Melmoth And Other Spooky Books To Read When You Want To Stay In And Scare Yourself Silly

The follow up to Perry's best-selling The Essex Serpent is a smaller, more intimate but perfectly creepy novel about grief, loneliness and regret. Gorgeously capturing the tone and style of the 18th century Gothic novel, it combines the modern-day story of Helen Franklin, an Englishwoman in Prague living a life of frugal reclusiveness with the strange tales within a manuscript left in her possession. They are stories of Melmoth, a female spectre who roams the earth seeking the guilty and trying to tempt them into the darkness, and they unleash something in Helen herself. Lush writing and a high concept make for a delicious autumnal read.Other spooky books for autumn…

A collection of classic ghoulish short stories, put together and introduced by the author of The Time Traveller's Wife, this is not just a delightfully creepy way to spend a halloween evening, but also a beautiful thing in itself, complete with illustrations from Niffenegger for each story. There classics from Edgar Allan Poe and MR James, as well as more modern work from Neil Gaiman and AS Byatt. It feels modern and witty but never fails to appreciate that from time to time we all love a good scare - never more so than at this time of year. A collection of classic ghoulish short stories, edited and illustrated by the author of The Time Traveller's Wife. There classics from Edgar Allan Poe and MR James, as well as modern work from Neil Gaiman and AS Byatt. Modern and witty while appreciating that we all love a good scare.

1950s USA is the setting for Shirley Jackson's near perfect haunted house and its equally creepy inhabitants. When even the caretakers won't spend the night in the house, you know you're in for some proper terror, but what makes this novel stand out is the sheer weirdness of the house's inhabitants and the strong undercurrent of female sexuality that is running through so much of the interaction. It wrong-foots the reader with wry humour and unexpected spooky turns, all of which make for a perfect Halloween novel - and it's being turned into a Netflix series out on October 12th.1950s USA is the setting for Shirley Jackson's near perfect haunted house novel. What makes it stand out is the sheer weirdness of the house's inhabitants and the strong undercurrent of female sexuality. It wrong-foots the reader with wry humour and unexpected spooky turns for a perfect Halloween read.

There's a reason Susan Hill's 1983 classic spawned a blockbuster stage play and film: because it's absolutely bloody terrifying. A cult Gothic-style novel, it's set in a small town in the North East, at a remote house mostly cut off by a causeway which submerges the road at high tide. So when young solicitor Arthur Kipps is summoned there and finds himself haunted by the figure of a woman in black, whose appearance seems to herald the death of children, he is understandably terrified - as is the reader. Uniquely direct in tone and dripping with atmospheric sea frets and mists, it's the benchmark for all modern horror. There's a reason Susan Hill's 1983 classic spawned a blockbuster stage play and film: it's absolutely bloody terrifying. A cult Gothic-style novel, it's set at a remote house mostly cut off by a causeway which submerges the road at high tide, trapping those who enter with a haunting figure in black. The benchmark for all modern horror.

A departure for Waters, this is a classic English post-war haunted house story. Or is it? A wealthy family is struggling with the finances of its crumbling country estate, the aftermath of the war … and strange noises in the night. Then marks start appearing on the walls and a tragedy occurs at a party. Some find it frustratingly inconclusive, but with all Waters novels, it's beautifully researched and absorbingly atmospheric. Enjoy it now, before you see the recent movie adaptation.A wealthy family is struggling with the finances of its crumbling country estate, the aftermath of the war … and strange noises in the night. A departure for Waters, some find it frustratingly inconclusive, but as ever, it's beautifully researched and absorbingly atmospheric. Enjoy it now, before you see the recent movie adaptation.