Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been obsessed with Halloween traditions since before I could finish my own bag of candy. In many ways, those dark and chilly childhood nights of trick or treating are what gave rise to my lifelong love of horror. Inspired by the thrill of staying up late on the one night of the year when the dead can return to earth, I have since delved deep into the ancient history and folklore of All Hallows’ Eve, much of which features prominently in my Book of Shadows series. I hope the books on this list help you capture the spooky magic of the season!


I wrote

All Hallows Eve

By Michael Penning,

Book cover of All Hallows Eve

What is my book about?

Alice Jacobs didn't believe in ghosts... until her daughter was taken by one. 

One hundred years after the infamous…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Dark Harvest

Michael Penning Why did I love this book?

Every Halloween, a nightmare with a butcher knife named the October Boy rises from the cornfields to hunt the teenage boys of a small Midwestern town. Partridge won the Bram Stoker Award for this short novel and it’s easy to see why; his words conjure images that stick with us long after we’ve put the book down and pulled the blankets up over our heads. Chilling, tense, and fast-paced, this story takes us on a murderous thrill ride through a community that gives new meaning to the term “dead-end town.” At the same time, it’s also an artful coming-of-age story about a teenage boy who will literally risk everything for a one-way ticket out. Filled with dark secrets and careening twists, this one is a must-read on a dark and windswept Halloween.

By Norman Partridge,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Dark Harvest as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

It is Halloween, 1963. They call him the October Boy, or Ol' Hacksaw Face, or Sawtooth Jack. Whatever the name, everybody in this small Midwestern town knows who he is. How he rises from the cornfields every Halloween, a butcher knife in his hand, and makes his way toward town, where gangs of teenage boys eagerly await their chance to confront the legendary nightmare. Both the hunter and the hunted, the October Boy is the prize in an annual rite of life and death. Pete McCormick knows that killing the October Boy is his one chance to escape a dead-end…


Book cover of Halloween Fiend

Michael Penning Why did I love this book?

In this razor-sharp novella, Halloween is personified in a bloodthirsty creature who haunts the nearly abandoned town of Strang. Fearful of Halloween’s deadly tricks, the remaining residents leave small live offerings at their doorsteps every night at sundown. But once a year on All Hallows’ Eve, Halloween demands a bigger and bloodier sacrifice. Dripping with dreadful atmosphere, Hunt does a masterful job of rendering a story that is both disturbing and surprisingly emotional for such a quick read. Steeped in folklore and ancient traditions, this grim and twisted tale reminds us that the old custom of trick or treating was meant to protect us from evil, and that for all its modern fun and games, Halloween is supposed to be scary.

By C.V. Hunt,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Halloween Fiend as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Strang isn’t the small, quaint town it appears to be. It’s haunted every night by a creature the townsfolk refer to as Halloween. Once the sun sets each day, Halloween emerges to collect its treats: a small, live offering from each household. The residents comply because no one wants to be the target of Halloween’s tricks. But the nightmare of residing in Strang is nothing compared to the yearly ritual Halloween demands of the citizens on All Hallows’ Eve.


Book cover of Kill Creek

Michael Penning Why did I love this book?

Scott Thomas was nominated for a Bram Stoker award for his spine-chilling story about four famous horror writers who are invited to spend Halloween in a haunted house as a publicity stunt, only to find themselves tormented by the unholy entity that roams its silent halls. Clearly an expert on the horror genre himself, Thomas brings a much-needed new twist to the haunted house trope and elevates it to a fearsome new level. But this novel’s real strength lies in its character development. A horror story only works if you care enough about the characters to hope (and pray) for their survival, and by the end of this one, you’ll feel like you’re clinging to old, familiar friends as they fight for their lives.      

By Scott Thomas,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Kill Creek as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“I’ve only dared to read it in the daylight.” ―Kaly Soto, Deputy Weekend Editor, the New York Times Book Review

At the end of a dark prairie road, nearly forgotten in the Kansas countryside, is the Finch House. For years it has remained empty, overgrown, abandoned. Soon the door will be opened for the first time in decades. But something is waiting, lurking in the shadows, anxious to meet its new guests…

When best-selling horror author Sam McGarver is invited to spend Halloween night in one of the country’s most infamous haunted houses, he reluctantly agrees. At least he won’t…


Book cover of Ghost Road Blues

Michael Penning Why did I love this book?

On the eve of the country’s largest Halloween celebration, evil returns to a small town with a haunting past in this Bram Stoker Award-winner. Ghost Road Blues is the first book in the Pine Deep trilogy that throws vivid and endearing characters into an epic fight against the unrelenting forces of darkness. But underlying the undead abominations and sadistic killers of this pulsing page-turner is an exploration of the undying nature of evil itself. The monsters come in many forms in this one, and like many great horror stories, some of the most terrifying are the humans.   

