By Are you more of a classic fan? Do you like crime or horror? Have you read Henry James, Murakami or Joan Didion? Below, we suggest books that will captivate you from the first page.
Crime fiction, epic fantasy, horror, science fiction… There are books that hook you from the first chapter, novels that captivate with their plot, characters and exceptional narrative. It is possible that, right now, several titles come to mind, unique stories that you keep forever in the chest of your literary memory. We are what we read and there are works that remain in our emotional DNA.
Now, we know that, as a good reader, you need new, unique and exciting proposals from time to time. Our aim is to provide you with an interesting list of different genres and the most varied authors. You may already know some of them, but surely others are waiting impatiently for you to discover them. We describe them below.
«To travel far, there is no better ship than a book»
~ Emily Dickinson ~
Classic books and fascinating universal authors
There is a whole universe of classic books that will hook you from page 1. These are works that have stood the test of time due to their quality, relevance and originality. Go to them whenever you can, discover new titles or reread your favourites. We will now make a brief selection of those that captivated several generations.
1. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes , Arthur Conan Doyle
If you don’t know each and every one of the adventures of the famous tenant of Baker Street, now is the time. Sherlock Holmes and his faithful friend, Dr. John Watson, solve cases as amazing as A Scandal in Bohemia, The Red-Headed League, The Sign of the Four or the classic Hound of the Baskervilles. Few readings are as exciting.
2. Jane Eyre , Charlotte Brontë
An unforgettable classic and one of those books that hooks you from the start. The novel by the eldest of the Bronte sisters tells the story of Jane Eyre, an orphan with character who gets a job as a governess at the lonely Thornfield Hall mansion. There she meets its owner, Mr. Rochester, a man tortured by his past.
3. Jude the Obscure, Thomas Hardy
Jude the Obscure was an innovative book for its time. It was published in 1895 and was one of the first novels to approach the universe of sexuality through a reflective and intimate prism. Its protagonist is a young man dominated by an impossible love and whose life is constantly confronted by the uncomfortable social conventions of his community.
4. The White Lady , Wilkie Collins
This gothic novel intertwines love stories, secrets, detective plots and the appearances of a mysterious woman dressed in white.
5. What Maisie Knew , Henry James
Every Henry James book is a must-read. But this particular novel will draw you in from the start. It tells the story of Maisie Farange, a young girl caught in the middle of a bitter divorce and a world of selfish adults.
6. The Buddenbrooks , Thomas Mann
The novel introduces you to the Buddenbrooks , a wealthy family from Lübeck who are facing the decline of their values, fortune and social prestige. It is one of Thomas Mann’s best works.
7. Decameron , Boccaccio
The Decameron contains a total of 100 tales on a wide variety of topics: social criticism, sexuality, happiness, love and wit. It was published in mid-1349 and remains a fascinating and entertaining work.
8. Bleak House , Charles Dickens
Esther Summerson, abandoned at birth by her parents, was adopted by a distinguished nobleman, Mr. John Jarndyce. This high-ranking gentleman has been fighting for years over a singular inheritance that completely alters the future of this very special family. Remember, reading Dickens is a pleasure that is always worth immersing yourself in.
9. Middlemarch, George Eliot
The novel offers a brilliant portrait of life in a small town in the 19th century. Its Victorian characters will captivate you from the first chapter. Alongside them, themes such as love, marriage and ambition are explored.
10. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Edmond Dantés is betrayed and unjustly imprisoned. After escaping, he becomes the Count of Monte Cristo and seeks revenge against all those who betrayed him. It is one of the most universal novels and its protagonist is someone hard to forget.
11. Diary of a Nobody, George Grossmith and Weedon Grossmith
Among the books that will hook you, you cannot miss this comic novel. It tells the unique adventures of Charles Pooter, a middle-class man who faces the most humorous situations in his daily life. It is a classic of British literature that will make you smile throughout the entire reading.
12. Olalla , Robert Louis Stevenson
Stevenson’s work is one of the most fascinating. We suggest you discover a very special title: Olalla. A vampire story set in Spain, which follows a young soldier who discovers dark secrets in a noble family.
13. Pride and Prejudice , Jane Austen
Who can resist learning the fascinating story between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet? Jane Austen ‘s unforgettable novel follows the relationship between these two young people in 19th-century England, exploring themes of social class and prejudice.
14. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
The novel tells the story of the struggle against racism and injustice in the American South through the eyes of a girl named Scout Finch. It is one of those books that, once read, stays in your heart forever.
15. Rebecca , Daphne du Maurier
If Alfred Hitchcock was fascinated by this novel by Daphne du Maurier, it was not by chance. In it, the protagonist – whose name you will never know – marries a wealthy man. After moving into the mansion of Manderley, she discovers that Rebecca, her husband’s ex-wife, is still very much around.
16. Fog , Miguel de Unamuno
This philosophical and existentialist work tells the story of a writer who comes to life and confronts his creator, questioning his own existence. Unforgettable.
17. The Moonstone, Wilkie Collins
The Moonstone is a pioneering novel in detective literature. It follows the search for a mysterious jewel stolen from a Hindu sanctuary, about which all kinds of disturbing legends are told.
Black novel, for thriller lovers
Intrigue, suspense and even true crime … Who doesn’t love spending an entire afternoon or evening delighting in this type of reading? We assure you that, once you start reading these titles, you won’t be able to stop. It is true that, as a good reader of detective books , you will know some of these books, but there are sure to be others that will surprise you.
1. In Cold Blood , Truman Capote
Capote recounts the brutal murders of a family in Kansas in 1959 and the investigation that led to the arrest and trial of the killers. The novel combines journalistic narration with literary and suspense elements.
2. The Talented Mr. Ripley , Patricia Highsmith
Among the books that will get you hooked, you cannot miss the story of Tom Ripley. He is a man who gets involved in a series of crimes to maintain his facade of wealth and sophistication. The novel is a magnificent exploration of the psychology of a murderer.
3. Millenium , Stieg Larsson
The Millennium saga has made history. If you don’t know it, we suggest you discover the journalistic investigations of Mikael Blomkvist and the unforgettable hacker Lisbeth Salander in Sweden. It begins with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and addresses themes of corruption, abuse and conspiracy.
4. Mr. Mercedes , Stephen King
Stephen King ‘s novel is a wonderful combination of mystery and detective fiction. It follows retired detective Bill Hodges as he investigates a serial killer who uses a Mercedes Benz to commit his crimes.
5. Tragic Christmas, Agatha Christie
While everyone is having dinner and chatting during a Christmas dinner, a heartbreaking scream is heard. The well-known detective Poirot must begin his investigations…
6. Gone Girl , Gillian Flynn
The story focuses on the disappearance of Amy Dunne and the investigation that follows, revealing gruesome secrets and surprising twists. We assure you that this is one of those novels in which the reader cannot imagine at any moment what will happen.
7. Mystic River , by Dennis Lehane
This is another one of those books that hooks you from the first page. Three childhood friends reunite after a tragedy that marked them for life, only to find themselves involved in a new mystery. It is a heartbreaking drama that is hard to forget.
8. Tooth and Nail , Ian Rankin
A new serial killer appears in London, someone called the “Werewolf”, who bites and tears apart his victims. Scotland Yard, in order to catch him, decides to call in Scottish inspector John Rebus.
9. One for another , Philip Kerr
In this novel, detective Bernhard Gunthe must capture one of the most sadistic spies of the SS.
10. Faceless Killers , Henning Mankell
Detective Kurt Wallander must lead one of his most dramatic investigations: the murder of a peaceful elderly couple on a farm in Lenarp. If you are passionate about Nordic fiction, Mankell’s work is a must- read .
11. Ripper’s Game , Isabel Allende
A teenager and her group of friends investigate a series of murders in San Francisco, unraveling a dark mystery. Isabel Allende will captivate you in this unforgettable book.
12. Batzan Trilogy , Dolores Redondo
This trilogy ( The Invisible Guardian, Legacy in the Bones, and Offering to the Storm ) follows Inspector Amaia Salazar as she investigates crimes in the Baztán Valley, uncovering family secrets that combine with fascinating Basque mythology.
13. Hannibal, Thomas Harris
You may already be familiar with the classic film The Silence of the Lambs . But we assure you that Harris’s book is much more impactful than the award-winning 90s film. Remember also that the iconic Dr. Hannibal Lecter — the cannibal — was, in fact, a character based on a real man: Robert Maudsley.
