What would Wednesday Addams read? 8 books for the woefully well-read

‘Tis the season of crisp autumn days, pumpkin patches, apple orchards, and of course, creepy, mysterious reads. And no one knows creepy and mysterious better than Wednesday Addams.

The recent release of Season 2 of Netflix's Wednesday has provided the perfect inspiration for an autumnal reading list—think drafty old buildings, hidden rooms, cryptic messages, and an ever-present sense of dread. Read on for eight books on Libby the queen of macabre herself would gladly skip a social gathering to enjoy.

They Bloom at Night by Trang Thanh Tran
🎧 Audiobook

Set in a post-apocalyptic near-future Louisiana flooded by a devastating hurricane, Trang Thanh Tran’s sophomore novel is an atmospheric body horror perfect for fans of Kosoko Jackson, T. Kingfisher, or CG Drews. I highly recommend the audiobook for this title, as narrator Nhi Do provides both a pitch-perfect reading of lead Nhung “Noon” Lê and a tense, emotional listen. Tran provides a list of content warnings on their website.

Desperate Remedies: Psychiatry’s Turbulent Quest to Cure Mental Illness by Andrew Scull
🎧 Audiobook

Wednesday displays a breadth of knowledge spanning disciplines throughout the series, much of which I’m sure was amassed through reading. Sociologist Andrew Scull’s Desperate Remedies feels like a natural choice for further study. Known for his research into the history of medicine and psychiatry, Scull takes on American psychiatric practices past and present in this comprehensive survey. Beginning with the “asylum era” of the early 19th century and continuing through modern day, this title is equal parts compelling chronicle and scathing indictment of the American understanding of mental illness.

Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley
🎧 Audiobook

Frankenstein truly needs no introduction, so I’ll simply say it’s one of a handful of titles mentioned by name in the Netflix show—Wednesday refers to Mary Shelley as both her literary hero and nemesis—and a gothic classic everyone should read at least once.

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White
🎧 Audiobook

With his sophomore novel, Andrew Joseph White delivered a gothic horror that’s sure to appeal to fans of the latest season of Wednesday. This book tells the story of trans, autistic 16-year-old Silas Bell, born with the ability to commune with spirits, but seen by society as only good for birthing babies. When Silas is caught attempting to escape society’s confines, he’s sent to Braxton’s Finishing School and Sanitorium for “treatment.” But what he discovers there is more horrifying than he could have imagined, and he’ll have to fight tooth and nail for more than just his freedom. This read comes with some hefty content warnings, but I highly recommend it for fans of historical fantasies with bite.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
🎧 Audiobook

While The Haunting of Hill House is beloved for a reason, this book is my favorite from Jackson’s extensive bibliography. Told from the perspective of 18-year-old Mary Katherine “Merricat” Blackwood, it tells the story of the Blackwood family—or at least those who remain after Merricat’s parents, aunt, and younger brother died by arsenic poisoning six years prior. Pick this title if you love a classic gothic tale à la The Turn of the Screw or Rebecca.

The Dark Between the Trees by Fiona Barnett
🎧 Audiobook

When a group of researchers venture into an English wood in search of answers related to a 400-year-old mystery, none of them expect the local legends about it to prove anything more than creepy campfire tales. But when their navigation equipment fails and they become hopelessly lost, the five women realize they were woefully unprepared for the realities of Moresby Wood. Alternating between past and present, this is a gripping gothic horror that’s sure to appeal to fans of Andrew Michael Hurley, Megan Shepherd, or The Blair Witch Project.

A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants: Wicked Weeds and Sinister Seeds by Rebecca E. Hirsch
🎧 Audiobook

Wednesday is clearly well-versed in the ways of deadly plants, claiming to get her “red thumb” from Morticia, but I think she’d still enjoy this newer YA title dedicated to dangerous flora. Mixing science, history, and true crime, this one is sure to appeal to readers who prefer their nonfiction with a touch of the gruesome.

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas
🎧 Audiobook

Hailed as Mexican Gothic meets Rebecca, Cañas’ debut tells the story of Beatriz, the daughter of an influential but recently executed general. Forced into sudden poverty in 1820s Mexico, Beatriz accepts the lifeline of marriage offered by wealthy landowner Rodolfo. But soon after moving to his estate, the Hacienda San Isidro, Beatriz is plagued by bad dreams and ominous visions. Is she going mad, or does the Hacienda hide horrifying secrets?

*Title availability may vary.

RELATED READ: 6 dark fantasies to read after R. F. Kuang’s Katabasis