Retellings for Halloween Reading

There's something about Halloween that makes you want to read a creepy book. There are a lot of Halloween-appropriate reads out there, but here are a few retellings of old stories that might put you in the Halloween spirit and put a new twist on a spooky old favorite.

Ten by Gretchen McNeil

Retelling of: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Why it's great for Halloween: Suspenseful Murder Mystery

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

Amazon | Goodreads

The Turning by Francine Prose 

Retelling of: The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
Why it's great for Halloween: Psychological Horror

Jack is babysitting for the summer on an isolated island with no Wi-Fi, no cell service, and no one else around but a housekeeper and two very peculiar children. He immediately senses something sinister-and it's not just the creepy black house he's living in. Soon he is feeling terribly isolated and alone, but then he discovers there are others. The problem is, he's the only who can see them. As secrets are revealed and darker truths surface, Jack desperately struggles to maintain a grip on reality. He knows what he sees, and he isn't crazy…Or is he?

Amazon | Goodreads

Dangerous Boy by Mandy Hubbard

Retelling of: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Why it's great for Halloween: Gothic Horror/Thriller

Harper has never been worried about falling in love, something she is skeptical even exists. But everything changes when Logan moves to town, and to Harper's shock, the two tumble into an intense romance. It's everything she never thought she wanted.

Then she meets Logan's twin brother, Caleb, who was expelled from his last school. True, he's a bad boy, but Harper can't shake the feeling that there's something deeply sinister about him--something dangerous. When Logan starts pulling away, Harper is convinced that Caleb's shadowy past is the wedge being driven between them. But by the time she uncovers the truth, it may be too late.

Amazon | Goodreads

New Girl by Paige Harbison

Retelling of: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Why it's great for Halloween: Gothic Mystery/Thriller

I hadn't wanted to go, but my parents were so excited.... So here I am, the new girl at Manderley, a true fish out of water. But mine's not the name on everyone's lips. Oh, no.

It's Becca Normandy they can't stop talking about. Perfect, beautiful Becca. She went missing at the end of last year, leaving a spot open at Manderley--the spot that I got. And everyone acts like it's my fault that infallible, beloved Becca is gone and has been replaced by "not" perfect, completely fallible, unknown Me.

Then, there's the name on "my" lips--Max Holloway. Becca's ex. The one boy I should avoid, but can't. Thing is, it seems like he wants me, too. But the memory of Becca is always between us. And as much as I'm starting to like it at Manderley, I can't help but think she's out there, somewhere, watching me take her place.

Waiting to take it back.

Amazon | Goodreads

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

Retelling of: The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells
Why it's great for Halloween: Horror

London, 1894. Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father’s gruesome experiments. But when she learns her father is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations were true.

Juliet is accompanied by the doctor’s handsome young assistant and an enigmatic castaway, who both attract Juliet for very different reasons. They travel to the island only to discover the depths of her father’s madness: he has created animals that have been vivisected to resemble, speak, and behave as humans. Worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island’s inhabitants. Juliet knows she must end her father’s dangerous experiments and escape the island, even though her horror is mixed with her own scientific curiosity. As the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father’s genius—and madness—in her own blood.

Amazon | Goodreads

There are plenty of books out there that put a new spin on old Halloween favorites! Which do you think would be perfect additions to your Halloween reading list?

If you like this post, you should also check out my previous post on Books for Halloween!