I read “Baby Teeth” a few years back and it was about a 7yr old girl who was a non-verbal, homeschooled psychopath. Her mother could see what this child was becoming but the father couldn’t so I completely felt for the mother. The story basically goes back and forth between the mom’s POV and the little girl’s POV. It’s a really great read.
I read distrubing books secretly, it's like developing a taste for some peculiar dishes ... A book isn't disturbing enough if it doesn't leave you wide-eyed in an empty room at odd hours, wondering why the hell you're reading it. I am lucky to have found your channel , it's exactly what I needed, great job bro ❤️💯
OMG I'm so excited for you to do this project!! If anyone could read 120 Days of Sodom it would be you. Tender is the Flesh is one of my favorite books I've read this year!!
I could not put down Exquisite Corpse. I found it so interesting and well written. The End of Alice remains one of the most disturbing novels I've ever read, though I also feel it was well written. Tender is the Flesh was great as well and the ending made me gasp.
I'm glad exquisite corpse was suggested to you as I have read it recently and is still very fresh in my mind! I visited New Orleans around the same period in the 1990s. I had the most terrifying night of my life while there convinced I was being trapped by some sort of serial killer in a local neighbourhood on the wrong side of the Mississippi. When I read this book it brought back that terrifying experience
I’ve read the Summer I Died and it was definitely disturbing and was a 5⭐️ read for me. I have a couple of the books you mentioned on my shelf. I’ve been collecting “disturbing” books over the last couple of months and need to knock them out. The lengths us readers will go to disturb ourselves 😅. Enjoying this series you’ve got going!! Great video as always.
When I was a teen, this book called Butterfly Revolution made me cry harder than any other book before or since. It's along the lines of Lord of the Flies, but with teens at a summer camp in the woods. I'll read it again sometime to see if it still affects me the same way.
I’ve just finished ‘Tender is the Flesh’ and that was highly disturbing if only for the very cold way the whole process and transition was described. Cannot wait to see your thoughts on it.
“I’m not talking about toxins. You think I’m talking about sugar and caffeine and all that shit? Fuck, just being alive does it. That and what your parents do to you before you get strong enough to stop them. And even when you can stop them it’s too late. The seed’s there and it grows and grows until it jams all the systems in your body and your mind fucks up. Didn’t you see anything like that?” -- Cows That piece of prose has stuck with me for years. When I read it first, I had to stop reading and just thought on those words for a long time. The truth in them scared me and scares me still today.
You touched briefly upon a point that could benefit from a greater discussion: the difference between disturbing and transgressive fiction. I would suggest that “disturbing” books-I’m thinking here particularly of some splatterpunk horrors-go for explicit content as shock value. “Transgressive” books may also disturb (by challenging societal norms), but may resonate more in the long run after the power to shock fades.
Yeah it feels to me like there are VERY different kinds of books that fall under the “disturbing” umbrella - I’ll touch on it as I work through the books on my list
I read Birdman by Mo Hayder a few years ago and it's been a long time since I read it, but I found it really disturbing that I couldn't get it out of my head for ages, and I did feel very sick with what I read.
I also read this book years ago . Gets stuck in your head and very disturbing. Gave me a love for Mo Hayder , read all her books in this series . Pls check her out .
Only in recognizing the capacity to become a monster ourselves... Can We begin to recognize the humanity within those whom society deems as monsters...
@@CriminOllyBlog We make our own monsters... Broken societies produce broken people... And seldom strive to mend them... There have always been creatures that go bump in the night... Cautionary tales... Warning us to be wary of things that just don't seem or feel right... They often warn those whom hunt monsters to be wary not to become one themselves... And when one stares into the abyss the unblinking abyss stares right back... What is considered the worst of a society is a direct reflection of that society... So what does it say about a society that turns monsters into Rockstars?.. And those that are suffering at the hands of that society by attempting to survive in any way they can into criminals... We are not desending into the abyss... We are anc have always been the abyss itself... And very few have dared to peer into its depths... Let alone be willing to shine light into that darkness... And eliminate a hard truth... For to understand monsters... You must first understand how they are made... How they became monsters... And the only way to do that is to first understand that anyone including yourself can become or even is... At one level or another a monster already... And it isn't the capacity to become a monster that presents the problem.... It has and always will be there... The problem arises when we defend, conceal, permit, encourage and at its very worst even glofiy those that do... Monsters should never be judged on the perception of their monstrosities... But by the level of genuine suffering caused by their actions and inflicted upon their victims... Ive found that we always tend to learn far more information of good use from history's, society's and literature's worst monsters... Rather than from its greatest Heros... Because there is far more value in knowing how, who or why individuals can and do become monsters... So we may void making them or even becoming one ourselves... The only way to prevent yourself from becoming a monster... Is to admit you can become one in the first place... And it is only in recognition of the monstrosities within ourselves that we can recognize the humanity in these society turns in to its monsters... And in that recognition stop that process in it's tracks...
Thanks for this list, I've taken it as a cue for what to read next and ordered several of these, and started a couple. Had gone off reading recently and this is very different from what I've previously read and has got me excited to read again. Thanks.
I read Cows and it was more comical/disgusting than it was disturbing. The most disturbing novel I’ve ever encountered is HOGG by Samuel R. Delaney. It was so disturbing that after 50 pages, I just couldn’t do it anymore and gave up. I’ve read some messed up books in my day, but that was the most depraved, extreme novel I’ve ever come across. I apologize in advance to anyone who chooses to read it.
I’ve read Hogg and it lives up to its reputation. I found it depravingly entertaining and extremely sick, it’s one of a handful of books that grabbed and forced my imagination into overdrive creating the images in my head as if I was watching a movie. I knew I found a nightmarish gem as soon as I read the second sentence of that book! It truly contains the some of the most insanely twisted and revolting characters I’ve ever read. One of my favourites!
Sorry, I was writing the comment at five this morning and fending off moths, don't know how Buffalo bill put up with them. My suggestion for a video is top five or ten authors that have picked up the mantle of a now dead author and written in there style of writing so the characters and worlds don't die with the original author. Thank you and happy reading.
How about some Peter Sotos on that list? Predicate or The Annotated Lesley Anne Downey are good ones. I know its not technically fiction but its stream of consciousness/cutup style makes it weird enough to be on the disturbing horror books list.
Found your channel recently and it's been a fantastic journey so far, love your reviews and it's great to find a channel from a reader who enjoys books of this type; psychological horror and disturbing stuff in general. Despite my country not having lots of those interesting books in physical copy, knowing they exist and how they are is more than enough. Hope this comment finds you doing well, and i'm looking forward to your content, you've got a new subscriber. :)
Delicious picks! I read Story of the Eye when I worked at Powell’s Books in Portland a handful of years ago. It’s short and sweet, erotic and dark. I’ve read worse things but this one left an impression and it’s beautifully written. I think you’ll enjoy. Take care and happy reading!
The thing that I love about dark and grotesque books is the authors ability to - in the simplest terms - make some ink on a piece of paper have an actual psychological effect on us. It’s so incredibly powerful. Way more than a movie. A movie may give you goosebumps or make your stomach feels like it’s dropping into your shoes. But a book can plant that seed of anxiety in your stomach, it can make you question your entire life and everything you’ve come to know. It can paint such vivid pictures in your head that you feel like you are actually standing right next to the protagonist (like how I was able to picture the pray for water dryness and isolation of the desert and the rot and death in McCarthys Blood Meridian)
We need titles that are easily acquired. I looked into the book "Notice" and a gently used to brand new copy of that book is hard to get. Then the copies that are available are scalped way up in price. Heather Lewis's estate should consider allowing reprints on her novels. Thank you!
