11 Horror Books to Read if You Love A24 Horror Movie

What Makes A24 Horror Books And Movies Stand Out

If you’ve ever watched an A24 film, you’ve likely felt its unique and almost immediately distinctive style. Treat for horror books or movie lovers. This studio produces a wide range of movies, from critically-acclaimed works like Everything. Everywhere All at Once and Moonlight to emotional coming-of-age dramas such as Lady Bird and Eighth Grade. But there’s something undeniably different about the studio’s horror movies. They lean into a metaphorical and atmospheric vibe, carving out a particular space in the genre.

Over the last decade, this elevated horror approach has been shaping and influencing trends with a focus on how a film’s look, feel, and play resonate deeply with audiences. The directors, as true arbiters of vision, craft films that make you think while they terrify.

For fans who’ve already crushed all the A24 horror films (like the terrifying Talk to Me). There’s good news: the world of horror fiction offers a similar style and emotional weight. Imagine a supernatural encounter with the ghost of a vengeful mother-in-law, or a listless millennial vampire dying for an authentic meal. Dive into the trippiness of drug trials or the dread of an ocean exploration gone wrong. These A24-ish horror novels evoke the same haunting. Artistic energy that the studio brings to the screen, offering readers not just scares. But an unforgettable pleasure in reading tales that linger for years.

A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers

Fans of A24 movies including: Lamb, Saint Maud, The Witch

In the dark, unsettling world of feminist-horror, few characters leave as haunting an impression as Dorothy Daniels. A bougie New York food writer by day and a psychopath by night, she epitomizes the perfect blend of sophistication and terror. Her taste for the grotesque lies in her cannibalistic tendencies, targeting only male victims, often her ex-boyfriends or fleeting flings. The idea of “never staying friends with your exes” takes on an entirely sinister meaning here. Yet, beneath the gore, the novel serves as a sharp fable on misogyny, the writing industry, and society’s obsession with consumption—whether it’s food or relationships.

Drawing critical comparisons to the writing style of Raymond Chandler and Bret Easton Ellis. The narrative strikes a chilling balance between literary elegance and raw horror. While the focus may seem to be on meat and murder. It’s the poignant passages exploring womanhood and friendships among women that truly appeal to fans of A24 horror films. The story’s distinctly female perspective is what makes it feel so striking and unforgettable, leaving readers both horrified and mesmerized by Dorothy’s twisted but captivating sense of justice.

Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth

Fans of A24 movies including: In Fabric, It Comes at Night, Beau Is Afraid

If you’re drawn to A24‘s signature blend of unsettling yet thought-provoking horror, Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth offers a fresh twist on the genre. This brilliant book dives into the complicated dynamics of a mother-in-law from hell with a story so weird and gross that it’s impossible to look away. While reading, I felt echoes of Ari Aster’s work, where emotions marinate and leave you pondering a final decision on whether you truly liked what you just experienced. It was one of my favorite horror novels of 2025 for its ability to surprise and disturb in equal measure.

Motherthing reminds me of Nightbitch and Bunny, books that confront uniquely female struggles. This one takes motherhood, both the desire to be one and the yearning to be mothered, and twists it into something grotesque yet strangely illuminating. With morphs and peels of dark humor layered into its narrative, it crafts a new kind of psychological terror that lingers long after you turn the last page. This blend of themes, emotions, and unexpected humor ensures that Motherthing is as deeply impactful as it is entertaining.

The Seven Visitations of Sydney Burgess by Andy Marino

Fans of A24 movies including: Tusk, X

Reading The Seven Visitations of Sydney Burgess by Andy Marino feels like stepping into a grim, swirling fever dream—it’s intensely trippy and builds relentlessly into a stomach-turning descent into body horror. The story unfolds across gripping chapters, peeling back intricate layers of trauma and transformation. Sydney, a recovering addict, seems to have pieced her life together with a devoted boyfriend and a beloved son, until a violent night changes everything.

After being assaulted in her own home by a burglar, she awakens alone with hazy, confusing memories of the night. As a relentless detective searches for answers, the horrifying truth of what transpired slowly emerges. Sydney’s shocking actions—turning the tables on her invader in ways both viciously and gruesomely unimaginable—reveal unexpected depths to her character.

