Supernatural suspense thriller novels have long captivated the imagination of adult readers, immersing them in a world where the line between the known and the unknown blurs. These gripping tales offer an intoxicating blend of the unexplainable, the mystical, and the downright terrifying, as they transport readers to eerie settings where ghosts lurk in the shadows and ancient curses hold unsuspecting victims in their grip.
Within these pages, unseen forces manipulate the fates of characters, plunging them into a heart-pounding dance with the supernatural. The tension builds steadily, page by page, as rational explanations give way to inexplicable phenomena that challenge our very understanding of reality. As readers, we become enthralled by the chilling atmosphere and the thrill of the unknown.
For those who crave chills, thrills, and a touch of the otherworldly, supernatural suspense thriller novels offer an escape into a realm where anything is possible. This article will delve into some must-read titles in the genre, taking you on a journey through intricate plots that will keep you on the edge of your seat and characters that will haunt your dreams long after you've turned the last page. Whether you're a seasoned fan or new to the genre, prepare to be captivated by these intricately woven tales of suspense and the supernatural, where every twist and turn leaves you yearning for more.
Supernatural Suspense Thriller Novels for Adults
1) Walking Among The Trees
After urgently notifying the bishop about a young girl who appears to be possessed by an invisible demon, Father Nathaniel Kerrigan is taken aback when the bishop insists that he personally perform the exorcism ritual. Filled with panic and a sense of unease, Kerrigan reaches out to his old friend and trusted mentor, Monsignor Carmichael, seeking his assistance in persuading the bishop to assign another priest for the task. However, as Kerrigan confesses that his lack of experience with the supernatural is the reason behind his reluctance, Carmichael becomes suspicious that there is much more at stake than what Kerrigan is revealing.
Driven by a mixture of curiosity and concern, Carmichael leads Kerrigan on a haunting and treacherous journey through a secluded nature preserve. With each step, the dark secrets of Kerrigan's hidden past begin to unravel, intertwining with the eerie presence of the demon within the young girl. It becomes increasingly apparent that there is a profound connection between Kerrigan and the malevolent force, one that he is desperate to avoid confronting at all costs.
As they delve deeper into the heart of darkness, the line between past and present blurs, exposing Kerrigan to the relentless grip of guilt and remorse. The girl's possession becomes a chilling reflection of his own inner demons, forcing him to confront his deepest fears and grapple with the haunting truth that lies within throughout this supernatural suspense thriller novel.
2) The Sun Down Motel
Upstate New York, 1982. Viv Delaney, a young and ambitious woman with dreams of making it big in New York City, finds herself in a small town called Fell. Determined to save up enough money for her move, she takes on a job as the night clerk at the Sun Down Motel. However, from the moment she steps foot inside, she can't shake off the unsettling feeling that something isn't quite right. As the nights go by, Viv begins to experience strange occurrences and eerie encounters that leave her questioning her sanity.
Fast forward to Upstate New York, 2017. Carly Kirk grew up hearing stories about her aunt Viv, who mysteriously vanished from the Sun Down Motel before Carly was even born. Intrigued and unable to let go of the family mystery, Carly decides to embark on a journey to Fell. Stepping into the same motel that held so many secrets decades ago, Carly soon realizes that time seems to have stood still within the motel's walls. The same chilling atmosphere and unexplained phenomena that her aunt experienced now engulf Carly, drawing her deeper into the enigmatic web of the motel's past.
As Carly delves further into the mysteries surrounding the Sun Down Motel, she becomes entangled in a world of secrets, disappearances, and inexplicable events. In this suspense thriller novel for adults, the lines between the past and present blur as she uncovers hidden connections and uncanny parallels to her aunt's disappearance. Determined to uncover the truth, Carly finds herself journeying down a path that could ultimately lead her to the same fate as her aunt, all in the name of unraveling the haunting enigma that has plagued the Sun Down Motel for years. Will Carly unravel the motel's secrets before it's too late? The Motel Mysteries await.
3) The Haunting of Brynn Wilder
In this adult supernatural thriller novel, after experiencing a heart-wrenching loss, Brynn Wilder finds solace in the serene town of Wharton, nestled along the picturesque shores of Lake Superior. Seeking solace and introspection, she seeks refuge in a charming boardinghouse for the summer, hoping to gain a fresh perspective on life.
Within the walls of this quaint abode, Brynn encounters a captivating cast of fellow lodgers. There is Alice, a fragile soul cared for by a compassionate married couple, whose own journey is marked by profound sorrow. LuAnn, the inn's endearing and eccentric owner, adds a touch of whimsy to the atmosphere. And then there is Dominic, an enigmatic man whose body is adorned with striking tattoos that seem to hold secrets of their own.
