Halloween Classics to Read this Season

Colleen Finn

Staff Writer

As the chill of autumn draws near and spooky decor starts to show up in every place, there is no better time for a classic Halloween read!

Anything by Agatha Christie is perfect for October—her mysteries are always suspenseful, and at times, have a way of being downright disturbing. “Hallowe’en Party” fits this description, and it is certainly the best novel of hers to read at this time of the year. To give a brief overview of the plot, a young girl at a Halloween party who tells the guests that she has witnessed a murder is found dead. Christie’s famous recurring characters Hercule Poirot and Ariadne Oliver investigate the girl’s death, as well as the murder she claimed to witness. Their investigation reveals disturbing secrets held by the townsfolk.

Shirley Jackson’s “We Have Always Lived in the Castle” is another suspenseful novel that draws its horror from the relationships between its characters. The story follows the three remaining members of the Blackwood family, who live in isolation in their elaborate home after the other family members were poisoned. As the plot unravels, the reader learns about the Blackwood family from the perspective of their slightly deceitful daughter, Merricat. Her unreliable narration makes for an interesting story.

I would be remiss not to recommend another novel by Jackson: “The Haunting of Hill House”, which tells the story of a researcher who rents a haunted house. Him and his guests, the property’s heir and two women who have witnessed paranormal phenomena, experience a series of odd events during their stay. My favorite aspect of this book is that many of the events are left unexplained, which adds to the mystery.

“Northanger Abbey” is the perfect coming-of-age novel by Jane Austen to enjoy this time of year. The story follows a young fan of gothic novels during her stay at her friend’s house, Northanger Abbey. The novel itself is fun, with satire of Regency Era social norms and a memorable narrator. The heroine’s obsession with gothic novels influence her worldview so much that she assumes something sinister is taking place at the Abbey. This gets her into some uncomfortable, albeit hilarious situations with her host family.