Spooky Season Recommendations

 Spooky season is officially upon us! We can't wait to curl in a big armchair with a big mug of tea and dive into some hauntingly beautiful tales!

The Winter Spirits: Ghostly Tales for Frosty Nights

by Bridget Collins, Imogen Hermes Gowar, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Andrew Michael Hurley, Jess Kidd, Natasha Pully, Elizabeth Macneal, Laura Purcell, Susan Stokes-Chapman, Laura Shepherd-Robinson, Stuart Turton, and Catriona Ward

https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10722/9781408727584

The tradition of a haunted tale at Christmas has flourished across the centuries. These twelve stories - authored by some of today's most loved and lauded authors of historical and gothic fiction - are all centred around Christmas or Advent, boldly and playfully re-imagining a beloved tradition for a modern audience.

Taking you from a haunted Tuscan villa to a remote Scottish island with a dark secret,, these vibrant haunted stories are your ultimate companion for frosty nights.

The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler

https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10722/9781399600460

When pioneering marine biologist Dr. Ha Nguyen is offered the chance to travel to the remote Con Dao Archipelago to investigate a highly intelligent, dangerous octopus species, she doesn't pause long enough to look at the fine print. DIANIMA- a transnational tech corporation best known for its ground-breaking work in artificial intelligence - has purchased the islands, evacuated their population and sealed the archipelago off from the world so that Nguyen can focus on her research.

But the stakes are high: the octopuses hold the key to unprecedented breakthroughs in extrahuman intelligence and there are vast fortunes to be made by whoever can take advantage of their advancements. And no one has yet asked the octopuses what they think. And what they might do about it.

The Whistling by Rebecca Netley

https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10722/9781405950244

Alone in the world, Elspeth Swansome has taken the position of nanny to a family on the remote Scottish island of Skelthsea.
Her charge, Mary, is a troubled child. Distracted and secretive, she hasn't uttered a word since the sudden death of her twin, William - just days after their former nanny disappeared.
With Mary defiantly silent, Elspeth turns to the islanders. But no one will speak of what happened to William. Just as no one can explain the hypnotic lullabies sung in empty corridors. Nor the strange dolls that appear in abandoned rooms.
Nor the faint whistling that comes in the night . . .
As winter draws in and passage to the mainland becomes impossible, Elspeth finds herself trapped.
But is this house haunted by the ghosts of the past?
OR THE SECRETS OF THE LIVING..?
Chilling, twisty and emotionally gripping, The Whistling is an atmospheric page-turner with shades of the classics, yet a unique character of its own. Perfect for fans of Susan Hill and Laura Purcell.

That Bonesetter Woman by Frances Quinn

https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10722/9781471193477

Meet Endurance Proudfoot: clumsy as a carthorse, strong as an ox, with a tactless tongue and a face she’s sure only a mother could love. Durie wants one thing in life: to become a bonesetter like her father. It’s physically demanding work, requiring nerves of steel, and he’s adamant it’s not a job for a woman.
Strong-willed and stubborn, Durie’s certain that in bonesetting, her big, usually clumsy hands have found their natural calling. So when she’s bundled off to London with her beautiful sister, she won’t let it stop her realising her dream. As her sister finds fame on the stage, Durie becomes England’s most celebrated bonesetter – but what goes up must come down, and her success may become her undoing.
Inspired by the true stories of two of Georgian England’s most famous celebrities, That Bonesetter Woman is an uplifting tale about finding the courage to go your own way, when everyone says you can’t – and about realising that what makes you different can also make you strong.

The Gathering Dark: An Anthology of Folk Horrors

by Tori Bovalino, Shakira Toussaint, Aden Polydoros, Erica Waters, Olivia Chadha, Courtney Gould, Alexandra Brown, Allison Saft, Chloe Gong, and Hannah Whitten

https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10722/9781645676225

Folk horror is one of our favourite genres here. And there have been some brilliant new additions and explorations of the genre in recent years.  A new anthology featuring a ton of brilliant authors looks to add to that this fall. Collecting tales from Erica Waters, Chloe Gong, Tori Bovalino, Hannah Whitten, Allison Saft, and more, this book takes on local myths, urban legends, and classical folklore bringing them to life in terrifying ways. A perfect autumn read that will deliver a story for every kind of spooky season mood. 

Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match by Sally Thorne

https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10722/9780349435060

Looking for something more romantically inclined but with a spooky gothic edge? Then look no further than Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match. This charming spin on the classic Mary Shelley yarn sees the titular inventor become inspired by her more famous brother’s experiments to create a man all her own. Angelika’s delightfully chaotic choice sparks the events of the book. It leads her on a monstrous romance featuring plenty of candles, shadows, and a mystery to be solved.

Raising the Horseman by Serena Valentino

Disney has been doing a delightful job of recontextualizing some of their most famous films recently. And their newest title takes on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow! Kat Van Tassel is sick of the legend that defines her family. But when her mother gifts her her namesake’s diary on a very special anniversary, Kat is suddenly dragged into the very past she’s desperate to ignore. Then, when a delightful new girl arrives to town, Kat suddenly has to reimagine her life, her history, and her love life while trying to solve a 200-hundred-year-old mystery to save the place she loves.

Black Paradox by Junji Ito

https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10722/9781974728633

It wouldn’t be Halloween without Junji Ito and Viz has a gorgeous new edition of one of his most infamous stories. Four strangers meet on a strange website known as Black Paradox: a nurse, Maruso; Taburo, a man with a strange obsession; an engineer, Pit-tan who has created something terrible; and Baracchi, a woman devastated by a birthmark on her face. There, they plan to end their lives. But their chance encounter leads them to an unexpected fate. Ito is a master for a reason and this lengthy tale showcases exactly why he’s as beloved as he is.

Love in the Time of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson

https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10722/9781804992906

If creepy, scary Halloween books aren’t your thing, try this lighter take on a spooky novel. Phoebe is a PhD candidate who’s always been obsessed with true crime. While spending a summer in Florida cleaning out her childhood home and grappling with the complicated feelings of mourning a father she hadn't had a relationship with for years, she starts to think the new neighbour, Sam, is a serial killer. But it's not long before Phoebe realizes that Sam might be something much scarier—a genuinely nice guy who wants her to give him a chance.

Salem's Lot by Stephen King

https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10722/9781444708141

If you’re looking for a book you won’t be able to put down, reach for Salem’s Lot, one of the earliest books written by Stephen King. This story of a small town overrun by vampires is deliciously chilling. As residents experience a growing list of strange encounters and start putting the pieces together, you’ll feel yourself tensing up in anticipation of the final reveal and confrontation. Sometimes slow burns make the best horror books!