8 Serial Killer Books Perfect for Spooky Season

We both love a thrilling and captivating novel with a serial killer. If you think about it, serial killers walk alongside us. They have for generations. They’re depraved and dangerous. You can’t help but be intrigued by them. We’ve gathered a list of our most memorable serial killer books. I’m joined by my dear friend Amy from Novelgossip. For several years, we’ve hosted a #FallIntoMyBacklist Challenge on social media. Once fall hits, we love to read mostly backlist titles. It’s something we look forward to every year and we hope you’ll join in. This post may contain links to purchase books & you can read our affiliate disclosure here.

The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard

The fact that readers learn early on who the killer is, makes for a tense game of cat and mouse. There’s also a book within a book. This is executed perfectly, so it feels like you’re reading a true crime nonfiction book within a captivating and suspenseful fiction novel. Such an interesting storytelling angle and a must-read!

Fear Nothing by Lisa Gardner

There’s always a grittiness to Lisa’a plots and this was one very dark. There were so many gut punching twists that discussing the plot would just ruin things. If you’ve never read a Gardner book before, I can highly recommend this series if you’re a thriller fan. She’s a fantastic storyteller and her writing is captivating. D. D. is such a great lead character and this series is wonderful.

Daisy in Chains by Sharon Bolton

Daisy in Chains is one of those books that really keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time you’re reading it. It is a constant guessing game where you’re wondering who to trust and I had the slightly uncomfortable but rather enjoyable feeling of being manipulated myself. The biggest question was is Hanish guilty or innocent? It’s a total head game. I can’t say much more without revealing Bolton’s clever plot details, but the twist was a killer!

Fourth Monkey by J. D. Barker

The Fourth Monkey is an insanely creepy look inside the mind of a serial killer with a twist. The FMK actually dies at the very beginning of the book, but he left one last victim for the police to find. She’s hidden away somewhere in Chicago and she doesn’t have long before she dies. This ups the intensity for readers. Porter has been chasing FMK for years now and he won’t let another young woman die on his watch. He’s forced to follow the breadcrumbs left behind by a sadistic killer, but can he figure out the puzzle before it’s too late?

Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier

Murder, serial killer, female best friends, and secrets long buried make for one of my favorite creepy reads. If you’re easily scared out, I recommend a daytime read for this one. Jar of Hearts is dark, intense & memorable. I never quite felt like I had a handle on what the real truth was and that made for a gripping, suspenseful and drama-filled read. When it comes to serial killer books, this one is a crowd favorite.

Into the Black Nowhere by Meg Gardiner

The only thing better than serial killer books are entire series devoted to serial killlers. Meet Meg Gardiner! This is the second book in Gardiner’s successful UNSUB series. The main character, Caitlin, is a full fledged profiler this time around. Into the Black Nowhere picks up not long after Unsub ends. While this could be read as a standalone, do yourself a favor and read Unsub. The case is inspired by Ted Bundy and it made for some chilling reading. While reading, the intensity is at an all time high and I think my heart was in my throat for the majority of the time.

Blindsighted by Karin Slaughter

There’s a reason Karin Slaughter is referred to as Queen Karin. She is a master storyteller and Blindsighted is the first book in her Grant County series. if you’re looking for a bingeworthy series, look no further! Karin writes raw, violent, dark and twisted stories.

Heartsick by Chelsea Cain

Female serial killer, cat and mouse game, very dark and disturbing perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter. A serial killer grabs a detective, tortures him, seduces him, lets him go, and turns herself in. When another killer begins to snatch girls off the street, the detective turns back to the killer for answers. Dark and twisted, this is the first in a series.