The spooky season of Halloween, we believe, is everyone’s favourite—and, for not one but many reasons. For some, it is the mystical spell the chilling decors bring or the excitement of dressing up and trick or treating. For others, it is indulging in creepy, and terrifying books and their deep and spine-chilling after-effects that make you want to keep your lights on.
Whether you like classics like ‘The Haunting of Hill House’ or claustrophobic thrilling pieces like ‘The Watchers’, we have tracked down 8 of the best Halloween books that are not only ghoulishly good but haunting and will put you in the spooky mood, in every sense.
The Haunting of Hill House
‘The Haunting of Hill House’ is a 1959 gothic horror novel by the influential American author Shirley Jackson. It follows occult scholar Dr. Montague, his assistant Theodora, a young woman Eleanor, and the future heir of Hill House Luke who together encounter spooky phenomena. Covering the themes of grief and fear, the novel is a masterpiece.
Frankenstein
Another Bodleian Library suggestion, Frankenstein is an icon. Written by Mary Shelley, the story revolves around Victor Frankenstein, who was born into a wealthy Genevan family. He was obsessed with alchemist theories, thus becoming a scientist. He ended up creating a creature as a part of an unorthodox experiment and that is where things go wrong. You’ve got to read it to believe it.
Pet Sematary
‘Pet Sematary’ is a 1983 horror novel by American writer Stephen King that has the power to keep you up at night. It follows the loving family of Creeds, a physician dad, a pretty mom, a bubbly daughter, and an infant son whose life changes when they move into an old house in Maine near a pet cemetery that hides dark and hideous secrets. A perfect blood-chilling read.
The Graveyard Book
The best pick when you are craving slow tension-building! ‘The Graveyard Book’ is a well-written young adult novel by the English author Neil Gaiman. Delving into the poignant themes of family, life, death, and identity, the book follows the story of Nobody Owens aka Bod, a normal boy who lives in a graveyard and is raised and educated by ghosts after his family is brutally murdered.
The Eerie Book
The Eerie Book by Kirsty Logan is a bone chilling anthology that was first published in 1898. It features the works of gothic authors namely Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Shelley, Thomas de Quincey and Hans Christian Andersen to name a few. All of the stories primarily have hints of evil spirits, supernatural elements and grotesque murders – the perfect read for Halloween. You can thank the ghost Thomas Bodley for this suggestion – he’s the literary king after all. Feel free to snag a copy, here.
The Woman in Black
‘The Woman in Black’ is a ghost story that is worth reading! Written by English writer Susan Hill, this 1983 gothic horror novel is a chilling tale of Arthur Kipps, an up-and-coming young solicitor who is sent to faraway London to attend the funeral and settle the affairs of Mrs. Alice Drablow of Eel Marsh House. What he thought of as a regular business trip turns into a horrifying and menacing spectre when he begins to get haunted by many eerie and mysterious events.
The Halloween Tree
‘The Halloween Tree’ is a 1972 fantasy young adult novel by American author Ray Bradbury. Believe us, the telling of Halloween can’t get any better than this. A light read, this book revolves around eight boys who while trick-or-treating travel through time to save their friend Pipkin with the help of the huge, cadaverous, and mysterious Mr. Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud.
The Watchers
Published in 2022, ‘The Watchers’ is a chilling and claustrophobic horror adventure novel written by the acclaimed Irish author A. M. Shine. Set in the remote and sinister forests of Ireland, the story follows Mina who is left stranded when her car breaks down. Things take a drastic turn when she gets trapped among other humans inside a mysterious shack and is observed after being imprisoned by mysterious creatures called “The Watchers.”
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