I love reading scary books in the fall - on any literary level. Am always looking for suggestions BUT do not give me anything written by King b/c I cannot stand anything I have ever read by him! :)

Thanks!

I'm reading FRAGMENT by Warren Fahy (thanks to BOTNS and Michael!) and it is Sci-Fi, but is pretty darn scary!!!
Go have a look at the video clip on Amazon.com...YOWZA~

AMITYVILLE HORROR (by Jay Anson): I read it when I was 11 and it psychologically and spiritually scarred me so deeply, that even though I now know it's fiction, it doesn't matter! In fact, because of that reading experience NO book and very few movies have been able to creep me out since.

I found The Secret of Crickley Hall by James Herbert to be quite scary. Although I get scared quite easily so that may not mean a thing! Hehe. I like reading scary books and I like being scared at the time. What I don't like is trying to get to sleep afterwards... I have somewhat of an over-active imagination!

Tanya - I read Amityville probably 20 years ago and still have occasional backflashes..too many flies on a screen, waking up and NOT checking to see if it is 3 am, and certainly not checking for red 'pig eyes' in my window. I find I still cannot comfortably lie on my back with my arms crossed over my chest...utterly chilling.

I don't say much, but I have to here. I think the best horror/ghost story is "Beloved," by Toni Morrison. Powerful scary book from all kinds of angles and a real masterpiece.

Suzanne, that's a fascinating observation. I still haven't read Beloved, but I am putting it on my October list. I never connected it with a horror/ghost story, so I am intrigued.

(and if you're going to post gems like this, please post more often!) :)

I read Amityville as a kid and have to say I was very frightened.

I never knew that Beloved was a horror story. Now I'll have to find it and bump it up to be read soon rather than later.

I also remember reading Helter Skelter and totally being freaked out about it as it was a true story. I was 12 at the time, so no wonder I was scared.

Ann and Rita, I'd love to know if you two agree with my assessment after you read it.

Rita,
Not sure if I ever told my Helter Skelter story here.
It was the only book that I was not allowed to read when I was a kid. My mom would let me take out anything I wanted from the library, but not that. She had a copy that she kept on the top shelf of her closet. Once or twice, I sneaked in and looked at the pictures that were in an insert in the middle of the book.

Fast forward to many years later, and I discovered that the publishing company I worked for was the publisher of Helter Skelter. I could order a copy for myself, for free ... but I never did. I still haven't read it -- maybe I'm afraid my mom will punish me.

After hearing your story, I guess I can see why she wouldn't let me read it. I must have been about the same age.

Suzanne, I definitely will.

Ann, that is really funny. My copy was my mother's as well. My mom was big into horror and true crime so I was used to seeing those types of books. I looked at the pictures a lot before I read the book. I remember I read the book on a two week vacation that we used to take in the summer in the mountains in GA. Talk about scaring yourself.

Beloved is a very creative suggestion for a spooky read. I could NOT get through this book. I actually HATED this book. I am always curious to hear from people who like it and why, because I haven't met too many people who enjoyed the book. Share your thoughts!

Helter Skelter. When I was a kid in Kentucky, I remember a classmate hearing that Charles Manson was from Kentucky (altho he hadn't lived there in years.) Altho he'll certainly never get out of jail, we both managed to terrify ourselves that he would get out and move back home. For years I was terrified of anything Manson-related.

Finally in my 20's I watched the movie and it's fascinating. I tried to read the book afterwards but it scared me too much. I still don't think I could read it. I did watch the recent program about him on History tho that featured the new interview with Linda Kasabian.

Stephanie wrote: "Beloved is a very creative suggestion for a spooky read. I could NOT get through this book. I actually HATED this book. I am always curious to hear from people who like it and why, because I haven'..."

I found that Beloved wasn't an easy read, at all. I can't even say I particularly enjoyed the book because even though I gave it 4 stars it was a painful, heart-wrenching read. I was, however, moved by the writing and it certainly made me think. When I look back I am glad I read it. I couldn't put it down once I started because I was transfixed by the story.

I would class it as horror, but not in the usual sense of the word. More 'horrific' I guess.

I have always been intimidated by what people say about BELOVED, so I haven't tried it. But I loved loved loved A Mercy, and maybe I'm ready for Beloved now.

Rita wrote: "I read Amityville as a kid and have to say I was very frightened.

I never knew that Beloved was a horror story. Now I'll have to find it and bump it up to be read soon rather than later."

I wouldn't call Beloved a horror story so much as a ghost story. Big difference, in my view.

Jeweleye wrote: I wouldn't call Beloved a horror story so much as a ghost story. Big difference, in my view.

Agreed. It's not a horror story although since it's about former slaves there are horrible things in the story. That is still the only Toni Morrison I have ever read. I liked the book but for some reason it never made me want to seek out more.

Ah, I get it now

Vanessa and Jeweleye - I agree with you both. Beloved isn't so much a horror story as it is a disturbing novel about slavery with supernatural overtones. It's very powerful and emotionally wrenching.

It's been a while since I read Beloved. I think you're right, horrific is the better description of it. Slavery as the base and then the craziness. It wasn't fun to read, difficult really, but oftentimes that's T Morrison, in my opinion. I did think it was a book of value.

It seems that vampires are all the rage. So here are two picks that i loved. Of course I think that Salems Lot is the best vampire book ever. A close second is The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan. I usually dont like vampire tales but these two give you something you dont see often.

ooo ooo ooo! I was just reminded of one by going through the BOTNS list. The Ruins by Scott Smith. I read Smith's original book (A Simple Plan) because we are from the same area. That was really great. I read The Ruins because I liked the first so much. It was totally different. I would have never picked up the book had I known the genre, but it was very good. (I'm not a spooky book reader.)

