Books that feature hauntings, vampires and things that go bump in the night
by Larry Cox on Oct. 30, 2008, under Calendar
Literary thrills and chills for Halloween week from Larry Cox:
‘The Dracula Dossier: A Novel of Suspense’
By James Reese (William Morrow, $24.95)
New York Times best-selling author James Reese sinks his literary teeth into a tale involving Irish novelist Bram Stoker and his encounter with Jack the Ripper in London during the “infernal summer” of 1888. When Stoker returns to London following a business trip, he is asked to look up an acquaintance of a friend named Thomas Hall Caine. The acquaintance is a suspiciously eccentric character, a creepy American doctor named Francis Tumblety, a leading Ripper suspect. When a prostitute is killed in Whitechapel by the Ripper using a knife from Stoker’s personal collection, he must work to clear his name. He begins by calling on several of his friends, including Walt Whitman, Lady Jane Wilde and Caine, the man responsible for bringing Tumblety into his life. Spooky and imaginative, this is perfect reading for an October evening.
‘Ghosts of the Old West: Desert Spirits, Haunted Cabins, Lost Trails, and Other Strange Encounters’
By Earl Murray (TOR, $14.95 softbound)
This nonfiction exploration into the supernatural forces that supposedly haunt our region was compiled by Earl Murray, the late author who wrote extensively about the American West. One of his more intriguing stories involves The Lost Trail Hotel near Sonoita. When George and Wilma Gardiner check into the rustic establishment, they are awakened that night by the sounds of a woman crying in the hall. When George crawls out of bed to investigate, he opens the door to his room and gasps when he sees a head suspended in the air staring at him from a ball of light. Other ghosts include a soldier at Fort Laramie, dead for almost two centuries, a weeping woman who roams the hills and valleys of the Spanish Southwest and a “wolf-girl” spotted near Del Rio.
‘Haunted Highways: Spooky Stories, Strange Happenings, Supernatural Sightings’
Retold by Tom Ogden (Globe Pequot Press, $14.95 softbound)
Tom Ogden, one of America’s most celebrated magicians, conjures up 20 of the spookiest stories ever told about ghosts, hauntings and supernatural events that have occurred on or near the highways and byways of America. The tales are divided into chapters covering Vanishing Hitchhikers, Street Walkers, Phantom Travelers and Lost Souls. From the Ghost Rider in the sky who haunts the plains of Texas to Hawaii’s Night Marcher Warriors and the fire goddess Pele who still prowl the Islands for companions, this collection is guaranteed to deliver delightful frights. ‘The Book of Lists: Horror, An All-New Collection Featuring Stephen King, Eli Roth, Ray Bradbury, and More’
By Amy Wallace, Del Howison, and Scott Bradley (Harper, $14.95 softbound)
Ever wonder what scares Stephen King, what makes Cerina Vincent’s Top Ten Horror Movies Too Scary for Little Girls, Joe Lynch’s Ten Movies My Mother Should Have Never Let Me Watch (But Thankfully Did), or the 56 best-selling horror books since 1900? All is revealed in this marvelous collection that turns an evil eye toward the strange, the bloodcurdling, the macabre and the so-entertaining-it’s-scary! ‘Extreme Pumpkins II: Take Back Halloween and Freak Out a Few More Neighbors’
By Tom Nardone (Perigee/Home Books, $13.95 softbound)
Tom Nardone, the Michigan-based writer, presents an even more outrageous sequel to “Extreme Pumpkins.” Armed with a knife and spoon, he sets out to show even darker, creepier, more outrageous do-it-yourself designs to impress friends and scare neighbors. Standouts include the Projectile Sneeze Pumpkin, Alien Gourd and Cro-Magnon Pumpkin. In addition to designs, there are pranks, practical jokes and over-the-top spectacles that are sure to make you even more legendary in your neighborhood. ‘The Druid Magic Handbook: Ritual Magic Rooted in the Living Earth’
By John Michael Greer (Weiser Books, $19.95)
This is the first complete manual of Druidic ceremonial magic. Greer, author of “The Druidry Handbook,” uses Welsh Druid deities and symbols as a template to show readers how to adapt each of the fairly straightforward exercises and rituals to whatever tradition calls most strongly to them. This book is divided into three main parts: The Foundations of Druid Magic, The Practice of Druid Magic and The Way of Druid Magic. Written with great clarity, the book claims that with the proper knowledge we can create a world of magic that is in harmony with nature.
‘Bones: An Alex Delaware Novel’
By Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, $27)
Jonathan Kellerman returns with one of his most suspenseful novels. When the remains of several women, mostly prostitutes, are found in the Los Angeles Bird Marsh preserve, homicide detective Milo Stirgis is hired to solve the murders. He immediately contacts psychologist Alex Delaware for help and the story then explodes into one of the turbulent literary thrillers of the year.
