I am one of the many people who looks forward to the month of October every year. I don’t know if any other part of the year has such a stark transition. One month, it’s summer time with weekends at the beach, and the next month people are drinking hot pumpkin spice lattes and wearing scarves whether it’s cool enough out or not.
For me, it also marks a transition in some of my reading tastes. Summer feels like its for lighter, airier novels that keep your spirits up. Autumn, however, marks a transition to denser, darker novels that feed into the spooky Halloween time.
To be honest, I don’t really abide by this pattern. After a few of these novels, I’ll probably choose something more lighthearted just to mix it up, the same way I often grab a darker book during the summer just for something different. My appetite for book is unpredictable, but I do generally try to save my darker, scarier reads for this time of year.
To get myself started, I have made a list of spooky books that I endeavor to read this Halloween season:
The Complete Poems of Edgar Allen Poe
While I’ve read a few of Poe’s poems here and there, the complete collection has been sitting on my shelf for a while now. It’s a very short book, and perfect to set the tone for October!
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Though I’ve already read Gone Girl, it was such a long time ago that I feel like I can read it again. I remember being extremely invested in the story, and at this point I’ve forgotten a lot of the plot points aside from the big reveal. Murder mystery novels are always great Halloween fodder, so it’s on the list!
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
I’ve seen the movie Shutter Island a few times, so imagine my surprise when I realized it’s based on a book! The book is on my kindle, waiting to be read, and I think this Halloween season is the perfect time to enjoy some psychological torment.
Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
A book I’ve been meaning to read for years, Shadow of the Wind contains a lot of Gothic elements that I think are perfect for October or Halloween time. The mysteriousness and sense of adventure will be perfect for this time of year.
Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
While this is one of the most well-known environmental novels, I have yet to read it. What better time to read about ecological disaster than during the month dedicated to all things horrific and terrifying?
Sparkling Cyanide by Agatha Christie
I have quite a few Agatha Christie books on my kindle that I haven’t read, and I think I’ll start with this one. It will be a nice, more lighthearted murder mystery novel than some of the other books I’ve listed here, a reprieve from the doom and gloom.
On the Trail of the Serpent: The Epic Hunt for the Bikini Killer by Julie Clarke and Richard Neville
What better time for true crime? My grandma gave me this book, oddly enough, and its been sitting on my shelf for months. After reading Unmask Alice and discovering the con-woman that was Beatrice Sparks, I’m excited for another conmen story (albeit, a much darker one).
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Because it’s short, sweet, and a Halloween classic!
So, there you have it! I probably won’t be able to read all of these books in the month of October, but October will act as my springboard into the spookier side of my reading list.
The Lit Wiz