Yet, even in this inviting sanctuary, where the echoes of countless lives reverberate through time, a mysterious undercurrent begins to stir. Alice possesses knowledge about Brynn and their fellow residents that defies explanation. Troubling dreams and haunting whispers lure Brynn towards a shuttered room at the far end of the hallway, a room still imbued with the weight of a recent tragedy. And amidst whispers of ominous rumors surrounding Dominic, Brynn cannot help but be inexplicably drawn to him, even as the shadow of suspicious deaths follows in his wake.
In this bone-chilling season of love, transformation, and fear, an unseen force beckons Brynn, calling her to confront her past. As the tendrils of fate tighten their grip, she may find herself left with no choice but to answer the ominous summons that awaits her.
4) The Ghost Files
For 16-year-old Mattie Hathaway, this is her regular daily routine. Ever since her mother tried to murder her when she was just five years old, Mattie has possessed the extraordinary ability to see and communicate with ghosts. It's a secret she keeps hidden from the world, fearing the label of a freak would only further complicate her already challenging life as a foster kid.
Usually, Mattie tries her best to ignore the persistent presence of the spirits, knowing that if she gives them attention, they tend to linger. However, everything changes when she unexpectedly encounters the ghost of her foster sister, Sally. While everyone else believes Sally is just another runaway, Mattie knows the heartbreaking truth: Sally is dead, a victim of foul play. Driven by a sense of responsibility, Mattie feels compelled to help her departed foster sister, but she understands that she can't face this terrifying journey alone.
Against her own reservations, Mattie forms an unlikely alliance with a young and determined policeman named Officer Dan. Together, they embark on a relentless quest to uncover the chilling truth behind Sally's mysterious disappearance. Little do they know, their investigation will lead them down a much darker path, revealing the presence of a ruthless serial killer lurking in their midst. As Mattie delves deeper into the dangerous unknown, she becomes painfully aware that she may be the next target on the killer's list.
Will Mattie be able to unravel the enigma surrounding Sally's fate before the relentless killer locates her? With time running out and the stakes higher than ever, Mattie's courage and determination will be tested like never before in her fight for justice and survival. Find out Mattie’s fate in this adult supernatural suspense thriller novel.
5) Final Girls: A Novel
Ten years ago, college student Quincy Carpenter, a bright-eyed and ambitious young woman, embarked on a seemingly innocent vacation with five close friends. Little did they know that this trip would forever change their lives. Tragically, Quincy would return alone, the sole survivor of a horrifying massacre that resembled something straight out of a chilling horror movie.
Quincy found herself thrust into a club that no one ever wishes to join—a group of survivors known in the media as the Final Girls. Alongside Lisa, who tragically lost nine sorority sisters to a deranged college dropout's knife, and Sam, who courageously faced off against the infamous Sack Man during her shift at the Nightlight Inn, Quincy became part of an unimaginable sisterhood. Each Final Girl had their own harrowing tale of survival, forever bonded by the unspeakable horrors they endured.
In an attempt to move forward and reclaim their lives, the three Final Girls strive to put their nightmarish pasts behind them, and, with that, each other. Despite the relentless efforts of the media to bring them together, their paths never intersect.
Fast forward to the present, and Quincy appears to have found stability and contentment. Thanks to her Xanax prescription, she manages to keep her anxiety at bay. She has a caring and supportive almost-fiancé named Jeff, a wildly popular baking blog that captivates readers with delectable treats, a stunning apartment that exudes comfort, and a therapeutic connection with Coop, the heroic police officer who saved her life all those years ago. Quincy's memory has conveniently blocked out the haunting events of that fateful night, allowing her to bury the past deep within her subconscious.
However, Quincy's newfound tranquility is abruptly shattered when she receives the devastating news of Lisa's untimely demise. Lisa, the first Final Girl, is found lifeless in her own bathtub, her wrists slashed in a gruesome display. As if this shocking revelation wasn't enough, Sam, the second Final Girl, mysteriously appears on Quincy's doorstep, bringing with her a whirlwind of chaos and uncertainty. With an air of urgency, Sam seems determined to compel Quincy to confront her past, leading to a series of increasingly dire consequences. Quincy finds herself questioning Sam's true motives for seeking her out, as buried secrets and hidden agendas come to light.
