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Top 10 Halloween Reads

31st Oct 2015 in Books

I LOVE a good horror story. And what better time than Halloween to curl up somewhere cosy and scare yourself silly? Here’s the ten creepiest books I’ve ever read:

• Through the Woods, Emily Carroll – These five graphic short stories are super-creepy and gloriously illustrated.
• Nyctophobia, Christopher Fowler – So tense, so creepy. I couldn’t get this out of my head for weeks after reading it.
• The Mall, S.L. Grey – I love this series! Point Horror for grown-ups.
• NOS4R2, Joe Hill – Utterly bonkers, vivid, and transporting. Oh, and terrifying.
• Daughters Unto Devils, Amy Lukavics – Short, sharp and scary. That ending, seriously.
• Bird Box, Josh Malerman – There’s something out there, but you mustn’t look at it. Such a simple idea, but so well executed.
• Beyond Black, Hilary Mantel – This isn’t a traditional horror novel, but it’s the most disturbing and uncomfortable book I’ve ever read. And it’s Mantel, so it’s beautifully written.
• Remainder, Tom McCarthy – Again, not traditional horror, but so unnerving and vivid. The protagonist still haunts me.
• People Who Eat Darkness, Richard Lloyd Parry – Non-fiction about the disappearance and murder of Lucie Blackman in Tokyo. A reminder that horrors don’t only exist in stories.
• The Daylight Gate, Jeanette Winterson – Witches, wicked women and the mean, moody, misty Lancashire landscape. And, scariest of all, it’s based on a true story.

What will you be reading this Halloween?