14. Everything that dies , John Connolly
Private detective Charlie Parker investigates a murder case that plunges him into a world of violence and also leads him to confront dark forces. John Connolly has the mastery of combining the police genre with horror and this is, without a doubt, one of those books that hooks you from the beginning.
15. You will reap storms , Dona León
Commissioner Guido Brunetti investigates crimes in Venice while exploring themes of corruption and justice.
16. In Defense of Jacob , William Danlay
The novel follows Assistant District Attorney Andy Barber as he investigates a murder in his community. Suddenly, he uncovers a dark secret involving his family, and specifically his son Jacob.
Science fiction to stimulate your mind
Dystopias, imaginary worlds, parallel universes, future realities… Among the books that will hook you from the start are many of those great masters of science fiction. The following proposals will stimulate your imagination and invite you to reflect on technological and philosophical questions. Are you up for it?
1. The Dark Tower , Stephen King
The Dark Tower is a series of books by Stephen King that combines science fantasy, horror, and western styles. The novels follow gunslinger Roland Deschain on his quest to reach the great black tower and save a dying world. On his journey, he faces danger and amazing adventures.
2. Dune, Frank Herbert
The story takes place on the desert planet of Arrakis and follows the political, religious and ecological struggles surrounding the universe’s most valuable resource, the spice melange.
3. 1984 , George Orwell
In a totalitarian dystopia, Winston Smith rebels against a government that controls information and reality, facing devastating consequences. This is another one of those must-read books.
4. Neuromancer , William Gibson
This cyberpunk novel introduces you to hacker Case as he is hired to carry out a job that immerses him in a world of high technology, artificial intelligence and conspiracy.
5. The Time Machine , HG Wells
The protagonist travels to the distant future, where he encounters two races, the Elois and the Morlocks, and discovers the changes in humanity over the centuries. HG Wells left us a masterpiece in the science-fiction genre.
6. Foundation , Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov ‘s novel explores the fall and subsequent rebirth of a galaxy through science and mathematical prediction in the distant future.
7. At the Mountains of Madness , HP Lovecraft
HP Lovecraft explored like no one else this unique genre halfway between cosmic horror and science fiction. It tells the story of a scientific expedition to Antarctica that discovers ancient secrets and horrors hidden beneath the ice.
8. The Martian, Andy Weir
An astronaut stranded on Mars struggles to survive as NASA works to rescue him in a thrilling story of survival. This novel was made into a film in 2015 starring Matt Damon.
9. I Am Legend , Richard Matheson
The novel follows Robert Neville, the last man in a world ravaged by a vampire plague, as he fights for his survival.
10. The Road , Cormac McCarthy
This is one of those books that will hook you and will be hard to forget. Cormac McCarthy’s narrative was magnificent and this title is one of the best of his work. In a post-apocalyptic world, a father and his son travel along a desolate road in search of a safe place, facing danger and despair.
11. Fahrenheit 451 , Ray Bradbury
In a society where books are banned, firefighter Guy Montag becomes a rebel fighting to preserve literature.
12. The Aleph, Jorge Luis Borges
With this book , Jorge Luis Borges gives you one of his most beautiful works. They are almost always fantastic stories that will allow you to reflect on literature, humanity, language, duplicity, identity, infinity…
13. The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood
In a totalitarian and utopian future, women are subjugated and forced to serve as maids for the elite. The protagonist fights for her freedom and her identity. The Handmaid’s Tale has been a huge success in audiovisual format, but if you haven’t read the book yet, now is the time to do so.
14. The Three-Body Problem , Liu Cixin
This is a very special science fiction novel. It is Chinese and explores a transcendent theme: the possible communication with an alien civilization and the consequences of such contact.
15. Ender’s Games , Orson Scott Card
The book follows Ender Wiggin, a child prodigy recruited to train in the fight against an alien race at a space military school. A classic that has also been adapted to film.
16. Solaris , Stanislaw Lem
On a space station orbiting the enigmatic planet Solaris, scientists confront manifestations of their own traumas and desires in alien forms.
17. Ubik , Philip K. Dick
The novel focuses on a distorted reality in which technology and perception of reality are breaking down, while the characters struggle to understand what is happening.
