Book suggestions for Halloween

Which other authors do you enjoy? Discuss them here.
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Stephen
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Re: Book suggestions for Halloween

Post by Stephen »

The scariest novel I've ever read was The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson. I was about 16, and terrifying myself by foolishly reading it at night. Knowing it was based on supposedly true events (which came about as a result of actual events, namely the DeFeo murders) didn't help as I've generally always found factual books scarier than fiction.

Having said that, I'd never seen the film up to that point. When I eventually did, I thought it was rubbish!
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rosy_posy
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Re: Book suggestions for Halloween

Post by rosy_posy »

Anything based on the Tam Lin ballad is good for Halloween - Tam Lin by Pamela Dean, for choice. Or the ballad itself... it's about a girl who has to try to rescue her lover from being sacrificed to hell by the Fairy Queen on Halloween. Very cool.
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Poppy
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Re: Book suggestions for Halloween

Post by Poppy »

Moonraker wrote:
I was hoping to get a copy of Agatha Christie's Hallowe'en Party for Halloween, which sounds intriguing.
Poppy, I just knew you'd beat me in recommending this excellent book! I hope you soon find a copy (it is still in print) and read it in time for All Hallow's Eve.
Thanks Nigel! There's some nice copies on Amazon which I'll take another look at, I think. :D
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walter raleigh
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Re: Book suggestions for Halloween

Post by walter raleigh »

rosy_posy wrote:Anything based on the Tam Lin ballad is good for Halloween - Tam Lin by Pamela Dean, for choice. Or the ballad itself... it's about a girl who has to try to rescue her lover from being sacrificed to hell by the Fairy Queen on Halloween. Very cool.
Fairport Convention's version of "Tam Lin" from their seminal album 'Leige And Lief" is fantastic and well worth a listen at anytime of the year:

Fairport Convention - Tam Lin

For a more traditional take, Mike Waterson's unnacompanied version is incredible although maybe not to everyones taste:

Mike Waterson - Tamlyn

As for books for halloween, given the discussion of "Mist Over Pendle" a favourite book of mine which deals with the subject of witch trials in the 17th Century (indeed Matthew Hopkins the Witchfinder General himself is a key character) is "Devil On The Road" by Robert Westall.

Alternatively, Shirley Jackson's "The Haunting Of Hill House" is a classic American ghost story, which was made into a terrific psychological horror film (just called "The Haunting") in 1963 (and then remade in 1999 which we'll swiftly gloss over)

Shirley Jackson's original novel is a big favourite of Stephen King and of course a number of his books spring to mind - "The Shining" or "Christine" perhaps, although there are plenty of others.

I'll also echo the reccomendation of H.P Lovecraft. His longer works are better I feel as they allow room for the atmosphere to build. "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" or "At The Mountains Of Madness" are his most successful stories in this regard I think.
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burlingtonbertram
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Re: Book suggestions for Halloween

Post by burlingtonbertram »

Here's one that many of you will be familiar with (at least, if you are in your 40's): Moondial by Helen Cresswell. It's a children's book published in 1987 and in 1988 the BBC did a really good dramatisation filmed at Belton House, near Grantham, in Lincolnshire. I used to have the serial on VHS and it was excellent.

SPOILER FREE

At first it seems like a ghost story (but isn't). The blurb on the back of the book says:

"A little icy gust blew about her. Minty stood and gazed: she was stepping on the edge of a mystery...

Minty has heard stories of strange happenings in the big house across the road from her Aunt's cottage. And when she walks through the gates, the lodge-keeper knows it is Minty who holds the key to the mysteries. She has only to discover the secret power of the moondial, and she will be ready to carry out the dangerous mission which awaits her.
."

It's a good one for Halloween yet unlikely to badly scare the more timid reader.
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Re: Book suggestions for Halloween

Post by Moonraker »

Agreed - a great story. It's on my Kindle, so I might re-read it next month.
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