Despite how over-the-top the blood, gore, and bad decisions can be in a slasher, what makes them scary is that, at their core, there is a sense of realism. It’s the idea that a masked killer can suddenly intrude upon a safe space, whether it be the suburbs (Halloween), the summer camp suburban teens work at (Friday the 13th), or the cabin suburban college students rent to party in (The Cabin in the Woods).

(Seriously, beware of the suburbs, y’all!)

And yet, there is something inherently supernatural about the Slashers themselves. How do they walk so slowly, but always catch you? How do they get back up after they are so obviously killed? And how do they survive their never-ending franchises, seemingly increasing in strength even after 20 years of sequels?

Sometimes, it’s easier to just go all in on this element of inhumanness. After all, A Nightmare on Elm Street was a hit! So for anyone looking for more supernatural slashers, here are five fun ones to check out.

Night of the Mannequins (Stephen Graham-Jones)

Particularly unique as it is told from the perspective of a teen boy (rather than the traditional Final Girl), this one is a mind-bending narrative about, you guessed it, killer mannequins. It’ll have you questioning everything you think you know about both the slasher genre and the killer doll genre right from the jump!

How to Survive Your Murder (Danielle Valentine)

In the vein of recent sci-fi slasher flicks, like 2017’s Happy Death Day and 2023’s Totally Killer (both of which are totally awesome, btw!), this 2022 novel slashes right through the time travel trope.

One year ago, Alice witnessed her sister’s gruesome murder. Today, she is about to testify against the man she’s sure did it. That is, until she is knocked out by a Sidney Prescott lookalike, only to wake up one year ago, on the day of the murder. Like a twisted Cinderella tale, she has until midnight to figure out how to save her sister, and herself.

You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight (Kalynn Bayron)

Speaking of Sidney Prescott (Scream), this one is great for fans of the meta-slasher. Set at a full-contact horror theme park, but instead of rides, guests get real chased by a fake Slasher, who can catch you, tie you up, blindfold you, etc. The employees have a blast making it all feel real, but when it becomes real, it’s less fun… especially when they themselves are the victims. And while there is a supernatural element, it would be a spoiler to say what exactly is going on. You’ll just have to read the book to find out! And don’t forget to check out my review!

How to Sell a Haunted House (Grady Hendrix)

Okay, I’m the first to admit this one is not strictly a slasher. But the evil doll trope is never without slasher elements. Chucky immediately comes to mind! Moreover, this book has something for every horror fan: a haunted house, a killer puppet, and even a Final Girl element (she’s a single mother, but has to do a lot of the work a FG typically must do to survive). It’s gory, it’s funny, and it’s dark. Hell, it’s even touching! Pick it up and thank me later.

It (Stephen King)

I’m not a HUGE King fan (I know, I know… horror blasphemy), but one simply cannot put together a list of supernatural slashers without Pennywise. Despite watching (and enjoying) all the adaptations, I never actually finished this book; but from what I can gather, there’s a lot going on in it. Enter at your own risk!

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Know of any other supernatural or sci-fi slasher reads? Let me know in the comments! I’d love to check them out.