Beyond its visceral shocks, the novel explores profound themes. It examines how addiction shapes our lives, even when it no longer holds us in its grips, and delves into the idea of love as a performance within complex relationships. This is particularly compelling when seen through the lens of a male partner whose well-meaning control erodes a woman’s agency. The revelations are as shocking as they are deeply human, making this book unforgettable for fans of chilling stories with emotional weight.

Such a Pretty Smile by Kristi DeMeester

Fans of A24 movies including: The Monster, The Lighthouse

If you’re into A24 horror movies, Such a Pretty Smile by Kristi DeMeester is a must-read. It’s a horror-thriller that feels like one of those urban legends we hear around Halloween, where the danger lurks unexpectedly. Imagine hearing stories about razorblades and broken glass hidden inside candy apples—that’s the vibe, but with a horrifying twist. The book wraps womanhood and femininity in a coming-of-age story, only to have a serrated core buried deep inside.

The eerie journey involves a serial killer and creepy moments, with complex female characters at its heart. You’ll follow the emotional chaos of a troubled mother-daughter relationship, filled with angst and the struggles of being a te3n4gEr. The novel features dueling timelines that keep you guessing, warping your expectations at every turn. This is no simple thriller—it’s a horror novel that breaks the mold with its weird and unpredictable nature.

Blood Sugar by Sascha Rothchild

Fans of A24 movies including: The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Pearl

If you’re a fan of A24 horror movies, you’ll appreciate the darkly funny and acerbic style of Sascha Rothchild’s debut psychological thriller. This deeply twisted novel introduces Ruby, a Miami native with a gifted and intelligent mind, whose life takes a disturbing turn early on. At just five years old, Ruby’s life changes forever during an ill-fated beach excursion that leads to the death of a classmate. Once the story unfolds, we see her navigate through some of the most important stages of her life. All the while recounting these events during an interrogation with a detective.

As an adult Ruby, now a successful psychologist, she’s caught up in a web of homicide and murder. Suspected of killing her husband and three other people, the tension builds up, making it feel like you’re at the center of the mystery. With each page, you’ll be gripped by the suspense, as Rothchild delivers a tale that will leave you saying, “Dun, dun, DUNNNN” at every twist and turn.

American Mermaid by Julia Langbein

Fans of A24 movies including: Talk to Me, Bodies Bodies Bodies

If you’re a fan of A24 horror films, you know the power of blending the strange and the eerie into a narrative that is both captivating and unsettling. One such unique book that deserves your attention is a story that moves beyond the typical thriller. It’s not just about chilling moments but about the entire world that is meticulously built. Imagine a book where you can’t quite separate the lines between reality and fiction—almost like a book-within-a-book.

The protagonist, Penelope, starts as a high school teacher in Connecticut. But as her career evolves into a bestselling author and later a Hollywood screenwriter in Los Angeles, strange life-threatening events seem to follow her. The story, at first glance, may appear light-hearted, with a pastel beachy cover, a doodled mermaid tail, and a whimsical font—but don’t be fooled. As Penelope’s life and the story of Sylvia, the eco-warrior mermaid, start blending together, things take a sinister turn.

The adventures of Sylvia in her sci-fi and feminist tale seem to bleed into Penelope’s life, making the lines between fiction and reality blur in the most unsettling ways. The melancholy, disconnected, and unaffected atmosphere around Penelope’s character adds a layer of mystery and intrigue as she struggles to understand if there is something more sinister at play or if she is simply caught up in the weirdness of it all.

Other People’s Clothes by Calla Henkel

Fans of A24 movies including: The Lighthouse, Enemy

If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers that delve into complex emotions and suspense, then this novel will captivate you. Picture American students Zoe and Hailey, stranded in the glittering, yet gritty backdrop of Berlin during the late-aughts. Their toxic bond, fueled by obsession and jealousy, unravels over time, creating a slow burn of mounting tension. As their relationship devolves into betrayal and hate, the nexus of their fraught life leads to a gripping story involving murder and a looming celebrity trial, eerily reminiscent of the infamous Amanda Knox trial.

