Seven More Books for Spooky Season

October 4, 2022

Seven More Books for Spooky Season

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield This gothic suspene story is punctuated by frequent hot cocoa breaks. Equal parts cozy and creepy, it combines Wuthering Heights and Emily of New Moon.
Tales of the Macabre by Daphne du Maurier This collection of short stories is a fabulous introduction to du Maurier’s poetic style. Make sure your copy includes “The Birds”—be prepared to board up your windows and never leave your house again.
The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morely I just started reading this and am delighted. It is a hilarious ode to bookstores and booksellers. Fittingly, I unashamedly bought this right of the “to be read” stack of a secondhand bookseller. I hope it is comforting to him to know that I am enjoying it heartily.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte This one is so much more than required high school reading. I am convinced it would make a tremendous opera, and know that it was influential in the writing of the other books on my spooky season lists.
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux The musical is a classic, but don’t miss out on the original book! I wept melodramatically over this book when I first read it. Written as a detective story, this French novel is thrilling, chilling, and tragically human.
The Complete Father Brown Mysteries by G.K. Chesterton An amiable priest solving murders, Chesterton’s classic wit, and a touch of theology—what’s not to love? Perfect for a tea break, these short stories are a sheer delight.
The Nine Tailors by Dorothy Sayers This one could be considered either a Halloween or a Christmas story. I binge-read this one last Thanksgiving. Packed with English tradition, wit, and a terrific mystery, this is one of my favorite by Sayers.

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Ryanne_JM

Hello and welcome! I don’t love that I my name is also my website because I always thought that being a writer was about muttering to myself in the artistic anonymity of a dark corner, but here we are in this year of our Lord 2023. So who am I? Instagram wanted me to select “what” I am and gave me a set of limited options: artist, writer, blogger, or musician. The reality, though, is that I am a human person, not an internet personality. I am not a “what” but a “who,” with an eclectic and evolving set of passions. Just when you think you know what to expect from me, I’ll probably surprise you. (Getting used to articles on worship music? SURPRISE: spooky short story! Expecting another theological sonnet? SURPRISE: a random musing on my fascination with Bigfoot.) I’m going to organize my website so that it is easy to navigate and simple to find the content that you find the most interesting. However, because I am a collaborative pianist, worship director, pastor’s wife, speaker, and writer of all genres, there’s a good chance you’ll stumble upon writing that falls beyond your usual reading material…and that’s okay. I’m so glad you’re here, and I look forward to sharing my work with you!