As Quincy races against the clock, she must untangle the web of truths and lies spun by Sam, all while evading the relentless pursuit of the police and sensationalist reporters hungry for a scandalous story. In the midst of it all, Quincy's ultimate quest is to uncover the long-buried memories of what truly transpired at Pine Cottage a decade ago. She knows that until she can remember the full truth of that horrifying night, the past will continue to haunt her, threatening to unravel the fragile stability she has worked so hard to rebuild.
With an ominous sense of urgency, Quincy's life becomes a high-stakes race against time, as she navigates treacherous territory, desperate to find answers and closure. Will she be able to unearth the dark secrets that lie buried within her fractured memories? Can she outsmart the relentless forces that seek to manipulate her every move? Quincy's journey towards the truth is fraught with danger and uncertainty, as she fights to reclaim her own narrative and finally bring an end to the nightmare that began ten years ago.
6) Silver Nitrate
Montserrat, a talented sound editor, has always been overshadowed in the male-dominated film industry of 1990s Mexico City. Despite her undeniable skills, she remains invisible to her best friend, Tristán, a faded soap opera star whom she has secretly loved since childhood.
However, their lives take a thrilling turn when Tristán discovers that their new neighbor is none other than the enigmatic cult horror director, Abel Urueta. Intriguingly, Urueta claims that he possesses the power to change their destinies, even if his story of a Nazi occultist infusing magic into volatile silver nitrate film stock seems like pure fantasy. According to Urueta, the film was never completed, resulting in his career vanishing overnight. He believes he is cursed.
Driven by curiosity and a desire to break free from their stagnant lives, Urueta convinces Montserrat and Tristán to assist him in shooting the missing scene of the cursed film, in hopes of lifting the lingering curse. However, as they delve deeper into this mysterious project, Montserrat starts sensing a dark presence following her, and Tristán begins encountering the ghost of his former girlfriend.
Together, Montserrat and Tristán embark on a journey to unravel the secrets of the unfinished film and the obscure occultist who once roamed their city. As they uncover the truth, they may come to realize that sorcery and magic are not confined to the realm of movies alone. Through this extraordinary adventure, Montserrat and Tristán's lives will be forever transformed, challenging their perceptions of reality and the boundaries of the human experience.
7) Haunted River
A woman, wearing nothing but a white nightgown, has been found dead on the banks of the Black River, her murder remaining unsolved and her ghost continuing to haunt the small town where she once lived and died.
Twenty-five years later, Detective Gordon Daniels inherits his estranged grandfather's home, situated on the very property where the lifeless body was discovered. Eager to sell the house, Daniels enlists the help of his partner, Detective Aaron Remalla, to assist in clearing it out and take a break from their demanding job. However, their plans are abruptly disrupted when a second woman's body, donning a white nightgown, is found in the river, unwittingly entangling them in an investigation they would rather avoid.
As they delve into the nearby town, their scrutiny uncovers a cast of intriguing suspects, including a cantankerous elderly woman and her entitled grandson, two sisters skilled in fortune-telling, a sheriff with a penchant for the paranormal, a drifter with a questionable past, and even Daniels' own grandfather. With each passing day, strange incidents, unsettling dreams, and ghostly encounters accumulate, compelling Detectives Daniels and Remalla to confront the town's spectral inhabitants and unearth a sinister secret so shocking that someone is willing to kill in order to keep it concealed.
Will the ghosts of the past aid them in apprehending the killer before they become the next victims?
Haunted River marks the beginning of the Detective Daniels and Remalla series. While it follows the events of the Family or Foe saga, where the detectives initially appear, Haunted River can be enjoyed as a standalone novel.
If you relish a heart-stopping murder mystery interwoven with ghostly elements, an enthralling supernatural thriller that keeps you guessing, and a captivating partnership between two detectives, then immerse yourself in the chilling tale of Haunted River.
8) Ghost Eaters
Erin, a young woman struggling with setting boundaries, finds herself entangled in a complex situation involving her charismatic but reckless college ex-boyfriend, Silas. Despite her better judgment, Erin's compassion leads her to bail Silas out of rehab once again. However, her decision to cut ties with him becomes even more urgent when Silas tragically succumbs to a fatal overdose shortly after his release, leaving Erin shattered and questioning everything.
Amidst her grief, a close friend introduces Erin to an intriguing concept: a new drug called Ghost, reputed to grant users the ability to communicate with the deceased. In her desperate pursuit of closure and longing to reconnect with Silas, Erin reluctantly agrees to partake in a pill-induced "séance." Little does she know, this decision will plunge her into a world of unimaginable consequences and irreversible transformations.
