Most readers of the horror genre believe that they can solve real-life mysteries

More than three in five fantasy 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 would survive the plot of a horror novel and live to tell the tale. Interestingly, men were more confident in their survival skills compared to women (51% vs. 37%).

Conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by ThriftBooks, the research investigated all things related to the horror genre: plot scenarios, favorite horror books, and even the best security practices gleaned from reading the genre.

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

Shamelessly, more than one in 10 (13%) said they would be the villain and only 45% think they have what it takes to be the hero or detective in a spooky book.

Taking a closer look at the bad guys, this time in the real world, 68% said 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 daily routine fits the mold of a villain in a creepy novel.

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

Finding how reading scary books has had a lasting impact on respondents, 68% reported adopting safer habits after reading the genre.

These include not sharing personal information with strangers (63%), not answering calls or texts from unknown numbers (62%), not posting your location on social media (52%) and never posting any personal information on the Internet (51%). .

Readers said they feel a mix of sensations after reading a scary book, including feeling energized (29%), scared (28%) and even wary of strangers (22%).

More than half (54%) also admitted that they get scared more easily after reading a scary novel. And those feelings take two days, on average, to disappear after reading a disturbing book.

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

“It’s interesting and very relatable to see all the things we’ve done after reading a scary book,” said Barbara Hagen, vice president of sales and marketing for ThriftBooks. “Who hasn’t done it did you sleep with the lights on after reading a scary book? It’s also interesting, even informative, to see what security habits ghost readers pick up. The horror book genre is very much all at once: creepy, energizing and fascinating. No wonder it’s such a popular genre.”

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

And it turns out that 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 to read the first one. compared to Baby Boomer respondents (45%).

According to the survey, popular front door scary books include “Carrie,” “Dracula,” “Frankenstein,” “Goosebumps,” “Nancy Drew” and “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.”

When asked about their favorite scary reads of all time, readers cited books such as: “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 done so this year, we encourage readers to pick up a scary book,” Hagen said. “Whether it’s a repeat read or a new one, there’s no better time of year to get into the genre.”

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans who regularly read mystery, horror, thriller/suspense, or true crime books; The survey was commissioned by ThriftBooks and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between September 17 and September 23, 2024.