Book picks similar to
Paralysed by Matt Shaw
horror
short-story
hardcore-extreme-horror
dark
Heartsick
Chelsea Cain - 2007
Two years ago, Gretchen kidnapped Archie and tortured him for ten days, but instead of killing him, she mysteriously decided to let him go. She turned herself in, and now Gretchen has been locked away for the rest of her life, while Archie is in a prison of another kind---addicted to pain pills, unable to return to his old life, powerless to get those ten horrific days off his mind. Archie's a different person, his estranged wife says, and he knows she's right. He continues to visit Gretchen in prison once a week, saying that only he can get her to confess as to the whereabouts of more of her victims, but even he knows the truth---he can't stay away.
When another killer begins snatching teenage girls off the streets of Portland, Archie has to pull himself together enough to lead the new task force investigating the murders. A hungry young newspaper reporter, Susan Ward, begins profiling Archie and the investigation, which sparks a deadly game between Archie, Susan, the new killer, and even Gretchen. They need to catch a killer, and maybe somehow then Archie can free himself from Gretchen, once and for all. Either way, Heartsick makes for one of the most extraordinary suspense debuts in recent memory.
Screaming in the Silence
Lydia Kelly - 2010
While hitchhiking across the country, she and her companion are struck by a car. Her friend is killed but Raleigh survives and her life is thrown into the hands of the three men involved in the accident. Bruised and in shock, Raleigh is locked in the basement of their remote country house, unsure of her fate. Kaden, one of her captors, is handsome and at times protective, and he convinces his friends to spare Raleigh’s life to ransom her. But the safety he provides is only from his friends, and Raleigh must face his sinister intentions. Agreeing to become his lover in return for continued protection, she begins to see a tender and caring side of Kaden despite their short but violent history. As the ransom payment begins to unravel and Raleigh's life hangs in the balance, she wonders how much she can trust Kaden. Are the feelings she has developed for him genuine or a result of her situation? Does he truly care for her, as he claims, or does he just see her as a ransom payment?
Counsellor
Celia Aaron - 2015
Once every ten years, the pretense falls away and a tournament is held to determine who will rule them. The Acquisition is a crucible for the Southern nobility, a love letter written to a time when barbarism was enshrined as law. Now, Sinclair Vinemont is in the running to claim the prize. There is only one way to win, and he has the key to do it — Stella Rousseau, his Acquisition. To save her father, Stella has agreed to become Sinclair's slave for one year. Though she is at the mercy of the cold, treacherous Vinemont, Stella will not go willingly into darkness. As Sinclair and Stella battle against each other and the clock, only one thing is certain: The Acquisition always ends in blood. Full disclosure: This book is a dark romance with elements of slavery, violence, BDSM, and super-hot sex. It is the first of a series and ends on a cliffhanger. If you're good with these caveats, enjoy.
Prisoner
Annika Martin - 2014
He’s dangerous. He’s wild. He’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.So I hide behind my prim glasses and my book like I always do, because I have secrets too. Then he shows up in the prison writing class I have to teach, and he blows me away with his honesty. He tells me secrets in his stories, and it’s getting harder to hide mine. I shiver when he gets too close, with only the cuffs and the bars and the guards holding him back. At night I can’t stop thinking about him in his cell.But that’s the thing about an animal in a cage—you never know when he’ll bite. He might use you to escape. He might even pull you into a forest and hold a hand over your mouth so you can’t call for the cops. He might make you come so hard, you can’t think.And you might crave him more than your next breath.
Shiver
Ella Frank - 2017
The Wolfe’s Den is no place for a little lamb, but you came anyway, and from the moment you stepped inside, you were mine. In my life there are no happy accidents. Every move is carefully orchestrated. Every situation premeditated. That’s what makes the hunt so intoxicating. What you need, I become. What you crave, I will give. Except the one thing you desire above all else—love. Everything I told you is true—I’m not a good man, but you choose what you want to hear. You shouldn’t have come that night. Maybe then you’d be safe. But it’s too late now. I want you because you remind me of him. I need you to give me back what I lost. Warning: This is not a love story. It is not a romance. This is an obsessive stalker lust story that contains darker themes that may serve as a trigger to some readers. Shiver is a standalone novel.
The Diary of a Serial Killer's Daughter
L.A. Detwiler - 2020
If you knew your father’s darkest secret, would you turn him in? What if his secret was connected to you? Ruby Marlowe’s always been a daddy’s girl. Her mother died when she was two, and her single father has ensured she has everything she needs. However, everyone has dark secrets, and Ruby’s father is no exception… When she's young, she doesn’t understand the weight of her father’s killing game. However, as she ages, she realizes her obsessive tendencies aren’t the only elements that separate her from her peers. After she begins to investigate her mother’s life and death, Ruby starts to believe there are some secrets even she doesn’t know about the serial killer she calls Daddy. As her father’s killing grows rampant, the secrets get harder and harder to hide—and she fears it will all come crashing down. Will Ruby seek a different life for herself and betray the only person who has ever loved her, or will she get wrapped up in his sinister path? A twisted page-turner that shines an eerie light on the father-daughter bond from the USA Today and International Bestseller L.A. Detwiler.
