10 Best Books to Read for Halloween That Will Give You Chills

Halloween isn’t just about costumes and candy—it’s also about atmosphere. The long nights, the flicker of candlelight, and the crunch of leaves underfoot all set the stage for stories that make your heart race and your imagination run wild.

There’s nothing quite like curling up with a haunting read while the October wind howls outside your window. From gothic castles to cursed houses, from witches and ghosts to monsters stitched together in lightning, books have a way of summoning the very essence of Halloween.

Here are some of the best books to sink into this spooky season and stories that range from bone-chilling classics to eerie modern tales and even some lighthearted fright for younger readers. Each one captures that spine-tingling thrill that makes Halloween so enchanting.

#1 Dracula by Bram Stoker

Published in 1897, Dracula is the quintessential vampire novel and the foundation of so much horror that followed. Stoker’s use of journal entries, letters, and diaries creates an intimate, unsettling atmosphere that makes readers feel like witnesses to Dracula’s creeping influence. The Count himself is both charismatic and terrifying, embodying mystery, desire, and death. As you turn the pages, the novel feels less like fiction and more like folklore that refuses to die. It’s a slow, creeping dread that still resonates today.

“Listen to them, the children of the night. What music they make!”

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#2 Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Written when Shelley was just 18, Frankenstein is more than a monster story—it’s a tale of ambition, loneliness, and the consequences of playing god. Victor Frankenstein’s obsession with creating life leads to tragedy when his creature, rejected by its maker, becomes consumed with anger and revenge. What makes this book so haunting is its emotional depth; the creature is as sympathetic as he is frightening. On a stormy Halloween night, this novel’s mix of science, horror, and tragedy feels especially electric.

“Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful.”

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#3 The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Hill House isn’t just haunted—it’s alive. Jackson’s 1959 masterpiece takes four strangers into the mansion for an experiment, but it’s Eleanor, fragile and yearning for belonging, who becomes the house’s focus. The novel blurs the line between supernatural terror and psychological breakdown, leaving you unsure what’s real. It’s this uncertainty, combined with Jackson’s elegant prose, that makes it so effective. Perfect for readers who want a book that unsettles long after the last page.

“No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream.”

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#4 The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

This novella is the ultimate ghost story for those who prefer atmosphere over jump scares. A young governess believes her two charges are being manipulated by spectral figures, but James leaves readers questioning whether the ghosts are real or if her mind is unraveling. The ambiguity is the true horror you’re never given a clear answer, which makes the story linger like a chill in the air. It’s the kind of tale that makes you second-guess every shadow in the room.

“I seemed to see their lips form the words: ‘We shall never be free.’”

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#5 Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Few books drip with gothic atmosphere like Rebecca. When the young Mrs. de Winter arrives at the grand Manderley estate, she finds herself haunted—not by ghosts, but by the lingering memory of her husband’s first wife, Rebecca. The entire house seems alive with her presence, and the sinister Mrs. Danvers ensures that Rebecca never truly leaves. It’s romantic, eerie, and unsettling all at once, making it a perfect October read.

“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.”

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#6 House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

If you’re looking for a modern book that truly messes with your head, House of Leaves is it. The story centers on a family who discovers their house is impossibly larger on the inside than the outside, leading to endless hallways and terrifying voids. Told through fragmented footnotes, nested narratives, and chaotic typography, the book itself becomes part of the experience. Reading it feels like being trapped in a maze. For Halloween, it’s the ultimate choice for readers who want their minds as haunted as their hearts.

“This is not for you.”

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#7 Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Gaiman’s dark fairy tale is whimsical yet unnerving. Coraline finds a hidden door in her home leading to an “other” world, where everything seems better until she meets the Other Mother with her button eyes and sinister smile. It’s a story about courage, fear, and the importance of home, written in a way that’s just scary enough for children and still deeply unsettling for adults.

“When you’re scared but you still do it anyway, that’s brave.”

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#8 The Witches by Roald Dahl

This playful yet eerie children’s story brings witches to life in a way that feels both imaginative and creepy. These witches don’t wear pointed hats, they disguise themselves as ordinary women, plotting to rid the world of children. Dahl’s mischievous prose makes the story fun while still sending shivers down little spines. Perfect for a Halloween family read.

“Children are not small grown-ups. They are a different species entirely.”

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#9 Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine

For pure Halloween fun, Stine’s Goosebumps books are unbeatable. With titles like The Haunted Mask, Say Cheese and Die!, and Night of the Living Dummy, each story delivers just the right amount of scare for younger readers or nostalgia for adults who grew up with them. They’re fast-paced, funny, and creepy in the most entertaining way, making them ideal to dip into throughout October.

“You can’t hide from me. I’ll find you… always.”

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#10 The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell

Purcell’s gothic thriller is set in a crumbling English estate where unsettling wooden figures called “companions” seem to move when no one’s looking. The story layers superstition, madness, and atmosphere until you’re not sure if the terror is supernatural or human. It’s chilling, immersive, and tailor-made for reading with the lights low and the wind rattling outside.

“Fear is the companion that never leaves you.”

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Pick up one of these books, settle into your favorite chair, dim the lights, and let yourself be transported. After all, the best way to celebrate Halloween is with a story that lingers long after you close the cover.