Halloween Reading List

Sharing a Halloween reading list with my favorite thrillers + spooky stories to get you in the spirit of the season!

Happy Wednesday! I’m deep in the throes of spooky season – currently watching “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” – and you know how much I love my paranormal podcasts. A few years ago, I made myself a goal to make reading for fun a habit again. And this year, I upped the number of books I’d like to read in 2019 + go outside my usual historical fiction genre box.

It seemed only fitting for my October reading list to be on theme + delightfully eerie to get you into the spirit of Halloween 👻

Even though I had to watch corgi videos before I turned out the lights after reading some of these books 😱

The Whisper Man | 5 out of 5 stars

This book came highly recommended on Book of the Month (here’s my referral link) but I wasn’t sold since thrillers aren’t usually my cup of tea. I had told myself I’d mix it up when it came to my 2019 reading + pretty soon The Whisper Man arrived at my doorstep.

Alex North weaves a multiple point-of-view narrative that’s both seamless + suspenseful. Tom Kennedy, a recent widower, along with his son, Jake, need a fresh start to heal after the trauma of losing their wife and mom. They move to a new town, Featherbank, + soon begin to learn about its dark past. Twenty years ago, the people of Featherbank were terrorized by a serial killer, known as the Whisper Man, who lured young boys by whispering outside their windows at night. The Whisper Man has been sitting in prison for 20 years + the town enjoys an uneasy peace – until a young boy goes missing, bringing back theories that the killer had an accomplice. And then Jake begins to hear whispers…

Not gonna lie, the premise of The Whisper Man is VERY creepy. I was FaceTiming with James + read the book’s front jacket to him + even that gave me the chills. This is definitely a book you’ll have to read in broad daylight + not when you’re by yourself. That said, I read the book from cover-to-cover on a flight to LA over the summer. Talk about a serious page-turner that will keep you on your toes until the last page!

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark | 4 out of 5 stars

I picked up I’ll Be Gone in the Dark a couple of years ago when the capture of the Golden State Killer dominated the news cycle. Since I watch/listen to the news all day long, I was influenced. Published mere months before GSK’s capture, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark was written + meticulously researched by Michelle McNamara, a famous true crime author and journalist. Michelle tragically passed away while writing this book + was finished by her husband + a writing partner.

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark delves into the true crime account of the Golden State Killer, who left a wake of fear throughout California in the 1970s and 1980s, + then vanished without a trace. Michelle provides an incredible snapshot of California during this criminal activity, + how he held the state in a state of constant fear, + aims to unmask this monster through clues + meticulously thorough research.

It was very well-written + it was a sad moment when you realized Michelle’s writing had ended. I felt enormously relieved reading this knowing GSK was behind bars, especially after reading this book. A must-read for any true-crime fan.

Mindhunter | 4 out of 5 stars

Speaking of must-reads for true-crime fans, I finally picked up Mindhunter from the library a few weeks ago. I love the Netflix series + have watched both seasons multiple times, I am absolutely fascinated by psychology + just cannot pull myself away. Mindhunter follows the life of FBI agent John Douglas, who founded criminal profiling, + shares insights + experiences while conversing with tsome of the most dangerous criminals in the country.

Mindhunter started off a bit slow with his back story + how he began working in behavioral science. Many of the stories were included in the Netflix series, you can definitely see where real-life events were pulled into the show. It’s absolutely fascinating to read how a team of FBI agents interviewed, analyzed, + gleaned insights into the minds of criminals – and how they applied these principles toward other cases across the country.

Once you get beyond the slow start, you won’t want to put Mindhunter down + is perfect for your Halloween reading list. Fair warning: Like The Whisper Man, this isn’t a book I could read at night.

The Silent Patient | 3 out of 5 stars

The Silent Patient came highly recommended from the Bad on Paper Podcast FB group + after reading two other thrillers this year, I thought why not? The premise of psychologist speaking with a killer seemed close to one of my all-time favorite books, Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood, and I was intrigued.

Alicia Berenson is a famous artist living in a luxurious London home with her photographer husband, Gabriel. They seem to have the perfect life together – until one night Gabriel arrives home late from a shoot + Alicia shoots him, never speaking a word again. The mystery of her silence drives psychotherapist Theo Faber to get her to speak again + talk about what happened the night she murdered the love of her life. But this takes Theo down a path where he must confront + wrestle with his own demons – culminating in a shocking twist that left me stunned.

The Silent Patient is an excellent thriller with a ca-razy twist that I didn’t see coming at all. If you’re a thriller reader, I’d suggest picking up this book. But in the end, Alias Grace came out on top.