I recently re-read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and found it to be, well, quite disturbing. Medical tyranny can be disturbing in real life as well as in fiction, if you know what I mean. Randle Patrick McMurphy is one of the unforgettable characters in all literature, as is his nemesis, the Big Nurse. The Murderess is a short novel published in 1903 by the Greek author Alexandros Papadiamantis, about an old woman who as a "healer" on a Greek island develops a nasty habit of killing female infants under her care, on the premise that the girls are better off dead than alive. I would venture that infanticide is quite an unpleasant and disturbing topic, but the book is beautifully written and compelling, and very much worth reading.
Yes the Kesey book is a really great examination of a really important topic. Not heard of The Murderess but it sounds like a very interesting book. Thanks for the recommendation (and sorry it has taken me so long to reply!)
Great project, very much looking forward to hearing what you make of these books! Have read a few on the list and others are completely new to me so will have to do a read along with you when you get to those. Having the potential for discussion on this sort of material actually makes the prospect of reading some of them a little less daunting. The darkness can get a little too dark when reading alone sometimes!
I thought Cows was ridiculously funny! I thought Tender is the Flesh was beautifully translated and such a great read. Probably one of the best books I have read this year. I can't wait to hear how you get on with them.
New subscriber here, really enjoy this! I suspect I will be popping in a lot :). Watching this made me think of recommending "disturbing" books that I've read (The Troop, by Nick Cutter for instance), but as I've not heard of most of these, made me think I should read a few and see if our barometers of disturbing were anywhere close. As to Cormac McCarthy, as you stated, he has some disturbing books, Blood Meridian was his "most" disturbing to me, but every single book of his gets me in the gut, showing the best of people, juxtaposed with the absolute worst that humanity has to offer. I read them all, and I love them, but I typically sink into despair at several points during. Anyway, love the channel, thanks for what you do!
Yeah Blood Meridian was a hell of a book! The Troop I liked, but I found it more of a gross out read than a disturbing one. Thanks for watching, glad you're enjoying the channel!
I belong to some horror groups on facebook, and I've heard "Cows" is beyond disturbing! I don't think I could do it. 😱I found a copy of "Notice"-- it was harrowing--, and now I'm reading "Second Suspect", which is really good, and has Nina in it as a side character. Thank you for the great recs and vids!
@@CriminOllyBlog @CriminOlly I did enjoy "Notice", and was able to find one copy in my library system that hadn't been checked out yet. I'm grateful that Heather Lewis shared her point of view so unflinchingly. 'Can't wait to see your next reviews.📕📚
I recently read Hogg! That book is gross beyond belief. I can't help but think that the author was part of that scene to write that. Could it be that people exist like that, just living in filth and thriving? Thanks for turning me onto it, but I don't know if I could stomach a second read!
If Chins Could Kill was a very fun read, maybe put that between some of these others for a laugh? Love your channel, just found you a few days ago, have already added titles to my must read lists that will probably give my librarian nightmares lol
The Mo Hayder books are a good laugh. They started off in a way that at least allowed the reader the ability to suspend their disbelief, but then gradually got more and more ridiculous until the point where 'Pig Island' completely jumped the shark. Starting off with the first one though is good. The first three were definitely the best. I think you'll like 'Birdman' and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it. Karin Slaughter's books seemed to go the same way as Hayder's. They started off brilliantly with 'The Surgeon' (I think 'Kisscut' was actually my favourite) but after a while, you got to the inevitable situation wherein almost everything disturbing had already been said. All the tricks had been used up and when that happens it either gets boring & repetitive, or starts to veer off into totally impossible territory that the reader can't really suspend their belief over. Very few writers have been able to keep the pace up and the plots fresh over time - and for many it's probably best to just leave while on a high rather than sink from the sublime to the ridiculous. 'Woom' is one that someone on 'Goodreads' recommended to me and I downloaded it, but then promptly forgot all about it. Maybe I'll read along when you decide to tackle it (although I'm still frenetically jumping between wanting to read Russian lit, historical fiction set in the Tudor period, gothic tales set in remote houses, biographies of Marilyn Monroe, and the entirety of Thomas Sowell's back-catalogue...so my dizzyingly dilettantish approach to my TBR isn't promising anything, lol.)
Yeah I read Slaughter's first books when they came out and liked them a lot, then have read one or two more recent ones and still liked those. Pretty Girls seems to be one that a lot of people rate (and it's a standalone which probably helps). I do agree that few authors manage to sustain the quality in a long series. Would be great to have you read along with Woom, but I understand we aren't always in control of our reading choices!
I started A Girl Next door this morning, just finished it about 20 minutes ago. As a survivor of child abuse and an ex child protection worker all i can say is it just reenforced that people are feckers.
Hugs. We have similar histories and I was LCSW. Although I read about the case but I couldn't read the book or watch the movie. I like disturbing content but that was too damn close to home.
The end of Alice was disturbing but very atmospheric. I think what disturbed me the most was the prison life and of course the end. Felt like I needed a shower yet I might read it again. Wish AM homes would talk about it
Okay well I gave 'Notice' a shot and frankly I almost lost the will to live, a deeply depressing read, I had to dip in to a Blood Meridian just to cheer me up - so ta for that Olly!
Found your channel because I was looking at Libre Colour reviews, of which yours was great, and then discovered you have a great taste in books!!! I'll be using this list for sure, maybe mix it up with some audiobooks too. Starting Notice tonight, then will go from there 😁
Thanks. I found at least three on this list that I want to read and a few that I will avoid. It will be interesting to see which one your viewers pick.
I think the most disturbing book I’ve read is the Gulag Archipelago. The writer was very profound, however, and his way with words kept me from putting it down
The only books I have read are Tender is the Flesh and The Room. Each are disturbing for different reasons-but both have unreliable narrators and have a limited scope of the world they live in. If you don’t mind graphic details of human depravity, I can see you potentially “liking” them (or as much as you can like disturbing books). Everything else is on my very long list of TBR that I’m slowly making through. I hope you have an intriguing reading experience with these various titles. 😊👍🏻
Odd... but seems as tho the older I get the easier time I have accepting disturbing things. Halloween must bring a disturbed mind set.🙃 Several TH-cam channels have featured disturbing movie recommendations lately. If you get time please check out Spooky Astronauts. Emma is always spot on & added a second video about movies so upsetting they will leave you in tears. Proceed with caution on that one!🤯
Great video. I read Birdman and really enjoyed it. I have a few of the others but haven't got to them yet. I tried to get Notice after your video but cant seem to track it down. I did however order her other books and look forward to reading them. Thanks for sharing. ~ Tracey
Pillowman turned me onto Martin McDonough. I've seen it several times at various theatres and my son played the young boy in a production. It's not a 2 hander not that that is a big deal. I hope you enjoy it.
Mo Hayder's The Treatment, 2nd book in the series I found very disturbing but all her Jack Caffery detective books are great, page turners for sure. Two of them were on my Uni reading lists, Poppet in Crime Fiction and Birdman in Gothic, horror crime hybrids perhaps. Poppy Z, Brite was one of my favourite writers for years and I have read Exquisite Corpse several times, it is one of her best. Personally giving disturbing novels a rest at moment and reading some science fiction but interested to see what you think of these
Birdman was recommended to me by a co-worker some years ago. On of the few books where I actually thought "Kudos to the author for having the balls to put this on paper" as it's just not an extreme horror novel but a (mainstream) thriller novel. A page turner for sure. As you've metioned snuff movies being a theme in one of the books, did you know, the novelization of the Nicholas Cage film 8mm - Eight Millimeter by Leonore Fleischer, who was a very profilic author of movie novelizations across almost all genres, wasn't (at least to my knowledge) published in an English language edition? The German edition gives credit to an original publisher (Newmarket Publishing) but I've found no hint of it being actually published. It was translated to French too though but I really wonder why it, seemingly, wasn't published in the US, as the film was quite successfull.
