Halloween is not something we celebrated when I was a kid. Back then it was just a stuff of movies, and I felt like I’m missing out on some awesome fun. But not anymore! Even though I’m too old to go out trick or treating, dressed like a demon child, there’s nobody stopping me from wearing my witch hat in the office on the big day and feed carbs to my colleagues.
Lit up pumpkins already started appearing in windows and on door steps, we even got a nice little fog going on in the mornings, and I finally get to wear my long boots when I wade into a lovely pile of fallen leaves on my way to the book shop… or anywhere, really. Love it!
I’m certainly going to spend Halloween evening watching some horror movies, peeping out from under my blankie, but there are also a few books that might just worth checking out.
Shall we?
Books Set During Halloween
Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie
An old school Halloween party, a brutal murder, but Poirot comes to unravel the mystery.
A teenage murder witness is drowned in a tub of apples… At a Hallowe’en party, Joyce—a hostile thirteen-year-old—boasts that she once witnessed a murder. When no-one believes her, she storms off home.
But within hours her body is found, still in the house, drowned in an apple-bobbing tub. That night, Hercule Poirot is called in to find the ‘evil presence’. But first he must establish whether he is looking for a murderer or a double-murderer…
The Accident Season by Moïra Fowley-Doyle
A strange, recurring curse, affecting a young girl each October.
A bewitching, dark and beautiful debut novel about a girl living in the shadow of a mysterious curse.
It’s the accident season, the same time every year. Bones break, skin tears, bruises bloom.
The accident season has been part of seventeen-year-old Cara’s life for as long as she can remember. Towards the end of October, foreshadowed by the deaths of many relatives before them, Cara’s family becomes inexplicably accident-prone. They banish knives to locked drawers, cover sharp table edges with padding, switch off electrical items – but injuries follow wherever they go, and the accident season becomes an ever-growing obsession and fear.
But why are they so cursed? And how can they break free?
The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury
Trick or treating gone wrong?
A fast-moving, eerie…tale set on Halloween night. Eight costumed boys running to meet their friend Pipkin at the haunted house outside town encounter instead the huge and cadaverous Mr. Moundshroud. As Pipkin scrambles to join them, he is swept away by a dark Something, and Moundshroud leads the boys on the tail of a kite through time and space to search the past for their friend and the meaning of Halloween. After witnessing a funeral procession in ancient Egypt, cavemen discovering fire, Druid rites, the persecution of witches in the Dark Ages, and the gargoyles of Notre Dame, they catch up with the elusive Pipkin in the catacombs of Mexico, where each boy gives one year from the end of his life to save Pipkin’s.
Kill Creek by Scott Thomas
Would you like to spend Halloween in a haunted house?
At the end of a dark prairie road, nearly forgotten in the Kansas countryside, lies the Finch House. For years it has perched empty, abandoned, and overgrown–but soon the door will be opened for the first time in many decades. But something waits, lurking in the shadows, anxious to meet its new guests.
When best-selling horror author Sam McGarver is invited to spend Halloween night in one of the country’s most infamous haunted houses, he reluctantly agrees. At least he won’t be alone; joining him are three other masters of the macabre, writers who have helped shape modern horror. But what begins as a simple publicity stunt soon becomes a fight for survival–the entity they have awakened will follow them, torment them, threatening to make them part of the bloody legacy of Kill Creek.
Books About Witches, Vampires, Werevolwes & Monstrous Creatures
‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King
A scary and not-at-all-romantic vampire takes up residence in a small town.
‘Salem’s Lot is a small New England town with white clapboard houses, tree-lined streets, and solid church steeples. That summer in ‘Salem’s Lot was a summer of home-coming and return; spring burned out and the land lying dry, crackling underfoot. Late that summer, Ben Mears returned to ‘Salem’s Lot hoping to cast out his own devils… and found instead a new unspeakable horror.
A stranger had also come to the Lot, a stranger with a secret as old as evil, a secret that would wreak irreparable harm on those he touched and in turn on those they loved.
