The book: A Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
The hook: If you've ever been to an awful bachelorette party, then you'll be able to commiserate with the heroine in Ware's novel. When Leonora, a reclusive writer, agrees to attend the hen do for a high school pal she hasn't spoken to in years, the weekend getaway isn't all penis headbands and tequila shots — instead, a bitter feud from years earlier boils over, ending in a shocking act of violence.
Fear factor: Ware's endlessly creepy descriptions of the remote country house where the book mainly takes place will have you looking at the dark corners of your own home in fear.