I’m looking forward to trying Birdman as I’ve heard a lot of good things about it. That’s really odd about 8mm not being published in English. I’ve just had a look found and I agree it doesn’t seem to have been. Maybe some weird rights issue, but it’s hard to see what
The book "Killer on The Road" is the first book I ever read by James Ellroy. Pretty rough stuff. It's odd though, because Ellroy is one of my alltime favorite writers, and this book is not indicative of his style, or work. I have read several on your list. I pulled back from reading this type of book, b/c I looked back, and saw there was no red thread, except for suffering by others. Historically, stylistically, story telling - I was not following a train of thought. I had become a voyeur. I had to ponder my own reason for wanting to read. And I'm only talking about myself.
I also gave Tender is the Flesh 5 stars. Loved it! Right after I read Meat by Joseph D'Lacey which is in the same vein, but with one sentence early on it makes you stop and reread that sentence to make it sink in. Loved it. Another 5 star read. Enjoy! If chins could Kill was very good too!
I possibly mentioned it on a previous video, but I HIGHLY RECOMMEND “The Resurrectionist” by Wrath James White. A compelling premise. It was turned into a not-very-good film called “Come Back to me”.
I've read that one and I did like the premise a lot, although I felt the execution let it down at times. But yeah some of the scenes in that were off the charts!
The short story collection "Haunted" by Chuck Palahniuk is very disturbing. I started reading the short story "Guts" and I simply had to put it down. I mean "American psycho" is also a tough read but this story is simply too much....
Good evening. I couldn’t read disturbing books because I tend to read a lot of books in bed 🛌. I wouldn’t want those stories in my head before going to sleep. I like to read romance and fun holiday books for every time of time. I’m reading some fun books for Halloween 🎃. I don’t read spooky/horror books.
the noise coming from inside children 😳, only few people have read it, the guy who reviewed it said that how can anyone be a fan of this story, the guy who wrote it first published it in a newspaper they removed it right away because people were so disturbed by it,
Just discovered your channel! I love your soothing voice, and I’m super excited to see what else you I’ve read and what you thought of these! Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes is definitely one of the most hideous books I’ve ever read disturbing wise. I think about it a lot and it gives me shivers.
Thank you so much! Really glad you’re enjoying the channel so far! I’ve not read that one but I see it’s on Kindle Unlimited so I’ll probably give it a try soon! Thanks again 😊
I would recommend 'the Cannibal within' by Mark Mirabello, it's very intense. Another one could be 'Dark Shamans - Kanaima and the poetics of violent death' by Neil L. Whitehead. It's not a novel but a sober and relentless study about a very grotesque terror in a certain area in south america. Haunting. I'm not even sure to recommend it. Perhaps a book for the Poison Cabinet.
The most disturbing book I've ever read was "The Painted Bird" as all of it is true and disgusting for the gypsy child who lived in Poland during WWII and having both Nazis and Russians being disgusting around him and towards him. The idea of all these horrible things along with the child's view of the world was enough to stop my breath worse than a shot of 200 proof Mexican moonshine or a hornet stinging the front of my throat three times while I was riding my bike. His first love and what happened to her was absolutely miserable. This book comes in at #25 of my favorite books. 25) "The Painted Bird" by Jerzy Kosiński These books about horrible things do not come close to "The Painted Bird." 43) "A Child called 'It"" by Dave Pelzer 139) "Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's" by John Elder Robison 172) "Running with Scissors" by Augusten Burroughs Dave Pelzer has his mother trying to push his head into a bucket of acid so by putting his hands in the bucket to make sure his head does not get dunked into it, he loses all the skin on his arms and then this mother sends him to school and the teachers realize the boy is sitting at his desk with no skin on his arms and so they finaly call the police for all the things they have been ignoring for months. The other two are brothers and have disturbing childhoods, but Robison is luckier in that having aspergers he was somewhat sheltered from the social training as he was not social to begin with and so somewhat insulated.
I'm Belgian and have tried to read The Melting. This novel is very popular around here. It is extremely overhyped in my opinion. I thought it was extremely dull and didn't manage to finish it. Mo Hayder's Birdman is a decent, quite graphic, thriller but it is the sequel - The Treatment - that is truely disturbing. I've felt uncomfortable for weeks after reading it.
I think maybe Jack Ketchum might be an author you would find interesting I've only read 2 books (currently still reading one) but I've read Off Season(specifically the Uncut version) and boy.. what a ride. I still think about the scenes everyday 😭👌🏽. There's a second book to the series (not the one I'm reading lol but I need to read it) Jack Ketchum definitely has a unique taste on Cannibalism and gore I would only recommend Jack Ketchum to a few people, especially if you can handle the details.. I find his stories alot darker than Karin Slaughter, and I love her books too. ✨📚🐛🍷
Yeah, Ketchum is great but very graphic! I’ve actually just finished a book by him (Only Child). Have also read Off Season and its sequel, Red and The Girl Next Door. Which one are you reading now?
I'm currently reading Shane Stevens' "Dead City" after one of your other recommendations, "The Laws of the Skies" by Grégoire Courtois, and I'm enjoying it immensely. After that, I'm going to move on to Shane Stevens' "By Reason of Insanity" which looks another winner in the disturbing reads category.
The End of Alice is intriguing. Requiem for a Dream was a movie, right? I think that's the one I'm remembering and loved it but didn't know it was from a book. Looking forward to your thoughts on these. I'm always up for disturbing reads 😁 That cover on Marquis de Sade is something!! I wasn't crazy about the 1 Karin Slaughter I read.
Yeah Requiem for a Dream was a movie too, I’ve not seen it though. And yes, although I think the contents of the de Sade book make the cover seem very tame!
I started reading 120 Days of Sodom many years ago. That book is shocking, extremely disturbing, disgusting, dare I say it...as the book goes on, it gets harder and harder in terms of the topic, so I only got to the first quarter and I couldn't possibly continue...my first and only book so far which remained unread... and better that way...
Well, from my point of view, the topic is very, very difficult considering that I am also a mum… if it were adults, perhaps, with difficulty, I would be able to read it, but when it comes to children, no, I couldn't. You really have to be brave. After all, the word "sadism" in the dictionary was taken from him, that says it all
As a lover of horror and disturbing fiction the book that bothers me to this day is Let’s Go Play at the Adams’. I read it as a teenager and it is bleak and has stayed with me all these years.
I need to stop watching your channel my wish list is just growing and growing 🤣🤣 looking forward to your thoughts on the summer I died, I got about 80 pages in and ended up breaking off not because I wasn’t enjoying it I got wrapped up in something else, (think it was the stand) I’m sure you will get around to it before I do, looking forward to your thoughts, another great vid olly, have a great week 👍
Do you have any advice for how to get some of these books. I have looked everywhere I can think of online and I can't seem to find Heather Lewis books, specifically Notice and The Second Suspect. (I'm in the US)
Hi Jordan - If you check the community tab for my channel there is a post with details of a site selling an ebook of notice and my attempts to get a new print run of the paperback 😊
Seems a great bunch of books. Haven’t read any of them. I’m reading Stalin, the court of the Tzar by Simon Sebastian montefore at the moment…its even more bloody than I thought it would be….
