The month when the weather starts to cool down, trees start to shed and leaves change. There is nothing quite like mixing with nice spooky, vampire, and thriller books. You must have probably started to watch scary movies for Halloween. Well, most of the movies are inspired by some of the top vintage novels. So here, I will discuss some of the must-read exceptional vintage Halloween books.
We all love Halloween, from the fancy scary costumes, decorations, Hosting parties, getting treats (well, we might age of trick and treats), but you know the real Halloween eve treat? Reading scary stories, sitting around the bonfire in late Halloween eve with friends. The feeling of warmth with spooky Vibes, lots of laughs, and enjoyment.
“Halloween shadows played upon the walls of the houses. In the sky, the Halloween moon raced in and out of the clouds… It was a lovely and exciting night, exactly the kind of night Halloween should be.”
– Eleanor Estes
I have rounded up 13 such vintage novels, novellas, thrillers, fantasies full of ghosts, vampires, and supernatural beings for the optimum reading list to raise your Halloween spirit.
13 Must-Read Vintage Halloween Books.
Without any further ado! Let’s get started.
1. The Book of Hallowe’en
“The book of Halloween” was written by Ruth E. Kelly and was published in 1919. This book remains an all-time classic exploration of Halloween history.
You will discover the origin of the modern Halloween holiday in the religious and cultural traditions of the people in ancient Europe.
This vintage book is a mixture of spooky lures and fun for every person who still thrills at the sight of carved pumpkins. The book opens the window to the past of one of the most beloved holidays.
2. The Ninth Configuration
The book “The Ninth Configuration” by William Peter Blatty was first published in 1978.
The story is set in an isolated castle which the U.S government runs like a military asylum. The outbreak of mental illness has succumbed the officers and the twenty-seven inmates who reside in the castle. Have all men truly lost their minds, or are they just pretending to avoid the combat?
Desperate for answers, the Government sends the marine psychiatrist “colonel Kane” as in charge of its base. Colonel Kane hopes to undercover the roots of men’s mysterious illness.
3. A Judy Bolton Mystery the Haunted Attic
The book “A Judy Bolton Mystery the Haunted Attic” was written by Margaret Sutton and was published in 1932.
The story sets on Judy Balton, who acquires a house that was reported haunted. Judy is determined to solve the mystery of the house before she throws the Halloween party. She and her brother must be brave enough to deals with the spirit that haunts the Attic.
It is a horror, mystery novel that is quite simple to solve, and you will enjoy reading and solving the clues long before Judy.
4. Dracula
If you are hosting a Halloween party and want to do something spooky for your guest, this novel “Dracula” is an excellent choice. This book was originally published in 1897 by Bram Stoker. He is an Irish author famous for introducing the Dracula.
The novel portrays the story of a Dracula, who attempts to move from Transilvania to England in search of new blood and spread the demon curse, and the fight between Dracula and the small group of men and women led by Professor Abraham Van Helsing.
5. Carrie
The novel “Carrie” by Stephen King was a legendary debut in 1974. this novel was the bestseller book of the year and put Stephen King on the stage of America’s favorite writer.
The story revolved around “Carrie white,” a girl unpopular at school and subjected to her mother’s religious fanaticism at home. She has a gifted ability which she has kept secret since her childhood. she can move things with her mind, door lock, candle fall.
Her ability has been both a power and a problem. She wants to get rid of it and wants to be normal. Until one day, an unexpected cruel prank turns her gift into a weapon of horror.
6. American Gothic
The book “American Gothic” was first published in 1974 by Robert Bloch.
The story portrays “G. Gordon Gregg,” a physician and a murderer. His victims are young and beautiful women, and his killing methods are swift, scientific, painless, and clean. Until a news reporter became suspicious and investigated, but later she fell in love with him.
G. Gordon Gregg lives in a castle that emerges over the street of modern Chicago, and its wall hides a maze with a secret passageway, hidden rooms, private laboratories, and concealed trapdoor. This book is a treat for readers who wants to read vintage Halloween books.
7. The Dead Zone
The novel Dead Zone was first published in August 1979 by Stephen King. This book won the number-one national bestseller award and is a must-read for vintage Halloween book list.
The novel portrays “Johnny Smith,” who woke from five years of coma after a tragic car accident. Soon he discovers that he can see people’s future and past when he touches them. He considers himself to be cursed, but people claim his talent as a gift.
The book takes a turning point when Jonny shakes the hand with a morally corrupt leader, and now he has to decide to take action to change the future.
8. The Haunting of Hill House
The Haunting of Hill House is written by Shirley Jackson and was originally published in 1958. This novel has been known as a perfect work of disturbing terror.
It is a story of 4 seekers who arrive at a wicked unfriendly pile called a hill house. Dr. Montague, a scholar, looking for evidence of a “haunting”, her assistant Theodora, Young friendless woman Eleanor, and Luke, the future heir of Hill House, merely encounter extraordinary phenomena. The house is gathering its powers, and soon, it will choose one of them to make its own.
9. Ghost Light
The novel “Ghost Light” by Clare McNally was originally published in 1982. This novel is a haunting thriller with 240 pages.
The story portrays a little Five-year-old girl “Bonnie Jackson,” who is a charm on the world stage, but one night she found herself wandering and terrified throughout the darkness of Winston Theater. A night that would end the demon to consume the innocent girl in a horrible fiery death.
After 60 years later, Bonnie has returned, ready to command the spotlight. The little girl is about to perform her show-stopping act of revenge.
10. Rosemary’s Baby
“Rosemary’s Baby” was written by Ira Levin and was originally published in March 1967.
It is a story of “Rosemary Woodhouse” and her struggling actor “Guy”. They moved into Bramford, an old New York City apartment building with a bad reputation and mostly older people. Rosemary becomes pregnant and soon encounters the elderly people’s bizarre friends, who are horribly taking an interest in them. By the time Rosemary discovers the horrifying truth, it may be too late.
11. The Sentinel
The horror mystery “The Sentinel” was written by Jeffery Konvitz and was first published with 278 pages in January 1977.
This story revolves around a beautiful young model “Allison Parker” who lives in a Brownstone Apartment. Her life becomes hell as the apartment is filled with the sinister tenant, and a bizarre old blind priest continuously watches down her from his upper story window day and night.
She must uncover the sinful secrets of the building with boundless evils.
12. Neighbors
The Neighbor is a novel written by Maureen S. Pusti in March 1991 this novel has 395 pages.
The novel is set on Kristen Roberts, who moved to a quiet Pennsylvania college town With her husband. She had an intuition about moving to new places. Still, with the excitement of moving and the annoying neighbor woman, she forgot her intuition of danger until she read that several local children had mysteriously disappeared.
Soon Kristen was haunted in dreams by the missing children that led her into the darkness from where she might not escape. She also realized that the woman next door was more than a nosy neighbor. An unimaginable evil at any moment is going to destroy her marriage and her life.
13. Orphans
The novella orphan was first published in October 1989 by Ed Naha.
The story revolves around Kate Winston, a New York City teacher, who gets fed up with teaching as she gets tired of losing her students to gang violence.
There was an opening up in a Belleville’s exclusive Roth School in a tiny town in upstate New York, as the previous teacher mysteriously vanished, so she took the job. She soon finds something evil among the children. She discovers that these frightful kids are adopted after their natural parents have been killed in the bizarre fire.
Conclusion
These are the 13 books I’ve put on my schedule for the month of October. These vintage Halloween books are some of the famous books of their own time. From Dracula to some bizarre powers book.
Generations have enjoyed reading these books, and I hope reading these books will also raise your spirit and make your Halloween night more special, scary, and fun.
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