Book picks similar to
The Lonely Psychopath by Matt Shaw
horror
psychological-horror-thrillers
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The Dead Whisper on
T.L. Hines - 2007
Once a proud Butte, Montana, miner who daily risked her life setting explosives, she's now a garbage collector in her dying hometown. Her father is dead and she doesn't speak with her mom. Canada Mac is alone. Longing for the past. Dreaming of making a difference.
The Other Child
Lucy Atkins - 2015
. . but what happens when that lie destroys everything you love? When Tess is sent to photograph Greg, a high profile paediatric heart surgeon, she sees something troubled in his face, and feels instantly drawn to him. Their relationship quickly deepens, but then Tess, single mother to nine-year-old Joe, falls pregnant, and Greg is offered the job of a lifetime back in his hometown of Boston. Before she knows it, Tess is married, and relocating to the States. But life in an affluent American suburb proves anything but straightforward.Unsettling things keep happening in the large rented house, Joe is distressed, the next-door neighbours are in crisis, and Tess is sure that someone is watching her. Greg's work is all-consuming and, as the baby's birth looms, he grows more and more unreachable. Something is very wrong, Tess knows it, and then she makes a jaw-dropping discovery . . .
Passing Through
R.W.K. Clark - 2018
But the trusting innocence of these small-town people will prove to be their undoing, for they cannot conceive the likes of the stranger they are helping on that snowy night.No need to worry about the weirdo. He's just passing through.Author Commentary‘Passing Through’ is the third book I have written that I would call a psychological thriller. The first was ‘Brother’s Keeper,’ and when I wrote that, I thought it was a bit much. ‘Passing Through’ is on an entirely different level, however, not just in its depth and explicitness.‘Passing Through’ was very difficult for me to write for several reasons, but there were two in particular that took a toll on me. First, I have had close personal experience and interactions in passing with violent criminals. Their minds and ways of thinking are ugly and burdensome; they are not people you want to make regular friends. To put these things into words and make people understand it was, well, exhausting.I also found myself quite beaten up after writing every violent part. I didn’t want the parts to be mild, because the character of Elliot Keller was a horrible, horrible man. Some of the visuals I got, which are what prompt what I write, made me sick, and more than once, I had to step away and breathe.I didn’t go into his past to provoke pity or compassion. He is nothing more than a rabid animal, and his actions clearly demonstrate that. With that being said, by the end of the book, you will understand what I mean, and you will still hate him all the more.Thompson Trails, Virginia, is yet another fictional town full of ignorant, innocent unawares that have no idea what is about to hit them. I love to develop these little burgs, and I enjoy creating the people who live blissfully within their boundaries. I grow to love many of the characters, no matter how brief their appearances; as readers know, authors kill people off, no matter their age or how good of a person they are. This happens a lot in Thompson Trails, and I grieved each death. Bad things happen, and they always seem to happen to good people.For those of you who are lovers of horror, well, here you go. I hope you enjoy it. I also hope it makes you as sick as it makes me. It is that horror and sickness that makes us face the harsh realities of life and keeps us on our toes. I didn’t write this and then roll it in sugar because it isn’t candy; it is a jagged little pill that will slice your throat straight open if you swallow too fast. Believe me, when I say, it is not for children. Best to give fair warning; I wrote this in a manner that would leave some kind of mark. Hopefully, the mark is a good one.So, sit down with the lights on and enjoy the terror that is Elliot Keller in ‘Passing Through.’
Wallflower: (A Coming of Age Tale About Addiction)
Chad Lutzke - 2017
A bleak tale of addiction, delusion, and flowers.