The most disturbing book I tried to read was a nonfiction by Patricia Cornwell called “Portrait of a Killer: Jack The Ripper Case Closed”. I only read the first half and then I had to stop. I couldn’t take it anymore. It was good, and I like her books, but that one was too much for me because it was real. A theory, but still, based on real events.
Thanks for a great video Olly! Always find something interesting in your videos and recommendations. A few disturbing ones I’ve thought of for you to try (if you haven’t already) flowers in the attick by v c andrews, shuggie bain, American psycho, Lolita, we need to talk about Kevin. I’m intrigued by requiem for a dream….Does it compare well with the film? Or have you not seen the film? Thanks for taking the time out to reply to fans and followers. 😊
Thank you! Really glad you’re enjoying the channel! Thanks for the suggestions! I’ve actually read (and enjoyed!) all of those except Shuggie Bain, and I do have a copy of that. I haven’t seen Requiem for a Dream I’m afraid, so can’t comment on that. Thanks so much for watching and for the lovely comment!
If you're looking to lighten your reading load, you might begin with Child of God - it's a quick read (the companion book, Outer Dark, is also good). I'm reading Matthew Stokoe's Empty Mile now and will look for Cow when I'm finished.
I have read cows and tender is the flesh. Cows was just funny and weird. I finished reading it feeling weird. Tender is the flesh didn’t completely upset/disturb me until the ending. It was messed up, and that tells you something considering the subject matter is cannibalism.
One book I've read that combines horror and sympathy for the killer. It is Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist. Where the killer is a little girl.
@Ralph Marrone Yes. As a matter of fact I saw the movie before I read the book. It has a cult classic feel about it. If i was the boy in the movie my natural instinct would be to protect her too. Another good film put out by the same company is Time crimes. Check it out.
I’ve not read any of the books mentioned, the worst book I ever read was called ‘Hush’ & it’s a series that later is called ‘the diamond’ written by Devlin De la Chapa under the pseudonym Sandra Raine, about a young girl who is groomed and trafficked, I was so close to putting it down a few times but I persevered & finished it, I had a few nightmares about it & it’s stuck with me to this day much more than any other book I’ve read & I’ve read hundreds of books.
House of leaves isn’t necessarily as “disturbing” as these but it’s a great horror read. I heard of it from another TH-camr and I’m not sure if it already been big on here and I’m late to the party but I thought it was very good and recommend it to like everyone lol. Also if you like disturbing check out some Japanese literature I started out with “no longer human” which is a good one to start of with but they shave much more brutal books
I haven’t seen any of your other videos but have you read Gone to see the River Man? It’s exactly what you describe to love about disturbing books and what they can be! I hated it and I loved it and I can’t stop thinking about it. More than just shock value for sure. So so good.
I haven´t read any of these but i have the birdman and the road at my bookshelf, waiting to be read. I don´t know when i will be reading them but i am exciting for both😊
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I read “Baby Teeth” a few years back and it was about a 7yr old girl who was a non-verbal, homeschooled psychopath. Her mother could see what this child was becoming but the father couldn’t so I completely felt for the mother. The story basically goes back and forth between the mom’s POV and the little girl’s POV. It’s a really great read.
Looking forward to this...I think. Maybe you should establish a safe word so if you get in too deep we can contact your family? 😳
Ha ha ha yes that might be a good idea!
This comment 😂😂
I read distrubing books secretly, it's like developing a taste for some peculiar dishes ... A book isn't disturbing enough if it doesn't leave you wide-eyed in an empty room at odd hours, wondering why the hell you're reading it. I am lucky to have found your channel , it's exactly what I needed, great job bro ❤️💯
Ha ha yes agreed! Glad you're enjoying the channel!
Selby's "Last Exit To Brooklyn", "The Room", and "Requiem for a Dream" are all fantastic yet disturbing.
Yeah I read The Room recently and liked it
OMG I'm so excited for you to do this project!! If anyone could read 120 Days of Sodom it would be you. Tender is the Flesh is one of my favorite books I've read this year!!
😂😂 I might put that on my CV: if anyone could read 120 Days of Sodom it would be you
I'm struggling through Tender is the Flesh. 🤢
@@jessicamoore8903 Ooof - I'm looking forward to it, but not expecting an easy read
I could not put down Exquisite Corpse. I found it so interesting and well written. The End of Alice remains one of the most disturbing novels I've ever read, though I also feel it was well written. Tender is the Flesh was great as well and the ending made me gasp.
Sounds like I have some good reading ahead of me! Thanks for watching :)
Very happy to have found your channel. Reignite my love to read.
Thanks! Glad you’re enjoying it
Clive Barker has several novels that are quite disturbing. Evervile definitely qualifies.
I'm glad exquisite corpse was suggested to you as I have read it recently and is still very fresh in my mind! I visited New Orleans around the same period in the 1990s. I had the most terrifying night of my life while there convinced I was being trapped by some sort of serial killer in a local neighbourhood on the wrong side of the Mississippi. When I read this book it brought back that terrifying experience
That does sound like a terrifying experience!
I’ve read the Summer I Died and it was definitely disturbing and was a 5⭐️ read for me. I have a couple of the books you mentioned on my shelf. I’ve been collecting “disturbing” books over the last couple of months and need to knock them out. The lengths us readers will go to disturb ourselves 😅.
Enjoying this series you’ve got going!! Great video as always.
I'm looking forward to that one, had not heard of it until recently but it looks great!
When I was a teen, this book called Butterfly Revolution made me cry harder than any other book before or since. It's along the lines of Lord of the Flies, but with teens at a summer camp in the woods. I'll read it again sometime to see if it still affects me the same way.
I think I've heard of that, the name rings a bell anyway. Thanks for watching, Joan!
This sounds interesting. I'll definitely be looking this up. Thanks!
I’ve just finished ‘Tender is the Flesh’ and that was highly disturbing if only for the very cold way the whole process and transition was described. Cannot wait to see your thoughts on it.
I’m looking forward to reading it
your voice is so calming and as someone whose native language is not english I have no trouble following you😊 Great video and great recommendations!
Thank you!
“I’m not talking about toxins. You think I’m talking about sugar and caffeine and all that shit? Fuck, just being alive does it. That and what your parents do to you before you get strong enough to stop them. And even when you can stop them it’s too late. The seed’s there and it grows and grows until it jams all the systems in your body and your mind fucks up. Didn’t you see anything like that?” -- Cows
That piece of prose has stuck with me for years. When I read it first, I had to stop reading and just thought on those words for a long time. The truth in them scared me and scares me still today.
That's definitely a powerful passage!
Wow. Makes me want to read this. Thanks.
It's a rough read, CCC, but filled here and there with tiny gems of truth if you look hard enough. I wish you Happy Reading!
You touched briefly upon a point that could benefit from a greater discussion: the difference between disturbing and transgressive fiction. I would suggest that “disturbing” books-I’m thinking here particularly of some splatterpunk horrors-go for explicit content as shock value. “Transgressive” books may also disturb (by challenging societal norms), but may resonate more in the long run after the power to shock fades.
Yeah it feels to me like there are VERY different kinds of books that fall under the “disturbing” umbrella - I’ll touch on it as I work through the books on my list
If Chins Could Kill is a genuinely brilliant read and a surprisingly insightful look into the world of indie filmmaking.
Sounds perfect!
I read Birdman by Mo Hayder a few years ago and it's been a long time since I read it, but I found it really disturbing that I couldn't get it out of my head for ages, and I did feel very sick with what I read.
Yeah I’ve heard it’s really horrific!
I also read this book years ago .
