What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Unholy
Evan Spiliotopoulos · Film · 2021
If you loved The Unholy, start with Shrine — a podcast from the same story. Below: 4 books, 3 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Unholy across media.
If The Unholy hooked you, you will appreciate these stories that dismantle the thin veil between divine miracles and sinister manipulation.
Start with the source
Books on the same thread
The Exorcist
William Peter Blatty · Book · 1971
Shares 3 threads with The Unholy: Good vs. Evil, Demonic Possession, Religious Horror.
Like The Unholy, this classic explores the terrifying intersection of faith and demonic influence, grounding the supernatural in the desperate struggle between good and evil within an innocent victim.
The Forbidden Body
Douglas E. Cowan · Book · 2022
Shares a thread with The Unholy: Religious Horror.
This deep dive mirrors the unsettling critique of religious control found in The Unholy, examining how institutions weaponize rituals to exert power over the physical body and human spirit.
Holly
Stephen King · Book · 2023
Explores: missing persons, elderly sociopaths, investigative process.
Readers who enjoyed the investigative process in The Unholy will appreciate this gritty pursuit of dark secrets, where a professional uncovers the hidden horrors lurking beneath a small town.
The Unworthy
Agustina Bazterrica · Book · 2025
Explores: Religious fanaticism, Oppression, Survival.
Much like the atmosphere of The Unholy, this narrative delves into the claustrophobic darkness of religious fanaticism, highlighting the brutal cost of survival within a corrupt and oppressive system.
Series on the same thread
Midnight Mass
Mike Flanagan · Series · 2021
Shares a thread with The Unholy: Religious Horror.
This series perfectly captures the central tension of The Unholy, as a small community grapples with the dangerous ambiguity of miracles and the charismatic figures who claim to perform them.
Evil
Michelle King · Series · 2019
Shares a thread with The Unholy: Good vs. Evil.
Fans of the investigative arc in The Unholy will value this analytical approach to faith, which pits scientific skepticism against the reality of demonic forces and unexplained supernatural events.
The Exorcist
Jeremy Slater · Series · 2016
Shares 3 threads with The Unholy: Good vs. Evil, Demonic Possession, Supernatural Horror.
This adaptation echoes the spiritual warfare themes of The Unholy, focusing on the heavy burden placed upon those tasked with confronting possession when the lines of faith become blurred.
Podcasts on the same thread
A New Untold Story
Podcast
Explores: Small-town life, Overcoming adversity, Single motherhood.
This podcast shares the fascination with the concept of a miracle found in The Unholy, exploring the personal impact of being labeled a survivor against all impossible odds.
Heaven's Helpline
Podcast
Explores: sexual abuse, institutional cover-up, religious institutions.
This investigative series mirrors the journalistic mission in The Unholy, exposing the dark institutional corruption that hides behind a facade of piety to protect those in positions of power.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Unholy based on a book or another source?
The Unholy is based on the novel Shrine by James Herbert. The story follows a disgraced journalist investigating miraculous healings in a New England town that turn into terrifying events after a young girl claims to have been visited by the Virgin Mary.
Should I read Shrine before watching The Unholy?
Reading Shrine before watching The Unholy is optional, as the movie is an adaptation of the source material. Both versions explore the same core premise of a journalist investigating a girl who gains the ability to heal the sick after a supposed religious visitation.
What is the connection between the podcast Shrine and The Unholy?
The podcast Shrine serves as an adaptation of the same source material that inspired The Unholy. Both projects center on the narrative of a hearing-impaired girl performing miracles in a small town and the journalist who arrives to investigate the dark truth behind the phenomena.
Is The Unholy a direct adaptation of the novel Shrine?
Yes, The Unholy is a film adaptation of the novel Shrine. It depicts the story of a disgraced journalist who travels to a small New England town to investigate a young girl who is suddenly able to hear, speak, and heal the sick after a supposed religious visitation.