When the chill breeze of fall starts to creep in, I can’t help looking for some eerie books to match my mood. In a lot of ways, I’m a huge wuss, yet I love watching scary movies and generally being wigged out for whatever reason. Some of it probably has to do with knowing I can needlessly fear for my life in the comfort of my own home where there is no real danger. The first time I watched the movie The Descent, I decided there is no way in hell I am ever going into a cave of any kind, no matter how small it is. It doesn’t matter there is no proof of the existence of underground, feral cave people.
Back to the real conversation.
Fall is when my mood reading tendencies really come out swinging. Cozy romances set in small towns, thrillers involving being stuck in remote resorts, and unexplained mysteries all make up the pile occupying my nightstand during the fall months. This isn’t about the cozy romances though, because I read plenty of those the rest of the year. I’ve already started dipping my toes into the pool of potential books for this year, and I started early with last month’s book club pick Interview with the Vampire (someone please tell me it gets better though).
I’ve thrown in a few less intense reads into the mix for those who don’t love being scared, even though in my opinion these picks aren’t overly violent or terrifying. My definition of “creepy” here is a pretty loose interpretation. If a book is even loosely related to Halloween or its creatures then it was eligible to make the cut.
Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
This collection of stories was a book club selection I took months to finish. At the time, I couldn’t get into it, not because I didn’t enjoy it, but like I’ve said before I have to be in the mood to read certain books. Machado is a master of science fiction and magical realism. It’s impossible to accurately describe her style because it’s equally sexy, mysterious, disturbing, and thought-provoking. Women are at the center of every story, despite how “out there” some of the narratives are, and they speak to the taxing, painful experiences women go through.
Most of the stories were absolute hits; “Especially Heinous” was the only piece I couldn’t fully grasp (as the title suggests it’s inspired by Law & Order). The real horror here is expressed through a feminist lens, lending to the uniqueness of Machado’s writing. She weaves together an array of ugly women’s issues with fantastical, sometimes gruesome elements to drive the point home. Her characters are portraits of women the world has molded through criticism, suppression, and expectation.
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia
A decrepit mansion, mysteriously ill cousin, and said cousin’s strange family, all make for one ominous tale. When Noemí travels to her cousin’s home in the remote Mexican countryside after receiving a concerning letter, she finds herself stuck in a strange ancestral home called High Place. Surrounded by people she barely knows, it’s impossible for Noemí to adhere to their ridiculous rules and dated attitudes about a woman’s place in the world. As her short visit becomes extended further and further, she realizes not all with her cousin’s new family is at it seems. The house itself has begun to feel alive the longer Noemí spends within its walls.
Garcia’s story reminded me of a twist on the classic short story “The Yellow Wallpaper”. While Mexican Gothic does borrow the idea of women with very rational fears being considered insane, there are plenty of elements within this story to make it unique. The entire time I was reading I had this impending feeling of doom, even though I had no idea what exactly was going on. Reading parts of the story was almost like a fever dream in the best way possible, but fair warning, there are moments of gore that may be disturbing if you have a weak stomach. I never saw the twist coming, and I have to give Garcia credit for coming up with a uniquely horrifying story that gives a nod to the history of colonization/English occupation in Mexico.
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
What could go wrong when you decide to hold your wedding on a remote island off the coast of Ireland? Apparently everything. As the guests begin to arrive and the liquor begins to flow, lips loosen and secrets come back to haunt old friends. This mystery is told from the point-of-view of various characters, which I know can be a turn off for some people, but in the case of this story it mostly worked; although I do think there too many characters to keep track of sometimes. I enjoyed how each character revealed a little bit during their chapters, causing the story to be a a slow burn for sure. If you don’t pay close attention to the small details you could end up missing something big.
The setting of this story alone makes it a creepy and cozy read for fall. I could see myself wandering the foggy, dark island with the wedding revelers, anxiously looking over my shoulder as if there were someone or something unseen following me. I wasn’t a huge fan of how this mystery wrapped up; at the end of the day it’s unbelievable the perfect storm of events could ever lead to the conclusion we end up with. Despite how ridiculous some moments may have been, I enjoyed the atmosphere Foley created. It was fun getting tangled up and lost in everyone’s drama for a little while. I know I’m supposed to be selling you on this book, although it probably doesn’t seem like it, but it’s a quick read I found to be a good middle of the road mystery.
and then there were none by Agatha christie
When I started compiling this list it was by chance that two books in a row happen to take place on secluded islands; I suppose they make for great mystery settings. An assortment of ten strangers shows up on an island off the coast of Devon at the invitation of an illusive millionaire. No one among the party knows why they’ve been summoned, and when guests turn up murdered one by one it throws the group into an anxious frenzy. The murders follow a famous nursery rhyme framed and hung in every room of the mansion.
I decided to read this after watching the BBC miniseries released in 2015. It’s a classic for a reason; Agatha Christie knows how to write a damn good mystery. Each of our guests has carried out a terrible deed, something they’ve tried to leave in their past, but someone is hell bent on serving up justice to every last one of them. At its core, this story is one of self-reflection and guilt. As Christie’s characters sit with their secrets out in the open, laid bare for everyone, mental stability devolves into panic as they struggle to find a way off the island. The characters don’t have a lot of depth if you prefer actually getting to know who you’re reading about, but the structure of the story is top tier. If you’re looking for a page turner you can read in one sitting on a chilly day, this is it.
station eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
This story is the one I still regularly recommend to people years after reading it for the first time. Post-apocalyptic novels are unsettling no matter what. Mandel does a fantastic job of using her characters to propel the story of a world ravaged by sickness and left on the brink of total destruction forward. Despite how hopeless the world in Station Eleven may seem, each character continues to search for meaning and life within a rather dark climate. The main narrative floats between past and present, alternating between five people and their connecting stories. There are many imagined horrors, but this novel chooses to focus on the innately human cruelty.
Maybe this is going to hit a little too close to home with the state of the world these days, but this is such a beautiful read. Mandel is a talented writer who can serve up lyrical prose, and descriptions so rich it’s easy for you to picture the world you’ve been transported into. It’s in our nature, I think, to strive for more than simply survival during times of great struggle. Haunting is the best word I can use to sum up this book. It isn’t suspenseful and it doesn’t put you on the edge of your seat, leaving you there in anticipation for hundreds of pages. It’s unsettling, being forced to look at the darkest corners of the world, to face the worst case scenario. You might not form a strong connection with the characters or their stories, yet you’ll walk away having read an interesting examination of humanity at its best and worst.
The Rummy Writer 