicia’s artwork skyrockets and she’s the talk of every journalist in London. No one has ever been able to convince Alicia to explain why she decided to commit the crime but Theo Faber thinks he has what it takes to bring Alicia out of her shell. After securing himself a job on the hospital’s psychotherapy team Theo is determined to be the one she speaks to first and he will stop at nothing in order to accomplish his goal even if it risks his own safety or possibly even his life. “The Silent Patient” completely lives up to all the hype that surrounds it. It has everything a thriller lover could possibly want. This book well and truly had me fooled. Bravo to author Alex Michaelides on a knock-out debut novel. Be sure to add this to your TBR list.

Purchase a copy of “The Silent Patient” here.

“The Dry” by Jane Harper

Talk about a page turner. “The Dry” follows Officer Aaron Falk as he returns to his hometown for Luke’s funeral, his childhood best friend. Circumstances around his friend’s death couldn’t be more horrific and Aaron’s countdown until he can leave Kiewarra begins the minute he steps foot back in the town. He has a complicated history there and ghosts he would rather not run into. Luke’s parents don’t believe what the city police said happened inside Luke’s home the night he and his family died. Gerry and Barb beg Aaron to stay in town to see if he can help uncover the truth. Set in a small Australian farming town during a severe drought the residents of Kiewarra are a powder keg of emotions waiting to go off. The author gives the reader just enough information to keep you guessing as to what really happened to the Hadler family. I’m usually able to figure out the ending of “who-done-its” fairly early on but Jane Harper did a great job not giving it away. Her smooth transitions between chapters keeps the story flowing and keeps the reader wanting more. If you haven’t yet read “The Dry” add this to your TBR list and check out the movie now for rental on Amazon Prime or wherever you can rent streaming movies.

Purchase a copy of “The Dry” here.

“Then She Was Gone” by Lisa Jewell

Still struggling through life ten years after her teenage daughter Ellie’s disappearance Laurel still holds out hope that she will be found. Now all Laurel has left is a strained relationship with her two surviving children and an ex-husband who now lives with another woman. One day Laurel feels a shift, as if things are beginning to lighten for her, when a charming, handsome man asks to spend time with her. Their relationship moves at lightning speed and soon Laurel finds herself meeting Floyd’s nine year old daughter, Poppy. Laurel can’t help but feel uneasy every time she is around the girl, not only does she behave just like Ellie, she is the spitting image of her. When ties back to her daughter’s life beginning to enter-twine with her new one Laurel begins to question how well she knows the man she’s been spending all of her time with and has let so deeply into her life. Could she finally discover what happened the day Ellie walked out of their life so innocently never making it to the library and never to be seen again. I find some of Lisa Jewell’s material to be a little too dark for me sometimes and “Then She Was Gone” was borderline but definitely kept me turning the pages dying to know what the truth was behind the Mack family secret. This book contains sensitive subjects (kidnapping and assault to name a few) and may not be for everyone but if you like dark and twisty reads then Lisa Jewell is your girl.

Purchase a copy of “Then She Was Gone” here.

“Lock Every Door” by Riley Sager

Jules has never been so alone as she is now. With both of her parents now gone and her sister Jane, a missing person for years, still unaccounted for, Jules doesn’t think she could slip any lower. That was until she lost her job and walked in on her live-in boyfriend with another woman all in the same day. Forced to now sleep on her best friend’s couch, Jules can’t believe her luck when she finds an ad for a job as an apartment sitter. She jumps at the chance for an interview and when she arrives finds herself at the very building that drew her to New York City in the first place, The Bartholomew. Jules and her sister Jane read a book set in this very building over and over again as teenagers. Not only does she get to live there for three months but the twelve thousand dollars she will get paid to do so will help her get back on her feet again. Yes, the “temporary resident” rules are a little strict and strange but Jules keeps her eyes on her bank account to justify them. When she befriends another fellow apartment sitter things begin to unravel and the facade of The Bartholomew starts to tumble down as secrets from the building’s history begin to reveal themselves. People move in to The Bartholomew but not everyone gets out alive. This is the second book I’ve read by author Riley Sager and I thought it would be hard to beat “The Last Time I Lied” but “Lock Every Door” had me on the edge of my seat. This is a nail-biting, don’t read alone at night thriller that will have you guessing what is coming next all the way through. For those of you who love a twisty mystery be sure to add this to your TBR list.

Purchase a copy of “Lock Every Door” here.

Bonus Book: A Spooky Season Rom-Com

“The Kindred Spirits Supper Club” by Amy E. Reichert

There is nothing that Sabrina Monroe dreads more than returning to her hometown because that is when the family curse returns. With unemployment to thank that is exactly where Sabrina now finds herself. Growing up with the Monroe family gift was torture especially when the teenage years hit and panic would set in trying to keep her abilities hidden. All Sabrina ever wanted was to be normal and here in the Dells she is anything but. The women in the Monroe family, for as far back as they can recall, have been able to see spirits and are tasked with helping those that come to them complete their unfinished business so they can cross over. Sabrina’s mother has always been a natural at assisting those who need her, Sabrina wants nothing to do with it, except for Molly. Molly has been with her family for as long as she can remember, unable to cross over. When Ray moves into town Sabrina keeps him at arms length despite Molly’s pleas to give him a chance. There is no way Sabrina can let anyone into her life because sharing the family secret has only ever led to disaster. The longer she stays at home the more Sabrina finds it difficult to leave but can she live with the afterlife forever? This was such a cute book. Amy E. Reichert has written a heartwarming story that is so fun and entertaining. If you are looking for a new rom-com but are tired of the same ole tropes, give “The Kindred Spirits Supper Club” a try.

Purchase a copy of “The Kindred Spirits Supper Club” here.

Happy Spooky Season, readers!

The Booked Mama

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