The big-box stores are jammed with Christmas decorations, and that can only mean one thing: It’s Halloween! For all you fraidy cats out there, here’s a list of not-actually-scary books to tuck into on the big night.
- Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. This page-turner of a novel is certainly entertaining and disturbing, but "terrifying," as the cover promises? Not at all.
- The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. This classic is a compelling read, but there’s no need to check your locks while curled up with it. Maybe too many ghost movies have dulled our sensibilities?
- The Passage by Justin Cronin. This bestseller features vampire-like creatures, a government cover-up, and lots of creepy scenes. But the scariest thing about The Passage may be how many plot points it seems to have lifted from The Stand.
- Horns by Joe Hill. Engaging and eminently readable? Check. Full of genre-bending plot twists surrounding a likeable, devilish protagonist? Check. Frightening in any way? Hardly.
What allegedly terrifying books left you yawning? Tell us about them in the comments section below!
