Halloween is almost here, and while you may not be into trick or treating and costumes, you can still celebrate the scary season cuddling up with a good book. No offense to horror movie fans, but there’s nothing better than a thrilling read with lots of creepy words to let your imagination run wild. If you’re looking for a good read but don’t know where to start, we got you.
Suggested Reading
From dystopian thrillers to tales of true crime, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite books by Black authors that are sure to give you chills.
“Out There Screaming: A New Anthology of Black Horror” Edited by Jordan Peele
From the writer and director of thrillers like “Get Out” and “Nope,” comes “Out There Screaming,” a haunting collection of new horror stories from Black authors. With titles like “Invasion of the Baby Snatcher” and “Wandering Devil,” this is one book you’ll want to read with the lights on.
“Parable of the Sower” by Octavia Butler
While not technically a horror story, Octavia Butler’s “Parable of the Sower” is pretty damn scary. The story is centered around Lauren Olamina, a 15-year-old who lives with her family in a gated community during a dangerous time of social, political and economic chaos. When her family and her community are torn apart, Lauren sets out on a dangerous mission to start a community of her own.
“The Weight of Blood” by Tiffany D. Jackson
In “The Weight of Blood,” we meet Madison Washington, a high school student in a small Georgia town who is living with a deep secret– the often-bullied teen who has been passing for white her whole life is really biracial. But when her true identity is exposed, Maddy’s classmates plan a prank for prom night that could cost them their lives.
“My Soul to Keep” by Tananarive Due
In “My Soul to Keep,“ we meet Jessica, a woman who loves her husband, David. But as people around her begin to die, she discovers that he is part of an Ethiopian sect who traded their humanity so they would never die. This scary tale even got love from one of the GOATs, Stephen King, who called it “an eerie epic.”
“All the Sinners Bleed” by S.A. Cosby
“All the Sinners Bleed” follows the story of a teacher killed by a former student in a quiet Virginia town, and the town’s first Black sheriff who is leading the investigation. While his work uncovers the crimes of a serial killer, he’s also dealing with his own painful secret and the actions of a dangerous far-right group.
“The Man in My Basement” by Walter Mosley
“The Man in My Basement” tells the story of a Black man who, after falling on hard times, agrees to rent the basement of his family’s home to a white man. But when his tenant begins to make unusual requests, the man is drawn into a strange and mysterious world.
“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot
Ok, so “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” isn’t meant to be a thriller, and Rebecca Skloot isn’t Black, but hear us out on this one.
The book tells the true story of Henrietta Lacks, a Black mother and tobacco farmer whose cells were taken without her permission when she went to the hospital for cervical cancer treatment in 1951. Known as HeLa cells, Lacks’ cells continue to be an important part of medical research, including the development of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“The Black Girl Survives in This One” Edited by Desiree S. Evans
“The Black Girl Survives In This One” is an anthology of 15 horror stories for young adult readers. But while the stories are scary, they are true to the title, with strong Black female characters who are monster-slaying heroes.
“Fledgling” by Octavia Buter
If you’re looking for a good vampire novel, check out “Fledgling,” a thriller from award-winning science fiction author Octavia Butler. The book centers around a young girl who discovers that she is actually a genetically modified, 53-year-old vampire who is part of a sect that has been on the Earth for thousands of years. As she tries to piece her life together, she also has to figure out who wants to destroy her and everyone she cares about.
“We Lie Here” by Rachel Howzell Hall
“We Lie Here” follows Yara, a television writer who returns to her hometown for her parents’ anniversary. But what is supposed to be a celebration turns tragic when Yara gets a disturbing text from her mother’s friend who says she has information that could change her life. After that friend turns up dead, Yara discovers a basement full of secrets that leads to a mysterious tragedy that could put her life in danger.
“A Devil Went Down to Georgia: Race, Power, Privilege and the Murder of Lita McClinton” by Deb Miller Landau
“A Devil Went Down to Georgia” is the story of the 1987 murder of Lita McClinton Sullivan, a woman who was shot and killed in suburban Atlanta. The book explores Sullivan’s interracial marriage to millionaire Jim Sullivan and the messy divorce that may have cost her her life.
“The Gilda Stories” by Jewelle Gomez
“The Gilda Stories” is a sexy vampire novel set in 1850s Louisiana. After escaping slavery, Gilda finds work in a brothel. There, she is initiated into eternal life by two women and spends the next two hundred years searching for a place to call home.
“No Place Safe: A Family Memoir” by Kim Reid
“No Place Safe” is a fascinating memoir from Kim Reid. Set in Atlanta in 1979, Reid, the daughter of a police officer, writes about the impact her mother’s investigation of a serial killer had on the summer before she started high school.
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