10 Books to Read for a Spooky Halloween
The autumn season brings changing leaves, cooler weather, pumpkin patches and the approach of Halloween. As darkness falls earlier each night, the holiday approach awakens thoughts of mysterious events and supernatural phenomena. We know these horror tales are fantasy; we know they may end up haunting our sleep, yet we still gravitate towards them with our fingers seemingly bewitched over the page-turn. Because what better way to get into the chilling spirit than delving into a scary story?
Reading about ghostly apparitions, dangerous creatures, or gruesome murders provides seasonal thrills that linger long after the final page is turned. Here are 10 classics to tap into your darkest fears and whet your appetite for all things ominous.
1. Frankenstein
Mary Shelley
The classic Gothic horror novel about scientific meddling and the chilling creation of a monster that soon escapes its creator to wreak havoc.
2. Dracula
Bram Stoker
Perhaps the most famous vampire story of all time, which defined the horror archetype. An epistolary novel that retells the story of the suave vampire who became caught in a game of cat and mouse.
3. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Washington Irving
A short classic blending Gothic horror and the supernatural with a funny twist.
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes
Ray Bradbury
A haunting October tale of a sinister carnival that arrives in a small town on Halloween night, awakening dark forces.
5. The Haunting of Hill House
Shirley Jackson
A psychological thriller about four strangers who encounter disturbing supernatural events and madness within the walls of a notoriously haunted house. Now a Netflix series.
6. Coraline
Neil Gaiman
A children’s horror novella about a girl who discovers an alternate reality behind a mysterious door in her new home. Its adaptation into the beloved stop-motion brings the bizarre world to life.
7. It
Stephen King
The classic horror tome follows the Losers Club, terrorised by Pennywise the Dancing Clown, an ancient evil that awakens every 27 years to feed on the children of Derry, Maine. Adapted into a two-part film.
8. The Shining
Stephen King
A family caretaker descends into violent madness as ominous supernatural forces seep into his psyche while isolated at an empty hotel. One of the most iconic horror films ever adapted.
9. Interview with the Vampire
Anne Rice
The first novel in Rice's influential Vampire Chronicles series introduces an immortal blood drinker who struggles with immortality and tells his compelling life story to a reporter.
10. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Alvin Schwartz
Dozens of chilling folklore and urban legends, accompanied by illustrations from Stephen Gammell, guaranteed to give you goosebumps and the seasonal creeps.
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