‘Tis the season for pumpkin spice lattes and spooky movies playing on re-run all month long. Do you prefer watching Freeform's family-friendly 31 Nights of Halloween or SYFY's spine-chilling 31 Days of Halloween? If you lean more towards the macabre, we've put together a list of ghastly horror novels, many rooted in ancient mythology from different cultures, that will have your spine tingling throughout October.
The Hatak Witches by Devon Mihesuah
This supernatural murder mystery follows Detective Monique Blue Hawk's search for the remains of an ancient witch stolen from a museum. She must race against the Choctaw Crow tribe before Hatak haksi fulfils her quest for vengeance on the reservation.
Mestiza Blood by V. Castro
This collection of short stories weaves together a diverse set of characters set in South Texas. Readers will be enchanted by the eerie Mexican folklore written from the Chicana experience.
Lotería by Cynthia Pelayo
This collection includes 54 stories based on the classic card game with a ghoulish twist. These Latin-American fairytales are reminiscent of Guillermo Del Toro's and the Brothers Grimm's own work.
The Icarus Girl by Helen Oyeyemi
This novel follows Jess and her journey from England to Nigeria to quell her terrifying mood swings. There she meets Titiola, a sinister duplicate of Jess, and learns of the supernatural connection between twins in Nigerian mythology.
Skin Folk by Nalo Hopkinson
Based on Caribbean folklore, this collection of short stories delivers readers into fantasy, sci-fi, and sheer terror all at once. Hopkinson's writing exudes the heart-stopping horrors of the masks we wear and the truth that lies beneath.
Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmad Saadawi
This fresh take on a classic novel shares Hadi's story as he attempts to bring peace to the remnant body parts of the deceased. However, when his creation goes missing, death and destruction ensues across Baghdad.
The Bone Mother by David Demchuk
This award-winning collection of short stories sheds light on Eastern Europe's mythology within the rural villages of Ukraine and Romania. Deep in the forests, human and non-humankind must learn to coexist with one another - or else risk war that will destroy them both.
The Shapeshifters by Stefan Spjut
This Swedish novel follows the disappearance of a young boy and a dual crime committed twenty-five years later. One detective and the missing boy's mother both believe they were taken by the stallo, ancient giants who can shapeshift and control minds.
Ring by Koji Suzuki
This terrifying novel is the original inspiration behind the cult classic film where a haunted videotape kills its viewers one week after watching it. One Japanese journalist must rewind history to solve the murderous riddle.
The Good Son by You-Jeong Jeong
Yu-Jin discovers his mother's dead body in his house, but his blackout seizures force him to question his own alibi. A three-day search with his brother leads him to the bloody truth in this Korean mystery.
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