It’s finally happening: the weather is getting crisp and leaves are changing into arrays of red, gold, and brown before they fall to the ground. Windows can be left open and the time is just right to slip into a comfy sweater, put the kettle on the stove, and cuddle up with a nice book.
With October starting, I am usually in a mood for creepy thrillers or psychological horror books. I am also a huge fan of Stephen King and generally will read at least one of his books before November.
Here’s a list of my classic horror/psychological books that would get you in the mood for this turn of the season.
Stephen King- Carrie
This is one of King’s most famous books and movies. Even just mentioning Carrie most people can envision the iconic scene with Sissy Spacek (1976) or Chloë Grace Moretz (2013) being doused in blood at the prom. The book is told a little different than the movie. King tells the story as a series of testimonials told by fictional “witnesses” to Carrie’s supernatural telekinesis and life.
Ken Kesey- One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Now is the perfect time to read Kesey’s novel when the fabulous Ryan Murphy, director of American Horror Story and Glee, just released his new show Ratched. The show is a prequel of the nurse antagonist of the story. This novel is less horror and more of a commentary on the treatment of patients in psychiatric hospitals.
Stephen King- The Shining
Another one of King’s famous novels handles psychological horror in the most unsettling way. Danny wields the power of The Shining that is growing while his father descends into madness driven by the ghosts and demons that haunt a Maine hotel. A fun fact for this novel is that the Kubrick version (1980) is drastically different because King and Kubrick were bashing heads during the entire production.
Bram Stoker- Dracula
How could I leave this Halloween classic off the list? Everyone should know some version of the vampire story, but Stoker’s 1897 novel dives deeper into a mashup between Eastern European vampire folklore and Vlad the Impaler, a severe ruler of Wallachia in the 15th century. Maybe use this to start your vampire novel marathon and reread Twilight while you’re there.
Thomas Harris- Red Dragon
Hannibal the Cannibal, yes that Hannibal. Harris’ Red Dragon is one of the four novels in the Hannibal series. This is definitely one of the most unsettling ones of the series that deals with a man who believes he’s a god after obsessing over a painting by the 18th and 19th century artist, William Blake. The main character, Will Graham, has a close relationship with Hannibal that mimics a cat and mouse game.
Emily Brontë- Wuthering Heights
I’m sure you’ve read this in high school or at least knew someone who was assigned this novel. However, let me tell you, it is so much better to read it on your own time. On the surface, you may be thinking “this is horror?” Well, yes, it is actually considered a part of the later era of Gothic literature. When you read this, keep a look out for all of the creepy parts. Blood ghosts? Check. Climbing into a grave and hugging a skeleton? Check. This is so much more than a unrequited romance.