Most Spooky Genre Readers Believe They Can Solve Real-Life Mysteries
More than three in five spooky genre 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'd survive the plot of a horror novel and live to tell the tale. Interestingly, men were significantly 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 spooky genre: Plot-come-to-life scenarios, favorite spooky books and even safety best practices gleaned from reading the genre.
When asked which character stereotype they identify with, one in four (26%) identified as the sidekick character and 12% said they'd most likely be the victim in a scary book.
Unabashedly, more than one in 10 (13%) reported they'd be the villain and only 45% believe they have what it takes to be the hero or detective in a spooky book.
Looking closer at villains, this time in the real world, 68% said that 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 everyday routine fits the mold of a villian from a spooky novel.
Looking at who actually matches the stereotype, the most common answer was a neighbor (44%). Shockingly (or maybe not) the second most common answer was a family member (31%).
Uncovering how reading scary books has made a lasting impact on respondents, 68% reported that they've adopted safer habits after reading the genre.
These include not sharing personal info with strangers (63%), not answering calls or texts from unfamiliar numbers (62%), not posting their location on social media (52%) and never posting any personal info on the internet (51%).
Readers said they feel a combination of sensations after reading a scary book such as feeling energized (29%), afraid (28%) and even wary of strangers (22%).
More than half (54%) also admitted they're more easily startled after reading a scary novel. And it takes two days, on average, for these feelings to subside after reading a haunting book.
Thirty-three percent have slept with the lights on after a chilling read, 21% have checked under the bed and 20% have even refused to answer the door when the doorbell rang after finishing a spooky read.
"It's interesting and so relatable to see all the things we've done after reading a scary book," said Barbara Hagen, vice president of sales and marketing at ThriftBooks. "Who hasn't slept with the lights on after reading a terrifying book? It's also interesting, even informative, to see what safety habits spooky readers pick up. The scary book genre is a lot at once: Chilling, energizing and enthralling. It's no wonder it's such a popular genre."
Readers, on average, reported picking up their first hair-raising book at age 12. After that, 60% said they were immediately addicted to the genre.
And it turns out, 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 reading their first one compared to baby boomer respondents (45%).
Popular gateway scary books, according to the survey, include "Carrie," "Dracula," "Frankenstein," "Goosebumps," "Nancy Drew," and "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark."
When asked about their all-time favorite scary reads, readers cited books including: "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 this year, we encourage readers to pick up a scary book," said Hagen. "Whether it's a repeat read or a new one, there's no better time of year to get into the genre."
Related Content
Daily Horoscopes
Sagittarius
If you have some floating aches and pains, headache or stomach ache right now, that is your body's way of saying "Hey! I need a break here!" Stress-related ailments and over-work are indicated in your chart. You need some extra... Read More
You May Also Like
