If there’s one thing we all love about Halloween, it’s the sweets. A chance to get a massive bucket of your favourites and pretend they are for all those trick or treaters. Or is that just me? Another great thing about Halloween, which compliments that massive bucket of sweets is all the spooky reads that start coming out! So, we’ve gathered all our favourites and divided them into two categories:
Trick – for the scarier category of books – they aren’t for the faint of heart!
Treat – something where you won’t necessarily have to hide behind your pillow and has a nice dollop of romance.
So, grab that aforementioned bucket of sweets, pick your favourite book and chow down this October 31st with a creepy trick or a sweet treat!
[new-release title=”Dead of Night” author=”Jonathan Maberry”]
“…we left ‘sane and normal’ behind the first time Volker said ‘zombie’.”
Years ago I listened to Jonathan Maberry talk about his research in creating this novel and the way the zombie virus he uses in this book is actually a very simple possibility that could scientifically happen. It always stayed with me and I wanted to try this book. DEAD OF NIGHT is a fast-paced, intriguing read. There’s mystery more than horror but it’s a fun ride all the way through. Mr. Maberry’s writing is addictive, the characters are witty. If you read one book outside of your comfort zone this Halloween, this is a great choice!
[new-release title=”The Gathering” author=”L.A. Fiore”]
“He lives here.”
“The devil lives here?”
“Yeah, in Vegas.”
“The devil lives in Vegas?”
I guess of all the places in the world he could live, Sin City made sense.
“Why Vegas?”
“He owns the Bellagio.”
There is something gruesome about this story. It finds a mix between the Experiment in Terror series and Dreamfall by Amy Plum. Something feels very new adult about it but it’s adult characters (in adult situations 😉 It’s paranormal romance with a dash of horror, mythology and scary creatures. Set in NOLA. Perfectly spooky.
[new-release title=”Killman Creek” author=”Rachel Caine”]
“Melvin Royal stalks me in the brief darkness when I close my eyes. Blink, and he’s on the street. Blink, and he’s walking up the stairs of the motel to the second floor’s open walkway. Blink, and he’s outside the door. Listening.“
Gina Royal had no idea that her husband was a serial killer. But no one believes her, even after been proved innocent in court. So, she transforms into Gwen Proctor and takes her two children and runs, not only from the malicious media but from her now ex-husband. If I though the first book in the series was creepy, it was nothing in comparison to the second. Killman Creek was downright terrifying. Caine is fantastic at creating a tense and moody atmosphere, so much so that at some points you don’t know whether it’s paranoia or if they really are out to get you…
[new-release title=”The Witch of Willow Hall” author=”Hester Fox”]
“The door to the dining room is closed. It beckons me, yet repels me, exuding a sense of silent occupation. My ears buzz. A singsong chorus of whispers grows as I approach.
Are you ready?
I am here.
You attract them.
Are you ready?
Prepare for what lies ahead.
Prepare.
Prepare.”
What an excellent debut novel! This book is perfect if you want something atmospheric and haunting. Just a slight touch of gothic romance. A story about a woman’s journey as she’s dealing with family drama thanks to her sister, sibling rivalry, falling in love, sacrifices…. But also discovering she’s descendant from a Salem witch. Witchcraft and ghosts, this is the right amount of spooky mixed in with a lovely romance. Great storytelling! Couldn’t put it down.
[new-release title=”Escaping from Houdini” author=”Kerri Maniscalco”]
“Truth is poison. Beware how much you ingest at once.”
While this is a series, if you were to pick up this book out of order you could probably follow along just fine. And this book is perfectly themed for the season. The gothic murder/mystery feel, the play on the Tarot, the macabre circus and the dead bodies and body parts… Few books will get you in the Halloween mood better than this.
[new-release title=”Carnage” author=”Sandra R Neeley”]
You know what you need this Halloween? Sexy gargoyles. Luckily Sandra Neeley delivers that in her Whispers of the Bayou series. Carnage may have a scary name and yes, he may even look a little terrifying, but it all disguises a protective, loyal and loving heart. So, if you want to relax and snuggle up with a terrifying and terrifyingly cute gargoyle this Halloween, make sure you pick up Carnage.
[new-release title=”Death of a Pumpkin Carver” author=”Lee Hollis”]
If you’re looking for a perfect Halloween read, then look no further. Lee Hollis has a lot of holiday type reads but this one was extra special because it has that spooky Halloween feel without going too over the top with it. Trouble seems to follow Hayley around, especially when her ex husband rolls back into town. And when one of their friends turns up dead and Danny is suspected to be the killer, Hayley must put her efforts together to find the real killer.
[new-release title=”A Gala Event” author=”Sheila Connolly”]
This one is a different taste of Cozy Mysteries. This is perfect to get you into the Halloween mood but instead of going the ghouls and ghosts route, Connolly focuses more on the fall harvest instead. It still gives the vibe of Halloween without being so direct and with the extra wedding touch that Meg and Seth are going through, it gives off that cozy vibe perfect for the colder weather.
Want more recs? Check out previous years list here.
What are your favorite spooky reads?
Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!
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Thanks for the post, I’m not a fan of spooky but I have a few of the ones mentioned on my wishlist.
Stillhouse lake was good. I want to read tge gathering and I have escaping from houdini on my tbr
Thanks for the recs. I’ve got The Gathering and Killman Creek on my kindle, I’ll be reading them soon