I have to say, The Halloween Book Club picked some really stellar themes this year.
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And our summer theme, “Deep Blue Sea Scares” has prompted a reading list all of us are excited to tackle this summer. Who doesn’t need a little ocean horror for a beach read?
(Probably those of you already terrified of the water…)
We are currently reading “The Forgotten Island” by David Sodergren, an independently published book, but there were plenty of ocean horror books to choose from. I’m sure “Jaws” comes to mind first for many of you – if you knew it was originally a book, that is! (I didn’t until last summer when I watched the movies finally.)
If you’re looking for a unique summer read centered around being out on the open water, here are 16 ocean horror books to check out! (Thank you, Halloween Book Club members for all your suggestions!)
16 Ocean Horror Books Perfect for Summer Scares
Book descriptions and images from amazon.com or goodreads.com.
“Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror” by Steve Alten
On a top-secret dive into the Pacific Ocean’s deepest canyon, Jonas Taylor found himself face-to-face with terror. The sole survivor of the mission, Taylor remains haunted years later by what he saw. Written off as a crackpot, he insists that the prehistoric shark known as Carcharodon megalodon still swims the deep underwater chasms.
Only an urgent call for help from one of his oldest friends can persuade him to return to those deadly waters. Now Taylor will relive his darkest nightmare, only to find that what he saw before was only the beginning. For what lies deep beneath the waves is a horror that could turn the tides blood-red until the end of time… GET A COPY
“Merfolk” by Jeremy Bates
A renowned marine biologist’s search for creatures known only in myths and legends turns deadly when the hunters become the hunted. GET A COPY
“Jaws” by Peter Benchley
The classic suspense novel of shark versus man, which was made into the blockbuster Steven Spielberg movie. The “Jaws” phenomenon changed popular culture and continues to inspire a growing interest in sharks and the oceans today.
When Peter Benchley wrote “Jaws” in the early 1970s, he meticulously researched all available data about shark behavior. Over the ensuing decades, Benchley was actively engaged with scientists and filmmakers on expeditions around the world as they expanded their knowledge of sharks. Also during this time, there was an unprecedented upswing in the number of sharks killed to make shark-fin soup, and Benchley worked with governments and nonprofits to sound the alarm for shark conservation. He encouraged each new generation of “Jaws” fans to enjoy his riveting tale and to channel their excitement into support and protection of these magnificent, prehistoric apex predators. GET A COPY
“Sphere” by Michael Crichton
A group of American scientists is rushed to a huge vessel that has been discovered resting on the ocean floor in the middle of the South Pacific. What they find defies their imaginations and mocks their attempts at logical explanation. It is a spaceship of phenomenal dimensions, apparently, undamaged by its fall from the sky. And, most startling, it appears to be at least three hundred years old… GET A COPY
“The Deep” by Nick Cutter
A strange plague called the ‘Gets is decimating humanity on a global scale. It causes people to forget—small things at first, like where they left their keys, then the not-so-small things, like how to drive or the letters of the alphabet. Their bodies forget how to function involuntarily. There is no cure.
But far below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, a universal healer hailed as “ambrosia” has been discovered. In order to study this phenomenon, a special research lab has been built eight miles under the sea’s surface. But when the station goes incommunicado, a brave few descend through the lightless fathoms in hopes of unraveling the mysteries lurking at those crushing depths…and perhaps to encounter an evil blacker than anything one could possibly imagine. GET A COPY
“The Wicked Deep” by Shea Ernshaw
Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town. Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under.
Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into. Mistrust and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly to those who cannot resist the call of the sisters. But only Penny sees what others cannot. And she will be forced to choose: save Bo, or save herself. GET A COPY
“Into the Drowning Deep” by Mira Grant
The ocean is home to many myths, but some are deadly…
Seven years ago the Atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a mockumentary bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend. It was lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a tragedy. Now a new crew has been assembled. But this time they’re not out to entertain. Some seek to validate their life’s work. Some seek the greatest hunt of all. Some seek the truth. But for the ambitious young scientist Victoria Stewart this is a voyage to uncover the fate of the sister she lost.
Whatever the truth may be, it will only be found below the waves. But the secrets of the deep come with a price. GET A COPY
“Kronos Rising” by Max Hawthorne
Devastated by his wife’s tragic drowning, Olympic hopeful Jake Braddock turns his back on fame and fortune and retreats to his childhood home of Paradise Cove, Florida. He accepts the job of the town sheriff, hoping to find the solace he so desperately craves. He finds anything but.
A series of horrifying deaths and disappearances send a flood of panic through the idyllic town. It is only after the ravaged carcass of a full-grown whale surfaces, however, that the real terror begins. Soon Jake finds himself drawn into an ancient mystery – a mystery that ends with him adrift at sea, battling for survival against the deadliest predator the world has ever seen. It is a creature whose ancestors ruled the prehistoric seas. Now freed after eons of imprisonment, it has risen to reclaim the oceans of the world as its own. And it’s hungry. GET A COPY
“The Deep” by Alma Katsu
Someone, or something, must be haunting the ship. Between mysterious disappearances and sudden deaths, the guests of the Titanic have found themselves suspended in an eerie, unsettling twilight zone from the moment they set sail. Several of them, including maid Annie Hebley, guest Mark Fletcher, and millionaires Madeleine Astor and Benjamin Guggenheim, are convinced there’s something sinister–almost otherwordly–afoot. But before they can locate the source of the danger, as the world knows, disaster strikes.
