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Books that bring Halloween to life
Horrifying, slightly spooky, and endearing tales that take place on or around Halloween.
Published on October 3, 2023
Curated ByLanie Pemberton
Lanie is a San Diego-based freelance writer who loves reading crime thrillers and nonfiction about animals and the natural world. When not writing and reading (or writing about what to read), Lanie spends as much time as possible at the beach with her husband and pampered pittie, Peach.
A Night in the Lonesome October
Roger ZelaznyWhat makes for better Halloween reading than a Gothic fantasy where the chapters align with each day in October? How about one told from the perspective of Jack the Ripper’s dog — and featuring many familiar spooky characters, including Frankenstein and Dracula? In 19th-century London, on the cusp of All Hallows Eve, humans and animals alike prepare to either prevent or welcome the destruction of Earth as we know it. Horror, whimsy, and humor are all found here.
Hallowe'en Party: Inspiration for the 20th Century Studios Major Motion Picture A Haunting in Venice
Hallowe'en Party: Inspiration for the 20th Century Studios Major Motion Picture A Haunting in Venice
Agatha ChristieWhen a girl drowns in a tub of bobbing apples on All Hallows’ Eve, Detective Hercule Poirot is on the case to determine who killed the young teen and why. The recent movie version, titled “A Haunting in Venice,” is the third in a series of film adaptations of Christie’s Hercule Poirot tales, following “Murder on the Orient Express” and “Death on the Nile.”
Ghost Road Blues
Jonathan MaberryPine Deep, Pennsylvania, enjoys its reputation as the most haunted town in America, particularly as tourists arrive in droves for the Halloween season. Decades previously, the frights were far from funny as a serial killer terrorized the town before his own demise. But in “Ghost Road Blues,” and the rest of Maberry’s “Pine Deep” trilogy, evil doesn’t stay dead for long. This frightening tale won the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel in 2006.
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Ray BradburyBradbury influenced so many of today’s great spooky story writers, including Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, and R.L. Stine. Stine even calls “Something Wicked This Way Comes” “the scariest book I ever read.” Experience the frights for yourself in this classic mashup of fantasy and horror about an evil traveling carnival that wreaks havoc on Midwestern townsfolk in the week leading up to Halloween.
Dark Harvest
Norman PartridgeIn Partridge’s Bram Stoker Award-winning story, young men from an unnamed small town compete every Halloween night to kill the October Boy — a pumpkin-headed monster — for a chance to start a new and prosperous life. This year, Pete McCormick resolves to win at any cost, but the truth about the annual tradition is more sinister than he imagined. “Dark Harvest” may be a quick read, but your chills will last all spooky season long.
Kill Creek
Scott ThomasFour horror novelists are invited to spend Halloween night at Kill Creek, one of the most haunted houses in the country. Unable to resist the lure of free publicity, bestselling author Sam McGarver reluctantly agrees. But what starts as a simple interview for the unsuspecting writers soon turns into a fight for their lives as they’re stalked and tormented by an unseen entity.
The Devil's End
D. A. FowlerAs Halloween approaches in Sharon Valley, popular high schooler Nancy Snell plans to revive an evil presence that first appeared in the town nearly a century ago. Only newcomer Lana Bremmers suspects that Nancy is up to something — and Nancy doesn’t like that. Not one bit. Fowler’s novel is classic occult horror, complete with a deal with the devil, human sacrifices, and a rediscovered spell book in a creepy crypt.
Dead Leaves: Dead Seasons, #1
Kealan Patrick BurkeSpine-tingling and spellbinding, Burke’s short story collection makes for perfect All Hallow’s Eve reading. Stories include classic horror, tense thrillers, and beyond, and several of them take place on or around Halloween, including “The Tradition,” in which a woman wakes up in an abandoned house on the spookiest night of the year — with no memories of how she got there.
Did I Kill You?: A Thriller Novel
Harper ShawIn Shaw’s psychological thriller, the traumatized heroine returns to the town where her sister was murdered on Halloween years earlier. Iris Sinclair has become a detective but still wonders if she’s the one who got her sister killed. The town has many secrets, and there are several surprising twists, making this an intricate mystery that’ll keep you reading.
Wrong Place Wrong Time: A Novel
Gillian McAllisterAfter witnessing her teenage son commit a brutal murder on Halloween night, Jen awakens the next morning with another shock: It’s the day before the crime. Each morning thereafter, Jen travels further back in time, giving her a chance to get to the root of her son’s actions (and stop the attack before it happens). McAllister’s thrilling mystery explores the repercussions of our choices, offering a fresh twist with each time-hop.
The Fallen Man: A Mystery Novel
Tony HillermanIn this installment of the late Hillerman’s “Leaphorn and Chee” series — which ran for over three decades — a startling mystery kicks off on Halloween. When a years-old skeleton is found, Joe Leaphorn, a former Navajo tribal police officer, believes it’s somehow connected to a more recent crime. It’s up to him and Lieutenant Jim Chee to solve the case.
Cemetery Boys
Aiden ThomasA cute, queer love story between a gay trans boy and a ghost, which unfolds in the days before Día de los Muertos. Yadriel is determined to prove his gender identity to his family by exhibiting powers of a brujo rather than a bruja. Yadriel means to summon the ghost of his recently deceased cousin, but instead ends up with the spirit of his school’s late bad boy, Julian Diaz. This stunning #OwnVoices story breaks down several barriers and offers an uplifting break from the classic horrors of the Halloween season.
The Ex Hex: A Novel
Erin SterlingIt’s your typical heartbreak story: Boy meets girl, boy breaks girl’s heart, girl (who’s actually a witch) puts a curse on boy to teach him a lesson. OK, maybe not so typical, but a “hex” of a lot of fun. Sterling imparts humor and whimsy in this magical romance set amid a town’s Halloween festivities. Follow it up with the sequel, “The Kiss Curse.”
The Littlest Pumpkin
R. A. HermanIn this classic children’s tale, a little pumpkin wants to fulfill his life’s destiny by helping a family celebrate Halloween, and his dreams come true through a surprising turn of events (and with the help of some small, special friends). Reading “The Littlest Pumpkin” with your kids is the perfect way to get into the Halloween spirit.