Horror Books for Fans of the TV Show Supernatural

Supernatural was no stranger to getting a little meta and, from its run in 2005 to 2020, it saw the rise of the Internet and many new technologies, and even dealing with rival ghost hunters who record their investigations for social media.

Enter Burn The Dark by S.A. Hunt, the first book of three in the Malus Domestica series. Robin is a YouTuber gone viral with her witch hunting Internet series, but she has a secret. While her fans chart her success down to good production values and strong writing, Robin is an actual witch hunter, and she’s taking them down one upload at a time.

Seeking vengeance on a coven of witches, Burn The Dark embraces the horror whilst keeping the action strong, and reminds me of the witch-centric Supernatural episodes throughout its run. Funny, fast-paced and frequently terrifying, the Malus Domestica trilogy comes recommended.

Famed for its rural American setting as the Winchesters travelled Route 66, there are still books to be found sharing that Supernatural flavor that are a little further afield. The Devil You Know is one of them.

The first entry in a series of 6 (so far), The Devil You Know finds London-based exorcist Felix Castor taking ghost-hunting jobs just to pay the bills, using his skills to carve out some kind of life. But, after accepting a seemingly routine job, Castor comes up against a spirit stronger than him… And not just one. Felix becomes the supernatural enemy number one, and even the living are causing problems.

Fast-paced, smart, and not afraid to shy away from the horror, The Devil You Know is like a classic Supernatural monster of the week episode revolving around pesky spirits, and is a riot throughout.

You might have seen the movie and some of its many sequels and reboots, but do yourself a favor and check out the book. The Omen is a masterpiece in horror suspense and fans of Supernatural’s demon-possession and hellish shenanigans will find plenty to enjoy through their fingers.

The Omen is terrifying and devastatingly effective in its original form, charting the demonic tale of parents desperate for a child, but raising one destined to fulfill the most terrible prophecy of all. A tour-de-force of suspense and unsettling atmosphere, The Omen still hits hard almost fifty years later and there’s plenty of "The Omen" in Sam Winchester’s early character arc. Essential reading.

Nightlife, the first book in the Cal Leandros series, came out hot on the heels of Supernatural and hits many of the same beats the TV show does, though it’s in no way a rip-off. In fact, Thurman had worked on Cal Leandros long-before the Winchesters emerged on our TV screens.

While Nightlife ties matters mostly to New York and contains a little more of an urban fantasy flavor, it still delivers on the horror while pushing inter-family problems to the forefront.

There are daddy issues, dark secrets, dollops of snark and bad-tempered protagonists a plenty. With ten books (plus spin-offs) already released, there are plenty of stories ahead if you choose to dive in.

There could be any number of Stephen King books in this article, but I’ve plumped for Christine for a few reasons.

One, it’s the first example of King’s ‘Evil Car’ fixation. Two, Christine, the eponymous Plymouth Fury takes centre stage in the story, much like Dean’s Impala does. Hell, there’s even an episode of Supernatural that’s from Baby’s (the Impala) point-of-view. And Supernatural did the possessed vehicle causing trouble early on in season one with the episode ‘Route 666’.

Supernatural wore its Stephen King influence on its sleeve, and Christine, possibly King’s most mid-80s work in his bibliography, is a fun slice of horror that’s worth investigating.

Yes, there are Supernatural books! And no, they’re not based on the in-world books featured in the TV show written by that pesky Chuck Shirley. And it would be remiss of me not to talk about them here.

The first of seventeen books, Nevermore takes on something the TV series never did… Edgar Allen Poe. Arriving in New York to investigate a dead rocker’s haunted house, the Winchesters soon find themselves embroiled in scenarios suspiciously like the works of Poe.

A fun examination of storytelling and the (at the time) expanding Supernatural mythos, Nevermore hits on many of the TV-show’s hallmarks and pushes the brothers into new territory. And there are plenty of books to follow for the most ardent of fans… Carry on, my wayward readers.