Looking for something to read as autumn takes hold of the land and winter waits in the wings? Enjoy stories with gothic mansions, desolate towns, Victorian streets, ancient forests, and haunted countrysides? Want to sink into your leather armchair, fire up your pipe by the crackling fire, and gaze through your picture window while contemplating the blackness beyond? Then you've come to the right place! Here are some weird and eerie works to creep you out as the days grow shorter and the nights turn colder.
I wanted to publish this at the beginning of October, but here we are nearing the middle of the month. Looks like life is still calling the shots (for now, anyway). Therefore, I'll make this rundown quick.
In no particular order:
"The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe"

You can never go wrong with the "Master of the Macabre" to establish mood and put you in an autumnal state of mind. There are many reasonably priced volumes featuring all of Poe's poems and stories. I own a Barnes & Noble edition from many years ago, but if you want to sink your teeth into only a few of his tales, may I recommend these classics: "The Tell-Tale Heart" "The Black Cat"
"The Fall of the House of Usher"
The Premature Burial"
"The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar"
"The Masque of the Red Death"
"The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether"
"The Pit and the Pendulum"
And if you read only one thing from Poe this season, his brilliant and poignant poem "The Raven" might be your best bet.
"H.P. Lovecraft: The Complete Fiction"

Like his idol Poe, Lovecraft mastered atmosphere and suggestion to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Once again, Barnes & Noble did an admirable job of putting together a bonded-leather edition, but if you're not quite ready to commit to Lovecraft's oeuvre, here are a few of my favorites:
"The Colour Out of Space"
"The Shadow Over Innsmouth"
"Dagon"
"The Dunwich Horror"
"The Call of Cthulhu"
"Pickman's Model"
"The Music of Erich Zann"
"The Outsider"
If you read just one, I'd suggest "At the Mountains of Madness." And if you're a collector, Chiroptera Press is coming out with this nifty edition.
"Songs of a Dead Dreamer and Grimscribe"
"Teatro Grottesco"
Thomas Ligotti

I could've chosen any of Ligotti's books, but "Songs of a Dead Dreamer" and "Teatro Grottesco" are two good starting points. If you're looking for something that will have you questioning why humanity exists, Ligotti is the man to read. I was lucky to have purchased some of his earlier collections before they went out of print or appeared online for ridiculous dollar amounts. A few choice cuts: "The Frolic"
"The Chymist"
"The Lost Art of Twilight"
"The Last Feast of Harlequin"
"Purity"
"The Town Manager"
"In a Foreign Town, In a Foreign Land"
"Gas Station Carnivals"
Looking for a taste? I'd advise you to take a listen to "I Have a Special Plan for This World."
"Ancient Sorceries and Other Weird Stories"
Algernon Blackwood

I first read Blackwood in the summer of 2022 and was blown away by his short stories. He's another expert at using surroundings and the natural world to achieve otherworldly results. "The Willows" and "The Wendigo" will have the hairs on the back of your neck standing on ends.
"American Supernatural Tales"
Edited by S.T. Joshi

If you're looking for something to read but don't want to commit to one author, "American Supernatural Tales" might be the way to go. The anthology contains some previously mentioned authors (Poe, Lovecraft, and Ligotti) but also features a slew of others, including Washington Irving, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry James, Robert E. Howard, and Ambrose Bierce. And if you're inclined to lean more toward contemporary fiction, this compilation has works from Stephen King, T.E.D. Klein, and Karl Edward Wagner.
"The Black Maybe: Liminal Tales"
Attila Veres
Translated by Luca Karafiath

Speaking of contemporary authors, Attila Veres is someone you should keep an eye on if you're into dark fiction. This Hungarian writer's English language debut of short stories will scratch your horror itch until it's raw and bloody. All 10 tales hit the mark, with "To Bite a Dog," "Fogtown," "In the Snow, Sleeping," and the unsettling eponymous story leading the way. If you're unfamiliar with Veres's work and are looking for horror with a European flavor, take a peek into "The Black Maybe."
"A Different Darkness and Other Abominations"
Luigi Musolino
Edited and translated from the Italian by James D. Jenkins

Another up-and-coming writer who should get more recognition is Luigi Musolino. This fantastic collection of dark tales will grab you by the throat and have you begging for more. Many of the short stories in "A Different Darkness" feature Italian folklore and explore the strangeness of that nation's countryside. Some standouts include "Uironda," "Like Dogs," the title story, and the deeply disturbing "Pupils." Take a dip into "A Different Darkness." You'll be glad you did.
"October Dreams: A Celebration of Halloween"
Edited by Richard Chizmar and Robert Morrish

A bit of a cheat because I'm reading this now, but I think I can speak favorably of this collection with a clear conscience. All of the stories in this anthology revolve around—you guessed it—Halloween. Authors include Thomas Ligotti, Ramsey Campbell, Dean Koontz, Poppy Z. Brite, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Michael Marshall Smith, and many others. "October Dreams" is dedicated to Ray Bradbury, and (so far) many of the stories possess his type of dark whimsy. The book, a mix of reprints and originals, also includes some "favorite Halloween memories" by select writers. A fun way to put you into the spirit of the season.
"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"
Robert Louis Stevenson

This classic novella combines science fiction, horror, and thriller to examine the nature of good and evil and the struggle between the two in all of us. If you've only heard the story but never read it, do yourself a favor and pick this up. My edition of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" from the good people at Barnes & Noble also includes some of Stevenson's "grimmest" short stories, including "The Suicide Club," the chilling "Thrawn Jacket," and "The Body-Snatcher."
"Abigail: The Graphic Novel" Story by King Diamond
Damien Worm (Artist)
Dan Watters (Writer)

"Abigail" is a graphic horror novel based on the seminal concept album by the incomparable Danish heavy metal legend King Diamond. Set in 1845, it follows a count and his young wife as they inherit a mansion. On the way to their new home, they encounter the Black Horsemen in the forest, who implore them to turn back. They don't. Madness and demonic possession ensue. The graphic novel does a first-rate job of fleshing out the story and is dripping with atmosphere, intrigue, and ghostly mayhem. My advice is to listen to the album and then pick up the comic (if you can). And remember: 18 is actually 9!
Happy reading and Happy Halloween!
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