For nights when the wind whistles under the eaves and the shadows of the bare trees look like witch fingers reaching for the window, may I suggest a few reads that will get you in the mood...er, for reading a scary book.
(Don't miss the trailer I made at the very bottom!)
The Spiral Staircase by Ethel Lina White
Hitchcock brought it to television and Dorothy McGuire starred in the movie. If that doesn't impress you, nothing will.
This is a classic slow building suspense novel complete with an isolated mansion and a stormy night. At it's heart is a poor servant girl trapped in a house with old family secrets while a killer prowls outside looking for an unlocked door.
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| photo credit, mysterytarget.com |
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Stephen King admits it's one of his favorite horror stories. Enough said.
Here's a tip, read the book first THEN watch the movie—the original black and white, forget about the Catherine Zeta Jones version.
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| photo credit, connorcoyne.com |
Pet Semetary by Stephen King
How can I pick just one Stephen King title? It's tough but this book explores the power of grief and how it can make people act in a way that others would consider insane.
I read this over twenty years ago, but the last line has stayed with me all this time, and still gives me goosebumps.
"Darling," it said.
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| photo credit, en.wikipedia.com |
Ghost Story by Peter Straub
There's nothing better than a group of old guys in tuxedos reminiscing about one summer fifty years ago when they were all in love with the same woman.
You think you know what's going to happen, but you're wrong. You think you know who is to blame, but you're wrong. You think you'll be able to sleep after reading this, but you're wrong.
Holy graveyard spookfest! Keep the lights on.
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| photo credit, womansday.com |
Stranger With My Face by Lois Duncan
This is the cover that caught my teenage eye in the Chester Book Mobile (ahem...many years ago) and introduced me to the awesome Lois Duncan.
It's light on the gore by contemporary standards, however this suspense filled, paranormal teen drama has all the voice and angst of today's younger generation with clever dialogue and pitch perfect emotions.
A horror story that's full of clever twists with a heroine you'll be cheering for until the heart stopping finale.
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| photo credit, jezabel.com |
The Woman In White by Wilkie Collins
One of the best openings you'll read. A working class man falls in love with a gentleman's daughter, only to find she has a mysterious connection to a local family tragedy. A must for any mystery lover!
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| photo credit, broadviewpress.com Check out the quick video I made for YouTube! If you liked this, click on the Google+1 button below and help share the awesome! What are some of your favorite spooky reads? |
8 comments:
Frankenstien and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are probably my favorite scary stories. Or pretty much anything by Edgar Allen Poe. And that's about as scary as I go. I'm kinda a wimp with it comes to horror/scary stories.
ZOMG, you've made everything sound so incredibly chilling and epic, I want to read them all rightnowthisinstant!
The trailer you made is awesome too, though you have a typo towards the end, where 'moment' is supposed to be. The music you used for it is just the creepy O_O
The most horror I've read, I think, is RL Stine stuff. Goosebumps, and all that jazz :P
Ohhh, good call Arianna!
Thanks, Laila. And...oops saw the typo and fixed it up speedy quick.
Cheers! Also love your comments.
Out of all of those, I've only read The Woman in White, so now I have new books to read!
My favorite scary books are Rebecca, Daphne Du Maurier and The Turn Of The Screw, Henry James
Well done, Bethany. More books added to my list TBR. (Already read King & Straub.) You're so good at seducing your reader - and I enjoyed the trailer too.
Sus, I've read those two as well. Excellent for power outages.
Thank you, Mary. I aim to seduce.
Bethany, I gave you a Liebster award! You can check it out on my blog: http://susreviews.blogspot.com/
Great classics.
Came by because Sus recommended you through the liebster.
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