Perfect Novels to Read at Halloween
Tina here, co-owner of Rising Action Publishing Co. As to be expected, I’m a voracious reader. I also love Halloween! I enjoy a good horror novel, but instead of a list composed solely of that genre, I’ve provided books from a slew of different genres that are perfect to read at my favourite time of the year!
This list only reflects my opinions and not Rising Action as a company. We received no monetary or other compensation for any novels included on the list below.
Dracula (Brom Stoker) - Classic Horror
You don’t have to be a fan of 19th-century literature to enjoy Dracula. Everyone knows the story, but the original is still accessible (albeit a little slow) to readers of today. It’s sensual, sexy, and extremely compelling. It’s an epistolary novel, told through letters and diaries, which is an intimate way to read a story. There is a great deal of suspense and the characters are fun.
The Shining (Stephen King) - Horror
I decided I would only pick one Stephen King novel. While The Waste Lands is my favorite King book, The Shining is my favourite horror. Entirely different from the well-known Kubrick movie adaptation (which I also love), The Shining’s is terrifying. Add in a side-order of King’s well-developed characters and it’s a fantastic story that’ll make hotel hallways ominous for the rest of your life.
Tryst (Elswyth Thane) - Ghost Love Story
Ghosts are a staple of Halloween, but this story isn’t a horror. It’s a love story between a young woman and a young man … who happens to be dead. Written in 1939, it’s still a very approachable story that won’t fail to elicit some tears during its conclusion. If you want to get into the Halloween spirit but hate horror or don’t like to be scared, Tryst would be a great book for you.
Gideon the Ninth (Tamsyn Muir) - Sci Fi Fantasy
Released in 2019, Gideon the Ninth hit the fantasy/sci-fi community hard. The tag-line on the bottom of the book says: “Lesbian necromancers explore a haunted gothic palace in space!”
I couldn’t put it down. It’s atmospheric, the world-building is interesting, the characters are fun, there are skeletons everywhere, it’s a murder mystery, and the book is downright hilarious at times. Perfect for Halloween.
Nyctophobia (Christopher Fowler) - Haunted House
While not my favorite horror novel, Nyctophobia (which means fear of the dark) ticks off a lot of horror story boxes: an isolated manor with minimal staff, a protagonist with a mystery in her past, and a creepy ambiance. Nyctophobia is creepy, compelling, and fun, albeit a little simplistic.
The Phantom Forest (Liz Kerin) - Fantasy
Set in an underworld that is part Greek mythology and part Dante’s Inferno, The Phantom Forest follows the soul of a dead young woman who teams up with a demon to save her family in the living realm. An exciting and interesting story with compelling characters, scary moments, and the undead, The Phantom Forest fits in well with Halloween.
The Silvered (Tanya Huff) - Fantasy
What would Halloween be without werewolves? Imagined differently than horror stories about the creatures, The Silvered is a fantasy novel where women are wizards and men shapeshift into wolves. The story follows one less-than-talented wizard as she and a werewolf companion engage in a quest to rescue their people from a vicious dictator. For those who like horror and fantasy, this is an interesting crossover.
Gil’s All Fright Diner (A. Lee Martinez) - Horror Comedy
If you like your horror movies in the vein of Shawn of the Dead or Cabin in the Woods, meaning you like a bit of comedy with your scares, Gil’s All Fright Diner would suit your needs. It’s an absurdist comedy about a redneck vampire and werewolf teaming up to fight off zombies. It’s chock full of various horror creatures. Humour is subjective of course, but I thought it was a scream.
Battle Royale (Koushun Takami) - Thriller Horror
Banned in Japan for its violence against teenagers, Battle Royale pits a classroom of teens against one another in a battle to the death. A common comparison is The Hunger Games, which I understand but don’t agree is entirely accurate. First of all, this novel is violent in the extreme, and, second, every character in the battle is given a backstory and motivation. It’s a heartbreaking and high-octane destruction of innocence. Not for the faint of heart.
Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse (John Joseph Adams, editor) - Short Stories
I think post-apocalyptic stories are a genre to be enjoyed year-round, but this fabulous collection of short stories by different authors encapsulates different wastelands and end-of-the-world scenarios; some are horror, some thriller, some sci-fi. If you don’t want to read short stories, you could always check out What Branches Grow, a post-apocalyptic novel by yours truly.
Jane Slayre (Charlotte Bronte and Sherri Browning Erwin) - Literary Adaptation
There was a trend in 2008-2012 of taking classic literature and applying monsters to it. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was the first, but I would argue that Jane Slayre captured the intent far better than P&P&Z. Jane Slayre includes most of the prose from the original, only modifying sections and adding a few scenes. As such, you feel like you’re reading the well-loved story but with Jane also killing vampires. It’s a lot of fun.
Sharp Teeth (Toby Barlow) - Poetry
I said I’d include poetry and Sharp Teeth fits the bill. A modern epic poem, Sharp Teeth provides a new twist on werewolves that comes with a sweet love story, bloody gore, intrigue, and a unique format. The verse gives the book a distinctive style over other horror novels and allows for a visceral experience that is hard to achieve with prose.
Word War Z (Max Brooks)
What would Halloween be without Zombies? Nothing, that’s what! World War Z (which the Brad Pitt movie was based on a few years ago), tells the story of zombie infection, but through a couple dozen perspectives. Set across the world, each story focuses on different ways humanity fought back against a growing zombie threat. Engaging and entertaining, World War Z has become a staple in zombie lore.
What is your favourite horror, ghost story, or otherwise Halloween-related novel? Let us know on Twitter!