I’m sure you’re well aware of the fact that Halloween is this week. Well what better time to read a horror story or something that might keep you awake at night than this week, right? But no, I’m not going to be doing the suggesting here…you are! Y’all know I never recommend books or take recommendations because my taste in reading is my taste and yours is yours. But I’m making an exception. I don’t read horror stories or anything remotely scary at all. I’ve just never really been interested, so I have no idea where to even begin. But I’m hoping some of you have a better idea than I do, and you can pass along your knowledge.
So tell me, what are some books that are sure to get me in the Halloween spirit?
Johnny Reads 
Honestly I’m not terribly emersed in horror story literature either. But I’ve heard anything written by Stephen King is sure to leave a lasting impression.
LikeLike
I don’t like horror novels either… if you’re an Agatha Christie fan, though, then you should read her novel entitled “Halloween Party.” It’s a classic Christie who-dun-it, but takes place during a community Halloween carnival. It’s Agatha Christie at her best, and is a fun way to get in the spirit of things without getting into the horror genre.
LikeLike
Ah, the best place to begin is Dracula!
LikeLike
Horror is great and good Halloween fun. I have a couple suggestions for you. Check out John Claude Smith’s short story collection entitled Dark is Light Enough for me. Here’s the link even: http://goo.gl/95LjaE. Of course then there’s always classic Poe if you really want a scare. Telltale Heart, The Pit and the Pendulum, Monkey’s Paw…
LikeLiked by 3 people
Try ‘Oh Whistle and I’ll Come to You, My Lad’ by M. R. James – it’s a genuinely eerie if old timey short ghost story!
LikeLike
For me, for horror, Stephen King takes it – in my personal opinion, The Shining is his scariest novel – I read it in one marathon sitting because I had to know what happened and it terrified me!! I thought the Kubrick movie was a pale shadow of the book.
Another great classic is The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, the 1963 movie version (again, my opinion) is far better than the more recent, 1999, version. The 1963 movie is tame by today’s standards I guess but it makes me jump every time I see it. Read the book and then watch the 1963 movie for a good fright-fest!
LikeLike
I’m sure this will be everyone’s suggestion: anything by Stephen King. It, The Shining, Carrie. I also loved Intensity by Dean Koontz. The original Frankenstein is also a classic! Enjoy ☺️
LikeLike
I’m reading a book of Richard Matheson stories this week. Really great sci-fi/horror writer, but in that under-your-skin subtle way. Not just a bunch of gore and monsters and cliches. Ray Bradbury is similar with the creepy short stories.
Although the written versions are often better, I recommend Matheson’s Twilight Zone episodes if you can’t get ahold of his books by Friday. That’s on Netflix, Hulu, and possibly Amazon Prime. I picked up a similar series on DVD this week called “Ray Bradbury Theatre” which has several television adaptations of Bradbury’s creepiest short stories. I think they came in two volumes, and each was $5 at K-Mart. Neither author is in public domain yet, but any bookstore should have a decent collection of Bradbury and Matheson, if you’re planning on stopping by there this week 🙂
LikeLike