Gets stuck in your head and very disturbing. Gave me a love for Mo Hayder , read all her books in this series . Pls check her out .
@@Lucywonderhunt I'll be getting to her soon!
Only in recognizing the capacity to become a monster ourselves...
Can We begin to recognize the humanity within those whom society deems as monsters...
I completely agree with this!
@@CriminOllyBlog
We make our own monsters... Broken societies produce broken people... And seldom strive to mend them... There have always been creatures that go bump in the night... Cautionary tales... Warning us to be wary of things that just don't seem or feel right... They often warn those whom hunt monsters to be wary not to become one themselves... And when one stares into the abyss the unblinking abyss stares right back... What is considered the worst of a society is a direct reflection of that society... So what does it say about a society that turns monsters into Rockstars?.. And those that are suffering at the hands of that society by attempting to survive in any way they can into criminals... We are not desending into the abyss... We are anc have always been the abyss itself... And very few have dared to peer into its depths... Let alone be willing to shine light into that darkness... And eliminate a hard truth... For to understand monsters... You must first understand how they are made... How they became monsters... And the only way to do that is to first understand that anyone including yourself can become or even is... At one level or another a monster already... And it isn't the capacity to become a monster that presents the problem.... It has and always will be there... The problem arises when we defend, conceal, permit, encourage and at its very worst even glofiy those that do... Monsters should never be judged on the perception of their monstrosities... But by the level of genuine suffering caused by their actions and inflicted upon their victims... Ive found that we always tend to learn far more information of good use from history's, society's and literature's worst monsters... Rather than from its greatest Heros... Because there is far more value in knowing how, who or why individuals can and do become monsters... So we may void making them or even becoming one ourselves... The only way to prevent yourself from becoming a monster... Is to admit you can become one in the first place... And it is only in recognition of the monstrosities within ourselves that we can recognize the humanity in these society turns in to its monsters... And in that recognition stop that process in it's tracks...
Good stuff, Olly! I have so many books on my to-read list!!
Me too! 😂
Thanks for this list, I've taken it as a cue for what to read next and ordered several of these, and started a couple. Had gone off reading recently and this is very different from what I've previously read and has got me excited to read again. Thanks.
Fantastic! Hope you're enjoying it!
If Chins Could Kill is such a clever title. The title alone makes me want to read the book!
It's perfect, isn't it!
I read Cows and it was more comical/disgusting than it was disturbing. The most disturbing novel I’ve ever encountered is HOGG by Samuel R. Delaney. It was so disturbing that after 50 pages, I just couldn’t do it anymore and gave up. I’ve read some messed up books in my day, but that was the most depraved, extreme novel I’ve ever come across. I apologize in advance to anyone who chooses to read it.
You’re not the first lesson to suggest that one. I’m really not sure I have the stomach for it
I’ve read Hogg and it lives up to its reputation. I found it depravingly entertaining and extremely sick, it’s one of a handful of books that grabbed and forced my imagination into overdrive creating the images in my head as if I was watching a movie. I knew I found a nightmarish gem as soon as I read the second sentence of that book! It truly contains the some of the most insanely twisted and revolting characters I’ve ever read. One of my favourites!
Sorry, I was writing the comment at five this morning and fending off moths, don't know how Buffalo bill put up with them. My suggestion for a video is top five or ten authors that have picked up the mantle of a now dead author and written in there style of writing so the characters and worlds don't die with the original author. Thank you and happy reading.
Ahhhh I see now! That’s an interesting idea! I’ll have a think about it.
Good luck with the moths!
How about some Peter Sotos on that list? Predicate or The Annotated Lesley Anne Downey are good ones. I know its not technically fiction but its stream of consciousness/cutup style makes it weird enough to be on the disturbing horror books list.
I am intrigued by Sotos, but on the other hand I don't know if I have the guts to read him. (PS sorry it has taken me so loig to reply!)
Found your channel recently and it's been a fantastic journey so far, love your reviews and it's great to find a channel from a reader who enjoys books of this type; psychological horror and disturbing stuff in general. Despite my country not having lots of those interesting books in physical copy, knowing they exist and how they are is more than enough. Hope this comment finds you doing well, and i'm looking forward to your content, you've got a new subscriber. :)
Thanks Hector! Really glad you're enjoying the channel! Thanks so much for subscribing
Delicious picks! I read Story of the Eye when I worked at Powell’s Books in Portland a handful of years ago. It’s short and sweet, erotic and dark. I’ve read worse things but this one left an impression and it’s beautifully written. I think you’ll enjoy. Take care and happy reading!
Thank you! I look forward to reading that one. Happy reading to you too!
The thing that I love about dark and grotesque books is the authors ability to - in the simplest terms - make some ink on a piece of paper have an actual psychological effect on us. It’s so incredibly powerful. Way more than a movie. A movie may give you goosebumps or make your stomach feels like it’s dropping into your shoes. But a book can plant that seed of anxiety in your stomach, it can make you question your entire life and everything you’ve come to know. It can paint such vivid pictures in your head that you feel like you are actually standing right next to the protagonist (like how I was able to picture the pray for water dryness and isolation of the desert and the rot and death in McCarthys Blood Meridian)
We need titles that are easily acquired. I looked into the book "Notice" and a gently used to brand new copy of that book is hard to get. Then the copies that are available are scalped way up in price. Heather Lewis's estate should consider allowing reprints on her novels. Thank you!
I think all the ones on this list are. Agree that Notice isn’t, but I have contacted the publisher about that
I recently re-read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and found it to be, well, quite disturbing. Medical tyranny can be disturbing in real life as well as in fiction, if you know what I mean. Randle Patrick McMurphy is one of the unforgettable characters in all literature, as is his nemesis, the Big Nurse.
The Murderess is a short novel published in 1903 by the Greek author Alexandros Papadiamantis, about an old woman who as a "healer" on a Greek island develops a nasty habit of killing female infants under her care, on the premise that the girls are better off dead than alive. I would venture that infanticide is quite an unpleasant and disturbing topic, but the book is beautifully written and compelling, and very much worth reading.
Yes the Kesey book is a really great examination of a really important topic. Not heard of The Murderess but it sounds like a very interesting book. Thanks for the recommendation (and sorry it has taken me so long to reply!)
Great project, very much looking forward to hearing what you make of these books! Have read a few on the list and others are completely new to me so will have to do a read along with you when you get to those. Having the potential for discussion on this sort of material actually makes the prospect of reading some of them a little less daunting. The darkness can get a little too dark when reading alone sometimes!
Yes! I think making it a shared experience will definitely help
I thought Cows was ridiculously funny! I thought Tender is the Flesh was beautifully translated and such a great read. Probably one of the best books I have read this year. I can't wait to hear how you get on with them.
Have you read High Life by Stokoe? I found that much more disturbing than Cows, but it’s rarely mentioned!
Thanks, Catherine! I'm definitely looking forward to Tender is the Flesh more than Cows
@@CriminOllyBlog Tender is the flesh is gonna be one of your best reads of the year.
@@winterstorms5 I'm looking forward to it
New subscriber here, really enjoy this! I suspect I will be popping in a lot :). Watching this made me think of recommending "disturbing" books that I've read (The Troop, by Nick Cutter for instance), but as I've not heard of most of these, made me think I should read a few and see if our barometers of disturbing were anywhere close. As to Cormac McCarthy, as you stated, he has some disturbing books, Blood Meridian was his "most" disturbing to me, but every single book of his gets me in the gut, showing the best of people, juxtaposed with the absolute worst that humanity has to offer. I read them all, and I love them, but I typically sink into despair at several points during.