The Devil Next Door
Tim Curran - 2009
Murder. Rape. Absolute brutality. When civilizations ends...when the human race begins to revert to ancient, predatory savagery...when the world descends into a bloodthirsty hell...there is only survival. But for one man and one woman, survival means becoming something less than human. Something from the primeval dawn of the race. "Shocking and brutal, The Devil Next Door will hit you like a baseball bat to the face. Curran seems to have it in for the world ... and he's ending it as horrifyingly as he can." - Tim Lebbon, author of Bar None "The Devil Next Door is dynamite! Visceral, violent, and disturbing!." Brian Keene, author of Castaways and Dark Hollow
The Wave at Hanging Rock
Gregg Dunnett - 2016
Everyone believes it’s a tragic accident. But a mysterious phone call prompts her to think otherwise. She sets out on a search for the truth.Jesse, a schoolboy, is moved half way around the world when his father is blown up in a science experiment gone wrong. Two seemingly unconnected tales. But how they come together will have you turning the pages late into the night.
You Only Get One Shot
Kevin J. Kennedy - 2017
Four well-known authors receive an email telling them they are responsible for a suicide. Their antagonist makes it clear she is out for revenge and they have no option but to comply. Their task is to post the best story they can imagine online and await judgement. Filled with guilt, anxiety, and even a few murderous tendencies, each writer weaves their tale and hopes for the best. It’ll be the competition of their lives. Who’s story will win? Will anyone survive? If you enjoy tense, fast-paced horror, then you will love Kevin J. Kennedy and J.C. Michael’s You Only Get One Shot! Your shot is now. Read You Only Get One Shot today.
The Boylan House (Novella Sized Preview: Book 1)
Ron Ripley - 2015
And something in that house has been killing boys for centuries. The town of Monson is a quaint and quiet New England town. Yet the house is terrifying and has been for as long as anyone can remember. Adults put the thing out of mind and ignore the fears of their children, admonishing them to stay away. Too many boys have vanished into the swamps behind the house. Bodies never recovered. Nothing ever recovered. The families are left with their memories and the disturbing thought that the Boylan House had something to do with it. Mason Philips knows better than that. He knows that there’s something in the house. Something evil. Something hunting children from time to time. And Mason has decided that it’s time for the killing to stop.
The Many
Nathan Field - 2016
A coldness in her manner; nothing anyone else would notice. Suspicious, he confronts her about the date but she turns nasty, accusing him of taking a perverse interest in her sex life. When he next sees her, months later, she seems back to normal, until a harmless comment provokes a sudden, violent response. As her mental state fluctuates, Karl seeks out the man she dated just before her personality began to change, convinced she is suppressing a painful memory from that night. But what he discovers is something far more sinister, and pervasive, than he'd ever imagined.Strictly for adult readers, THE MANY is the first book of a series that explores the dark side of the world we live in, and sheds light on a shadowy evil that is both disturbing and eerily familiar.
Saving Baby
Gregg Bell - 2016
But something’s not right. Monroe’s baby is weak and cries constantly. When Annie confronts Monroe about it, he goes into a rage and tells her to mind her own business. She tells her father but he thinks she’s exaggerating. Annie knows something is suspicious, but what? The next day she discovers something that makes her skin crawl. She nabs the baby and flees.Now she’s on the run. Her only hope is exposing Monroe’s deadly evil before it’s too late—for her and the baby. Take advantage of this special low price for a limited time!
Nightmares of Caitlin Lockyer
Demelza Carlton - 2013
The worst part is that they're human. "Name?" "Nathan Miller.""What happened?""I was shot.""By whom?""A homicidal lunatic with a gun and bad aim." "Her name?""Caitlin Lockyer.""What happened to her?""Looks like someone tried to kill her."Nathan found Caitlin on a beach covered in blood. Saving her life was just the start. Now he's the prime suspect and he has to find out who's really responsible. Both of their lives depend on it.Who hurt her? Why was he shot? What did he promise? Why doesn't his story add up? Who was the dead man on the beach? What will she remember when she wakes up? A tiny taste of what's in store: "Stay away from her, Nathan. That girl isn't good for you."Stay away from her? I'd go crazy with worry in a day. "You don't know her."Chris looked grim. "Neither do you. Is there anything you wouldn't do for her?" "Yes," I snapped. "I wouldn't die for her."Chris turned around to stare at me, her mouth hanging open. "Do you want to know why?" I asked steadily. "I wouldn't die for her because I wouldn't be able to protect her any more. What if I missed one of the people who hurt her? I couldn't take that risk. She's too important." Nightmares Trilogy Dark, disturbing and definitely scary - Nightmares of Caitlin Lockyer is the first book in Demelza Carlton's Nightmares Trilogy. The second book is Necessary Evil of Nathan Miller.
