By Mike Wood

It’s that time of year ~ when brisk autumn winds whisper through trees like ghosts from a long-ago past. Their spindly branches reach out to rat-tat-tat on your window ~ like ghoulish fingertips ~ taunting you as you cozy up with that perfect book you’ve decided to immerse yourself in to mark the Halloween season of horror. For those daring enough to undertake such a task, we’re recommending five of our favorites ~ a couple of classics and a few newer tomes ~ that will keep you up a little bit later at night and may just make you believe that those bumps in the night are a little bit more than they seem.

Jaws
Peter Benchely

So many of our favorite scary movies have come from books (The Exorcist, Psycho, Rosemary’s Baby), but we couldn’t just suggest books you’ve already seen. But if we had to pick just one (or two) from the archives, this perennial beach read that’s been keeping people on the sand and out of the surf since it was first published in 1974 has to be on the list. Nearly 40 years ago, Peter Benchley struck a chord with his tale of a great white shark that terrorizes a small town, and it still stands up over time. Since summer is safely behind us, why not curl up with this classic ~ since you won’t have to worry about going in the water until next year?

House of Leaves
Mark Z. Danielewski

The title alone makes it a perfect tale of terror for fall, and just the way this book looks freaks us out! It’s formatted with bizarre page patterns, contains footnotes (yes, footnotes … but it’s not like school, promise) and challenges you at every turn as the twisted mystery unfolds. Our lead narrator has taken over the apartment of a recently deceased neighbor and discovers a manuscript that will lead him ~ and you ~ into the depths of the human psyche. If you’re up for the challenge, you’ll get sucked right into this author’s intricate design. Commit to it, because it’s the kind of book that consumes you, gets under your skin and won’t let you free of its terrifying grasp. Go ahead; give it a look, if you dare.

The Shining
Stephen King

This is one case where the Cliffs Notes will not do (i.e. simply watching the movie is not enough; you’re just cheating yourself). There are so many more layers to Jack Torrance’s descent into madness that you’ll be shocked at just how much the movie missed. When Jack, his wife and young clairvoyant son get snowed in at the seemingly idyllic, but  haunted, Overlook Hotel, evil presents itself in ways that will haunt your dreams. Rest assured, this is King at the height of his storytelling-for-terror prowess. Sure, you’re going to picture a young Jack Nicholson as you turn the pages, but that may just make it all the more satisfying.

The Strangers
Dean Koontz

Koontz has a bazillion fans, and he certainly doesn’t need our help to promote his brand, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t let you know just how creepy this book is. Five strangers ~ you guessed that, right? ~ at a hotel lose all of their memories, but then they slowly begin to recall the unfathomable transgressions of the night they all met. Let’s just say, evil incarnate is on the agenda, and Koontz’ clean, clever prose will make this edge-of-your-seat read a quick one ~ with your bed sheets pulled close to your eyes, of course!

Before I Go To Sleep
S.J. Watson

Don’t be put off by what seems like a far-fetched premise, as your suspension of disbelief is a must if you are going to enjoy this book: Christine wakes up every day not remembering anything from her days prior. She has daily amnesia (yes, you read that correctly), and she relies on her patient husband to guide her through each day. Seems pretty straightforward as far as a setup goes, right? But by the time you hit its first twist, and as you put yourself in the heroine’s shoes, you’ll clutch your chest, gasp with her and feel all her angst and terror … repeated perpetually until she can, if she can, break her terrifying cycle of memory loss.