5 True Crime/Horror Books that Will Scare You

 

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I did not expect to read a lot of true crime books this time, because these kind of stories can be tough for me to get through. The fictional killers in these books will make you feel sick, and they literally come off as actual monsters wearing human skin. Several of the other books were amazing horror tales that made my jaw drop, and I thought the concepts were executed to perfection. 

The endings to some of these books also were so bold, and I felt like the risks that the authors took to write these books was crazy, but it definitely paid off in the end!

I’m going to continue reading more novels, but I think I’m done with true crime, it takes a lot for me to handle these disturbing stories. 

Picture of five books. 

5. My Darling Girl by Jennifer McMahon 

This is one of the most shocking horror stories I have read this year. We follow the story of a mother with a horrific childhood, who is now willing to forgive her mother for the horrible things she did to her and her brother. Her mother is now old and sick, and she takes her into the family, to look after her, so that she will pass away in peace. 

She begins to learn a scary truth, that her mother has been possessed by a demon for years, and is now looking for a new vessel: her own daughter. 

It’s a raw take on possession, and you will feel so bad for the main character, because no one ever takes her seriously, believing the possession is all in her head. 

4. This is Why We Lied by Karin Slaughter 

This is the best novel that Slaughter has written so far. We follow the continuation of a couple from the first novel, Sara and Will, who are now going on a honeymoon in a hotel resort located on the mountains. A crime takes place, the murder of a young woman named Mercy, one of the owners of the resort. 

Sara and Will begin to learn of the dark history of the hotel, finding out that Mercy was hated by everyone in her family, and each could have a reason for wanting her dead. The backstory of the family is difficult to stomach; they are pure evil bastards that used their power to control anyone that got in their way. 

Reading the families’ downfall was so satisfying, and you will root for Sara and Will as they slowly solve this disturbing mystery. 

3. Chasing the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar 

I was blown away by this true crime story. It’s such an original idea, and the author did a fantastic job with creating this masterpiece. He used his actual history, his real name, and real people for his book, including photos to make the fictional true crime story so much more real, making the crime even more disturbing to read. 

It’s a genius way of writing a novel, and I think it’s awesome that his town agreed to appear in his book, to create a story through both his own words and pictures. The story follows a man named Richard Chizmar, talking about his past history in his small town of Edgewood, where a serial killer known as The Boogeyman is killing young women. 

The ending reveal of the killer is so shocking, and I can’t believe I guessed who it was!

2. Becoming the Boogeyman 

Yes, there is a sequel to this book, and I knew that I had to read it right away once I found the next book. I couldn’t believe how great the sequel was, and I was so happy that the author used the same formula to write the second book!

It has now been 30 years later, and Richard is now a popular author, who become famous from writing the true crime book based on the serial killer in his town. A copycat killer returns, and he starts to terrorize Richard and his family, while continuing his reign of terror against other victims. 

It’s a great sequel, and in my opinion, it’s even scarier than the first book!

1. Lute 

This is one of the best horror stories I have read in 2025. I had misjudged this book, because I’m pretty picky when it comes to folktale horror. The story really surprised me; I was not expecting a Final Destination/Midsommar horror movie combination!

We follow the story of a group of people on an island called Lute, and there is war going on in the world. People are seeking any sort of refuge, and they choose the island, in order to stay safe from any ongoing war. This turns out to be a mistake for the main character, who fell in love with a man from Lute, and she moved to his island, to raise a family. 

 She learns of Lute’s tradition, and during every seven years, seven people must die on the island. She struggles to protect her loved ones during ‘The Day,’ hoping that people that she loves will not be next on the death list. 

It’s the perfect short read, and one of my favorite horror novels of 2025!

I’m planning to read more books, but we shall see if I’m able to pull off reading 5 more books before the month is over. Gonna be a busy month before the new year!