Slash, Scream, Repeat: 27 Slasher Horror Books That Bring the Gore

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases made through links on this site. Your purchases help fund my content and come at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!

For a kid who grew up watching Wrong Turn, Final Destination, and all those wild early-2000s slasher flicks, you’d think I’d grow up to avoid anything even remotely gory. 

But, somehow, I turned into an adult with crippling anxiety and a soft spot for slasher stories.

There’s just something weirdly magnetic about them that I can’t resist. I fear them, I scream at them and yet I still devour them.

These are some of the very best slasher books I’ve read and I’m not even calling them recommendations because if you’re here, that means you’re just a little freaky like me. 

Now, just in case you’re a little confused about what counts as a slasher: a slasher is basically any form of media – book, poem, movie, you name it – where characters are killed off one by one in increasingly gruesome, often creative, and always detailed ways. 

And, yes, it’s absolutely a delight.

The Stowaway by James S. Murray

This slasher horror thriller takes place on a cruise ship – yes, literally trapped at sea with a possible serial killer.

Maria once voted to let Wyatt Butler walk free after a gruesome trial, and now people are being murdered on her ship in his exact style.

I found this book terrifying in the best way. 

It’s claustrophobic, twisty, and full of dread – the kind that makes you hold your breath. I couldn’t stop turning the pages.

If you love slasher horror books with isolated settings, cruise ship horror, and serial killer plots, this one will chill you to the bone. 

Scary, fast-paced, and truly unforgettable, this slasher novel is one of the creepiest I’ve read.

Final Girls by Riley Sager

Quincy is one of the Final Girls – survivors of brutal slasher horror events. 

She thought she’d moved on from the night at Pine Cottage, but when another Final Girl dies mysteriously and a third one shows up uninvited, things spiral. 

This book hooked me right away. It explores what happens after the horror movie ends, and I loved how real and emotional it felt. 

The unreliable memories, the secrets, the eerie feeling that someone’s watching – it’s all there. 

I especially loved how it played with classic slasher horror tropes while still being a mystery. 

If you love psychological horror thrillers with twists, messy characters, and final girl revenge vibes, you’ll race through this one like I did. 

There’s No Way I’d Die First by Lisa Springer

Noelle is the ultimate horror movie fan, so when she throws a Halloween party at her family’s estate, she’s ready to slay (pun intended). 

But things go from spooky fun to real-life slasher nightmare when a creepy clown starts picking off her guests. I was obsessed with this one.

It’s such a fun, scream-worthy slasher horror novel for teens and adults. 

Noelle is clever, funny, and determined to survive – she totally gave me final girl energy. 

The party-game-gone-deadly twist made my heart race, and the clown? Let’s just say I couldn’t sleep well after reading. 

If you love Halloween horror books, survival horror party games, and killer clowns in slasher stories, this one is perfect. 

Go Hunt Me by Kelly DeVos

This slasher horror novel takes us all the way to Romania, where a group of teen filmmakers plan to shoot a Dracula short film until they start dying one by one. 

It gave me classic horror movie energy with a unique angle.

The remote castle setting was chilling, and I was completely hooked from the moment the first person disappeared. 

I kept whispering, Don’t split up! like it was a real movie. It’s such a fun read for fans of teen horror, Dracula-inspired slashers, and trapped-in-a-castle horror. 

I loved the mix of friendship, betrayal, and the creeping dread that someone was watching. 

If you like travel horror, found footage horror books, or slashers with a supernatural twist, this book delivers big-time. I couldn’t look away.

Murder in Deep Regret by Anne Cleeland

This one is more mystery than pure slasher horror, but the suspense is real. 

A shocking murder at a church leads Detective Doyle down a confusing and dangerous path. 

Nothing is what it seems, and everyone’s hiding something – including her own husband. 

I loved the slow-burn dread and clever twists. 

