Fall is the time for pumpkin spice, colorful leaves, apple picking, and hayrides. The heat of the summer disappears and is replaced with comfortably mild temperatures popularly known as sweater weather to all the pumpkin spiced latte girls out there. But what happens when the sun goes down?
Back home, I live five minutes away from a haunted house. So, for the month of October, my neighborhood is filled with the echoes of shrill screams. The weather is chilly, day turns to night sooner, and the trees become barren. It’s a creepy time of year, and I’m here for it.
Here are 10 must-read horror novels that will get you in the Halloween spirit.
1. It by Stephen King
For someone with a fear of clowns, the mere concept of this novel freaks me out. The film’s depiction of Pennywise is guaranteed to stick in your head. You’ll float, too! (RT if you read that in the clown’s voice!)
2. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
We have to respect the classic trailblazers of the horror genre. Frankenstein will always have a place in my heart.
3. The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft
If you aren’t ready to devote your autumn to long novels, try Lovecraft’s short story, The Call of Cthulhu, which portrays human weakness to otherworldly beings.
4. Final Girls by Riley Sager
Being a final girl means being the last woman standing in a massacre and surviving to tell the horrific tale. This is a common theme in horror, but Sager tackles this idea by putting three final girls together and torturing them all at once…
5. Haunted by Chuck Palahnuik
Palahnuik just had to make his horror novel funny and witty. Haunted is less scary but more repulsing. You’ll see what Hell really is like for everyday individuals.
6. Psycho by Robert Bloch
Obsession, murder, and insanity fill the pages of Psycho. Plus, if you haven’t heard of the Bates Motel, you’re living under a rock and need to read this book.
7. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Although written in the 19th century, Jekyll and Hyde is a common reference in pop culture today. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is another short story which gives you the opportunity to quickly blow through it while handing out candy to trick-or-treaters.
8. Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer
Vandermeer creates such an unsettling environment in Annihilation that leaves his readers feeling uncomfortable and on edge. I got major Stranger Things vibes while reading this one.
9. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
Hill writes this novel as if the narrator is telling the story by the fire which adds a creepy element unlike no other. Also, Daniel Radcliffe stars in the film adaptation. I have a feeling we aren’t in Hogwarts anymore.
10. Carrie by Stephen King
I had to finish the list on another Stephen King novel as he is the reigning King of horror… Pun-intended.
I hope your October is a creepy one!
HCXO,
Corinne