Encounter Pulse-Pounding Indigenous Stories with These 10 Suspenseful Books 

Stephen Graham Jones is one of those authors who sends shivers down your spine with every story he writes, and the penultimate installment of the Indian Lake trilogy is no exception. Don’t Fear the Reaper is an intense slasher centered around one escaped serial killer, 20 murders, and 36 hours of mayhem. Mixing horror with astute commentary on grief, gentrification, and abuse, this is one that will linger with you, so listen to our Poured Over podcast to dive even deeper into this gruesome tale. 

Jessica Johns is a fresh new voice that blends mystery, horror, and grief into this imaginative story. Haunted by dreams that lie somewhere between memory and prophecy, Mackenzie is drawn back to her family. But as the visions intensify, she worries that returning has put them all at risk. Exploring the bounds of dream and reality, Bad Cree is a mesmerizing and fast-paced read you won’t be able to put down. 

Sisters of the Lost Nation is an atmospheric, timely genre-bending thriller, infused with Native mythology, about a courageous young woman trying to bring her sister home. Girls are disappearing from the reservation — when her sister joins their ranks, Anna must search for answers. Nick Medina has written a moving portrait of the schism between tradition and modernization, and the ongoing horrors of our world. Go deeper with the author on our Poured Over podcast episode.  

You will be pulled in by this stunning debut about a forensic photographer haunted by the spirits left behind. When sent to shoot the scene of a supposed suicide, Rita walks away with more than pictures—the victim’s ghost, intent on seeking revenge, has lached onto her. An exploration of trauma and coming-of-age framed in Navajo culture, Shutter is a powerful and tense story with a main character you’re destined to root for.  

David Grann is a master at making true events read like fiction, and Killers of the Flower Moon is no exception. At one point, the Osage Nation was made up of the wealthiest people in the world — but riches will always attract robbers, and worse. As this haunting mystery unfolds, Grann uncovers the truth behind the murders of the Osage people, one of the most hair-raising crime sprees in American history. Soon to be a movie, it’s the perfect time to pick up this appalling but expertly written narrative.  

Winter Counts is an award-winning debut, equal parts gritty and thrilling crime novel and cutting social commentary about power and justice. Heroin addiction is spreading through the Rosebud Reservation. When it comes to his family, local vigilante Virgil Walking Bear takes it upon himself to hunt down the source, come hell or high water. Once you’ve finished, you will want to return to this unforgettably honest and lyrical look at Indigenous culture, power, and violence all over again. 

On the Savage Side is a harrowing saga of intergenerational trauma, murdered women, and twins desperate to stay alive. Arcade fights to protect her sister as bodies pile up and her friends disappear, her desperation leads her to take drastic measures. Based on the unsolved murders in Chillicothe, Ohio, Tiffany McDaniel has written a beautifully devastating tale of addiction, grief, and violence. 

This riveting read is masterfully written and is the third in an addictive series following a young woman who uses her mysterious gift to assist investigations. When the body of an unidentified Native woman washes up in the town of Ada, Cash Blackbear knows she must return to the reservation she formerly called home. Dream and dig alongside Cash as you uncover what truly happened in Sinister Graves — and while you’re at it, check out Marcie Rendon’s guest post about the Indigenous stories waiting to be told.