All would be changed forever—Susan, whose love for Ben could not protect her; Father Callahan, the bad priest who put his eroded faith to one last test; and Mark, a young boy who sees his fantasy world become reality and ironically proves the best equipped to handle the relentless nightmare of ‘Salem’s Lot.
Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz
A strange, or may I say odd guy, burden by his ability to see dead people and other paranormal creatures, sets out to save his little town from otherwordly creatures.
“The dead don’t talk. I don’t know why.” But they do try to communicate, with a short-order cook in a small desert town serving as their reluctant confidant. Meet Odd Thomas, the unassuming young hero of Dean Koontz’s dazzling New York Times bestseller, a gallant sentinel at the crossroads of life and death who offers up his heart in these pages and will forever capture yours. Sometimes the silent souls who seek out Odd want justice. Occasionally their otherworldly tips help him prevent a crime. But this time it’s different. A stranger comes to Pico Mundo, accompanied by a horde of hyena-like shades who herald an imminent catastrophe. Aided by his soul mate, Stormy Llewellyn, and an unlikely community of allies that includes the King of Rock ’n’ Roll, Odd will race against time to thwart the gathering evil. His account of these shattering hours, in which past and present, fate and destiny, converge, is a testament by which to live—an unforgettable fable for our time destined to rank among Dean Koontz’s most enduring works.
The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
A most troubling witch problem in a small town.
Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow…
Where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town.
Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under.
Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into.
Mistrust and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly to those who cannot resist the call of the sisters.
But only Penny sees what others cannot. And she will be forced to choose: save Bo, or save herself.
Fool Moon (The Dresden Files #2) by Jim Butcher
Strange murders occur at full moon, animal footprints left at the scenes. Harry Dresden, private investigator and fully licensed wizard is up against some werewolves this time.
Business has been slow. Okay, business has been dead. And not even of the undead variety. You would think Chicago would have a little more action for the only professional wizard in the phone book. But lately, Harry Dresden hasn’t been able to dredge up any kind of work–magical or mundane.
But just when it looks like he can’t afford his next meal, a murder comes along that requires his particular brand of supernatural expertise.
A brutally mutilated corpse. Strange-looking paw prints. A full moon. Take three guesses–and the first two don’t count…
Ghost Stories
Joyland by Stephen King
Who wants to go on a ride in a haunted amusement park?
Carnies, fortune tellers and an upcoming storm set the mood for this gem.
Set in a small-town North Carolina amusement park in 1973, Joyland tells the story of the summer in which college student Devin Jones comes to work as a carny and confronts the legacy of a vicious murder, the fate of a dying child, and the ways both will change his life forever.
Ghost Story by Peter Straub
It’s always the small towns when it comes to haunting, isn’t it?
What was the worst thing you’ve ever done?
In the sleepy town of Milburn, New York, four old men gather to tell each other stories—some true, some made-up, all of them frightening. A simple pastime to divert themselves from their quiet lives.
But one story is coming back to haunt them and their small town. A tale of something they did long ago. A wicked mistake. A horrifying accident. And they are about to learn that no one can bury the past forever…
Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
A mail order ghost!?
Sooner or later the dead catch up.
When Judas Coyne heard someone was selling a ghost on the internet, there was no question. It was perfect for his collection of the macabre: the cannibal’s cookbook, the witch’s confession, the authentic snuff movie. As an ageing death-metal rock-god, buying a poltergeist almost qualifies as a business expense.
Besides, Jude thinks he knows all about ghosts. Jude has been haunted for years… by the spirits of band mates dead and gone, the spectre of the abusive father he fled as a child, and the memory of the suicidal girl he abandoned. But this ghost, delivered to his doorstep in a black heart-shaped box, is different. It makes the house feel cold. It makes the dogs bark. And it means to chase Jude from his home and make him run for his life.
OMG is that you in the photo? So creepy..I love it,. These books are on my TBR but still don’t know when to read them.hehe
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LOL, yes, thank you ❤ 😀
I just finished Hallowee'n Party last night. It wasn't how i remembered it…
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Haha..