Neverland
Melissa Jane - 2018
A ghost whose smile was as cold and dangerous as his heart. He remembered her well. She was the one everyone talked about. The poor girl down the street born into a family of monsters. The one he’d obsessed over, taunted and harassed. The very same girl who’d one day suddenly disappeared. Accepting his hand, he lifted her off the dirty, vile street and whispered a promise, “No good deed comes without payment,” and from that day on, she was destined to pay the ultimate price. Seeing her for the first time since she’d vanished all those years ago had only made him realize his obsession never truly ended. And now, with a promise to keep, he was going to make her disappear again… this time forever. Dear Readers, While NEVERLAND contains some romance, it is also a tale of twisted obsession. It certainly is NOT a hearts and flowers type story, and WILL contain triggers for some readers as it deals with particularly confronting situations. I ask that you take this into consideration before you dive in. This cruel, yet touching narrative, with its mix of adoring and sinister characters who exist in its broken world, was at times extremely difficult for me to write, and as each scene unfolds, I expect it will be equally as difficult for 'some' to read and accept. I do, however, thank you for reading NEVERLAND! Love, Melissa Jane
Father
Clarissa Wild - 2017
It’s raw. It’s vulgar. It’s downright offensive. But it’s oh so damn delicious with a capital D. If you are easily offended or prudish, please don’t read this book. But if you like a bit of humor mixed in with raunchiness and brawling, you’ll love this book.Contains disturbing situations, strong language, and graphic violence.
Boy in the Box
Marc E. Fitch - 2020
Now, Jonathan Hollis and brothers Michael and Conner Braddick must return to the place that changed their lives forever in order to keep their secret buried. What they don't realize is that they are walking into a trap - one set decades earlier by a supernatural being who is not confined by time or place: a demon that demands a sacrifice. Flame Tree Press is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.
Never Smile at Strangers
Jennifer Jaynes - 2011
But few clues are unearthed, and before long another young woman disappears.As locals continue to vanish, residents begin to discover that they might not know those closest to them as well as they had thought. Lies and insecurities quickly surface, leading everyone to question one another…and their involvement in the disappearances.Meanwhile, an unstable, twisted killer is hiding quietly in their midst. Ever since his mother’s murder four years earlier, he’s been forced to raise his disturbed teenage sister. He’s terrified of her—and of women in general—and his world revolves around his fear of and obsession over them.In this USA Today bestselling thriller, debut novelist Jennifer Jaynes delivers a psychologically riveting page-turner that is packed with surprises and will have readers guessing to the very last page.
Still Missing
Chevy Stevens - 2010
The open house is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all. Still Missing interweaves the year Annie spent as the captive of a psychopath in a remote mountain cabin, which unfold through sessions with her psychiatrist, with a second narrative following the events after her escape—her struggle to piece her shattered life back together and the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor.Still Missing is a shocking, visceral, brutal and beautifully crafted novel.
Blame It on the Shame
Ashley Jade - 2016
It wounds us. It damages us.Or, for the few poor souls out there like me...it defines us.I'm the son of the devil, himself—the most feared mob boss who ever lived.I was cursed from the moment I took my first breath.I hate him...and I never wanted to become him.And I sure as hell never, ever, wanted anything of his.Until her.My name is Ricardo DeLuca. There are two things you need to know about me. The first—is that I'm in love with the girl who belongs to my father. The second—is that it turns out I am my father's son after all.My name is Lou-Lou, and you probably think I'm a bitch.You would be right—because I am.You think you know all there is to know about me because of the man I belong to.What you don't know—is my past, because I'll never tell you. What you don't know is my shame.Because if you did—you'd be worse off than dead.You'd be broken.There are two sides to every story...this is ours. Warning: Due to strong language, some violence, explicit sexual content, and some dark elements, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.Trigger Warning: This series contains elements of emotional, sexual, and physical cruelty. Any readers with sensitivity to the above topics should proceed with caution, and at their own risk.Author's Note: This is part one of a three book series. (Blame It on the Shame: Lou-Lou and Ricardo's story.)However, in order to truly enjoy Lou-Lou and Ricardo's story, it is advised you read 'Blame It on the Pain' first.
Crawl: A Dark Stalker Romance
Audrey Rush - 2021
I stalk her for months, learning her desires and secrets, until I know exactly what she craves.She needs pleasure ripped from her soul like it doesn’t belong to her anymore.The only way to get my mind off of her is to take another life, and yet I know she’s taking my life, one breath at a time. But I don’t care. I’m going to give Remedy exactly what she needs, and I’ll kill anyone who gets in my way. One day, Remedy will crawl, offering everything to me, even her life.But my biggest mistake will be offering her my love.
Because if this is love, it will kill us.
Author’s Note: Crawl is a dark romance. It contains disturbing content and irredeemable characters. Reader discretion is advised.
The Church of Dead Girls
Stephen Dobyns - 1997
The two disciplines collide in The Church of Dead Girls, a lyrical novel that inspired Stephen King to comment, "If ever there was a tale for a moonless night, a high wind and a creaking floor, this is it ... I don't expect to read a more frightening novel this year." Aurelius is a drowsy bedroom community in upstate New York that is rocked by a vicious, seemingly random killing. A woman is found murdered in her bed, her left hand missing. Just when the grisly details begin to fade, a young girl vanishes. The only clue: a bag with the girl's washed and folded clothes and a mannequin's left hand. Soon two more girls disappear, and when clues remain elusive, conjecture and rumour take over. The town awakens to a nightmare of suspicion and vigilantism. As the killer spirals in to kill again, the town spins out of control, and The Church of Dead Girls heads to a jolting conclusion. It'll give you goosebumps even if you read it at the beach.