Anyway, love the channel, thanks for what you do!
Yeah Blood Meridian was a hell of a book!
The Troop I liked, but I found it more of a gross out read than a disturbing one. Thanks for watching, glad you're enjoying the channel!
I belong to some horror groups on facebook, and I've heard "Cows" is beyond disturbing! I don't think I could do it. 😱I found a copy of "Notice"-- it was harrowing--, and now I'm reading "Second Suspect", which is really good, and has Nina in it as a side character. Thank you for the great recs and vids!
I'm really intrigued to see what Cows is all about! Glad you enjoyed (?) Notice - well done for finding a copy!
@@CriminOllyBlog @CriminOlly I did enjoy "Notice", and was able to find one copy in my library system that hadn't been checked out yet. I'm grateful that Heather Lewis shared her point of view so unflinchingly. 'Can't wait to see your next reviews.📕📚
I recently read Hogg! That book is gross beyond belief. I can't help but think that the author was part of that scene to write that. Could it be that people exist like that, just living in filth and thriving? Thanks for turning me onto it, but I don't know if I could stomach a second read!
I’m definitely never reading it again!
If Chins Could Kill was a very fun read, maybe put that between some of these others for a laugh? Love your channel, just found you a few days ago, have already added titles to my must read lists that will probably give my librarian nightmares lol
Yeah I think I'll definitely need something to break up all the bleakness!
Really glad you're enjoying the channel!
Just found this playlist on your channel Olly. Looks very interesting, good luck. I'm going to binge-watch every episode.
Hope you enjoy them!
Hi CirminOlly, Thank you for bringing my attention to these books. I have recently started my own book channel, I cannot wait to enjoy the books.
The Mo Hayder books are a good laugh. They started off in a way that at least allowed the reader the ability to suspend their disbelief, but then gradually got more and more ridiculous until the point where 'Pig Island' completely jumped the shark. Starting off with the first one though is good. The first three were definitely the best. I think you'll like 'Birdman' and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it.
Karin Slaughter's books seemed to go the same way as Hayder's. They started off brilliantly with 'The Surgeon' (I think 'Kisscut' was actually my favourite) but after a while, you got to the inevitable situation wherein almost everything disturbing had already been said. All the tricks had been used up and when that happens it either gets boring & repetitive, or starts to veer off into totally impossible territory that the reader can't really suspend their belief over. Very few writers have been able to keep the pace up and the plots fresh over time - and for many it's probably best to just leave while on a high rather than sink from the sublime to the ridiculous.
'Woom' is one that someone on 'Goodreads' recommended to me and I downloaded it, but then promptly forgot all about it. Maybe I'll read along when you decide to tackle it (although I'm still frenetically jumping between wanting to read Russian lit, historical fiction set in the Tudor period, gothic tales set in remote houses, biographies of Marilyn Monroe, and the entirety of Thomas Sowell's back-catalogue...so my dizzyingly dilettantish approach to my TBR isn't promising anything, lol.)
Yeah I read Slaughter's first books when they came out and liked them a lot, then have read one or two more recent ones and still liked those. Pretty Girls seems to be one that a lot of people rate (and it's a standalone which probably helps). I do agree that few authors manage to sustain the quality in a long series.
Would be great to have you read along with Woom, but I understand we aren't always in control of our reading choices!
I started A Girl Next door this morning, just finished it about 20 minutes ago. As a survivor of child abuse and an ex child protection worker all i can say is it just reenforced that people are feckers.
They really are. Sorry to hear about your past.
Hugs. We have similar histories and I was LCSW. Although I read about the case but I couldn't read the book or watch the movie. I like disturbing content but that was too damn close to home.
The end of Alice was disturbing but very atmospheric. I think what disturbed me the most was the prison life and of course the end. Felt like I needed a shower yet I might read it again. Wish AM homes would talk about it
Books that go deeper than my abnormal psychology class dared to go.
True!
Variety is like necessity for air to breathe! Gr8 recs
Thank you!
I bought all three of Bruce Cambell's books but in audio simply because he narrates them.😊
That sounds like a great way to experience them
Okay well I gave 'Notice' a shot and frankly I almost lost the will to live, a deeply depressing read, I had to dip in to a Blood Meridian just to cheer me up - so ta for that Olly!
Ha ha ha sorry about that!
I just finished tender is the flesh. It is very disturbing, but also addictive. I couldn't stop reading. A masterpiece.
It is a very good book
Can't wait to hear your thoughts on these. If Chins Could Kill is a lot of fun. Congrats on the channels growth!
Thanks Matt!
Bruce Campbell is also excellent in Burn Notice a TV about an ex spy. Bruce plays his best friend.
Ah I think I remember that show!
Found your channel because I was looking at Libre Colour reviews, of which yours was great, and then discovered you have a great taste in books!!! I'll be using this list for sure, maybe mix it up with some audiobooks too. Starting Notice tonight, then will go from there 😁
Thank you! Glad you’re enjoying the channel. Hope Notice doesn’t mess you up too much
Cows: I had high hopes, but it ended up being too silly to be disturbing. Some interesting looking choices here.
Yeah tbh I’m not expecting too much from it, but it feels like one I ought to read for this.
Thanks. I found at least three on this list that I want to read and a few that I will avoid. It will be interesting to see which one your viewers pick.
Glad you found the video useful!
Woom made my stomach turn, especially the ending
I think the most disturbing book I’ve read is the Gulag Archipelago. The writer was very profound, however, and his way with words kept me from putting it down
That's one I'd like to read at some point!
I read the abridged version and it was huge yet fascinating!
You should add The Black Farm to this list. I don't think I ever read such a disturbing book.
I’d not heard of that but it sounds interesting. Thank you for the recommendation!
The only books I have read are Tender is the Flesh and The Room. Each are disturbing for different reasons-but both have unreliable narrators and have a limited scope of the world they live in. If you don’t mind graphic details of human depravity, I can see you potentially “liking” them (or as much as you can like disturbing books). Everything else is on my very long list of TBR that I’m slowly making through. I hope you have an intriguing reading experience with these various titles. 😊👍🏻
Thanks, Nicole! I'm really looking forward to the whole experience
Yes, definitely do not read these books back to back. I have The End of Alice. I’m going to try to read it when you do. Thanks
Lol - I definitely won’t. And fantastic Ghosh you’re going to read along with me on Alice
I heard of one called Amygdalatropolis I believe it’s called? Heard it’s pretty heavy and yes disturbing. Best of luck on your reading journey.
Thank you that looks interesting!
Also Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates.
And The Sluts by Dennis Cooper.
@@sodapopbrosky that one I’ve read - excellent book
The Painted Bird by Jerzy Kosinski was one of the toughest books I’ve ever read, it was heartbreaking…
Yeah that is a tough one! Sorry it took me so long to reply!
As for very disturbing and disgusting, J.G. Ballard's "High Rise" is one book that I never want to read again.
Yeah that is a dark read!
Love your channel! It’s weird I can read the most disturbing books but I can’t watch violence 😮
Thank you so much! Glad you're enjoying it
Odd... but seems as tho the older I get the easier time I have accepting disturbing things.
Halloween must bring a disturbed mind set.🙃 Several TH-cam channels have featured disturbing movie recommendations lately.
If you get time please check out Spooky Astronauts. Emma is always spot on & added a second video about movies so upsetting they will leave you in tears. Proceed with caution on that one!🤯
Yeah I think this kind of thing does come out of the woodwork more as the nights draw in! Thanks for the recommendation, have subbed to that channel
Great video. I read Birdman and really enjoyed it. I have a few of the others but haven't got to them yet. I tried to get Notice after your video but cant seem to track it down. I did however order her other books and look forward to reading them. Thanks for sharing. ~ Tracey
Thanks Tracey! If you visit my community tab there’s a link to a site selling the ebook.