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I have no idea what I’m going to read on Halloween – I’m a self-confessed wimp when it comes to horror! I’ve been looking to get in the Halloween spirit (and overcome my ‘wimpiness’) and now you’ve given me some inspiration on which books to look at for a spooky Halloween read. This was a great list. Thanks for sharing!
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Aww ❤
The Harry Dresden series is not scary at all. In the first book they had witches / sorcerers if i recall correctly and it was quite funny.
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That photo is so creepy, Norrie! 😬 This is a wonderful list! I haven’t read any of them! Happy almost Halloween!
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Hahaha, thank you 🙂 ❤
Maybe my colleagues were right. They keep saying i'm scary. Hehe.
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OK, I’ll have a nightmare because of that photo! It creeped me out more than any book I read, LOL! I have Agatha Christie’s Halloween and Wicked Deep. The only thing I don’t have is TIME to read all of them! Thanks Norrie, great list
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Ooops, sorry! ❤ 😀
I finished the Agatha Christie one last night… it wasn't how i remembered it, but still classic Poirot, so can't really complain.
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yeah, how bad can it be, right 😉
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Nice list! I’ll be reading Parasite by Mira Grant on Halloween. (Just starting it today.) It fits horror as well as moves us into Sci-Fi November. 🙂
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Oh, good choice! I saw it recently and thought it might be something i wanna check out as well.
Enjoy 🙂
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Ha! Ha! Creepy Norrie … that photo along with a great list of suggestions will get us all in the mood.
We’ll be having friends over and, just maybe, I might wear something halloweenish. But mostly, it’s to watch silly movies and eat junk food.
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Yay, i’m glad it worked 😀
Having friends over sounds lovely. I haven’t done that in a while. Kinda miss it…
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Yeah, kind of spooked me with the no mouth thing! 😉
We haven’t done a party in over 3 years, so this is us playing catch up. There will only be four other people, so a quiet party by some standards.
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Sounds good! Have fun 🙂
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Yikes that last picture! I really need/want to read halloween part and wicked deep 🙂
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Mwhahaha 😀
I finished Halloween Party last night. Still pretty good (i read it in my teens), and not really scary.
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I love that you mentioned Fool Moon! Dresden is such a perfect Halloween series to marathon 🙂 While I enjoyed the setting and atmosphere of The Accident Season, I never connected with it…
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I love Dresden ❤ 🙂
I haven't read Accident Season yet, but added it cuz i thought "this is something different i should try".
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Kill Creek is great stuff! This book deserves so much more attention 😀
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Oh, nice, i’m glad you liked it. I haven’t read it yet, but really want to. Getting more into horror/creepy stuff lately.
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Ooooh love the makeup! I’ve been wanting to read the Wicked Deep, and this seems like a good time of year to do so! Maybe I’ll pick it up soon. Lovely post!
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Mwhahaha 😀
It’s a snapchat filter. I wish i was that good with make up tho.
Hope you’ll like the Wicked Deep ❤
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Great pic! Totally startled me 🙂
As much as I love King I have never been able to read Salem’s Lot. I just think that will be a little too much for me. I do love Odd Thomas though- now I want to reread it.
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* cackles like a witch * 😀
I only read the first Odd Thomas book, but i really liked it. Koontz is another of those authors along with King i read a lot when i was a teen.
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OMG, Is that you Norrie? haha, I was already picturing you wearing a witch’s hat at the office but that last pic, good Lord!
We don’t have Halloween here but it sounds like such a fun holiday. Enjoy and thanks for the book recommendations.
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Mwhaha 😀 Yes, it’s me. Maybe this year i should wear a face like this for work…
Thank you ❤ 🙂
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So you’ve basically listed my TBR in this post 😂 Is that you in that photo? I love it!!!
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* mind reading * 😀
Yes, it’s me (playing with snapchat). Hahaha. Thank you 🙂
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Woo! I just made a similar post but about movies oops hahaha! Glad you mentioned Salem’s Lot, I’ll definitely add that one on the top of my Stephen King TBR 😉
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Yay, i hope you like it 🙂
One of the rare vampire stories i actually enjoyed.
