10 Books Perfect for Halloween
Halloween conjures up a lot of scary things — ghouls, goblins, ghosts, murder, madmen, and more. We’ve compiled this list of ten books that will bring a frightening chill to even the most fearless horror reader. Grab a pumpkin spice latte and the candy of your choice and settle in to read these books that are perfect for a Halloween scare!
Weird Women: Classic Supernatural Fiction by Groundbreaking Female Writers: 1852–1923 edited by Leslie S. Klinger and Lisa Morton
Ghosts, haunted houses, mad scientists, mummies, psychological terror and more are compiled into this classic book of horror stories edited by two supernatural genre experts. This volume of terror focuses on women horror writers from 1852–1923 and has enough fright to keep the most determined horror reader entertained and scared.
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Daphne Byrne by Laura Marks
PEN-award winning playwright and TV writer Laura Marks and legendary horror comics illustrator Kelley Jones team up to bring you the chilling tale set in turn of the century New York. There is 14-year-old Daphne, her newly widowed mother, a group of charlatans who claim they can speak to the dead, and someone called Brother… whose terrifying power becomes a catalyst for Daphne in her quest to save her mother.
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The Nesting by C.J. Cooke
A nanny, a widowed father and his two young girls, and an isolated home in the forest has all the makings of a mysterious and scary read. When one of the girls starts talking about seeing the ‘Sad Lady’ and things are being misplaced, there is a fear that something dangerous is nearby. You’ll love this Gothic thriller; just don’t read it at home at night alone!
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Don’t Move by James Murray and Darren Wearmouth
Megan Forrester’s husband and son were killed in a horrific accident six months ago, and she’s trying to do what she can to move forward with her life. When she decides to join in on the church’s camping trip, she hopes it will help her to heal. But the group ends up stranded in a canyon where a prehistoric arachnid is searching for its next meal. Although she is grief-stricken from her past tragedies, Megan is determined to come out of the canyon alive no matter what.
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The Witch Hunter by Max Seeck
A psychopath has killed an author’s wife, reenacting a scene straight out of his bestselling trilogy in the murder. But investigator Jessica Niemi thinks there’s more to the crime, and that witchcraft and multiple suspects may be to blame. This coven of murderers are continuing their killing spree and Jessica fears they won’t stop until they get what they want, which quite possibly has something to do with her very own dark past.
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The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton
Samuel Pipps is the world’s greatest detective in 1634 and he’s being sent to his execution. His loyal bodyguard, Arent Hayes, is by his side on this journey to prove that his friend is innocent. At sea, on the way to the execution, strange things begin to happen. Animals are killed, a dead leper stalks the passengers, and odd symbols show up on the boat sails. Is a demon to blame? Enjoy this supernatural horror story set on the high seas.
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This Is Not a Ghost Story by Andrea Portes
Darkly humorous and chilling, this is definitely not a ghost story! Daffodil has just gotten a job housesitting before she heads to college in the fall, and she settles in for a relaxing and quiet summer. The house is huge, it’s a long way into town, and she starts feeling like things are strange. And she’s right. The house seems to have a life of its own, and it keeps pulling her into it. There’s a grudge that needs to be settled, and Daffodil is the one who needs to comply.
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We Hear Voices by Evie Green
Billy has recovered from a deathly virus — but with consequences, and they come in the form of an imaginary friend named Delfy. Rachel only cares that her son has survived and doesn’t think much of Delfy. At first. But then Billy starts acting up and tensions throughout the family rise. Rachel knows she must do whatever it takes to protect her children, even if it means getting rid of an imaginary friend her son has grown to love.
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Tiny Nightmares edited by Lincoln Michel and Nadxieli Nieto
The perfect quick read for Halloween horror aficionados, Tiny Nightmares is a collection of flash fiction. Weaving real-life horror with fiction, these stories cover global warming, race issues, homelessness and addiction in a way that will scare readers more than vampires, ghosts and serial killers!
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Machine by Elizabeth Bear
An ideal Halloween read for those who prefer to seek their thrills extraterrestrially! Dr. Jens hasn’t had a good cup of coffee in fifteen years. Her workday begins when she jumps out of perfectly good space ships and continues with developing treatments for sick alien species she’s never seen before. She loves her life. What she doesn’t know as she takes on her newest case, is that she’s about to discover horrifying truths that will endanger her crew, and change her life.
