67 books like They Hide

I strongly recommend this book as not only does it weave spooky images of ghostly events in one’s psyche, but couples it with fascinating phenomena such as telepathic communication and willpower. Furthermore, I was fascinated by the complex personality of the main protagonist, who allows himself to become victim of evil forces leading to a gradual descent into madness.

It also emphasises that social isolation in a remote place can have a detrimental impact on oneself and those close to you. I found the fight for survival in this tale riveting.

Spending the summer in a cabin in the woods? Then The Ceremonies is a darn fine choice. The first time I read it was on a camping trip, and I was captivated by the way Klein describes the empty, lonely wilderness surrounding the Poroth Farm (the main location of the tale).

The protagonist of the book is an English professor who’s writing a book on the Gothics, and through the course of the book name drops a ton of classic horror novels and stories from the early 20th century. This book is not only a tremendous cosmic/folk horror novel, but sort of a treatise on classic gothic literature.

Not only is The Ceremonies a truly unsettling horror novel in its own right, but it could inspire a whole new reading list for you!

At one time, H.P. Lovecraft thought The Willows was the finest supernatural story in English literature. It’s pretty hard to disagree with that assessment.

It’s a tale of creeping malevolence, as two men traveling along a river stop on a strange island to rest for the night. As the night wears on, events on the island become more surreal and terrifying.

One of the greatest reading experiences I’ve ever had was reading The Willows in a tent while camping in the rain. It’s a fine short story, and since it’s long out of copyright you can probably find it free to read online. But look for it in a collection of Blackwood’s other works, and enjoy them all.

No writer creates a compelling sense of dread better than H.P. Lovecraft. His stories instantly immerse you in whatever world he’s conjuring, and I think his writing reached its peak in this book.

His narrator descends into a creepy world of “others” whom he senses want to harm him (in his personal life, Lovecraft was notoriously disdainful of “others”). I was willingly dragged along with Lovecraft’s desperate narrator as he raced through town, hotel rooms, and ultimately into a terrifying gathering of the townspeople.

Nearly a century after its publication, I consider it to be one of the most timeless and striking pieces of horror ever created. 

If any contemporary detective writer is the heir to Dorothy L. Sayers, it has to be Fred Vargas.

Trained as a historian and archaelogist, she writes well-plotted mysteries with complex, flawed characters. But most of all, her books are bristling with fascinating, arcane facts. In this novel, the inhabitants of a rural, mountainous region of France are being terrorized by what seems to be a huge wolf – or is it a werewolf?

The resolution is entertaining, but what I really loved was learning about everything from medieval legends to the contemporary politics of reintroducing wild wolves in Europe – not to mention sheep-farming, wildlife photography, and plumbing.

For anyone who loved Sayers’ deep dives on bell-ringing or the advertising business, Vargas is for you.

"A necromancer and a vampire walk into a cemetery…and if you’re wondering how this joke ends, that makes two of us." Nickel City ticks all the boxes for reasons why I’ll deprive myself of sleep for a book. The cast leaps out of the pages; Sera the witty, brave, but soft-hearted heroine, her friend/ex-girlfriend, Dev, a feisty, sharp-tongued vampire hunter, and then Nate, the brooding vampire who Sera just can’t ignore. Three deadly enemies forced to work together against evil; what can go wrong, eh? Thomas slays with this enemies-to-lovers paranormal romance. With delicious simmering tension and laugh-aloud moments, it’s a clever, gripping read that now has me addicted to visiting cemeteries in the hopes of bumping into a certain vampire.

I’m a big fan of vampires and werewolves in fiction, and I think the Fangborn series is one of the most original takes on the legends I’ve encountered. Vampires and werewolves are parts of the same family—as in a vampire sister and a werewolf brother in the first Fangborn story—and both types of supernatural creatures use their special abilities to fight evil. After debuting the series in the mystery story “The Night Things Changed,” Cameron went on to write three excellent Fangborn books, but I really enjoy the variety of the short stories, and I’m so pleased that she recently collected them into this volume. 

Miranda is one of my favourite authors when it comes to dark, gritty characters. Her study on a side of human nature from which most authors would recoil in Alchemy of Chaos is intelligent yet unnerving. There’s no romantic fluff here whatsoever. It’s harsh, violent, yet painfully beautiful. A shifter who changes gender, and sexual tension between a vampire professor and his student, all tangled up with chaotic witchcraft in a dark academia setting. Miranda delivers a violent, passionate, and sublimely clever tale for readers who aren’t sensitive to adult themes. A refreshing change from paranormal fantasy with HEAs, this one haunted me long after I turned the final page. 

Stokes took me on a RH rollercoaster with this strong female lead and the mouth-watering trio of Monsterish men. This is a spicy read that will leave you wanting to join in on the chaos and revel in the badassery.

Fantasy RH books are growing more popular, and I feel as though this one can join the ranks of so many well-known series already out there. Monique keeps you on the edge as you twist and turn through the story, giving you plenty to love and despise about each character, and ending with you wanting book 2 sooner rather than later. 

Ever wonder what would happen if paranormal beings were ousted on social media? Kinney explores this enticing idea in her Texas Shifter series, where she’s created a gritty new existence for vamps and wolves. With one of the MCs a freshly-bitten hot mess, and desperate to avoid eating her family, she seeks help from her equally troubled (and broody) ex. Cue the drama, sass, chemistry, and steam. What I enjoyed most is how the more hard-hitting, sobering themes of this book are balanced out by the spice and sarcasm. But best of all? No damsel in distress!