Spooky season is in full swing, and your Cromaine staff always have suggestions for books, films, and documentaries to get you into the Halloween spirit! We asked Librarian Erik for some reading and viewing suggestions as we get closer to Halloween-- and he offered up some of his current favorite authors, as well as some fantastic movies available through the online resource Kanopy! Check out his suggestions below, and have a cozy, spooky, and happy Halloween!
Available on the Cromaine Shelves
Grady Hendrix writes horror fiction featuring strong female protagonists, often set in South Carolina. His style is sharp and biting, and I’m not just talking about the antagonists in The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires. I find his writing style to be reminiscent of Stephen King, without the weird endings. Definitely check out My Best Friend’s Exorcism if you want an 80s-esque supernatural horror, or the aforementioned Southern Book Club if you're in the mood for more of a mysterious creature feature.
Camilla Sten writes fiction that takes place in the remote reaches of Sweden, often involving a group of people unwittingly stumbling into dangerous situations they were ill prepared for. She really sets a mood with her dark, atmospheric writing. I’d highly recommend The Lost Village if you’re interested in a Blair Witch style romp about a documentary film crew exploring a town that was mysteriously abandoned 60 years ago.
Rachel Harrison is a prolific author who has released one book every fall for the past five years. If it’s September or October, it’s almost assuredly time to read the newest Rachel Harrison book. She writes about common horror tropes in a somehow fresh and darkly comedic style, tackling a new facet of horror every year. This year’s Play Nice is a new take on the haunted house genre, for instance, while Such Sharp Teeth is great for fans of werewolves. Fear not (or do?) fans of vampires, she’s got you covered with The Return while those of you more interested in crows, cauldrons and witchcraft might want to check out Cackle instead.
Stephen Graham Jones is a Native American and member of the Blackfeet Nation, and his books reflect his Indigenous roots, providing a very unique perspective in the genre. His books often provide a look into reservation life and Indigenous culture rarely seen in popular fiction. The Only Good Indians is a great introduction for those who really love a vengeful spirit seeking retribution, while My Heart is a Chainsaw is for those of us who really love a good 80s slasher. Mongrels offers a really unique twist on werewolf lore.
Available on Kanopy
Classic Horror Films
Kanopy has SO SO MANY horror classics. Friday the 13th, Rosemary’s Baby, Nosferatu, Carnival of Souls, House on Haunted Hill, Suspiria, Night of the Living Dead, Phantasm, Evil Dead 2…. I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. There are so many horror classics available on Kanopy, you should really just go to their Fright Fest curated list and scroll to your hearts content. If you’re after specific recommendations, though….
Longlegs is some of Nicolas Cage’s finest, most unhinged work, which is possibly the most redundant statement in film recommendation history. He plays the eponymous Longlegs, a failed glam rocker turned serial killer under investigation by a young, female FBI agent. This movie is basically Silence of the Lambs with a lot less skin lotion and way more demons.
In Cemetery Man, Rupert Everett is Francesco Dellamorte, the undertaker at a cemetery where the dead don’t like to stay that way. Exhausted and broken down at the start of the film, Dellamorte falls in love with a recent widow and must keep his newfound joie de vivre in check while tending to his less ordinary, more pressing duties, a balancing act almost bound to fail. This is a very quirky and fun zombie love story with a little more than a hint of surrealist humor.
Maybe I should have lumped Scream in with the long list of horror classics I posted above, but I love these movies so much that I decided they need their own entry. The first Scream movie is simultaneously a love letter, criticism, and satirization of the 1980s slasher genre that the director himself (Wes Craven) helped to create. This was a meta movie before the world knew what meta really was, and the film’s self-awareness and adherence to slasher movie tropes only add to its charm. The best part? You can watch the first three entries of this series that is still somehow going strong (a seventh film is slated for release in 2026!!!) on Kanopy.
Documentaries
In case you’re in the mood to learn something new this spooky season, there are also a variety of horror and Halloween-related documentaries available on Kanopy. In Search of Edgar Allan Poe tells the poignant story of the poet, short story writer, and critic Edgar Allan Poe, highlighting his writing and his personal life. Masters of Horror is an anthology of hour-long films, featuring some of the greatest horror writers and directors! Hammer: Heroes, Legends, and Monsters explores the legendary world of Hammer Films through the eyes of its iconic actors, filmmakers and fans, uncovering the untold stories behind the heroes, legends, monsters and the studio that defined horror cinema. His Name was Jason chronicles the making of Friday the 13th and the cultural impact the series has had.
Your Cromaine Library card is your key to endless spooky stories, scary movies, and horror documentaries! Visit our online catalog to search for books, movies, and more– and be sure to log into Kanopy Video Streaming with your Cromaine Library card to watch movies & documentaries for free!
And of course, your Cromaine Library staff are always excited to provide book and movie suggestions for you. Stop in and see us, and we’ll be happy to help you find exactly what you’re looking for!