10 Spooky Books That Would Make Good Movies — Hollywood, Take Note!

Mar. 15, 2025

Spooky books that would make great movies.

So what aspect of these stories made them such a great fit for the silver screen?

At risk of stating the obvious, they’re all, well, scary. Any horror novel worth its salt should make the heart race and the spine tingle, as if a great, hairy spider was skittering along each vertebrae. It should discomfit and unsettle, disturb and unnerve regardless of subgenre — and horror has plenty to choose from: gothic, psychological, supernatural, post-apocalyptic. Of course, each category has its own unique characteristics: a slasher storymustinclude a slasher; a ghost storymustinclude a ghost. But setting these distinctions aside, the foundation of any good horror story — and subsequent film adaptation — consists of three key elements.

A spectacularly spooky setting for one thing. A mysterious, gruesome, and/or violent antagonist — human, monster or what-have-you — for another. And perhaps most importantly, a tight, suspenseful plot: The story should evoke a rising sense of dread, luring the reader into a world where danger lurks around every corner and suffering skulks in the shadows. Bonus points if the narrative blurs the lines between what is real and what is imagined, prompting the audience to question their own realities.

This spooky season has no shortage of creepy, eerie and thrilling tales. Here’s my take on which ones would be just as brilliant on the silver screen as they are on the page.

01of 10

​This would appeal to fans — including me! — of Deborah Harkness’All Soulstrilogy, with similarly witchy vibes and a journey of self-discovery.

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02of 10

An unreliable narrator who just might be a murderer. A nosy neighbor determined to unravel the truth about her sister’s disappearance. And a talking cat who knows more than she’s letting on​. ​​This superbly structured story focuses on the everyday horrors people inflict upon one another — and the fallout which inevitably follows.

This one makes the list purely because of how unique it is: It’s like getting lost inside a deep, dark maze from which there’s no escape. But fair warning, this isnota tale for the faint of heart.

03of 10

I see dead people– or at least, ​16​​-year-old Jake Livingston does. He’s a teenaged medium who’s forced to watch the dead relive their last moments on an endless loop. Throw in a few racist teachers and one vengeful ghost, and Jake’s got his hands full.

Viewers who like their horror films with a dose of social commentary a la Jordan Peele’sGet Outwill be hooked on this twisty young adult story.

04of 10

Del Rey

A modern ghost story where things go bump in the night — andnothingis as it seems. A family with sinister secrets returns to their hometown in rural Pennsylvania, only for history to repeat itself when their teenaged son encounters a strange boy with a taste for dark magic​

​A delicious blend of slash horror and domestic drama, Wendig’s writing, irresistibly reminiscent of Stephen King, is so cinematic that it practically begs to be translated into film — one which is bound to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

05of 10

In 1950s Mexico City, Noemi Taboada, a beautiful socialite, receives a letter from her cousin stating that her husband is trying to murder her. Determined to get to the truth of the matter, Noemi journeys to her cousin’s home, where an insidious secret threatens to destroy all who encounter it​. ​​

Eerie. Atmospheric. Evocative. I love a period piece, and this one has the potential to be visually stunning — likeAnna Kareninafor horror fans!

06of 10

Thomas & Mercer

A piece of fiction based on chilling true events: In 1977 Minnesota, two friends witness something they shouldn’t, swearing to never speak of it again. But when two girls go missing in the span of a week — and with the authorities refusing to investigate — the duo begin searching for answers, only to discover that nothing​ ​​     ​​(​and no one​)​ is as it appears​.​​     ​

This would appeal to true crime aficionados who prefer their horror light on the jump scares and heavy on the thrills.

07of 10

Forever

When her sister disappears, Ophelia must enter a haunted mansion and face nine trials to claim its prize: a single wish. There, she encounters a dangerous, seductive stranger who offers his assistance in exchange for ​10​​ years of her life.

CaravalmeetsBasic Instinctin this dark fantasy filled with steamy – and morally grey – romance and twists the audience won’t see coming.

08of 10

Gallery Books

Scoutmaster Tim Riggs leads his ​Boy Scout​​​ troop into the woods for a three-day camping trip, only to encounter a murderous, bioengineered intruder with a taste for human flesh. Now, the troop must battle the trespasser, the elements and each other in this harrowing tale of survival. Old-school horror at its best!

I can pictureThe Troopbeing done in the same dark-yet-campy style of Nickelodeon’sAre You Afraid of the Dark?— in fact, this could have been one of its storylines back in the day.

09of 10

Faber Faber

I love a thriller with an unreliable narrator —Gone GirlandThe Girl on the Trainwere recent favorites — and this one has the added chill factor of supernatural elements to boot!

10of 10

Doubleday

Jordan Kopy’sTheodora Hendrix seriesis on sale now, wherever books are sold. The next installment in the series,Theodora Hendrix and the Snare of the Shadowmongers, comes out Jan. 21, 2025 and is now available for preorder.

source: people.com