With Halloween creeping closer the haunted atmosphere is taking over. A lot of us are looking for a good read, however some of us prefer our Halloween with barely any scare, but a lot of spooky! Here are some recommendations for seasonally appropriate reads that won’t make you want to keep the light on when you’re in bed.
And Then There Were None – Agatha Christie
This classic mystery will keep you on the edge of your seat, but not have you shaking under your covers. Ten people are invited to an isolated mansion on Indian island and each of them have something to hide. With a host who seems to be extremely late the guest are trapped with nothing to keep them company but, themselves and the lies they hold. However, secrets always have a way of coming out especially when guest are dropping dead one by one. If you love the movie and board game Clue this short read is for you.
Secrets Never Die – Vincent Ralph
This YA novel was published in August of this year. Every Halloween Sam Hall and his friends sneak away from the bouncing party and tell their secrets to the Dark Place, an abandoned hut in the woods. However, this year their secrets fight back, coming to haunt each of them through social media. Each of them would prefer their secrets to remain buried, but at what cost? If Pretty Little Liars was your show then this book will be a familiar story.
The Turn of the Screw – Henry James
In this gothic novella is narrated by an unnamed character who is reading a manuscript written by a young governess who’s now dead. In the manuscript it explains her journey to a country estate in Essex . She took a nannying job for two orphaned children, Miles and Flora. Soon she starts to notice strange behavior from the children along with seeing a man and woman around the estate that no one else seems to see. This classic ghost story has been adapted multiple times, most recently The Haunting of Bly Manor on Netflix.
The Hazel Wood – Melissa Albert
If you like darker fairy tales then you’ll love The Hazel Wood. Alice has been on the run for 17 years with her mom, trying to dodge the consistent bad luck. Their bad luck seems to be connected to a book of stories written by Alice’s estranged grandmother. When she receives the letter of her grandmother’s death Alice and her mother believe they’re finally safe. However, one day Alice’s mother goes missing leaving her grandmother’s book and a note; “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.” However Alice is determined to save her mom.
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