This post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a commission should you choose to sign up for a program or make a purchase using my link. Whether or not you use my link, I genuinely love these products/programs and hope they can be of help to you! (-:
There’s nothing better to set the mood for spooky season than sinking in with a good book. Although I live in Southern California and it remains quite warm year around, I still like to pretend I’m out in NYC where seasons exist. With the end of summer officially upon us, it’s time to cozy up with a good book, your favorite candle, and a giant blanket!
How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
How to Sell a Haunted House kept me glued to my seat. Although I typically go for psychological thrillers, this supernatural read was quite a delight! Hendrix writes about some of the spookiest things I know exist — spirits and family trauma. I love how Hendrix explores grief and the tumultuous nature of family ties through this modern ghost story.
When two siblings, Louise and Mark, are brought back together after the death of the sudden death of their parents, they must figure out how to work together long enough to sell their family home.
Now, if it were me, I’d be out of that house ASAP. But where would the story be if the characters were like me? Louise, the oldest and more practical of the two siblings, wants to get in and get out. She doesn’t want to be away from her home or her daughter any longer than she must. Also, it doesn’t help that she and Mark have been on rocky terms for quite some time now. Yet, the memory of her parents and her sentimental nature keeps her from immediately selling the house to the highest bidder.
Mark, on the other hand, wants the house gone and the money in his pocket. Although he had a closer relationship with his parents, he can’t wait to get the house off his hands. That is until he finds Louise standing in his way.
Although it seems as if cleaning out the home should be quite simple, things take a twist for the strange as they begin cleaning out the contents of their home. Namely, their mother’s beloved doll collection. Things are misplaced, dolls seem to move around, and the home seems to take on a life of its own. As the two continue on this journey of tying their parent’s loose ends, an old, forgotten friend decides to rejoin them and he is not happy.
If you’re looking for a creepy read to get you ready for Halloween, give this one a read! The twists, turns, and spooky imagery will send chills down your spine!
Find How to Sell a Haunted House here on Amazon!
The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson
I adored this book. It was super fun to read and I truly could not put it down! As a fan of true crime, I was obsessed with this story of a missing family member who suddenly reappeared.
Bel has lived in a true crime nightmare her entire life. Her mother went missing 16 years ago and she was the last one to have seen her. At two years old, Bel has no recollection of what happened to her mom but has had to live with it ever since. The public eye became obsessed with the case and fanatics continue to ponder what could have happened to Bel’s mother, Rachel Price.
Fast forward 16 years later and Bel’s family has finally agreed to film a documentary about Rachel’s disappearance. Enter Bel’s family — a loving group of people who raised Bel after her mom’s disappearance. As they film the documentary, questions of who Rachel was and whether or not she’s still alive become rehashed. It’s the last thing Bel wants to do but the family needs the money.
Although this documentary should come and go like all the other theories and TV shows, in the middle of filming, Rachel reappears. As if out of thin air, Rachel knocks on the door and reappears like a forgotten ghost. Bel is shocked. Where did she come from? Where has she been? The questions are being asked but the answers aren’t following.
As Rachel begins to make herself comfortable, Bel’s family begins to fall apart. And, there’s something about Rachel that just can’t be trusted. As the story goes on, it’s a whirlwind of plot twists. Clues are littered throughout the book and it’s difficult to figure out who to trust.
This is one of those books you’ll finish in just a matter of hours if you let yourself! It was a super fun read and a perfect way to cozy into October.
Find the Reappearance of Rachel Price here on Amazon!
The Family Game by Catherine Steadman
The Family Game was a spooky book that was right up my alley. A classic psychological thriller about a young woman getting to know her future family. The fun part? They’re insanely wealthy and they each have their own little secrets.
The novel follows Harriet Reed, an emerging novelist who is engaged to Edward Holbeck, heir to a powerful and influential family. Although Edward has long cut ties with his family, they slowly begin to inch their way back in as news of the engagement begins to spread. Knowing that Edward is resistant, they begin to target Harriet as a means of bringing Edward back into the fold.
Think of the family from Succession blended with every other rich and powerful family you can think of. I will admit, there’s something exciting about joining a family that has power and money but not when it turns deadly. As Harriet becomes more involved with the Holbecks, their lavish lifestyle and peculiar traditions, including a creepy “Christmas demon” called Krampus, begin to unsettle her.
The plot thickens when Edward’s father, Robert Holbeck, gives Harriet a tape of his latest manuscript. However, instead of a novel, the tape reveals a chilling confession to a murder. What initially seems like an unsettling family tradition soon becomes a high-stakes game with dangerous implications. Harriet must unravel whether this is a test of her loyalty or if something more sinister is at play.
As the story goes on, Harriet must decide whether or not her engagement to Edward is worth the extra family baggage that comes along. Or, if she even has a choice in the manner.
Check this book out if you’re looking for a fun psychological thriller to kick off October!
Find the books here on Amazon:
- How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
- The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson
- The Family Game by Catherine Steadman
