Most spooky genre readers believe they can solve real-life mysteries

More than three in five spooky genre readers say they could solve a real-life mystery, according to a recent survey.

The survey of 2,000 horror, mystery, thriller and true crime readers found that 61% believe they have what it takes to unravel a real-world mystery plot. 

But, only four in 10 (41%) are confident they’d survive the plot of a horror novel and live to tell the tale. Interestingly, men were significantly more confident in their survival skills compared to women (51% vs. 37%). 

Conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by ThriftBooks, (https://www.thriftbooks.com) the research investigated all things related to the spooky genre: Plot-come-to-life scenarios, favorite spooky books and even safety best practices gleaned from reading the genre. 

When asked which character stereotype they identify with, one in four (26%) identified as the sidekick character and 12% said they’d most likely be the victim in a scary book.

Unabashedly, more than one in 10 (13%) reported they’d be the villain and only 45% believe they have what it takes to be the hero or detective in a spooky book. 

Looking closer at villains, this time in the real world, 68% said that they can tell if someone is a “bad” person simply by the vibes they give off. Women were more likely to report this compared to men (70% vs 61%). 

And more than half of readers (51%) said someone in their everyday routine fits the mold of a villian from a spooky novel. 

Looking at who actually matches the stereotype, the most common answer was a neighbor (44%). Shockingly (or maybe not) the second most common answer was a family member (31%).   

Uncovering how reading scary books has made a lasting impact on respondents, 68% reported that they’ve adopted safer habits after reading the genre. 

These include not sharing personal info with strangers (63%), not answering calls or texts from unfamiliar numbers (62%), not posting their location on social media (52%) and never posting any personal info on the internet (51%). 

Readers said they feel a combination of sensations after reading a scary book such as feeling energized (29%), afraid (28%) and even wary of strangers (22%). 

More than half (54%) also admitted they’re more easily startled after reading a scary novel. And it takes two days, on average, for these feelings to subside after reading a haunting book. 

Thirty-three percent have slept with the lights on after a chilling read, 21% have checked under the bed and 20% have even refused to answer the door when the doorbell rang after finishing a spooky read. 

“It’s interesting and so relatable to see all the things we’ve done after reading a scary book,” said Barbara Hagen, vice president of sales and marketing at ThriftBooks. “Who hasn’t slept with the lights on after reading a terrifying book? It’s also interesting, even informative, to see what safety habits spooky readers pick up. The scary book genre is a lot at once: Chilling, energizing and enthralling. It’s no wonder it’s such a popular genre.” 

Readers, on average, reported picking up their first hair-raising book at age 12. After that, 60% said they were immediately addicted to the genre. 

And it turns out, younger generations are more easily addicted to the genre: More Gen Z (73%), millennials (76%) and even Gen X respondents (72%) said they were immediately hooked on scary books after reading their first one compared to baby boomer respondents (45%). 

Popular gateway scary books, according to the survey, include “Carrie,” “Dracula,” “Frankenstein,” “Goosebumps,” “Nancy Drew,” and “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.”

When asked about their all-time favorite scary reads, readers cited books including: “Goosebumps,” “It,” “Pet Sematary,” “Silence of the Lambs,” “The Exorcist,” “The Shining” and “The Stand.”

It’s no surprise then that Stephen King (68%) was the most popular answer by a landslide, across all generations, when respondents were asked about their favorite horror authors.

“If you haven’t already this year, we encourage readers to pick up a scary book,” said Hagen. “Whether it’s a repeat read or a new one, there’s no better time of year to get into the genre.”