Going down the garden path this time of year should lead to chills and thrills, with an ominous wind blowing and some kind of black animal flitting across your path. But if you just want to stay inside and get your chills by curling up with a good book, here are several that will give you goosebumps or at least make you lock the door. There’s still time to grab one of these and give yourself a nice night by the fire.
A Classic and a Phenom
Dracula by Bram Stoker
Last year I read Frankenstein, and this year decided to go with the Count. I can see why Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a classic, though it’s a little slow-paced for modern tastes. Maybe the problem is that we all know what’s going to happen already. But I can just imagine reading this by gaslight and not knowing about the blood-thirsty evil villain.
I also read the first Stephenie Meyer book, Twilight, and I actually liked it. I’m on to New Moon next. So whichever way you go, vampires make for a good spine-tingling read.
A Mystery
Killing Kate by Julie Kramer
This mystery is the fourth in Kramer’s Riley Spartz series, about an intrepid TV reporter who seems to attract trouble like a magnet. In this one, she tracks a serial killer who leaves chalk outlines of angel wings around his victims. Unbeknownst to Spartz, he is inspired (or commanded) by a large black statue of an angel located in Iowa, just south of the Minnesota border. But Spartz has more than this creep to worry about. Nothing like a good showdown in a cemetery.
A Bit of Fantasy
Among Others by Jo Walton
This is a coming of age story written in the form of a girl’s diary. Now, don’t groan. Our girl is highly intelligent and seriously unusual. We learn her story in bits and pieces until finally we’ve got it all. She dabbles in magic and fears her mother, aka the evil witch. Along the way, we get schooled in an unbelievable book list, helped along by the book club she joins at boarding school. This book is about what happens when magic goes bad, but books are there to help you.
A Young Adult (YA) or chapter book
The Shadows by Jacqueline West
This is a story about Olive, an erstwhile loner who has moved into a rather creepy old house. In her attempt to make friends, she goes just a little bit too far, and ends up in a place that she had never dreamed existed. Loved Olive. This may just be creepy enough to keep the kids up past their bedtime.
Children’s Picture Books
Zen Ghosts by Jon J Muth
If you haven’t seen Zen Shorts, or even if you have, pick up this thoughtful, beautiful book by this Caldecott-winning author. As you might guess from the word ‘Zen,’ the story is much deeper than it appears. This is based on a legend first written down in 12th century China. It’s a bit creepy, but a little bit sad, and a kind of love story. In the book, the story is being told to children on Halloween, who always accompany the panda Stillwater. There are costumes, and there are costumes. It’s very fitting for Halloween.
The Haunted Hamburger and Other Ghostly Stories
By David LaRochelle
Don’t let the cheesy title fool you (sorry, couldn’t help myself). LaRochelle is a storyteller of the first rate, and here he has imagined what might frighten ghost children. A haunted hamburger, a terribly affectionate Granny and a bad ending (so to speak) for a naughty little ghost boy make up these stories. Very imaginative!
Recommendations
I’ve not read these but they have come highly recommended by readers… nay, book lovers whom I trust.
The Comfort of Strangers by Ian McEwan
Recommended by Bethanne Patrick on Beyond the Margins book blog.
Obsessive violence is the danger in this take on a preoccupied couple who meet a man with a disturbing story to tell.
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
Recommended by Beth Beaty – this has apparently become a cult favorite, and I was told that anyone with a love for print would find this unbeatable. Of course, I was also told, “I was afraid of the sound of my furnace for months.” Be warned. A tricky house is more than it first appears to be, and finally becomes dangerous.
The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian
Comes recommended from many sources as a highly spooky ghost story. A door locked with 39 bolts in a basement baffles a family when they move into a Victorian house in a village in New England. The couple are both carrying their own demons, and this story promises a look at characters we will care about deeply, even if some of them are dead.
Many of the above authors are local. You can find Kramer, LaRochelle and West at area events. And did you know that Muth hails from Minnesota as well? I met his mom at a flea market in Grand Marais, MN. And to think I had to go all the way to New York City to BEA to get my book signed...
What's your favorite Halloween read? What type of story keeps you up at night? And finally, what are your plans for a scary Halloween?
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