Every fall I like to switch up my to-be-read (TBR) list to creepy, cold, spooky and murder-y books to get me in the monstrous mood. Now that Halloween is officially soon, let’s kick off the season together with these five very different books.
1 Congo | Michael Crichton
Written in 1980, you’re probably more familiar with the film adaptation than the book but I assure you, the book is better. It’s both a science fiction and an adventure novel, exploring a lost civilization while simultaneously mining for diamonds. Set in the Congo tropical rain forest, it starts to get interesting as mysterious deaths start to crop up.
2 The Wives | Tarryn Fisher
I listened to this book on a long drive up to Lake Tahoe this spring. Recommended to me by a couple of girlfriends, this 2019 thriller was extremely entertaining. From the very beginning, I questioned the sanity of both the wife and the husband but with every chapter, I began questioning my own sanity. If you like twists, turns and surprise endings — you’ll love The Wives. Three and a half stars because it was too predictable for me.
3 A Cosmology of Monsters | Shaun Hamill
Published in 2019, this was an extremely interesting and unique take on living within the lives of monsters. If you like monster origin stories and what the inner-workings of a werewolf’s brain might look like, for instance, this book is for you! Because it mixes modern day with fantasy, I also think those who enjoyed the show Supernatural will also get a kick out of this story.
4 Mexican Gothic | Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Is it mold or are there actually ghosts? It’s a question you keep asking yourself in this classic gothic novel trope. The setting is a massive in-hospitable historic home on top of a hill, overlooking a small village. There’s no electricity, the characters are isolated from the rest of the world and of course there is an illness afflicting the heroine. Moreno-Garcia won Goodreads Reader’s Favorite Horror book in 2020 for this story and you won’t question why … only if there’s mold or ghosts. Five full stars.
5 The Turn of the Key | Ruth Ware
Known as a mystery/thriller writer, Ruth Ware is a favorite in this genre but so is this classic tale. The book is a super fun and ingenious (and modern!) rewrite of Henry James’ Turn of the Screw. It’s really good as an awesome standalone book too, meaning, you don’t need to read the original to enjoy this spooky take.
What are some of your favorite spooky tales you like to read in the fall?
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