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Ohh love the spooky choices for Halloween.
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❤
Are you reading anything scary on the occasion?
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I recently read The Saturday Night Ghost Club 🙂
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I’m such a wuss, this post spooked me :p
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Ooops 😀
Aww ❤
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Fun post, I love horror! Really want to read Heart Shaped Box, especially after enjoying Joe Hill’s book NOS4R2 🙂
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Hope you like that one too! I still haven’t read it, but it’s on the list cuz I also enjoyed Nos4R2 😀
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Great recommendations- I’ve been meaning to read The Accident Season for aaaaaages and this has just brought it up in my mind again! I’ll just pop off to find that…
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Oh yay 🙂 Hope you’ll like it!
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Salem’s Lot to me is THE book about vampires: no others will be able to scare me as this one did.
And Kill Creek is one hell of a delightfully scary read… 🙂
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Yeah, i’m not really into the romantic vampires and Salem’s Lot is simply terrifying, so i’m cool with that 😀
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It’s been years since I read Halloween Party but if I’m remembering it correctly, it’s one of my favourite Agatha Christie’s!
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This was my second time reading it after about 15 years. It was pretty good, but not how i remembered. Poirot was hilarious and brilliant as usual, but the non important characters seemed quite similar to one another.
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I’ll have to do a re-read at some point! I’ve become quite addicted to the Drama channel and watching all the Agatha Christie’s again!
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Odd Thomas is actually a book I’ve reread. The Accident Season is going on my TBR. I LOVE Halloween! Close tie with Christmas for my favorite holiday. 🙂
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Me too! I love it how people in my neighbourhood go all out with the decorations ❤
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The Accident Season & The Wicked Deep are going straight onto my TBR list!! Thanks for the recommendations, Norrie. 🙂
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🙂
I hope you’ll enjoy both!
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fantastic selection. I am craving to read the Heart shaped box
also fun fact: the turkish translation of halloween party was: The Snake bit the apple. I said WTF! – very imaginative translation :)))))))))))
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Hahaha, indeed! Also.. EWWWW snakes 😀
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Excuse me but how did I never know about Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie!?!?!
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😀 Haha.
Better late than never!
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Yayy, ‘Joyland’ and ‘Fool Moon’ are great! 🙂 Perfect for this time of the year.
‘Kill Creek’ sounds really spooky & awesome!
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❤
I haven't read Kill Creek yet, but i heard a lot of good about it.
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I agree with this! Perfect Halloween reads. Aside from a few, I´ve read them all ( you´re the only person I know who´s provided a worthy list so far ❤ ) I L.O.V.E.D Odd Thomas and keep Salem´s Lot high on my precious golden bookshelf ( no. I don´t have a golden bookshelf. Not yet. But I do like the sound of it.LOL ) And Heart – Shaped Box… * hides face * Husbutt and I have a thing going on where each of us unintentionally buys a product multiple times ( because we´re apparently stupid.) Husbutt is winning with his 6th purchase of the Guns N Roses album Use Your Illusion 1 I have 4 copies of Heart – Shaped Box. Awesome post! ❤
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❤
We all need a golden bookshelf!
I almost bought some books twice, but good thing with the kindle is that amazon has a message "you already purchased this on X date". 😀 Saved me from a lot of trouble.
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That selfie iss awesomeee!! I need to get around to reading more King/Hill books ASAP! 😦
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❤
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Wonderful post. I have never read Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie, but I have seen a BBC adaptation of it on 31st and now am looking forward to reading the book. Thanks for the thumbs up.
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Oh, i think i remember the movie… vaguely 😀
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The Wicked Deep is perfect for Halloween or fall in general, it’s so atmospheric ❤
And the same can be said about Agatha Christie, can't wait to read more of her books as she's amazing.
Great post!
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I’m quite a big fan of her Poirot series, but the standalone stories without Poirot were just as enjoyable for me. ❤
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