Reading is something that I’ve always enjoyed, and I especially enjoy reading books throughout the month of October. Here are 5 books and stories to read during the Halloween season.
1. Deborah Blum – The Poisoner’s Handbook
If you like history and true crime, reading this book is a must. The Poisoner’s Handbook covers the history of poison and the story of New York City’s first toxicology and forensic medicine system. Structured as a collection of short stories, The Poisoner’s Handbook takes you through the Jazz Age (1915-1936) and describes the methods of murder by poison, and how easily people got away with it before the invention of modern poison detection systems. The poisons and murders that this book describes make it the perfect read for Halloween.
2. Mary Shelley – Frankenstein
In this Halloween classic, Mary Shelley tells the story of a scientist whose creation becomes a monster. Robert Walton recounts his mission to the North Pole, where he meets Victor Frankenstein and learns the tale of the monster that Frankenstein created. This book has been read and enjoyed by readers since its initial release in 1818 making it one of the oldest Halloween tales. If you like classic horror stories, you should definitely add Frankenstein to your list of books to read.
3. Edgar Allan Poe – Cask of Amontillado
While most of Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories would be good to read during the month of October, The Cask of Amontillado is regarded as one of Poe’s most creepy works. Set in an unnamed Italian city, t follows the story of a man named Montresor who is seeking fatal revenge. The story revolves around Montresor luring his friend Fortunato into his family vault and getting his revenge in a very disturbing way. This story is perfect if you want a shorter story that will still be fitting for Halloween.
4. Agatha Christie – Hallowe’en Party
As a lover of mystery novels, I couldn’t forget this one. Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie is one of her famous Poirot novels that is perfect for reading on Halloween. At a Halloween party, 13-year-old Joyce claims to have witnessed a murder. No one believes her until her body is found, drowned in an apple-bobbing tub. Christie’s famous detective Hercule Poirot visits the scene of the crime, hoping to solve the perfect Halloween murder mystery.
5. Rivka Galchen – Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch
This book was recently released in June of 2021 and I have not been able to read it yet, but it is definitely on my list to read this October. The story takes place in 1618 Germany during the time of the Plague. A woman, Katharina Kepler, is illiterate and enjoys helping her family and community through the fall season by using natural remedies, leading people to believe that she is a witch.
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