Blackwater
Conn Iggulden - 2006
Blackwater was published as part of the Quick Reads initiative on World Book Day 2006.How do you know when you're in too deep?Davey has always lived in the shadow of his older brother, a smiling sociopath who will stop at nothing to protect himself and his family. But when the shadowy figure of Denis Tanter comes into Davey's life, how far will the bond of brotherhood reach?
Snake Eyes
Rosamond Smith - 1992
The lawyer has not only gotten the convicted inmate released from death row at Connecticut State Prison, but also procured an artist’s residency in Mount Orion, New Jersey, for the rehabilitated Vietnam vet upon his parole. Sears is adapting nicely. He’s selling his sculptures. He’s eating well. He has ingratiated himself into Michael’s home; is eternally grateful for Michael’s benevolent motives, however mysterious their origin; and is thriving on the town’s liberal patronage and attention—especially that of Michael’s adulterous wife, Gina. But as Michael’s picture-perfect family begins to show signs of cracking, his suspicions about Sears become violent obsessions. Now, the dreams and secrets of two men are about to collide in a nightmare. And before long, the lines between guilt and innocence, lies and truth, trust and betrayal are bound to go up in flames. Snake Eyes is in an astute and suspenseful story by the National Book Award–winning author of them, We Were the Mulvaneys, The Gravedigger’s Daughter, and many other acclaimed novels.
Creatures of Appetite
Todd Travis - 2013
Everyone else calls it a nightmare. Locked doors don't stop him. He leaves no trace behind. He only takes little girls. His nickname... The Iceman. A deranged serial killer roams wintry rural Nebraska with a demented purpose no one can fathom. Special Agent EMMA KANE, a former DC cop and damaged goods now with the FBI, is assigned to babysit burnt-out profiler JACOB THORNE, once the best in the business but now said to have lost his edge, as they both fly to Nebraska to catch this maniac. Thorne is erratic, abrasive and unpredictably brilliant, but what he and Kane find in the heartland is much more than anyone bargained for, especially when the Iceman challenges them personally. The clock is ticking and a little girl's life is on the line. And maybe even more with that, once they find out what he's really up to.NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: This book has frank and profane adult language within... this is often how many a law enforcement officer speaks, in my experience. Not all, but many, very many. The book also has violence and adult situations, but the profanity is the only thing that some folks have been noting, for some odd reason, so I'm warning you now that it has profanity. I totally understand that not everyone wants to read curse words. However, to write a book like this without a cop cursing would not, in my mind, be authentic. Therefore, if you can't handle HBO-style language, (a la THE WIRE, etc.) this book is not for you. If fictional bad language bothers you more than the fictional murder of young people, this book is definitely not for you, but I thank you for your time and consideration.
No One Can Hear You Scream
A.B. Whelan - 2021
After divorcing her husband of eighteen years, Jennifer dives right into a new relationship despite her children’s disapproval.Jennifer’s boyfriend, Tyler, is a middle school English teacher and a mama’s boy. To prove to Jennifer that he can be as outdoorsy as her ex-husband, he suggests going on an off-the-grid vacation in a yurt in Montana. The idea of not having cell phone reception and running water for days doesn’t appeal to Jennifer. Reluctantly, she agrees to the trip because she envisions this unique retreat as an opportunity for her children to connect with her new boyfriend.Jennifer’s subscribers are excited about following their favorite online vlogger on an adventure in the wilderness. But one follower sees her vacation as the perfect opportunity to get close to her and act out his twisted and sick fantasies. Alone on the mountain, where no one can hear her scream, Jennifer realizes that it wasn’t the deep, dark woods she had to fear after all.