Rachel is a writer from Arkansas, most at home surrounded by forests and animals much like a Disney Princess. She spends most of her time writing stories and playing around in imaginary worlds. You can follow her writing at rachelbrittain.com. Twitter and Instagram: @rachelsbrittain
Some may consider September to be Halloween Eve, but I say why stop there? Why not consider all of fall fair game for haunts and hallowed reads? Publishers clearly think so, too, since a plethora of new historical horror and thrillers are coming our way this fall. From masters of the genre to newcomers with bold new takes, these five horrifying new historical fiction books are the perfect way to set the tone for your fall reading.
Within, you’ll find demons, witches, spirit mediums, and haunted houses that will have you shivering in horror and delight. Crack open the pages of these great new historical fiction books—if you dare.
New Horrifying Historical Fiction to Read Now
The Possession of Alba Diaz by Isabel Cañas
The master of supernatural historical thrillers, Isabel Cañas, has graced us with a new book for fall. A plague sweeping through 18th-century Zacatecas forces Alba, her wealthy parents, and her fiancé to flee to an isolated mine where they might weather the outbreak unscathed. But something even more deadly lurks in the depths of the mine, something that has taken a hold of Alba’s mind. The symptoms she experiences should mean nothing to Elías. Alba is betrothed to his cousin, after all. But he notices the changes even when no one else does—and he may be the only one who can save her from the demon desperate for her blood.
House of Monstrous Women by Daphne Fama
When Josephine’s childhood friend, Hiraya, invites her to come to a house by the sea to play a game, she knows the offer is more than it seems. Hiraya is rumored to be a witch, and if Josephine wins the game, she’ll be granted her heart’s desire. It might be a risk, but it’s a risk she’s desperate enough to take after losing her family to her father’s political ambitions and her brother to the revolution brewing in Manila. Ranoco house is like a labyrinth with endless rooms. If she wins, she might be able to change her future. But first, she’ll have to survive.
Past Tense
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New Horrifying Historical Fiction to Pre-order/Request
These books aren’t out yet, but you’re going to want to get your hands on them as soon as possible. Trust me.
The Hong Kong Widow by Kristen Loesch
Release date: October 7, 2025
Decades ago, Mei took part in a competition putting six spirit mediums to the test in a notoriously haunted house. The result has become an urban legend, a story about the supposed massacre that police dismissed as a mass hallucination when no evidence was found. But now someone has returned claiming they know what happened, even though Mei herself still isn’t sure. She knows what she saw, but in order to prove what really happened, she’ll have to return to the very place where the ghosts of her past await.
The Salvage by Anbara Salam
Release date: October 7, 2025
With comparisons to Emma Donoghue, Sarah Waters, and Julia Armfield’s Our Wives Under the Sea, how could this not be one of my most anticipated historical thrillers this fall? A marine archaeologist called in to a remote Scottish island to explore a newly uncovered Victorian shipwreck discovers much more than she bargained for when she’s stranded in Cairnroch for the winter.
English (US) · 