It’s that frightful time of year again, and that can only mean one thing… It’s time for some Halloween book recommendations. We asked writers from across The Mancunion what their favourite spooky reads are. From short stories to horror classics, we’ve got something for every type of reader. Here are some of the best recommendations […]
It’s that frightful time of year again, and that can only mean one thing… It’s time for some Halloween book recommendations. We asked writers from across The Mancunion what their favourite spooky reads are. From short stories to horror classics, we’ve got something for every type of reader. Here are some of the best recommendations to get you in the spirit:
‘Dracula’ by Bram Stoker
Jennifer O’Neill & Maariya Daud
Gloomy, spooky, a classic written entirely through diaries and letters. Don’t discount Bram Stoker’s Dracula because it’s a classic that everyone has told you to read; we promise it’s actually worth it. And who doesn’t love a vampire?
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons, Unknown author
‘The Vegetarian’ by Han Kang
Ruby Hamilton
A psychological horror (translated from Korean) about a woman who is plagued by disturbing dreams leading her to suddenly stop eating meat, to the disapproval of her husband and family.
Winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature, The Vegetarian is a compelling exploration of cultural taboos and mental illness. Chilling, eerie, but poignant, this novel delves into the central characters’ psyches – making for a brilliant Halloween read.
‘Naked Lunch’ by William S. Burroughs
Henry Delap-Smith
William S. Burroughs’ masterpiece of beat literature features a nearly narrative-less series of vividly depicted scenes of drug addiction, hedonism and government bureaucracy. Once you read it, you’ll realise Naked Lunch has influenced everything since.
‘Under the Black Water’ by Mariana Enriquez
Jessie Betts
A short story from Mariana Enriquez’s 2017 collection Things We Lost In The Fire, ‘Under the Black Water’ is a story fusing a murder mystery with themes of ghosts and environmental decay. It presents Buenos Aires as a labyrinth of folk tradition and a deep fear of the unknown.
‘They Do the Same Things Different There’ by Robert Shearman
Josiah Malley
This is a horror-black comedy, short story anthology themed around other countries and worlds. Not all of Shearman’s stories are horror; in fact, many are explicitly comedic. When he does write horror, it is so genuinely memorable that I can still explain the plot of all 101 stories in one of his other anthologies.
‘Rebecca’ by Daphne du Maurier
Adella Lumbantobing
Rebecca is an English classic focusing on the mysterious nature of the titular character’s death. Rebecca haunts the narrative as her spirit drives our unnamed protagonist and her new husband insane. Read this if you enjoy women successfully getting revenge.
‘Frankenstein’ by Mary Shelley
Samuel Chamberlain
Frankenstein is undoubtedly a classic piece of literature, telling the story of a scientist who forms a creature out of body parts. The experiment goes wrong, resulting in a chilling plot dealing with themes of ambition, social rejection and the pursuit of knowledge. Plus, it’s the perfect time to have a refresher read with the new Frankenstein film adaptation out now.
‘It Came from the Closet’ by various authors
Mae Murphy
If you’re a massive horror nerd like me, you’ll love this collection of essays ruminating on horror classics. It Came from the Closet features writers like Carmen Maria Machado and Kirsty Logan, using their personal experiences with horror films like ‘Jennifer’s Body’ and ‘Halloween’ to offer unique interpretations of queerness in the genre.
‘American Psycho’ by Brett Easton Ellis
Laurence Young
Brett Easton Ellis’ American Psycho is well-known for its film adaptation, but have you read the book yet? It goes into so much more detail than the film with the novel following Patrick Bateman’s much-longer killing spree, making for a very intense horror.
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons, Paul Stein
‘Pursuit’ by Joyce Carol Oates
Maariya Daud
A book that oscillates between the present and a traumatising childhood past. The image that most stuck with me from this book is a field scattered with skulls and bones. Need I say anything more?
