5 Spooky Books to Read This Halloween 2026

Dark evenings, candles lit, something sweet within reach and a book that makes you slightly reluctant to turn off the light afterwards. Halloween is one of the best times of the year to disappear into a properly atmospheric story.

If you're looking for something new rather than reaching for Dracula or The Haunting of Hill House again, we've picked five newer books that are perfect for Halloween reading in 2026.

There are witches, haunted houses, strange disappearances and more than a few things going bump in the night. Some are genuinely frightening; others are more eerie than terrifying.

And if you'd rather have someone else choose your next read, our Book Subscription Boxes are designed for readers who enjoy discovering new books without having to choose every title themselves.

1. The Witches of Cambridge by Alice Hoffman

Best for: Witches, secret societies and autumn atmosphere

Alice Hoffman and witches are a very good combination.

Published in September 2026, The Witches of Cambridge follows two young women in 1950s Cambridge, Massachusetts, who become involved with a mysterious secret society of witches known as the Lilith Society.

There are old stories, family secrets, magic and the lingering shadow of the witch trials. It has all the ingredients for a Halloween read without necessarily being the sort of book that will have you checking under the bed before going to sleep.

Spooky level: 2/5

This is probably our pick for someone who likes an atmospheric autumn book but isn't looking for full-blown horror.

Know somebody who always has a book on the go? Our Advance Book Subscription is a good option when you'd rather give them several new books to look forward to instead of trying to choose one title yourself.

2. Kiss Slay Replay by Rachel Harrison

Best for: A clever, modern Halloween read

Imagine going to a beautiful wedding weekend.

Now imagine having to live through it again. And again. And again.

Rachel Harrison's Kiss Slay Replay, released in September 2026, takes the familiar time-loop idea and turns it into something decidedly darker.

Willa Sullivan is already having a difficult weekend when she arrives at her friends' wedding and finds herself face-to-face with her ex-fiancé. Then events take a considerably stranger turn and Willa discovers that escaping this particular wedding may not be quite as straightforward as going home.

It's a fun choice if you want your Halloween reading creepy without being relentlessly grim.

Spooky level: 3/5

A good spooky book also deserves supplies. If you're putting together a present for a reader, our Create Your Own Gift Box lets you build the gift around them, with reading-friendly treats and gifts from our range.

3. The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer

Best for: Readers who want to be properly frightened

A mysterious advert. Three days' work. A remote house. Very good money. What could possibly go wrong?

Quite a lot, as it turns out.

The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer was published in April 2026 and follows Macy Mullins, who takes a short caretaking job at an isolated property on the Oregon coast.

The instructions are unusual. The surroundings are unsettling. And it gradually becomes obvious that Macy has walked into something considerably more dangerous than an awkward few days looking after somebody else's house.

Kliewer is also the author of We Used to Live Here, so readers who enjoyed that particular brand of unsettling, what's-going-on-here tension should feel very much at home.

Or possibly not at home at all.

Spooky level: 4/5

If you're buying for someone who gets through books faster than you can keep track of them, browse our Gifts for Book Lovers. They are designed for exactly the situation where you know someone loves reading but you don't necessarily know every title already on their shelves.

4. Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker

Best for: Haunted-house readers looking for something different

This one earns its title.

Kylie Lee Baker's Japanese Gothic moves between two timelines.

In 2026, Lee is hiding at his father's centuries-old house in Japan while trying to understand a violent event he can barely remember.

In 1877, Sen is a female samurai attempting to protect her family after her father returns from war very different from the man who left.

Then the two begin seeing one another across time.

There is a strange house at the centre of it all, family secrets, ghosts and a growing feeling that neither Lee nor Sen understands what is really happening.

It was released in April 2026 and has quickly become one of the more talked-about new gothic horror titles of the year.

A warning: this is considerably darker than our first couple of choices. Save it for the reader who actually enjoys being scared.

Spooky level: 5/5

For something rather less frightening to accompany it, have a look at our Bookish Gifts, where you'll find smaller gifts for readers that work well on their own or alongside a book.

5. Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher

Best for: Gothic mansions, dark secrets and seriously creepy goings-on

T. Kingfisher has become a favourite with readers who like their fiction strange, gothic and unsettling, and Wolf Worm fits Halloween rather nicely.

Set in North Carolina in 1899, it follows scientific illustrator Sonia Wilson, who accepts a position working for the mysterious Dr Halder at his remote manor house.

The job initially sounds ideal.

Until Sonia begins wondering what happened to her predecessor. And to Dr Halder's wife. And why the animals nearby are behaving so strangely.

Then there are the rumours about something called the “blood thieves”.

We'll leave it there.

This isn't cosy autumn reading, but if your idea of a successful Halloween book involves an old house, unexplained events and the distinct possibility that everybody should have left several chapters ago, add it to the list.

Spooky level: 4/5

What Should You Read This Halloween?

For something witchy and atmospheric, start with The Witches of Cambridge.

If you like horror with a clever premise, try Kiss Slay Replay.

For a genuinely creepy read, pick up The Caretaker.

If haunted houses and gothic horror are more your thing, Japanese Gothic should keep you occupied.

And for dark historical gothic fiction, Wolf Worm is an excellent choice for an October night.

The only remaining requirements are a blanket, something chocolatey and preferably a locked door.

Looking for a Gift for Someone Who Loves Books?

Choosing one specific book for an avid reader isn't always easy. They may already own it, have read it or have a towering pile of unread books beside the bed.

That's exactly why we created our Book Subscriptions. Choose the type of books they enjoy and we take care of choosing the titles.

If we've selected a book they've already read, our already-read-it policy helps take the risk out of the gift.

If you'd rather send a one-off present, browse our Gifts for Book Lovers, Create Your Own Gift Box, or explore our full range of Gift Hampers and Gift Boxes.

Because the best thing about finishing a brilliant book is knowing there's another one waiting.