“Stories can make us look back over our shoulders and question every creak and groan on a dark, quiet night. Stories can cause our hearts to race with ever-increasing tension as we forgo sleep to rush towards a surprising conclusion. Stories can make us suspicious of every character as we challenge the protagonist to be the first to solve the crime. Stories can make us sleep with the lights on, make us pull the covers just a little bit tighter, and can make every shadow seem more menacing than they ever have before….
…. there is something delicious about the ability of the printed word to give us a fright. At no time of the year is this more of a delight than when Summer heat turns to Autumn chill as the days become ever darker.”
The annual invitation from Stainless Steel Droppings to read ….
Mystery
Suspense
Thriller
Dark Fantasy
Gothic
Horror
Supernatural
…. is not to be resisted, and I have a wonderful pool of books on hand ….
The Skull and the Nightingale by Michael Irwin
“When Richard Fenwick returns to London, his wealthy godfather, James Gilbert, has an unexpected proposition. Gilbert has led a sedate life in Worcestershire, but feels the urge to experience, even vicariously, the extremes of human feeling: love, passion, and something much more sinister …”
My Brother Michael by Mary Stewart (for Mary Stewart Reading Week)
“Nothing ever happened to Camilla Haven — until a stranger approached her in a crowded Athens café, handed her the keys to a black car parked by the curb, and whispered, “A matter of life and death.”….”
Hell! Said the Duchess by Michael Arlen
“A female killer stalks the streets of London, sleeping with young men before slashing their throats and mutilating their bodies. The crimes have baffled the police and enraged Londoners, who demand the murderer’s arrest. Mary, Duchess of Dove, a gentle young widow who is beloved by all who know her, seems an unlikely suspect, but the clues all point to her ….”
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
“Set against Iceland’s stark landscape, Hannah Kent brings to vivid life the story of Agnes, who, charged with the brutal murder of her former master, is sent to an isolated farm to await execution ….”
The Unforgiving by Charlotte Cory
“The distinguished architect Edward Glass has been recently widowed – with great inconvenience to himself. He impulsively marries Mrs Elizabeth Cathcart, a young widow he knows almost nothing about ….”
The Bones of Paris by Laurie R King
“The missing person in question is Philippa Crosby, a twenty-two year old from Boston who has been living in Paris, modelling and acting. Her family became alarmed when she stopped all communications, and Stuyvesant agreed to track her down. He wholly expects to find her in the arms of some up-and-coming artist, perhaps experimenting with the decadent lifestyle …”
He Arrived at Dusk by Ruby Ferguson
“From the moment William Mertoun arrives to catalogue the library at Colonel Barr’s old mansion on the desolate Northumbrian moors, he senses something is terribly wrong. Barr’s brother Ian has just died, mysteriously and violently, and the Colonel himself is hidden away in a locked room, to which his sinister nurse denies all access ….”
The Family Thief by Annabel Markova
“As Iolanthe and Carol grow up, Iolanthe begins to wonder how well she ever knew her foster sister, and soon her loyalties are tested to destruction in order to save her parents’ marriage, and the family itself ….”
The Prestige by Christopher Priest
“In 1878, two young stage magicians clash in the dark during the course of a fraudulent séance. From this moment on, their lives become webs of deceit and revelation as they vie to outwit and expose one another ….”
Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
” Diana Bishop, descended from a line of powerful witches, and long-lived vampire Matthew Clairmont have broken the laws dividing creatures. When Diana discovered a significant alchemical manuscript in the Bodleian Library, she sparked a struggle in which they became bound. Now the fragile coexistence of witches, daemons, vampires and humans is dangerously threatened ….”
And I’ve pulled out my Virago ghost story anthologies too …
Now tell me, do you have seasonal reading plans?
Fleur in her World 
What fab sounding books Jane! I’m particularly drawn to the Michael Arlen, which I’ve never heard of. I would take part in this, but I mostly read at night and spooky things don’t do a lot for my sleeping….. 🙂
I tend to do the spooky books in the early part of the evening and make sure I get something else into my mind before bedtime. And I stay with the literary books that have interesting characters and other attributes.
Oh Jane, not more than an hour ago I picked up Peter Ackroyd’s ‘The English Ghost’ from a sale table with RIP in mind!
Such wonderful timing. ‘The English Ghost’ is on my list to order from the library one day, when I have space on my ticket.
Jane, these look amazing – and you have been reconsidering my list! I love any books that involve cataloguing libraries, but it’s the Michael Arlen that sounds most intriguing.
The Bones of Paris sounds really good!
I have high hopes for ‘The Bones of Paris.’ Laurie R King in a wonderful writer, and I love that this book opens in my native Cornwall.
Hope you like Shadow of Night – Vampires and Witches in 16th century England …I mean how much better can it get! I quite enjoyed the book and hope you have fun as well!
Thank you. I loved ‘The Discovery of Witches’ and I love the 16th century, so I’m confident that I’ll enjoy ‘The Shadow of Night.’
“He Arrived At Dusk’ sounds very good and spooky, some of the others sound like they would be too gory or gruesome for me, as I’m very squeamish and easily scared! Funny how one feels a craving to read mysteries and ghost stories when autumn and winter get closer.
I’m intrigued that Ruby Ferguson, whose pony books I loved, also wrote dark tales. I can’t read anything too dark, but as you say, when autumn and winter get closer …
I’ve got A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness on my RIP list. Is Shadow of Night a sequel, or a standalone?
We’re at different points in a trilogy, Joanne. You have the first book – which I loved, with just a few reservations – and I have the second which picks up the threads just where the first book ends.
Oh, thanks for the reminder! I always enjoy this.
Thanks for reminding me of The Virago Book of Ghost Stories… I pull it out every year around this time! Will make my official list later this week.
“Hell! Said the Duchess”…that may be the best title I’ve seen on one of these sign-up posts!
I chose My Brother Michael for Anbolyn’s event because no one else had mentioned it. 🙂 I have read it years ago but can’t remember anything about it – let’s hope it’s a good one.
Burial Rites I started but it reminded me too much of Susan Fletcher’s Corrag and I didn’t finish it but most comments I’ve seen have been positive. Some really interesting titles on your list for me to check out.