The Best Thriller Books About Creepy Cults For Your Fall Reading List

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Fall is the season for all things spooky, and novels about cults make for more eerie, haunting reads. Cult leaders blur charisma and control into a manipulative cocktail — made all the creepier by the inexplicable draw they seem to hold over all different kinds of people. "You cognitively dissociate and become unable to think about the situation you're in," explained Dr. Alexander Stein, author of "Terror, Love and Brainwashing: Attachment in Cults and Totalitarian Systems," in a 2017 interview with Refinery29. "That's why it's so hard to understand, from the outside. People say, 'Why doesn't she just leave?' about someone in a relationship, and 'Why didn't they just leave?' about someone in a cult. They're trapped there by a trauma bond and unable to think clearly for themselves."

Plenty of authors have tried to make sense of the cult leader's allure, exploring how factors like poverty, desperation, and gender roles can shape an individual's vulnerability to cult dynamics. If you've ever contemplated the forces that compel people to join cults — or if you've ever grimly wondered about your own susceptibility — then these novels are for you. Unlike cozy fiction books that will get you in the mood for fall, these creepy stories are sure to keep you up all night.

Fourteen-year-old Lacey May's innocence and youth make her an unreliable narrator in Chelsea Bieker's 2020 novel, "Godshot. When she moves in with her grandmother, Cherry, she comes into contact with the powerful and mesmerizing Pastor Vern, who holds his congregation in thrall with the promise of rain over their drought-stricken county. But while Lacey May might be unable to recognize what's unfolding around her, the darkness is undeniable. "As the readers, we recognize the hallmarks of this cult as it becomes horrifyingly clear that Vern has his own agenda and his people are blind to the plan," observed one Goodreads reviewer.

"Godshot" doesn't shy away from hard topics. "Bieker shines her golden spotlight on parts of American society that the majority of us passively choose to ignore," wrote another Goodreads reviewer. "Religious leaders that can act with impunity, domestic violence hidden behind closed doors, child abuse, child brides, devastating poverty, and lack of proper education." Part of the brilliance of the novel is in its gentle unpacking of how desperate life circumstances can leave individuals more vulnerable to manipulation and control. Readers praised Bieker's emotional realism, awarding the novel a noteworthy 3.77 stars on Goodreads.

In "The Girls," author Emma Cline imagines a fictionalized version of the Manson Family cult viewed through the eyes of a young teenager named Evie. Reimagined in Northern California, it's the story of an impressionable girl drawn in by a friendship with an older friend who brings her into contact with a hypnotizing, and ultimately dangerous, cult. Cline delves into the social forces that might draw a young person to a charming manipulator. This elegantly written novel was a New York Times bestseller, and Goodreads users awarded it 3.51 stars and a Goodreads Choice Award for Readers' Favorite Fiction.

"This is a tale of big-time obsession, not your humdrum harmless crush," writes one Goodreads reviewer. "Just Evie's bad luck, really: the crowd is bad and her age works against her. Can Evie help it that her cerebral cortex isn't developed well enough for her to even have a chance of sensing danger or making good decisions[?]" Dripping in the aesthetics of the '60s, it's a great option for anyone interested in the complicated power dynamics that govern female friendship, or whose true crime interests lean toward the Manson family.

This historical novel, "The Rapture," deals with the Panacea Society, an English cult from the early 1900s that interpreted World War II as the apocalypse. The fictional story is built on a foundation of meticulous research, and author Claire McGlasson threads real-life figures in alongside her created characters. Protagonist Dilys is a devoted society participant whose skepticism emerges after she meets a new member. The novel garnered 3.67 stars on Goodreads, with readers praising the delicate beauty of McGlassen's prose.

"I'm obsessed with religious cults, mental illness in history, nightgown-clad lesbians, exorcisms and the 1920s, so obviously I loved it," wrote one Goodreads reviewer. Another Goodreads reviewer praised the novel's skillful characterizations: "Unlike some novels that deal with 'cults', McGlasson has provided sympathetic renditions of many of the Society members, showing them to be women with deeply held convictions and genuine beliefs. At the same time, she has also crafted a story that highlights the dangers of collective belief and groupthink — and of the personal politics and shifting interpersonal power plays that can creep into such organisations." If you like elegantly crafted prose or are intrigued by a cult led by a powerful female figure, then this is the book to pick up.

"Station Eleven" takes place twenty years after an influenza pandemic has devastated human civilization. Kirsten is traveling the country with a troupe of Shakespearean actors. The story jumps backward and forward through time, gradually crafting a portrait of a world where religious extremists can rise to power. Inevitably, the troupe of actors encounters a post-apocalyptic cult led by a terrifying, charismatic leader.

This speculative novel is a feminist sci-fi book that smashes the male-driven genre. Yet, despite its genre elements, readers praised Emily St. John Mandel's exquisitely crafted characters and literary themes, rating it 4.07 on Goodreads. "The novel suggests that art is not a luxury, but a fundamental human need, and that it can provide comfort, solace, and hope even in the darkest of times," writes one Goodreads reviewer. "Mandel paints a picture of a world on the brink of collapse, with characters struggling to find meaning and purpose in their lives." It's the perfect haunting read for anyone interested in post-apocalyptic cult stories.

In R.O. Kwon's harrowing 2018 debut novel "The Incendiaries," the point of view bounces between Phoebe, her boyfriend Will, and the engaging religious leader, John Leal. As personal tragedy drives Phoebe toward extremism, and a cult begins to emerge from the novel's margins, Will struggles to grasp what has happened to the woman he loves. The Korean diaspora and class differences fuel the novel's tension as the characters careen toward violence and tragedy. Kwon's novel is a national bestseller and earned 3.21 stars on Goodreads.

Kwon's elegiac writing doesn't obscure brutal realities. "I found some parts quite uncomfortable, but I expected that as the book really pushes the boundaries," observed one Goodreads reviewer. "Having had an interest in why people turn to terrorism/cults and the psychology behind it all, I was completely engrossed and found it impossible to tear myself away." If you're looking for the best dark academia novels to add to your book club reading list, this novel — with its elite university setting and grim themes — is a great contender.