Horror books that will fascinate you
From the most classic gothic horror of Henry James, to the most contemporary of Stephen King. Crossing the threshold of these books will not only give you a few shivers, they will also invite you to think about the complexity of the human mind. If you love the genre, with these proposals you will find your own personal paradise.
1. The Haunting of Hill House , Shirley Jackson
If you’re a horror fan, we recommend any book by Shirley Jackson. In this case, the story takes you into the lives of a group of people who meet at the sinister Hill House to investigate paranormal phenomena. As they explore the house, strange and terrifying events occur. Mike Flanagan adapted this interesting story for Netflix.
2. The Turn of the Screw , Henry James
A governess is hired to care for two children in an isolated mansion in the countryside. As she works, she begins to suspect that the house is being haunted by two supernatural forces and the children may be under their influence.
3. The Exorcist , William Peter Blaty
Peter Blaty created a masterpiece with this terrifying novel. In it you will discover the efforts of a priest and a psychiatrist to free a girl possessed by a demonic entity. The story is an intense struggle between good and evil, which was also made into a film with great success.
4. The Visitor, Stephen King
You may already know Stephen King’s classic novels, such as IT, The Shining or Pet Sematary . In our case, we recommend The Visitor.
The plot centers on the arrest and accusation of a man for a terrible crime. However, there is evidence that he could be in two different places at the same time, which triggers a paranormal investigation.
5. The Hell House , Richard Matheson
Among the books that will hook you from the start, this work by Matheson cannot be missed. A team of researchers and psychics spend a week in the famous Belasco House to explore its mysteries. What they discover inside is more terrifying than they could have ever imagined.
6. The dangers of smoking in bed , Mariana Enríquez
Mariana Enriquez’s writing is exceptional. This book is a collection of horror stories that explore themes such as loneliness, fear, and the supernatural in the context of everyday life. You will be fascinated.
7. We have always lived in the castle , Shirley Jackson
We cannot leave out of our list of books that will hook you from the start this other novel by Jackson. You will discover two sisters who live isolated in a house after a family tragedy. The arrival of a distant cousin triggers a series of events that will shape a most disturbing ending.
8. The Eyes of Darkness , Dean Koontz
A mother searches for her missing son while becoming embroiled in a conspiracy involving a secret laboratory that experiments with psychic powers. Dean Koontz is one of those pinnacle authors in the horror genre that you can’t miss.
9. Ghost Stories , MR James
We could say that this is one of the best collections of short ghost stories you can read. It presents a series of Victorian tales where the paranormal and the fascinating take you into stories that are hard to forget. MR James was a master of the genre.
10. The Woman in Black , Susan Hill
A lawyer must travel to an isolated mansion in the countryside to resolve the legal matters of a deceased woman. Upon arriving at this house, he learns that there is a malevolent presence lurking nearby.
11. The Sleepwalkers , Chuck Wending
Chuck Weding introduces us to a group of people who, in the midst of an epidemic, develop the ability to communicate in dreams. But this psychic connection exposes them to dark forces. This is one of the most interesting dystopian and horror novels of recent years.
12. Let me in, John Ajvide Lindqvist
The novel tells the story of a lonely boy and his new neighbor, a somewhat unusual girl with dark secrets.
13. The Fifth Child, Doris Lessing
In this short novel, Doris Lessing left us a very special and terrifying story at the same time. It focuses on a family that welcomes its fifth child, a somewhat disturbing and disturbing child who challenges the maternal instincts of the protagonist herself.
14. The Other, by Thomas Tryon
This is another one of those books that will instantly hook you. You will discover twin brothers, Niles and Holland, who live on a farm in Connecticut. In this strange and oppressive atmosphere, horrible crimes occur.
15. The Bloody Countess, Alejandra Pizarnik
This book is a unique poetic work about the history of the Hungarian Countess Erzsébet Báthory. Pizarnik leaves us her wonderful pen to describe the serial murders committed by this bloody woman in the 16th century.
16. The October Country , Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury is known for his mastery of science fiction and the creation of dystopian and surreal worlds in his works. This book is a wonderful collection of nineteen short stories.
Books that hook you with their emotional stories
We want to close our list of books that will hook you from the start with some very special titles. They combine literary fiction with social drama and the complex psychological universe of the human being.
The following works will move you, some are hard and others will remain forever in a privileged corner of your memory. Enjoy them.
