Kait Mae

I don’t typically read or watch horror, but I do enjoy a thriller from time to time. That said, when I decided to do this series of book recs based on cover color and genre, I couldn’t just skip horror and thriller. I went through list after list for just the right vibes – and came up with these seven books.

For every list in this series, I decided to do mostly newer releases mixed with one well-known older release that fans of that genre would probably have already read – or at least know the author. Though, for this list, I’m sure we’ve all heard of the author. I hope if you’re a horror or thriller fan, you love the books in this first post in this series.

Red: ‘The Rabbit Man’ by T.R. Slauf

The first pick for this list is actually a collection of short stories instead of a full-length horror novel. That said, each story explores themes mixed with horror and thriller, as well as science fiction and mystery.

One of the stories sees Rabbit Man – a sadistic killer who livestreams his kills. Another features a haunted car. Based on reviews, it seems you’ll either be unable to put it down or won’t be able to sleep at night.

Orange: ‘Lockjaw’ by Matteo L. Cerilli

If you’re looking for a more YA-centric book, Lockjaw is perfect for you. It follows Paz Espino and her friends in Bridlington, which is haunted by a tragic death at an old mill. Paz relies on her friend group to face the monster hiding beneath the town’s facade.

The story jumps between time and perspective. It sets horror against friendship, with Paz and her friends facing off against the darkness in the town caused by the death. It’s described as a “blend of ghost stories and psychological suspense.”

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Yellow: ‘Rose Madder’ by Stephen King

We’ve reached the well-known author pick for this list. Rose Madder follows Rose Daniels as she escapes her abusive husband Norman after fourteen violence-filled years of marriage. She starts a new life in a different city, where she purchases a mysterious painting of a woman in a rose-colored gown.

As she explores the secrets of the painting, she has to confront her past trauma and fears. Meanwhile, her ex-husband is tracking her down, using his work as a police officer to his advantage. This leads to a suspenseful and supernatural showdown. What else would we expect from a Stephen King novel?

Green: ‘Private Rites’ by Julia Armfield

Want a more speculative pick instead of full-on horror? Try Private Rites. Set in a world where relentless rain has reshaped the landscape and drowned cities, we follow Isla, Irene, and Agnes. The sisters are brought back together following the death of their father.

There’s something haunting about the book’s prose. In addition, it feels like it’s set in an alien world that is actually plausible one day. The tension comes through the horror that the world could environmentally collapse now that their father is dead.

Blue: ‘No Road Home’ by John Fram

Want an adult book that’s more thriller than horror while still being haunting? No Road Home is the book for you. It follows Toby Tucker, a single father who recently married Alyssa. While taking him and his son to visit her family, things start to seem off.

Her family is unsettling religious and runs a massive televangelist church. But the family’s dynamics shift downward when the patriarch is murdered. Throughout the novel, Toby fights to protect himself and his son from Alyssa’s increasingly dangerous family.

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Indigo: ‘So Witches We Became’ by Jill Begachinky

If you love Stephen King’s The Mist and want something like that, you should try So Witches We Became. It’s a YA horror novel that follows senior Nell and her friends on a private island in Florida for spring break. But they’re going to have a hard time getting home when a toxic mist surrounds the island and a beast lurks in the water.

They have to face their secrets and the island’s tragic history just to survive. However, the monsters, both physical and mental, threaten that. Will they make it home or will someone snap when a tough secret gets revealed?

Violet/Purple: ‘The Blonde Dies First’ by Joelle Wellington

Want a book that feels like a teen slasher film? The Blonde Dies First is perfect for that. Devon and Drew Harris, twin sisters, are preparing for what Devon hopes is the “best summer ever.” That said, someone just had to mess with the Ouija board.

Unsurprisingly, they don’t do it right and a demon is released. And as is common with slashers, the “blonde” dies first – and that just so happens to be Devon. Meanwhile, her crush Yaya is just the perfect person to be deemed the “Final Girl” who will determine if the cycle ends with her or not.