So how did the movie version compare to the novel? I saw The Ruins a few months back, and thought it was an ok B-movie. Haven't read it though.

Sorry, Toni. I haven't seen the movie. Is it out on DVD yet?

Toni wrote: "So how did the movie version compare to the novel? I saw The Ruins a few months back, and thought it was an ok B-movie. Haven't read it though."

I can't remember who originally directed me this site, but you HAVE to check it out!

http://dailytannenbaum.com/2008/04/10/i-...

Haven't seen The Ruins movie either, but the Noelle Tannenbaum version that Tanya linked to is precious. "Noelle" (not her real name) is a friend of ours, and that post is one of my favorite blog posts ever, across all blogs. Glad you enjoyed it, Tanya!

The Ruins was TERRIBLE! Sorry to disagree with you, but everything about that book was just WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. We had the greatest thread going in our book group about that one and I wish I hadn't deleted it b/c I would post everyone's hilarious summaries of the book. I was the first to read it, and because I thought it was so bad, I made all of my friends read it. Each character was a total moron and I rooted for all of their deaths.

Stephanie wrote: "The Ruins was TERRIBLE! Sorry to disagree with you, but everything about that book was just WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. We had the greatest thread going in our book group about that one and I wish I hadn'..."

This is really perverse, but now I feel like I have to read it. And see the movie. I know, just KNOW I will agree with you, but this is sort of like passing a car wreck when the ambulance has just pulled in. You shouldn't look, but you do.

Hee! That was a remarkably accurate re-enactment of the movie. For anyone who is still tempted to watch the big-screen version, I am pretty sure it's out on DVD.

I have to agree with Stephanie about the Ruins. I loved smiths first book and there was so much hype about The Ruins that I could not wait to read it. I rushed out and got it the day it was released. Boy was I dissapointed. I thought it was terrible also. Then about 3 months ago I read it again (not sure why) and I liked it a little bit. I think my expectations were way to high the first time.

Recently read The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and it's a perfect quirky spooky fall read! Love the podcast guys.

I loved THE RUINS, specifically for the reasons that Stephanie alludes to -- it's one of those books that is campy and fun, and I don't think you should approach it with any literary expectations. In an early blog post, I called it "the perfect airplane book" and I still think it qualifies.

Ann, I'm going on vacation next Sunday and I bought The Ruins to read on the plane based on what you said on the podcast!

I read The Graveyard Book, too and loved it. Gaiman is such a talented, twisted author -- he's the Roald Dahl of our times. I also watched the movie adaptation of Coraline last weekend. Initially, I was upset about some changes (the novel was set in England but the movie was Americanized and had Dakota Fanning as the title character). However, the movie was simply charming (and creepy) and a visual treat. It's definitely one that I will add to my DVD library.

I have Gaiman's Neverwhere on my TBR shelf, I really should bump it up my list as a number of people have raved about his books.

well, I now own The Ruins because of all of you. it was for sale at our library for 50 cents and I couldn't resist.

Neverwhere is the other book of his that I have read. For more mature audiences than Graveyard, but equally spooky and surprising. Don't know if Gaiman is a favorite, but his books are always so different that they are a refreshing treat to toss into the mix of historical fiction, non-fiction, sci-fi and fantasy that I usually read.

I too loved The Ruins for its over-the-top-ness. But it's definitely gory, not spooky. I'm having a hard time coming up with spooky stuff...

Michael wrote: "I too loved The Ruins for its over-the-top-ness. But it's definitely gory, not spooky. I'm having a hard time coming up with spooky stuff..."

I just started reading The Sister by Poppy Adams -- I don't know if it will end up being a spooky book, but right now it definitely has suspenseful and sinister overtones.

I started listening to Ted Dekker's Showdown on audio during this morning's commute. It seems creepy. I really liked Three by Dekker, so I thought I would try another one. There was a pretty gruesome eyeball scene, but I think it is going to be smart and fun like the other book I read.

Has anyone read either "The Terror" or "Drood"? They both have been calling to me in the bookstore, but I haven't tried them yet. They seem spooky.

Melissa wrote: "Has anyone read either "The Terror" or "Drood"? They both have been calling to me in the bookstore, but I haven't tried them yet. They seem spooky."

Hi Melissa -

I've actually almost finished with Drood. (I haven't picked up The Terror, yet). I've been enjoying Drood, though it rambles a bit. The narrator is Wilkie Collins, and it leans heavily on Dickens' last, unfinished novel The Mystery of Edmund Drood, (I'd recommend wikepedia-ing it... it helped me make more sense of the plot). And it is very spooky.

I loved The Terror. This is a great WINTER read. The cold is one of the greatest book villains of all-time in this novel.

Another great scary book is The Swarm A Novel.

I just finished The Haunting of Hill House for the second time. Loved it!

I agree with Stephanie, THE TERROR is a classic that builds slowly but always has a sense of dread about it. Brrrrr. Coldest book since THE CAGE.

one of my favorite spooky books is Summer of Night by Dan Simmons. It is so good and it has a group of young kids as the main characters.

I'll throw my recommendation behind The Terror. I listened to the unabridged audio and thought it was fantastic!

Michael wrote: "I'll throw my recommendation behind The Terror. I listened to the unabridged audio and thought it was fantastic!"

I can only find the abridged audio narrated by Simon Vance.
What company and who was the narrator for the unabridged?

Michael wrote: "I'll throw my recommendation behind The Terror. I listened to the unabridged audio and thought it was fantastic!"

Wow - how many hours of listening was that?!?!

Eric wrote: "one of my favorite spooky books is Summer of Night by Dan Simmons. It is so good and it has a group of young kids as the main characters."

I started this one and stopped for some reason. It is in my books-to-come-back-to pile. Maybe I will read it this fall.