@@CriminOllyBlog oh wow awesome thank you so much
Mo Hader is a great writer. Waiting impatiently for the next book.
Sadly I don’t think there will be one. I’m sorry to say she passed away in 2021
@@CriminOllyBlog 😮😢💔
Pillowman turned me onto Martin McDonough. I've seen it several times at various theatres and my son played the young boy in a production. It's not a 2 hander not that that is a big deal. I hope you enjoy it.
Oh that’s cool your son was in one of the plays. I’m really looking forward to reading it.
Mo Hayder's The Treatment, 2nd book in the series I found very disturbing but all her Jack Caffery detective books are great, page turners for sure. Two of them were on my Uni reading lists, Poppet in Crime Fiction and Birdman in Gothic, horror crime hybrids perhaps.
Poppy Z, Brite was one of my favourite writers for years and I have read Exquisite Corpse several times, it is one of her best. Personally giving disturbing novels a rest at moment and reading some science fiction but interested to see what you think of these
Thanks! Yeah I think I’ll end up reading all of the Caffrey books.
I'd love to read Notice but can't seem to get a copy on my kindle here in Australia. Might have to venture to the book store to find a physical copy.
If you check the community tab for the channel there is a link to a site selling an ebook version :)
@@CriminOllyBlog thank you so much. I'll take a look. I've only just discovered your channel and good timing too. I was running out of things to read
@@allthatmatters8235 no worries! Hope you're enjoying the channel
Birdman was recommended to me by a co-worker some years ago. On of the few books where I actually thought "Kudos to the author for having the balls to put this on paper" as it's just not an extreme horror novel but a (mainstream) thriller novel. A page turner for sure.
As you've metioned snuff movies being a theme in one of the books, did you know, the novelization of the Nicholas Cage film 8mm - Eight Millimeter by Leonore Fleischer, who was a very profilic author of movie novelizations across almost all genres, wasn't (at least to my knowledge) published in an English language edition? The German edition gives credit to an original publisher (Newmarket Publishing) but I've found no hint of it being actually published. It was translated to French too though but I really wonder why it, seemingly, wasn't published in the US, as the film was quite successfull.
I’m looking forward to trying Birdman as I’ve heard a lot of good things about it.
That’s really odd about 8mm not being published in English. I’ve just had a look found and I agree it doesn’t seem to have been. Maybe some weird rights issue, but it’s hard to see what
The book "Killer on The Road" is the first book I ever read by James Ellroy. Pretty rough stuff. It's odd though, because Ellroy is one of my alltime favorite writers, and this book is not indicative of his style, or work.
I have read several on your list.
I pulled back from reading this type of book, b/c I looked back, and saw there was no red thread, except for suffering by others. Historically, stylistically, story telling - I was not following a train of thought. I had become a voyeur.
I had to ponder my own reason for wanting to read. And I'm only talking about myself.
I also gave Tender is the Flesh 5 stars. Loved it! Right after I read Meat by Joseph D'Lacey which is in the same vein, but with one sentence early on it makes you stop and reread that sentence to make it sink in. Loved it. Another 5 star read. Enjoy! If chins could Kill was very good too!
Ah cool! I haven't read Meat - I did read another book by D'Lacey (Weed) which I quite enjoyed
I possibly mentioned it on a previous video, but I HIGHLY RECOMMEND “The Resurrectionist” by Wrath James White. A compelling premise. It was turned into a not-very-good film called “Come Back to me”.
I've read that one and I did like the premise a lot, although I felt the execution let it down at times. But yeah some of the scenes in that were off the charts!
You could pass for Luka Doncic's father. Crazy! Thanks for the recommendations.
Ha ha I’d never heard of him, but I kind of see what you mean
The short story collection "Haunted" by Chuck Palahniuk is very disturbing. I started reading the short story "Guts" and I simply had to put it down. I mean "American psycho" is also a tough read but this story is simply too much....
I've added that one to my b-list!
Good evening. I couldn’t read disturbing books because I tend to read a lot of books in bed 🛌. I wouldn’t want those stories in my head before going to sleep. I like to read romance and fun holiday books for every time of time. I’m reading some fun books for Halloween 🎃. I don’t read spooky/horror books.
I think we all need different things from the books we read. Thanks for watching!
the noise coming from inside children 😳, only few people have read it, the guy who reviewed it said that how can anyone be a fan of this story, the guy who wrote it first published it in a newspaper they removed it right away because people were so disturbed by it,
I’ve not heard of that, but just the title is quite disturbing
So many books, so little time
Indeed!
Awesome that Juan sent you birdman!!! Love him
Just discovered your channel! I love your soothing voice, and I’m super excited to see what else you I’ve read and what you thought of these!
Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes is definitely one of the most hideous books I’ve ever read disturbing wise. I think about it a lot and it gives me shivers.
Thank you so much! Really glad you’re enjoying the channel so far! I’ve not read that one but I see it’s on Kindle Unlimited so I’ll probably give it a try soon! Thanks again 😊
I would recommend 'the Cannibal within' by Mark Mirabello, it's very intense.
Another one could be 'Dark Shamans - Kanaima and the poetics of violent death' by Neil L. Whitehead. It's not a novel but a sober and relentless study about a very grotesque terror in a certain area in south america. Haunting. I'm not even sure to recommend it. Perhaps a book for the Poison Cabinet.
Those do sound interesting. Thanks for the recommendations/warnings!
The most disturbing book I've ever read was "The Painted Bird" as all of it is true and disgusting for the gypsy child who lived in Poland during WWII and having both Nazis and Russians being disgusting around him and towards him. The idea of all these horrible things along with the child's view of the world was enough to stop my breath worse than a shot of 200 proof Mexican moonshine or a hornet stinging the front of my throat three times while I was riding my bike. His first love and what happened to her was absolutely miserable.
This book comes in at #25 of my favorite books.
25) "The Painted Bird" by Jerzy Kosiński
These books about horrible things do not come close to "The Painted Bird."
43) "A Child called 'It"" by Dave Pelzer
139) "Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's" by John Elder Robison
172) "Running with Scissors" by Augusten Burroughs
Dave Pelzer has his mother trying to push his head into a bucket of acid so by putting his hands in the bucket to make sure his head does not get dunked into it, he loses all the skin on his arms and then this mother sends him to school and the teachers realize the boy is sitting at his desk with no skin on his arms and so they finaly call the police for all the things they have been ignoring for months.
The other two are brothers and have disturbing childhoods, but Robison is luckier in that having aspergers he was somewhat sheltered from the social training as he was not social to begin with and so somewhat insulated.
I'm Belgian and have tried to read The Melting. This novel is very popular around here. It is extremely overhyped in my opinion.
I thought it was extremely dull and didn't manage to finish it.
Mo Hayder's Birdman is a decent, quite graphic, thriller but it is the sequel - The Treatment - that is truely disturbing. I've felt uncomfortable for weeks after reading it.
I'm planning on reading all of the Hayder books at some point, so will see what I make of the Treatment
I think maybe Jack Ketchum might be an author you would find interesting
I've only read 2 books (currently still reading one)
but I've read Off Season(specifically the Uncut version) and boy.. what a ride. I still think about the scenes everyday 😭👌🏽. There's a second book to the series (not the one I'm reading lol but I need to read it)
Jack Ketchum definitely has a unique taste on Cannibalism and gore
I would only recommend Jack Ketchum to a few people, especially if you can handle the details..