It’s not your usual blood-soaked slasher, but it still gave me that unsettling who’s next? feeling I crave in mystery-slasher hybrids.

If you like dark murder mysteries with crime thriller elements and emotional layers, this one will keep you guessing. 

There’s something haunting in the quiet moments too, which made it feel extra eerie. 

Perfect for fans of detective slasher fiction with a strong female lead and a touch of personal darkness.

Survive the Night by Danielle Vega

This YA slasher horror book is full of gritty underground fear. 

Casey’s just out of rehab when she ends up at an illegal rave in the subway tunnels. 

Her friend is murdered, the exits are sealed, and something is hunting them. This one really got under my skin. 

The underground setting? Terrifying. The hunt? Nonstop adrenaline. I couldn’t stop reading even though my heart was pounding. 

It’s perfect for fans of urban horror, underground survival slashers, and teens-making-bad-decisions stories. 

The gore was intense but earned, and the fear felt real. 

If you want a fast, blood-soaked slasher horror book that takes place in the most claustrophobic spot imaginable, this is your next read.

Camp Slaughter by Sergio Gomez

A hidden campground. A group of friends. A bloodthirsty cannibal. That’s all I needed to know before diving into this gory slasher horror novel and it delivered. 

This is the kind of book where you scream at the characters to turn around, and you keep reading even when your stomach flips. 

I couldn’t look away. The woods feel alive with danger, and every moment builds dread. 

I especially liked how it leaned into 80s slasher movie vibes – gruesome, tense, and a little unhinged in the best way. 

If you love horror books with cannibals, summer camp horror, and forest survival horror themes, you’ll eat this one up (pun intended). 

I was equally scared and excited. This is exactly what I want from a campfire horror slasher.

His & Hers by Alice Feeney

This isn’t a traditional slasher horror novel, but the murder scenes and twisty dual perspectives made it feel like one. 

A woman is killed in a small village, and both the detective and a reporter are tied to the case – literally and emotionally. 

I was hooked by the secrets and lies. It felt like everyone had something to hide, and the shifting voices made it even spookier.

I loved how the mystery unraveled like a slasher whodunit. 

If you like psychological thrillers with slasher-like suspense, unreliable narrators, and twisted love stories, this book is so worth it. 

I kept second-guessing every character. It’s not blood-soaked like some, but it made me just as nervous. A haunting, layered read with all the creeping tension of a good slasher flick.

A Family of Killers by Bryce Moore

This slasher horror book has such a disturbing premise: what if your family might actually be serial killers? 

Warren sets out to find his missing dad and ends up at the Bender Inn, which gave me chills instantly. The family who runs it? Creepy with a capital C. 

I loved how the tension built slowly before diving into the horror. 

If you’re into historical horror based on real events, or serial killer family horror books, this one is for you. 

I couldn’t stop reading, and it reminded me why I love slashers – they get your heart racing. 

And that voice in Warren’s head is so spooky. A great mix of emotional depth and blood-curdling scares.

The Mean Ones by Tatiana Schlote-Bonne

Sadie survived a massacre as a teen, and now she’s trying to live a normal life. 

But the voice in her head and strange visions say otherwise. 

When she goes on a couples trip to a cabin (bad idea alert), her past starts catching up. 

This slasher horror novel was SO unsettling in the best way. I loved the mix of psychological horror and slasher suspense. 

Sadie’s trauma felt real, and I was rooting for her the whole time. 

Cabin-in-the-woods horror always freaks me out, and this one delivered big. 

If you like trauma-based horror, slasher revenge plots, and stories where the main girl refuses to be a victim, this is for you. 

The twist? I gasped. Sadie is strong, sharp, and unforgettable.

Let me know in the comment section below which of these slasher horror books you’re planning to check out.

And if you have any favorites or more recommendations, definitely share them. I’m always on the hunt for new books.

Of course, I’ll be updating this post as even more slasher books are released, especially as we head into the third quarter of the year, so be sure to check back in.