1. The Year of Magical Thinking , Joan Didion
Joan Didion recounts her experiences and emotions after the sudden death of her husband and daughter in a period of mourning and reflection. It is a delicate book with great emotional depth that is difficult to forget.
2. Beloved , Toni Morrison
The novel centers on the life of Sethe, a former slave living in post-Civil War America who faces the horrors of her past when a mysterious young woman named Beloved enters her life.
3. Tokyo Blues , Haruki Murakami
If you haven’t read Murakami, we recommend this novel. In it, Toru Watanabe reflects on his youth in Tokyo during the 1960s and, in particular, on his love for Naoko.
4. Atonement , Ian McEwan
This is one of those books that will keep you hooked and never forget. The novel revolves around a tragic misunderstanding that changes the lives of several characters and examines how mistakes can have devastating consequences.
5. The crooked lines of God , Torcuato Luca de Tena
The story follows a woman who is admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Here, she encounters strange events and inexplicable situations that make you doubt who the protagonist really is. Torcuato Luca de Tena created with Los reglones torcidos de Dios , one of the best works of contemporary literature.
6. The House of the Spirits , by Isabel Allende
In this family saga spanning several generations, you will find everything from profound themes of love to politics and the delicate magical realism that Isabel Allende always combines so well.
7. Nothing , Carmen Laforet
The protagonist, Andrea, moves to Barcelona to study at university and faces an oppressive and decadent family environment, while struggling to find her identity. This work by Carmen Laforet will fascinate you from the first page.
8. The Bell Jar , Sylvia Plath
This unforgettable semi-autobiographical novel tells the story of Esther Greenwood, a young writer struggling with depression and the oppression of 1950s society.
9. The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair , Joël Dicker
Among the books that will hook you from the first chapter, we suggest you discover the most famous one by Joël Dicker. In it you will discover a young writer who investigates an old murder related to one of his teachers and mentors: Harry Quebert. Finding out who killed the teenager Nola Kellergan will be something that will captivate you until the last page.
10. The Girl on the Train , Paula Hawkins
Rachel, a woman with an alcohol problem, becomes obsessed with a couple she watches from a train. When the woman disappears, Rachel becomes involved in a mystery with surprising twists.
11. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest , Ken Kesey
You may have seen the unforgettable film starring Jack Nicholson. However, the book will allow you to delve even deeper into this fascinating story. In it, you will enter the complex mental universe of the patients of a mental institution, to discover their confrontation with the authority represented by Nurse Ratched.
12. The Shadow of the Wind , Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Among the books that hook you from the first paragraph, this novel by Ruiz Zafón cannot be missed. A young man named Daniel Sempere discovers a cursed book and finds himself caught up in a literary mystery in post-war Barcelona.
13. Sleeping Beauties , Stephen King and Owen King
This is one of those works by Stephen King written together with his son, Owen, where fantasy, feminism and mystery are combined. It will captivate you from the first page. Imagine that one day women around the world fall into a deep sleep. A kind of cocoon emerges from their body that isolates them from the outside.
But be careful, because if anyone dares to wake them up or break the fabric that surrounds them, they will react with anger and extreme violence. Would you like to know where these women go while they sleep? Don’t hesitate to read the book.
14. The House of Miniatures , Jessie Burton
In 17th century Amsterdam, a young, high-ranking girl receives a dollhouse that begins to reveal dark and peculiar secrets in her life…
15. My Brilliant Friend , Elena Ferrante
The story follows the complex friendship of two women, Elena and Lila, from their childhood in a poor neighborhood of Naples, exploring their lives and relationships over the years.
16. Letter from an Unknown Woman , Stefan Zweig
We close our list of books that engage with the wonderful narrative of Stephan Zweig. A woman writes a love letter to a man she barely knew, revealing a passion she has kept secret all her life. Do you want to know more?
Reading, an addiction you should never cure yourself from
There is no greater pleasure than suddenly discovering a new book that captivates you. It is like opening doors to another world, where words are the keys that unlock your imagination and transport you to other times and settings. Sometimes, you get so deep into the skin of the characters that, for a few hours, you stop being yourself to fit into other lives.
We hope that these suggestions are of interest to you. Don’t hesitate to seek out those titles that sparked your curiosity. Expand your library and your literary experience whenever you can. Because this is an addiction worth indulging in.