Haunting movies, TV shows, books, and short stories are coming your way! It's been four months since I gave my last recommendations and I figured updating the list is probably something you disturbed people want. Since my last recommendation list, I have become more open-minded about the horror genre. While I'm still immune to jumpscares of any sort, I have found a new appreciation for the art of what goes into creating something labeled "horror." So, without further ado, here's an updated list of absolute "musts" for thriller (and dare I say horror?) fanatics.

Books

1. Killing Floor by Lee Child

This is the first of the Jack Reacher novels, and let me tell you, it's damn amazing. I've never seen a Jack Reacher film because I've had a vendetta against Tom Cruise my whole life, so buying this book was a bit of a reach (get it?). Upon reading the reviews and the basic summary of this book, I decided I should read it...well, listen to it on Audible. Jack Reacher, a former military policeman, is a traveling nobody who stops in Margrave, Georgia, to find info on a long-passed guitar player named Blind Blake. Before he even reaches the 60-minute mark of being settled, the police force storms the quiet diner and arrests Jack for murder. He, along with a man named Paul Hubble, are detained and brought to jail for the weekend. When Jack and Hubble are brought back to Margrave, Hubble disappears, and the shitstorm of corruption and gory slaughterings begin, and Jack decides to help the investigation. The last half hour of this book first had me close to a heart attack my heart was racing so fast, and then ended it all with a stab in the chest. I was so affected, in fact, that I outright cried while I was listening at work. Now, granted, that doesn't mean much because I react this way to any media I consume—I may have a slight case of Stendhal Syndrome if it exists—BUT this book is a phenomenal example of a great crime novel, especially if you want to flex your deducing muscles.

2. Home by Harlan Coben

Another great crime novel that I never wanted to let go of. Home by Harlan Coben is the 11th book in the Myron Bolitar series, though this book acts as a standalone, giving you all the background on the characters so many love. In this book, two boys have been kidnapped from their wealthy families. Ten years later, Myron Bolitar and his best friend Win think they have found one of the boys in London. They grill the lost boy, asking him what happened that day, where he was taken before they found him, and what happened to the other boy. This story is a great and realistic read with extremely lovable characters and a knack for humor in some intense situations.

3. The Girl Before by Rena Olsen

I read this book after I had finished a crime series, and boy was it a good one to cure a book hangover. in this novel, the main character Clara Lawson and her family are all taken by the S.W.A.T. team; the last thing her husband says to her is to say nothing. The chapters alternate from the past to present, giving us glimpses into Clara's stern upbringing by her adoptive parents, falling in love with their son, and coming to terms that her whole life is a complete and utter lie. She must face the truth of her upbringing and her family, whether she wants to or not. This summary does the book no justice, but I can't say anything else without giving major plotlines and twists away. It's disturbing, psychologically harrowing, but also a very important read on the lives of victims and their perpetrators. Out of all the books, this is the one I would definitely read again.

Television Shows

1. American Horror Story

First off, look at my boo right there. Yes, Evan Peters has been added to my ever growing celeb crushes (there are 74 now) and he has remained my #1 for quite a few months now. He's just so hot in the show like Tate was a cute boy, sure, but when he debuted his older, more chiseled look as Kit Walker... needless to say I haven't looked at another man like that since that first episode oh my GOD (not entirely true but you get the gist) okay, stop Livvy. I'm done, I promise. Secondly, this is my only recommendation in the (wait for it) horror genre (gasp), but it is one I am definitely going to go deeper into reviewing each season later on—like I did withStranger Thingsawhile back. But I am obsessed with this show. I am on my second complete run-through of the series, though I did watch Murder House twice and Roanoke three times through already. When I say I binged this series, I mean I binged this series. I watched it so fast I could hardly remember what happened in a season right after I finished it. I know I'm hopping on the bandwagon a little behind the hype, but it is seriously never too late to start something so addicting and so. good. (excluding Coven, I have my reasons).

2. The Twilight Zone

With the ability to watch almost every episode on Netflix,there is no reason to not indulge in the classic "mess-me-up" show. I have watched The Twilight Zone since I can remember, and it remains one of my all-time favorite shows to this day. While it may not be the scariest or most adrenaline pumping show out of the plethora of thrilling shows, it still holds a bit of eerieness that makes you think about it over and over in the late hours of the night. Some of the episodes really have freaked me out; anytime I force someone to watch it, the first ones I demand we watch are always "The After Hours" and "Eye of the Beholder". While season five is missing on Netflix, you can still get your fill of some of the most iconic episodes of the psychological thriller. At only 25 minutes long, you won't be watching just one in a sitting.

Movies

1. Hard Candy

Once you get over the initial cringing from the very obvious early 2000s clothing, this film is one for the books. The basic summary of this story is about a 14-year-old girl who meets a sexual predator, holds him hostage, and mercilessly tortures him in his own home. It contains intense situations and scenes that can prove to be brutal to most. The whole time I was watching, I wasn't sure if I should be rooting for Ellen Page's character or Patrick Wilson's—which is a messed up thing to say that you might side with a pedophile. The adrenaline pumping movie lasts less than two hours, but you can't help but feel as if you've experienced a day's worth of intense torture and interrogation just by watching the film. Director David Slade, famous for his aggressive directing style and producing entertainment such as Hannibal (2013-2015) and directing episodes of Breaking Bad (2008-2013), has done a phenomenal job tying in serious issues behind closed doors and adding just the right amount of drama and thrill.

2. Split

I literally JUST got back from the theater (Saturday, Jan. 21st). It might be premature to say how much I liked this movie since I haven't really had time to absorb all of the content that was brutally slapped across my eyes. I'm literally exhausted after watching this movie, my adrenaline was through the roof. In this movie, the exceedingly talented James McAvoy plays a man named Kevin who has lived his whole life with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Dennis, one of Kevin's 23 alters, kidnaps three teenage girls, as Patricia and nine-year-old Hedwig warn them that "the beast" is coming. Yes, there are some cliché thriller tropes—scream-queens, vents that lead nowhere, etc.—but the stunning performances and backstories of the characters are what make this film great. Keep in mind this is an M. Night Shyamalan movie, and some slight hint at the supernatural is brought into the film, though, it's more so along the lines of how powerful is the human mind and can it change the physiology and anatomy of the human body. It has received some backlash on its portrayal of mental illness. Here's my point of view: it's fiction. This movie is in no way meant to be an accurate portrayal of DID or to misrepresent those with mental illnesses. I could go on about this for ages but I digress in saying before anyone makes opinions based off of what they read online or see from trailers, go see the movie and then make your decisions.

So there you have it! A short, but high in quality updated list of my favorite thrillers. I could write novels on why I love these recommendations, but I guess keeping it to this list should suffice.