Books
Summer Scares: 8 Horror Books to Read This Summer
Whether nestled inside or stretched out under the sun, there are plenty of horror stories worth reading this summer for all ages and tastes. Brand new editions of familiar tales, true crime horror twists, slasher sequels, contemporary retellings of Gothic classics, and must-read genre-benders round out this summer’s reading list of the top horror books.
Here are eight horror books to keep you busy in the scorching summer months that pave the way to Halloween.
Paper Girls written by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Cliff Chiang
The Eisner Award-winning sci-fi comic series has a series adaptation on the way via Prime Video, making now the perfect time to get acquainted. Four young paper girls find themselves on a time-hopping journey on the morning of November 1, 1988, when they discover a strange device in a basement. The teens learn that their future selves are at the front lines of a war threatening the fate of humanity. Paper Girls is nostalgia meets grim reality, presenting a more nuanced and complex adventure sci-fi series that’s available now in its entirety. This should do the trick if finishing “Stranger Things” left a gaping hole in your summer entertainment.
What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
Mike Flanagan isn’t the only one taking on twisted retellings of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher.” T. Kingfisher’s ability to weave vivid, haunting tales of cosmic and Lovecraftian horror makes for a unique reimagining of Poe’s story. When retired soldier Alex Easton receives word that their friend Madeline Usher is dying, they rush to the Ushers’ countryside home. There they find weird fungal growths, possessed animals, and Usher family members behaving strangely.
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Moreno-Garcia shifts through genres, blends, and reimagines them through a Mexican lens, from gothic romance to vampire noir and beyond. The authors latest gives a new take on the Island of Doctor Moreau, set in nineteenth-century Mexico. Moreno-Garcia’s lush worldbuilding and cultural perspective make familiar material feel fresh and gripping.
The Ghost That Ate Us: The Tragic True Story of the Burger City Poltergeist by Daniel Kraus – July 12
Penned as a true crime novel that assembles interviews, evidence, footnotes, and accounts of a fast food haunting, The Ghost That Ate Us is full of surprises. It examines the bizarre case of a Burger City fire that claimed the lives of multiple victims and implicated another as the murderer. But Kraus digs deep to uncover the paranormal truth in an engaging novel that blends supernatural spookiness with the humorous absurdity of a poltergeist interfering with a burger joint. Because of the level of detail in the true crime formatting, this one is best enjoyed with a physical copy.
The Devil Takes You Home by Gabino Iglesias – August 2
A compelling genre-bender fueled by unbridled and sometimes righteous wrath. An inciting tragedy transforms a protagonist into a ruthless killer, sending him on a dangerous journey with threats real and fantastical. It’s part horror, part crime thriller, pure terror. Iglesias uses a fresh perspective to cast an unflinching eye on social issues, racism, and feelings of Otherness. More ingenious is how the author uses his deeply flawed protagonist to immerse the reader and confront them with social commentary. It’s a bleak thrill ride with no easy answers and no easy outs for any of its characters until its bittersweet end. You don’t want to miss this one, especially with an adaptation currently in the works.
Salem’s Lot by Stephen King (Movie Tie-In) – August 2
King’s classic vampire novel gets a movie tie-in paperback release just ahead of the new adaptation’s theatrical debut. Writer Ben Mears returns to his hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot looking for book inspiration while getting his life on track. But he soon realizes that the town might be in the grip of dark forces beyond his imagination. Whether you’ve yet to sink your fangs into this particular novel or need a refresher, this summer makes for a great time to revisit.
Clown in a Cornfield 2: Frendo Lives by Adam Cesare – August 23
Quinn, Rust, and Cole are still reeling from their traumas of surviving the Kettle Springs massacre when it seems to be starting anew. The stakes are higher than ever, and nowhere is safe. Frendo is back with a new armed posse of fanatical supporters. This book is a violent and timely tale with thinly veiled yet compelling subtext that should resonate. It’s a breakneck slasher sequel that doesn’t waste any time getting to the action and suspense. Cesare understands slashers- and more importantly, slasher sequels- really well and crafts a strong narrative around the hardened survivors from the first novel. In true slasher sequel style, the body count is higher along with the brutal deaths that hurt. Whereas Clown in a Cornfield was a fun YA slasher, this sequel is a more mature, robust, and thrilling continuation that improves upon its predecessor.
