What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedFriday the 13th
Film · 1980
If you loved Friday the 13th, start with The Island (Peter Benchley, 1980) — a book on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Friday the 13th across media.
If Friday the 13th gripped you, it is because you crave stories where isolated characters confront the haunting echoes of past trauma.
Books on the same thread
Fear Street
R. L. Stine · Book · 1989
Shares 2 threads with Friday the 13th: Revenge, Teen Horror.
Like the doomed counselors in Friday the 13th, the teens here face a lethal supernatural force that turns their social gathering into a terrifying struggle for survival.
The Island
Peter Benchley · Book · 1980
Shares a thread with Friday the 13th: Isolation.
This story mirrors the claustrophobic isolation found in Friday the 13th, trapping characters in a remote location where they must fight to survive against a relentless, encroaching threat.
Ghost Story
Peter Straub · Book · 1979
Shares a thread with Friday the 13th: Revenge.
The focus on past trauma and revenge mirrors the dark history of Crystal Lake in Friday the 13th, proving that the sins of the past never truly stay buried.
Psycho
Robert Bloch · Book · 1959
Shares 2 threads with Friday the 13th: Isolation, Slasher.
The sense of isolation and the presence of a deeply disturbed killer haunting a secluded property provides the same unsettling dread that defined Friday the 13th for viewers.
Series on the same thread
American Horror Story
Ryan Murphy · Series · 2011
Shares a thread with Friday the 13th: Trauma.
This anthology series captures the same raw exploration of trauma and murderous legacies that made Friday the 13th a definitive staple of the slasher and horror subgenres.
The Walking Dead
Frank Darabont · Series · 2010
Shares a thread with Friday the 13th: Survival Horror.
The relentless fight for survival against an unstoppable, predatory force echoes the desperate struggle of the counselors in Friday the 13th as they face their own gruesome reality.
Twin Peaks
Mark Frost · Series · 1990
Explores: Small Town Secrets, Doppelgangers, Good vs Evil.
Beneath the surface of this small town lies a web of dark secrets and past trauma, much like the history of the camp that haunts Friday the 13th.
Murder, She Wrote
Richard Levinson · Series · 1984
Explores: Small Town Secrets, Justice for the Victim, Community Investigation.
While lighter in tone, the focus on uncovering the truth behind homicide cases in small communities shares the investigative curiosity present in the aftermath of Friday the 13th.
Podcasts on the same thread
FREAKY FRIDAY
Podcast
Explores: Crime Stories, Scary Stories, Unsolved Mysteries.
If you enjoyed the chilling urban legends and scary stories that underpin the lore of Friday the 13th, this podcast delivers the same suspenseful atmosphere for your listening.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts · Podcast · 2026
Explores: mental health awareness, female friendship, coping mechanisms.
The conversational focus on real-life horror stories provides a community-driven look at the same dark themes of violence and trauma that made Friday the 13th so memorable.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Friday the 13th about a summer camp?
Yes, Friday the 13th follows a group of camp counselors attempting to reopen a summer camp. The location has a dark history involving the drowning of a child, which serves as the backdrop for the murders committed by an unknown assailant.
What happens in Friday the 13th?
In Friday the 13th, camp counselors are stalked and murdered by an unknown assailant. The narrative centers on the group's efforts to reopen a summer camp that was previously the site of a child's drowning, leading to a series of lethal encounters.
Who is the killer in Friday the 13th?
The killer in Friday the 13th is identified only as an unknown assailant. The movie focuses on the counselors being stalked and murdered while trying to restore the summer camp where a child drowned years earlier.
Why are the counselors being killed in Friday the 13th?
The counselors in Friday the 13th are stalked and murdered by an unknown assailant while attempting to reopen a summer camp. The camp is infamous for being the site of a child's drowning, which serves as the primary conflict for the story.