The tension grows so intense that it becomes impossible to tear away, as the shadow of their spiralling emotions engulfs both characters. The psychological weight of their isolating and claustrophobic environment creates a deeply emotionally intense narrative, giving a haunting. Character-driven look at the frailty of human relationships. This debut offers a rich, immersive experience that pulls readers into a web of obsession-fueled suspense and unravelling secrets, keeping them hooked until the final page.

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

Fans of A24 movies including: High Life, A Ghost Story, The Hole in the Ground

If you’re a fan of A24 horror movies, you’ll find Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield to be an absolutely gorgeous, sad, and eerie read. I adored every moment of reading this romantic yet haunting story that blends tinges of the horror genre with something more profound. Much like Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer (both the book and the film adaptation), this tale isn’t full of scream-fests, but rather a dreamlike meditation on grief and love. The narrative alternates between Miri and her wife Leah, a marine biologist who returned home after a mysterious deep-sea mission that went terribly wrong.

After submerging, her submarine lost power and fell off the grid for six months, leading to the death of a colleague and a shocking discovery in one of the deepest parts of the ocean. When Leah is finally brought back to dry land, Miri is relieved to have her wife back, but she soon realizes that Leah may still be somewhere on the ocean floor, forever changed by what she experienced. It’s a perfect blend of a horror novel with psychological depth that will stay with you long after the final chapter.

Bad Cree by Jessica Johns

Fans of A24 movies including: The Witch

If you’re a fan of A24 horror films, you’ll love Bad Cree by Jessica Johns. The story centers around Mackenzie, a young Cree woman living a solitary life in Vancouver, working her shifts at Whole Foods while struggling with disturbing, lifelike dreams about her late sister, Sabrina. These unsettling nightmares blur the line between dream and real world when she wakes up holding a severed crow’s head in her hands, a horrifying object that seems to have crossed over from the dream realm.

As Mack confronts the deep grief and shame tied to the deaths of both her kokum (grandmother) and older sister, she’s forced to return to her hometown in High Prairie. It’s here, surrounded by her female relatives, that Mack starts to understand the meaning of her visions and tries to stop the terror consuming her. Bad Cree blends folktales and supernatural horror while exploring the power of family and the struggle to overcome emotional crisis, making it a perfect read for A24 lovers seeking a new, chilling ride.

Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero

Fans of A24 movies including: Green Room, Under the Skin

If you’re a fan of A24 horror flicks that mix in comedy, you’re in for a treat with this fantastic book. The story brings a group of bitter and jaded adults who were once precocious teens solving summer mysteries together. Now, older and crankier, they reunite after years of drifting through lives they never envisioned, from movie stardom dreams to waitressing in dive bars. It’s the mystery from their childhood that still haunts them, with slimy, sharp, deadly, and creepy monsters involved.

Their reunion is sparked by this old case that still weighs heavily on their minds, proving that some mysteries, like the death of a childhood friend, don’t really stay in the past. Their quest to finish what they started as kids shows just how much has changed. But the mystery remains an undeniable force in their lives.

Woman Eating by Claire Kohda

Fans of A24 movies including: Hereditary, Life After Beth

Woman Eating by Claire Kohda is a debut novel that spins a new take on vampire lore with a character-driven narrative. The protagonist, Lyd, is a woman and an artist caught in a complex struggle to reconcile her inner conflicts. She is not just a typical bloodthirsty supernatural creature. But a multifaceted individual trying to juggle a ravenous demon inside her while dealing with her human impulses.

The novel explores her mixed ethnic heritage, a fledgling career in the arts, and her relationship with food, which takes on a bizarre and unsettling tone. One moment, you’re delighted, the next you’re repulsed. The descriptions of food, especially the mention of pig’s blood, left me both mind reeling and my stomach growling in equal measure.

This book fits perfectly into the Sad Fucked Up Women trend that’s popular in contemporary literary fiction, with its sparse prose and subdued plotting. If you’re a fan of writers like Sally Rooney and Otessa Moshfegh. You’ll find echoes of their style here, though Kohda’s novel takes a far darker, more visceral turn. The protagonist’s struggle with eternal life. And her search for balance between the ravenous demon within her and the human impulses she tries to honor, offer a unique perspective. And, much like the unsettling experience of milk. This book changes how you view the normal parts of life.