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Books We Like

Published 10/12/2018 by Lara Luck

Books We Like

It’s that time of year -- the days are getting shorter, the leaves are falling, and that chill down your spine may not just be from the nip in the air. Are you ready for all the ghosts, goblins, and things that go bump-in-the-night? I want to offer some unsettling, suspenseful, spine-tingling, and even horrifying tales to put you in the mood for the season. Let’s start with the Master of horror himself, Stephen King….

Known for his works like “It,” :The Shining,” “The Stand,” “Under the Dome,” and “Carrie” that have been made into movies or mini-series, Stephen King has another shocking, suspenseful tale with his new book, “The Outsider.” When a young boy is found brutally murdered, all the evidence and eyewitnesses point to one of the town’s most upstanding citizens, Terry Maitland. How could this well-loved teacher, coach, husband, and father do such a horrific crime? Nobody can believe it, but the case seems ironclad. Trouble is Maitland also has an airtight alibi, and nobody can be in two places at the same time. The more the police investigate, the stranger, more improbable, and more sinister the case gets. King flawlessly brings together our worst fears with a supernatural twist that will have you shivering with fright well after the book ends.

“Bird Box” by Josh Malerman is a spellbinding apocalyptic tale where the dark is not to be feared, but embraced. Nobody knows where it came from or even what it looks like, but something is out there. If you see it you are doomed to commit deadly acts of violence. Most of humanity has been wiped out and those left stay hidden and keep their eyes covered. Blindfolded and relying only on their hearing and touch, Malorie and her two children must make a horrifying journey downriver to safety. Something is following them, they can hear it. Is it friend or foe? Board up your homes, don’t peek outside, and read this book in the dark.

Joe Hill has become one of my favorite horror novelists with such offerings as “Heart-Shaped Box,” “NOS4A2,” and “The Fireman.” “Strange Weather” is a collection of four of his novellas that definitely don’t disappoint. A Polaroid camera that erases memories with each shot, a security guard that stops a mass shooting and becomes a hero until he takes his gun out for one last day of reckoning, a parachute jump that leaves a man stranded on a cloud, and rain that has become razor-sharp needles spreads around the world. These stories will keep you reading through the night. I’m usually not a short story reader, but these twisted tales made me glad I picked this one up.

“The Devil Crept In” by Ania Ahlborn has all the usual tropes wrapped up in a delicious new package. Young Stevie is strange and a bit of a loner with only one real friend, his cousin Jude. Jude goes missing and as the days pass the townspeople lose hope of finding him alive. After all, another young boy went missing in the woods and he was found later, in pieces. Stevie decides the best way to find Jude is to investigate himself. He finds out some terrifying things. Then suddenly Jude returns, and he is not the same. A missing kid, unfriendly locals, weird cats, a creepy house, and a monster in the woods, this book has it all. Perfect for a Halloween read.

Another horror novel you might want to give a try -- “Pretty Monsters” by Kelly Link, our 2018 community read pick. This collection of short stories will keep you on the edge of your seat. So, whether you are a fan of suspense, horror, or just a really well-told tale, there’s sure to be a story out there with your name on it.