5 Spooky Books for Halloween
As AWN’s resident book nerd, I’m back to suggest five books for you to read to get into the Halloween spirit! The leaves are beginning to turn, days are getting shorter, and Halloween draws ever closer, so come sit around the fire and find a great book based on your favorite type of scary story.
Here are five to get you started:
1. If you like classic haunted house stories:
You should read The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. It’s probably one of my favorite horror stories. It’s a quick read, but it’ll definitely keep you up at night—especially once you begin to wonder if those sounds you hear are real or if they’re all in your head.
2. If you like stories about creepy children:
You should read The Bad Seed by William March. I actually read this in my ninth-grade English class, and I recently revisited it. It was also adapted into a movie in 1956 if you prefer your horror delivered via film.
3. If you’re a fan of locked-room mysteries:
You should give And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie a shot. It’s a classic, and thankfully, there’s an explanation at the end for people like me who couldn’t even begin to figure out the mystery.
4. If you like spooky sci-fi stories:
You should read 14 by Peter Clines. The tenants of an old, somewhat dilapidated Los Angeles apartment building begin to explore their building’s oddities, with utterly shocking results. Definitely a fun read that will keep you on the edge of your seat!
5. If you like bizarre stories:
Especially those that feel like dimly threatening nightmares that are impossible to wake up from, you should read Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. Not one of my favorite books, perhaps, but one I’m beginning to think I need to read again. Gaiman has a huge talent for writing books that keep you wondering long after you’ve read them, and even though it’s been almost a year since I finished this one, it’s been in the back of my mind ever since.
What are your favorite spooky stories to read this time of year?