Hocus Pocus: The Illustrated Novelization written by A. W. Jantha and illustrated by Gris Grimly– August 30
Look ahead and get into the Halloween spirit with the first-time novelization of the beloved Disney movie. This deluxe illustrated novelization is intended for all ages, from longtime fans to a younger generation. The real draw, perhaps, might be the artwork by renowned artist Gris Grimly.
Books
‘Halloween: Illustrated’ Review: Original Novelization of John Carpenter’s Classic Gets an Upgrade
Film novelizations have existed for over 100 years, dating back to the silent era, but they peaked in popularity in the ’70s and ’80s, following the advent of the modern blockbuster but prior to the rise of home video. Despite many beloved properties receiving novelizations upon release, a perceived lack of interest have left a majority of them out of print for decades, with desirable titles attracting three figures on the secondary market.
Once such highly sought-after novelization is that of Halloween by Richard Curtis (under the pen name Curtis Richards), based on the screenplay by John Carpenter and Debra Hill. Originally published in 1979 by Bantam Books, the mass market paperback was reissued in the early ’80s but has been out of print for over 40 years.
But even in book form, you can’t kill the boogeyman. While a simple reprint would have satisfied the fanbase, boutique publisher Printed in Blood has gone above and beyond by turning the Halloween novelization into a coffee table book. Curtis’ unabridged original text is accompanied by nearly 100 new pieces of artwork by Orlando Arocena to create Halloween: Illustrated.
One of the reasons that The Shape is so scary is because he is, as Dr. Loomis eloquently puts it, “purely and simply evil.” Like the film sequels that would follow, the novelization attempts to give reason to the malevolence. More ambiguous than his sister or a cult, Curtis’ prologue ties Michael’s preternatural abilities to an ancient Celtic curse.
Jumping to 1963, the first few chapters delve into Michael’s childhood. Curtis hints at a familial history of evil by introducing a dogmatic grandmother, a concerned mother, and a 6-year-old boy plagued by violent nightmares and voices. The author also provides glimpses at Michael’s trial and his time at Smith’s Grove Sanitarium, which not only strengthens Loomis’ motivation for keeping him institutionalized but also provides a more concrete theory on how Michael learned to drive.
Aside from a handful of minor discrepancies, including Laurie stabbing Michael in his manhood, the rest of the book essentially follows the film’s depiction of that fateful Halloween night in 1978 beat for beat. Some of the writing is dated — like a smutty fixation on every female character’s breasts and a casual use of the R-word — but it otherwise possesses a timelessness similar to its film counterpart. The written version benefits from expanded detail and enriched characters.
The addition of Arocena’s stunning illustrations, some of which are integrated into the text, creates a unique reading experience. The artwork has a painterly quality to it but is made digitally using vectors. He faithfully reproduces many of Halloween‘s most memorable moments, down to actor likeness, but his more expressionistic pieces are particularly striking.
The 224-page hardcover tome also includes an introduction by Curtis — who details the challenges of translating a script into a novel and explains the reasoning behind his decisions to occasionally subvert the source material — and a brief afterword from Arocena.
Novelizations allow readers to revisit worlds they love from a different perspective. It’s impossible to divorce Halloween from the film’s iconography — Carpenter’s atmospheric direction and score, Dean Cundey’s anamorphic cinematography, Michael’s expressionless mask, Jamie Lee Curtis’ star-making performance — but Halloween: Illustrated paints a vivid picture in the mind’s eye through Curtis’ writing and Arocena’s artwork.
Halloween: Illustrated is available now.
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