5 Classic Books That Should Be Read For Halloween

It’s spooky season and nothing says Halloween, quite like a good book. So many classic books are set in a dark, creepy environment. There are also other spooky books that are not ghost stories, so be sure to check them out.

Let’s have fun and list 7 classic books to read for Halloween. A big thank you to Pan Macmillian for inspiring many of the books on this list. Also, this list will only feature classics, not recent books or retellings. Some of the information mentioned in this article also comes from a horror-lit Reddit page. This was a little harder than originally anticipated as the idea was to make the list as diverse as possible staying within our goal of the classics.

1. Dracula – Bram Stoker

This might sound a little cliché, but one of the most well-known gothic novels is Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Dracula has inspired many films, including Nosferatu, which caused controversy with the Stoker family as they had not been asked for the rights. For years, Bram Stoker’s widow, Florence Balcombe, was in a long-running legal battle with the filmmakers of the German film.

It was also the inspiration for the family film series, Hotel Transylvania. No, blah-da-blah, here folks.

2. Frankenstein – Mary Shelley

One of the most iconic fictional monsters of all time is Frankenstein. There have been so many retellings of Frankenstein over the years like the female Frankenstein in a couple of episodes of Wizards of Waverly Place and Shrek 2 (with Mongo).

Frankenstein's Monster is a recognizable monster because Mary Shelley was one of the few women writing in the gothic horror genre at the time. The book has also inspired plays of her work.

3. The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is one of those stories that has resonated with readers since its release in the late 1800s. The main theme of the novella is dual personality as Dr Jekyll is also the criminal Mr Hyde.

The story has been used as a plot device in media projects, including the hit Netflix series, Wednesday where the lead male character, Tyler, is revealed to be a Hyde, an uncontrollable creature that kills people. His ability causes him to black out and not know what he has been doing.

It is also revealed his father feared this happening because his wife and Tyler’s mother had also been a hyde, which had been triggered after Tyler’s birth, where she had post-partum depression. Tyler’s hyde was triggered when his mother died.

The Jekyll and Hyde story has been attributed to the characters being used in the likes of Once Upon Time and in some ways, Star Wars, with Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader.

4. Carrie – Stephen King

One of the scariest books we’re mentioning that can be considered a classic is Carrie by Stephen King. It’s about a sheltered teenage girl named Carrie White, who has telekinetic powers. After being doused in pig’s blood, she manages to set the school gym on fire and kill a bunch of people. She even manages to kill her mother.

Carrie is Stephen King’s first novel, and the original film earned Sissy Spacek an Oscar Nomination.

5. Phantom of the Opera - Gaston Leroux

One book we didn’t expect to see on the Pan Macmillian list was Phantom of the Opera. Who would have thought that was a Halloween-ish book? Also, the “mystery” element is a misdirect for gothic romance.

The Phantom of the Opera is one of those books that falls into the ghost category because the titular character haunts a theatre, scaring the living daylights out of the crew and performers. A guy is found dead. However, new people dismiss the rumors when they take over the building. Moreover, it appears the phantom has a connection to Christine, a female soloist.

It is also a tragic romance, as it is a love triangle where Christine is attracted to Erik, but she’s got affection for her childhood love, Raoul.

6. ‘Salem’s Lot - Stephen King

One of Stephen King’s most well-known novels is ‘Salem’s Lot. A lot of people get killed in this horror novel. The book is so much loved that it has been adapted to screen several times.

7. Lovecraft Country - Matt Ruff

The final book on this list is Lovecraft Country. It was recently made into a television series. It tells the story of Atticus Turner, an army veteran who goes on a road trip with a female friend and gets caught up with the supernatural.