I find his stories alot darker than Karin Slaughter, and I love her books too.
✨📚🐛🍷
Yeah, Ketchum is great but very graphic! I’ve actually just finished a book by him (Only Child).
Have also read Off Season and its sequel, Red and The Girl Next Door. Which one are you reading now?
I'm currently reading Shane Stevens' "Dead City" after one of your other recommendations, "The Laws of the Skies" by Grégoire Courtois, and I'm enjoying it immensely. After that, I'm going to move on to Shane Stevens' "By Reason of Insanity" which looks another winner in the disturbing reads category.
That’s quite a trio! All excellent and fantastically grim!
@@CriminOllyBlog Thanks, Olly. Love your channel. I'm a recent subscriber and click on all your uploads now.
@@SmartCookie2022 Thank you!
The End of Alice is intriguing. Requiem for a Dream was a movie, right? I think that's the one I'm remembering and loved it but didn't know it was from a book. Looking forward to your thoughts on these. I'm always up for disturbing reads 😁 That cover on Marquis de Sade is something!! I wasn't crazy about the 1 Karin Slaughter I read.
Yeah Requiem for a Dream was a movie too, I’ve not seen it though. And yes, although I think the contents of the de Sade book make the cover seem very tame!
I started reading 120 Days of Sodom many years ago. That book is shocking, extremely disturbing, disgusting, dare I say it...as the book goes on, it gets harder and harder in terms of the topic, so I only got to the first quarter and I couldn't possibly continue...my first and only book so far which remained unread... and better that way...
Yeah I am a bit worried about how that will go for me!
Well, from my point of view, the topic is very, very difficult considering that I am also a mum… if it were adults, perhaps, with difficulty, I would be able to read it, but when it comes to children, no, I couldn't. You really have to be brave. After all, the word "sadism" in the dictionary was taken from him, that says it all
@@moiradomba Ugh, yes I completely agree
As a lover of horror and disturbing fiction the book that bothers me to this day is Let’s Go Play at the Adams’. I read it as a teenager and it is bleak and has stayed with me all these years.
That’s one of my favourites. I read it as a teenager too and then reread it quite recently and it hasn’t lost any of its power.
I need to stop watching your channel my wish list is just growing and growing 🤣🤣 looking forward to your thoughts on the summer I died, I got about 80 pages in and ended up breaking off not because I wasn’t enjoying it I got wrapped up in something else, (think it was the stand) I’m sure you will get around to it before I do, looking forward to your thoughts, another great vid olly, have a great week 👍
Cheers Dan! Glad you enjoyed the video! Hope you have a great week too
Do you have any advice for how to get some of these books. I have looked everywhere I can think of online and I can't seem to find Heather Lewis books, specifically Notice and The Second Suspect. (I'm in the US)
Hi Jordan - If you check the community tab for my channel there is a post with details of a site selling an ebook of notice and my attempts to get a new print run of the paperback 😊
Looking for recommendations on psychological thrillers…. Any suggestions are appreciated …
Also, I would like to do a read along/discussion
Have you read All is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker? I thought that one was great
@@CriminOllyBlog I have not …. I will check it out !! Thank you
@@susanspisak65 hope you enjoy it, Susan!
Ruth Rendell is a great crafter of psychological thrillers. I read The Bridesmaid first and was hooked forever.
Seems a great bunch of books. Haven’t read any of them. I’m reading Stalin, the court of the Tzar by Simon Sebastian montefore at the moment…its even more bloody than I thought it would be….
Great book. I went on a Soviet spree after reading it.
I can imagine that's pretty horrific
The most disturbing book I tried to read was a nonfiction by Patricia Cornwell called “Portrait of a Killer: Jack The Ripper Case Closed”. I only read the first half and then I had to stop. I couldn’t take it anymore. It was good, and I like her books, but that one was too much for me because it was real. A theory, but still, based on real events.
Yeah the real life details of the ripper case are really horrific! I do agree that Cornwell’s fiction is really good though. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for a great video Olly! Always find something interesting in your videos and recommendations. A few disturbing ones I’ve thought of for you to try (if you haven’t already) flowers in the attick by v c andrews, shuggie bain, American psycho, Lolita, we need to talk about Kevin. I’m intrigued by requiem for a dream….Does it compare well with the film? Or have you not seen the film? Thanks for taking the time out to reply to fans and followers. 😊
Thank you! Really glad you’re enjoying the channel!
Thanks for the suggestions! I’ve actually read (and enjoyed!) all of those except Shuggie Bain, and I do have a copy of that.
I haven’t seen Requiem for a Dream I’m afraid, so can’t comment on that.
Thanks so much for watching and for the lovely comment!
If you're looking to lighten your reading load, you might begin with Child of God - it's a quick read (the companion book, Outer Dark, is also good). I'm reading Matthew Stokoe's Empty Mile now and will look for Cow when I'm finished.
That’s useful to know! Thanks, Patrick.
I have read cows and tender is the flesh. Cows was just funny and weird. I finished reading it feeling weird. Tender is the flesh didn’t completely upset/disturb me until the ending. It was messed up, and that tells you something considering the subject matter is cannibalism.
Yeah people's reaction to Cows seems to differ a lot from reader to reader. I'm interested to see what I make of it!
One book I've read that combines horror and sympathy for the killer. It is Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist. Where the killer is a little girl.
That's an excellent book, I really liked it
One of the best books I’ve read.
Did you ever see the original movie ?
@@robertnieten7259 Yes. I thought it was pretty good. Have you seen it?
@Ralph Marrone Yes. As a matter of fact I saw the movie before I read the book. It has a cult classic feel about it. If i was the boy in the movie my natural instinct would be to protect her too. Another good film put out by the same company is Time crimes. Check it out.
I’ve not read any of the books mentioned, the worst book I ever read was called ‘Hush’ & it’s a series that later is called ‘the diamond’ written by Devlin De la Chapa under the pseudonym Sandra Raine, about a young girl who is groomed and trafficked, I was so close to putting it down a few times but I persevered & finished it, I had a few nightmares about it & it’s stuck with me to this day much more than any other book I’ve read & I’ve read hundreds of books.
I’d not heard of that, but I just looked it up and it looks very troubling!
@@CriminOllyBlog it is, very.
House of leaves isn’t necessarily as “disturbing” as these but it’s a great horror read. I heard of it from another TH-camr and I’m not sure if it already been big on here and I’m late to the party but I thought it was very good and recommend it to like everyone lol.
Also if you like disturbing check out some Japanese literature I started out with “no longer human” which is a good one to start of with but they shave much more brutal books
Yes, House of Leaves is a fascinating book and definitely unsettling. I do need to read more Japanese fiction
Topping from Below by Laura Reese is the most disturbing book I have ever read. Couldn’t put it down even though it nauseated me.
That sounds interesting, thanks for the recommendation!
I haven’t seen any of your other videos but have you read Gone to see the River Man? It’s exactly what you describe to love about disturbing books and what they can be! I hated it and I loved it and I can’t stop thinking about it. More than just shock value for sure. So so good.
I haven’t yet, but it’s one a few people have mentioned recently so I’ve not got an even longer list than I had when I made this video!
I haven´t read any of these but i have the birdman and the road at my bookshelf, waiting to be read. I don´t know when i will be reading them but i am exciting for both😊
The Road is really excellent
Great stuff Olly...love darkness!!!
Cheers Asif!
I can't find a copy of "Notice" anywhere. Do you have any suggestions on places to look online?
If you check my community tab there is a post there about it