Years later, Annie, having survived that fateful night, is working as a nurse on the sixth voyage of the Titanic’s sister ship, the Britannic, newly refitted as a hospital ship. When she happens across an unconscious Mark, now a soldier fighting in World War I. At first, Annie is thrilled and relieved to see he survived the sinking. But soon, Mark’s presence awakens deep-buried feelings and secrets, forcing Annie to reckon with the demons of her past–as they both discover that the terror may not yet be over. GET A COPY
“Pressure” by Brian Keene
Off the coast of tropical Mauritius, an ecological catastrophe with global implications is occurring. The ocean’s floor is collapsing at a rapid rate. World-champion free diver and marine biologist Carrie Anderson joins a scientific expedition determined to discover the cause – and how to stop it. But what they uncover is even more horrific. Deep beneath the surface, something is awake. Something hungry. Something…cold. Now, the pressure builds as Carrie and her colleagues must contend with the murderous operatives of a corrupt corporation, an unnatural disaster that grows bigger by the day, and a monstrous predator that may spell the extinction of all mankind. GET A COPY
“The Swarm” by Frank Schatzing
Whales begin sinking ships. Toxic, eyeless crabs poison Long Island’s water supply. The North Sea shelf collapses, killing thousands in Europe. Around the world, countries are beginning to feel the effects of the ocean’s revenge as the seas and their inhabitants begin a violent revolution against mankind. At stake is the survival of the Earth’s fragile ecology—and ultimately, the survival of the human race itself. GET A COPY
“The Terror” by David Simmons
The men on board the HMS Terror — part of the 1845 Franklin Expedition, the first steam-powered vessels ever to search for the legendary Northwest Passage — are entering a second summer in the Arctic Circle without a thaw, stranded in a nightmarish landscape of encroaching ice and darkness. Endlessly cold, they struggle to survive with poisonous rations, a dwindling coal supply, and ships buckling in the grip of crushing ice. But their real enemy is even more terrifying. There is something out there in the frigid darkness: an unseen predator stalking their ship, a monstrous terror clawing to get in. GET A COPY
“The Forgotten Island” by David Sodergren
When Ana Logan agrees to go on holiday to Thailand with her estranged sister Rachel, she hopes it will be a way for them to reconnect after years of drifting apart. But now, stranded on a seemingly deserted island paradise with no radio and no food, reconciliation becomes a desperate fight for survival.
For when night falls on The Forgotten Island, the dark secrets of the jungle reveal themselves. Something is watching them from the trees. Something ancient. Something evil. GET A COPY
“Cruel Summer” by Wesley Southard
Melissa Braun is a broken woman. Only wanting what’s best for her family, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to mend her fractured relationship with her abusive boyfriend. In a last-ditch effort, she hopes the sun and sand of a much-needed Florida vacation will bring them and her son closer together. Patrick Braun is a demoralized kid. Quiet and sullen, he only wants his mother to see her boyfriend’s torment as it cripples everything he loves. After years of silence, he refuses to stand by and let the abuse continue to tear them apart. Hoyt Rainey is a vile man. Unable to keep his hands to himself, he finally takes his anger one step too far. Only this time he finds himself on the receiving end of his own punishment. Down and down he goes, plunging deeper into the dark blue abyss of the sea. Melissa and Patrick finally believe they are safe, the trouble now behind them for good. They are wrong. Gods never really stay dead―they only lie in wait. And when a beast as old as time discovers Hoyt…he, too, won’t stay gone for long. The nights grow darker, the water flows colder, and the cruelty of summer lives on. GET A COPY
“Beach Party” by R.L. Stine
It’s the ultimate beach party in California. And Karen, who’s just broken up with her boyfriend, is going to enjoy every minute of it–especially having two new guys who like her. But the party takes a nasty turn when Karen realizes someone is out to spoil the fun by getting rid of her. GET A COPY
“The Woman in Cabin 10” by Ruth Ware
In this tightly wound, enthralling story reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s works, Lo Blacklock, a journalist who writes for a travel magazine, has just been given the assignment of a lifetime: a week on a luxury cruise with only a handful of cabins. The sky is clear, the waters calm, and the veneered, select guests jovial as the exclusive cruise ship, the Aurora, begins her voyage in the picturesque North Sea. At first, Lo’s stay is nothing but pleasant: the cabins are plush, the dinner parties are sparkling, and the guests are elegant. But as the week wears on, frigid winds whip the deck, gray skies fall, and Lo witnesses what she can only describe as a dark and terrifying nightmare: a woman being thrown overboard. The problem? All passengers remain accounted for—and so, the ship sails on as if nothing has happened, despite Lo’s desperate attempts to convey that something (or someone) has gone terribly, terribly wrong… GET A COPY
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What is your favorite ocean horror book?
Share it in the comments! Then don’t forget to join us in The Halloween Book Club for spooky reads all year long.
Happy reading,

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Autumn Zenith
Sea-sational list! As soon as I saw the title of this post, I was hoping that both Jaws and The Terror would be here, as they’re my two favourite books in the ocean horror/thriller niche that I’ve read so far. Plenty more to add to my reading list now care of this frightfully wonderful post. TY! 🦈
Autumn Zenith 🧡 Witchcrafted Life
Miranda | Spooky Little Halloween
So pleased your favorites made the list! The Halloween Book Club members really know their stuff. :)
Heidi
I loved the Wicked Deep, and I absolutely must read The Deep. Spooky haunted Titanic?? I’m running out to find it right now! Yes at 2am, I don’t even care. Of all the RL Stine books I read as a kid, Beach Party was not one of them, and I’ve seen The Woman in Cabin 10 on more reading lists that I can count and this is seriously the first time I’m realizing it takes place on a ship and not a woodsy “cabin” setting. Guess I must have been overlooking the cover from the start. It’s getting moved to my TBR pile as well. Can’t wait to lounge poolside with some of these. I love a reading list with a cohesive theme, thanks for sharing!
Miranda | Spooky Little Halloween
Report back and let me know how you like it!