Good Scary Reads for October

[Jennifer]

What are some good scary stories. Not really a fan of King. I could have sworn someone wrote about a bood of scary stories in one of the threads but I can't find it?! Anyway, what are some good suggestions?

[Cassie]

What a great topic, Jennifer! I look forward to the responses too. :)

I can recommend a great book of older scary stories: The Haunted Looking Glass: Ghost Stories chosen by Edward Gorey. I thought he assembled a magnificent collection, though obviously check the contents to make sure you haven't read a lot of them before.

[Lauren]

I read most of Jennifer McMahon's books.
Don't Breathe a Word
Promise Not to Tell
Dismantled.

I thought they were all really spooky scary.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Come join us in the Classics Club where we're reading Frankenstein this month.

[Viola]

Not exactly scary or horror, but NPR put together a list of "killer thrillers". Maybe you'll find some ideas there.

http://www.npr.org/2011/06/13/128718927/audience-picks-top-100-killer-thrillers

[AmandaLil]

Viola wrote: "Not exactly scary or horror, but NPR put together a list of "killer thrillers". Maybe you'll find some ideas there.

http://www.npr.org/2011/06/13/1287189..."

Great list!

[Michelle]

Generation Loss isn't horror, but it is *very* creepy!! Also, it takes place in Maine, so it has that Stephen King-type setting.

I've also heard that Shutter Island is good, but I haven't read that one yet.

[Laura]

Most of Chris Bohjalians stuff would qualify.

Last year at this time, I read Sharp Objects. Was very dark and creepy.

I'd also recommend the following classics: The Haunting of Hill House, Dracula, The Woman in White, and Jamaica Inn.

I've not read Shirley Jackson's other stuff (other than Hill House), but it's all supposed to be good. And spooky.

Shirley JacksonShirley Jackson

[Shelli]

Michelle wrote: "Generation Loss isn't horror, but it is *very* creepy!! Also, it takes place in Maine, so it has that Stephen King-type setting.

I've also heard that Shutter Island is ..."

I loved Shutter Island...both the book and the movie!!!

[Shelli]

Laura wrote: "Most of Chris Bohjalians stuff would qualify.

Last year at this time, I read Sharp Objects. Was very dark and creepy.

I'd also recommend the following classics: [boo..."

I read [book:We Have Always Lived in the Castle|89724]...it didn't scare me, but it was good.

[Laura]

Also In the Woods - was on the NPR list and is the first of a series. I found that very creepy, and just downright good. Great characterization. Ending wasn't great, but a worthwhile read for sure.

[Michelle]

I read We Have Always Lived in the Castle...it didn't scare me, but it was good.

This is on my TBR pile. When I saw that it was written by Shirley Jackson, I wanted to read it. And I loved the cover.

Also In the Woods

That sounds good! I've added to the TBR pile, too.

[Shelli]

I enjoyed In the Woods as well!

[Mandy]

oooh, what a great October thread.

okay, i understand not all are Stephen King fans, but if you want a really good scary story, my all-time favorite is The Raft, a short story in the collection of short stories. (Pet Semetary is a close second)

i don't scare easily. i shamelessly admit i love horror movies (A Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream being personal favorites), but books rarely actually scare me. The Raft was the scariest, most nail-biting, i-can't-believe-i'm-this-creeped-out-by-a-book horror story i've ever read.

good horror is hard to find, so when you do find it, it is all the more satisfying. Stephen King provides us with some real treats.

[Bloomin’Chick (Jo) aka The Eclectic Spoonie]

I've started a thread like this in previous years but couldn't find it! (So many threads here at CoL now!) Classic and suspenseful but not gory: The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton - her short story All Souls is one of my favorite of all time! (I read it every October close to Halloween). Another fantastic short story is The Yellow Wall Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gillman The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Stories. A very odd read is Her Fearful Symmetry. Dracula honestly bored me more than it scared me lol! Looking forward to the Frankenstein read here at CoL!

[Shelli]

I didn't find Dracula or Frankenstein scary....I did prefer Dracula(although wordy in parts) to Frankenstein. Maybe I'll pop in to that thread when you've read it and see what you all think!

[Michelle]

My daughter read Dracula this summer and kept complaining about how boring it was, lol. I gave her Interview with the Vampire, and she liked it much better.

[Shelli]

I liked IWTVampire and The Vampire Lestat much better too!

[Rachel]

The Ruins The Ruins One of the scariest books I have read recently.

[Shelli]

I'm thinking about trying The Whispering Room when I finish Sunshine.

[Regine]

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

[Regine]

and if you're looking for a good vampire read Fevre Dreamis really great too.

[Michelle]

"Sunshine" is one of my all-time favorite vampire books! Although, thinking about it makes me crave baked goods, lol. I haven't read "We Have Always Lived in the Castle" yet, but it's in my TBR pile.

[Shelli]

Michelle wrote: ""Sunshine" is one of my all-time favorite vampire books! Although, thinking about it makes me crave baked goods, lol. I haven't read "We Have Always Lived in the Castle" yet, but it's in my TBR p..."

Great to hear Michelle! I just started part 2. My favorite books are always the ones where I get really attached to the characters...I really like both Sunshine and Constantine!

[Shelli]

Regine wrote: "and if you're looking for a good vampire read Fevre Dreamis really great too."

This is on my wish list! I enjoyed We Have Always Lived in the Castle!

[Megan]

Great topic. Misery.

[Michelle]

Definitely Misery! I plan to watch that movie this weekend. And I didn't realize that Constantine was a book! I'd seen the movie and liked it, so I'll have to put the book in my TBR pile.

[Kathleen]

Regine wrote: "We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson"

One of my very, very favorites!

[Megan]

Cassie wrote: "What a great topic, Jennifer! I look forward to the responses too. :)

I can recommend a great book of older scary stories: The Haunted Looking Glass: Ghost Stories chosen by Edward G..."

This looks good, thanks for the recommendation!

[Cassie]

trixieKitten wrote: "Cassie wrote: "What a great topic, Jennifer! I look forward to the responses too. :)

I can recommend a great book of older scary stories: The Haunted Looking Glass: Ghost Stories c..."

You're welcome--I hope you enjoy it!

[Cassie]

In case anyone is looking for a good anthology for next Halloween, I just finished one called Twelve Gothic Tales edited by Richard Dalby. It was so good, so creepy. Many of the authors are not writers that I come across in a lot of anthologies, and most of them are a bit older. I think one was written by someone who was still living, and one other by someone who had died recently. Honestly, I would've read this earlier in the season if I had known it would be so delightfully atmospheric.

[[deleted user]]

Faust...