6 Ways to Find Your Next Terrifying Read
1. Read an award winner.
Given out yearly since 1988, The Bram Stoker Awards® are the premiere awards for outstanding writing presented by the Horror Writers Association. To place convenient requests in our catalog, see all of the Bram Stoker Award winners in our collection.
2. Borrow e-books, downloadable audiobooks, or movies.
Here are some quick links to fiction & films you can borrow with your IndyPL library card.
If you have never borrowed from OverDrive before both OverDrive app directions and OverDrive browser directions are available. Additionally, you can watch an OverDrive video tutorial or consult with Overdrive Support. If you have never borrowed from Kanopy before here are some Kanopy directions and a Kanopy video tutorial.
Need more help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text or email Ask-a-Librarian. The Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.
3. Get reading recommendations from IndyPL staff.
Click on our featured lists or browse through all of our horror staff lists.
Staff Picks 2024- Best of Suspense
In the mood to freak yourself out? Check out our staff’s favorite horror, mystery, and thriller novels from 2024.
We’ve got stories of missing children that span decades (The God of the Woods and The Middle of the Night, All the Colors of the Dark), lots of haunted houses (Incidents Around the House, We Use to Live Here, and Model Home), and indigenous suspense (The Angel of Indian Lake and Where They Last Saw Her).
4. Make a selection from this list of horror authors
Steve Alten
V.C. Andrews
Leigh Bardugo
Clive Barker
Lauren Beukes
Max Brooks
Christopher Buehlman
Rachel Caine
Isabel Canas
M.R. Carey
Clay McLeod Chapman
P. Djeli Clark
Darcy Coates
Blake Crouch
Mark Z. Danielewski
Tananarive Due
Gretchen Felker-Martin
Joseph Fink
Sarah Gailey
5. Subscribe to the horror newsletter from NextReads
Receive reading recommendation in your inbox monthly. Book suggestions are linked to our catalog for easy requesting. It’s FREE! See a sample issue. Subscribe to NextReads!
6. Use your IndyPL Library card to login to Novelist Plus.
On Novelist Plus you’ll find reading recommendations, read-alikes, series lists, reviews, and lists of award-winning books. Once you login, choose the a category from the list on the left which includes choices like “Blood-drenched,” “Creature Feature,” “Creepy Clowns & Bad Seeds,” and more! Click on a book to read a brief description, see a star rating, and “Check Availability” to see if it the book is available to borrow from IndyPL.
Find a book discussion near you!
You are invited to join in one of our many in-person or online book discussions that take place several times each month. In our book discussion groups we read and talk about both fiction and non-fiction books. We express our opinions (both likes and dislikes!) with other avid readers in the city.
- Event: Virtual Author Talk: How Judy Blume Rewrote Childhood for All of Us
- Date & Time: Wednesday, May 21, 2:00pm
- Location: Online
- Description: You’re invited to an online intimate conversation with bestselling author Rachelle Bergstein as she chats about her newest book The Genius of Judy. This book takes an expansive look at Judy Blume’s life, work, and cultural impact, focusing on her most iconic—and controversial—young adult novels.
- Register Here
- Event: WitLITS Book Discussion Group
- Date & Time: Friday, May 23, 10:30am
- Location: Spades Park Branch
- Description: A read aloud group exploring classic literature in a group reading.
- No Registration Required.
- Event: Zine Salon
- Date & Time: Monday, May 26, 6:00pm
- Rescheduled Date & Time: Tuesday, May 27, 6:00pm
- Location: East 38th Street Branch
- Description: Spend some time reading, talking about, and making zines. We’ll pass around and read five selected titles. If you need to wait while others read, use one of our kits to draw, write, and make a zine of your own.
- Register Here
Need more help?
Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text or email Ask-a-Librarian. The Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.