Once consumed, Ghost reveals its unfathomable side effects, forever altering the fabric of reality. Erin finds herself caught in a perilous web of supernatural occurrences, unable to escape the haunting echoes of her past. With each passing moment, the line between the living and the dead blurs, as Erin grapples with the unsettling truth that once you take Ghost, there is no turning back.
9) The Hollow Places
Ursula Vernon, an acclaimed author who writes under the pen name T. Kingfisher, presents a chilling narrative of concealed realms and monstrous creations. Carrot, recently divorced and facing the prospect of moving back in with her parents, desperately needs a respite and a place to call home. When her Uncle Earl, the proprietor of the fascinating Wonder Museum, offers her lodging in exchange for cataloging the exhibits, Carrot eagerly accepts the opportunity.
The Wonder Museum boasts an array of taxidermy, shrunken heads, and an assortment of enigmatic curiosities. For Carrot, these artifacts hold no creepiness, as she grew up surrounded by them. The true eerie element emerges from a gaping hole in one of the museum walls, revealing a hidden corridor. The existence of such a passageway conflicts with the museum's slender walls and the concrete bunker at its end. What lies beyond the bunker's doors are peculiar islands, shrouded in mystery, with unseen whispers emanating from the willow trees.
Carrot unwittingly stumbles into a bizarre and horrifying world, where malevolent entities known as "They" keep a watchful eye on her. Among the islands, evidence of Their feasts and experiments is scattered. Even if Carrot manages to find her way back home, she cannot escape Their relentless pursuit.
10) Ashwood’s Girls
The Troubled Spirits Series is a collection of gripping stand-alone paranormal murder mysteries, each one intricately woven with inspiration from true crimes that sent shivers down spines. Fifty years ago, a diabolical plan was set in motion, leaving a trail of darkness and mystery that culminated in a haunting murder.
In the present day, we meet Adam Tate, a man driven by love and urgency to build his wife's dream home. With her health deteriorating, Adam lives with the constant fear that time is slipping away and that her days are numbered in mere months rather than years. As he tirelessly digs the foundation for their new home, destiny takes a chilling twist when he unearths a hidden secret buried deep within the earth - long-buried skeletons, remnants of a dark past. Overwhelmed by the shock, Adam impulsively decides to conceal the graves and push the unsettling discovery to the recesses of his mind.
However, when Adam and his wife Holly finally move into their new home six months later, it becomes evident that Adam's actions have awakened an ominous presence that refuses to be silenced. As the couple settles into their seemingly idyllic new surroundings, they soon find themselves entangled in a web of betrayal, murder, and unsettling voices from beyond the grave. The line between the living and the dead blurs, as they embark on a journey where every step unravels deeper secrets and untold horrors.
Join us as we delve into this captivating tale, where the shadows hold unimaginable truths and the lingering spirits demand justice. Brace yourself for a haunting experience that will leave you questioning the boundaries between this world and the next.
11) Where Echoes Die
Two sisters embark on a journey to a secluded town in Arizona to unravel its ties to their mother's untimely demise. Little did they know, they would stumble upon more than they bargained for in this spine-chilling supernatural thriller penned by the acclaimed author of The Dead and the Dark.
Ever since the loss of her brilliant yet troubled investigative journalist mother, Beck Birsching has been adrift. She finds herself constantly slipping into memories of happier times, yearning for a return to normalcy. When a cryptic letter, penned in her mother's handwriting, arrives in the mail with the words "Come and find me," pointing to the small town at the heart of her final investigation, Beck clings to the hope that it holds the answers she seeks.
However, upon arrival in Backravel, Arizona, Beck and her sister Riley immediately sense that something is amiss. The absence of cars, cemeteries, and even churches raises their suspicions. The town is an odd juxtaposition of deteriorating military structures and pristine new buildings, all under the watchful eye of a gleaming treatment center perched atop a plateau. No one seems to recall how or when they arrived, and as Beck delves deeper into the enigmatic leader of the town and his daughter, Avery, she becomes convinced they are hiding crucial information.
As Beck and Riley delve into the mystery surrounding their mother's fate, Beck finds herself inexplicably drawn to Avery, forging an unexpected connection. This newfound bond forces Beck to confront buried emotions she has long struggled to suppress. Desperate to cling to the familiar, she risks losing herself in the enigma of Backravel and its haunting ties to her mother.
In Where Echoes Die, Courtney Gould masterfully transports readers to a haunting desert town, delving into themes of grief, the weight of holding onto the past, first love, and the unbreakable bonds between sisters, mothers, and daughters.