By Jonathan Maberry,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Ghost Road Blues as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"This is horror on a grand scale, reminiscent of Stephen King." --Publishers Weekly

The book that launched the Pine Deep trilogy

Thirty years ago, a blues musician called the Bone Man killed the devil at the crossroads, only to be beaten and hung like a scarecrow in a cornfield--or so the story goes. Today, the people of Pine Deep celebrate their town's grisly past by luring tourists to the famous haunted hayride, full of chills and scares. But this year, "The Spookiest Town in America" will learn the true meaning of fear. Its residents will see the real face of…


Book cover of October Dreams: A Celebration of Halloween

Michael Penning Why did I love this book?

There are a lot of Halloween-themed anthologies out there, but none feature as many horror heavyweights as this must-have classic. Dean Koontz, Peter Straub, Ray Bradbury, Richard Laymon, Jack Ketchum, Ramsey Campbell—they’re all here and they’ve brought plenty of spooky friends. Packed with short stories and novellas revolving around the scariest night of the year, this collection also features amusing and nostalgic anecdotes about the authors’ favorite Halloween memories. If you’re a fan of Spooky Season, grab the candy corn and a steaming cup of cider because there are more treats here than a Halloween sack spilling candy down a darkened lane.   

By Various,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked October Dreams as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Classic novellas, never-before-published stories, essays on the history, literature, and films of Halloween, and real-life memories of October 31st-from today's best practitioners of fear:

Dean Koontz * Peter Straub * Poppy Z. Brite * Rick Hautala * Steve Rasnic Tem * Elizabeth Engstrom * Thomas Ligotti * Gary A. Braunbeck * Jack Ketchum * Thomas F. Monteleone * Hugh B. Cave * Simon Clark * Christopher Golden * Ray Bradbury * Jack Ketchum * Alan M. Clark * Gahan Wilson * Paula Guran * John Shirley * Tom Piccirilli * Jack Cady * David B. Silva * Robert Morrish *…


Explore my book 😀

All Hallows Eve

By Michael Penning,

Book cover of All Hallows Eve

What is my book about?

Alice Jacobs didn't believe in ghosts... until her daughter was taken by one. 

One hundred years after the infamous Salem witch trials, a single mother races against time to rescue her daughter from the vengeful spirit of a woman hanged for witchcraft. Desperate to find her child before the sun rises and she is lost forever, Alice embarks on a spine-chilling adventure that takes her from forgotten dungeons and gloomy cemeteries to the haunted forests of Gallows Hill. Along with a roguish sailor searching for his own missing child, she battles deadly supernatural forces and uncovers a dark secret that may be the key to saving her daughter’s soul... if only she can survive the most terrifying night of her life.

Book cover of Dark Harvest
Book cover of Halloween Fiend
Book cover of Kill Creek

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Quoz: A Financial Thriller

By Mel Mattison,

Book cover of Quoz: A Financial Thriller

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Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a huge thriller fan, and I love finance. In fact, I worked in the industry for over twenty years. I have an MBA from Duke and have been the CEO of three different SEC/FINRA-registered broker-dealers. Unfortunately, I’ve found myself deep into a thriller with a financial component that turns out to be implausible, overly simplistic, or both. It breaks the narrative for me. With these books, that’s not a concern. Financial thriller aficionados unite!

Mel's book list on exploring the dark side of finance

What is my book about?

It’s 2027. Rory O’Connor is the financial genius who helped create ICARUS, a quantum computer that controls the world’s stock markets with AI and algorithms. But Rory has recently suffered some tough breaks. He’s checked out of high finance and into a luxury Caribbean condo. After a former colleague finds anomalies with ICARUS, Rory quickly finds himself at the nexus of a high-stakes international conspiracy.

In the process, he discovers a hidden thumb drive that contains the mysterious and encrypted Vega files. Now, Rory must travel to Switzerland, access the ICARUS mainframe, decrypt the drive, overcome his demons, and save…

Quoz: A Financial Thriller

By Mel Mattison,

What is this book about?

Quantum AI, corrupt central bankers, and the blockchain collide in a stock market supernova. The annihilation of the global economic order is just the beginning.

"As governments around the world seek to exert tyrannical control over currency, Quoz serves as a cautionary tale for what lies ahead. You've been warned." -Trey Radel, Former Member of United States Congress

It's 2027. The AI revolution has merged with quantum computing to take control of global financial markets. Operated by the mysterious Bank for International Settlements based in Basel, Switzerland, the quantum supercomputer known as ICARUS has promised the world a more stable…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in Halloween, teenagers, and ghost story?

Halloween 106 books
Teenagers 133 books
Ghost Story 176 books