Goosebumps for Grown-ups
September 4, 2018 12:46 PM Subscribe
Anyone have recommendations for scary-but-not-too-scary supernatural or supernatural-adjacent books?
Now that we've crossed the Labor Day Rubicon and fall is theoretically upon us, I'm in the mood for some supernatural scary-ish books. However, not TOO scary, or scary and depressing. I want the happily ever after, just some chills on the way to getting there. No major gore, either. When I was a teen, I really liked The Secret Circle books by LJ Smith--that hits the level of scariness. Some of the Nora Roberts trilogies are the right level of scary (Morrigan's Cross, Sign of Seven), but the emphasis is much more on the romance so the wind kind of gets let out of the sails to make room for DTRs and the like. I don't mind romance in the books, and even like a bit, but would prefer that to be the B story rather than the A story. (That said, if there are scary/supernatural romances that do a good job of balancing the two, I'm open to that.) Buffy is also a good barometer for the level of scary/spooky I'm thinking of. Basically, I want to be deliciously scared by some sort of supernatural tale but not grossed out, depressed, or terrified. Anyone have any suggestions for what might work for my picky and squeamish self?
Now that we've crossed the Labor Day Rubicon and fall is theoretically upon us, I'm in the mood for some supernatural scary-ish books. However, not TOO scary, or scary and depressing. I want the happily ever after, just some chills on the way to getting there. No major gore, either. When I was a teen, I really liked The Secret Circle books by LJ Smith--that hits the level of scariness. Some of the Nora Roberts trilogies are the right level of scary (Morrigan's Cross, Sign of Seven), but the emphasis is much more on the romance so the wind kind of gets let out of the sails to make room for DTRs and the like. I don't mind romance in the books, and even like a bit, but would prefer that to be the B story rather than the A story. (That said, if there are scary/supernatural romances that do a good job of balancing the two, I'm open to that.) Buffy is also a good barometer for the level of scary/spooky I'm thinking of. Basically, I want to be deliciously scared by some sort of supernatural tale but not grossed out, depressed, or terrified. Anyone have any suggestions for what might work for my picky and squeamish self?
I absolutely love Strange Practice, by Vivian Shaw. I'm re-reading it now, before I move onto the sequel that just came out. It takes place in London, and the main character is a human 30-something woman, who is a doctor and specializes in the "differently living" (vampires, goblins, mummies, etc). Some mysterious supernatural group starts attacking people and of course everyone must band together to solve the mystery! It's spooky but not really scary, not what I'd consider gory (I'm a wimp) and not depressing. There is a hint of romance maybe coming in the future, but it's definitely minimal. Highly recommend!
posted by scalar_implicature at 1:16 PM on September 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by scalar_implicature at 1:16 PM on September 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
I really really really loved Chime by Franny Billingsley, which is YA creepy fantasy/romance. So weird and creepy. So good. Another fun one (also YA, it's my job, sorry!!) -- Bad Girls Don't Die was really fun and spooky.
posted by goodbyewaffles at 1:37 PM on September 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by goodbyewaffles at 1:37 PM on September 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Second M R James, and Sheridan Le Fanu is similarly amazing.
posted by scyllary at 2:31 PM on September 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by scyllary at 2:31 PM on September 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
The Call of Cthulhu
No, wait, where are you going, hear me out...
The scare here is the sense of creeping doom and dread as the author dives deeper and deeper into what starts as a simple question -- can anyone identify this weird statue? -- and builds into a chattering climax.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 2:56 PM on September 4, 2018
No, wait, where are you going, hear me out...
The scare here is the sense of creeping doom and dread as the author dives deeper and deeper into what starts as a simple question -- can anyone identify this weird statue? -- and builds into a chattering climax.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 2:56 PM on September 4, 2018
Thirding M R James. I just finished Ray Bradbury's The October Country, and it's deliciously creepy without being seriously scary. (The final story is just...joyful, though, and wonderful and warm, so be forewarned?)
(Oh, although The October Country is, erm, very of-its-time in a few stories.)
posted by kalimac at 3:45 PM on September 4, 2018
(Oh, although The October Country is, erm, very of-its-time in a few stories.)
posted by kalimac at 3:45 PM on September 4, 2018
The Halloween Tree or Something Wicked This Way Comes by Bradbury? Those are gentle spooky reads....
posted by Gyre,Gimble,Wabe, Esq. at 5:09 PM on September 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Gyre,Gimble,Wabe, Esq. at 5:09 PM on September 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
John Bellairs' first two Lewis Barnavelt books, The House with a Clock in Its Walls and The Figure in the Shadows, were both written as kids' scary books but are widely adored by adults as well. (Don't judge the books by those ads for the upcoming Clock movie. That thing looks loud, frenetic and crass in a way that's miles away from the more quiet, eerie scares of the books.) There was a third book in the series, The Letter, the Witch and the Ring, but Lewis isn't the star and in IMHO it's a major fall-off from the first two.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 8:20 PM on September 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Ursula Hitler at 8:20 PM on September 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Have you read Barbara Michaels? Ammie Come Home and House of Many Shadows would be good fits I think.
posted by paduasoy at 12:24 AM on September 5, 2018
posted by paduasoy at 12:24 AM on September 5, 2018
Pretty much anything by Anne Rice.
posted by Hanuman1960 at 4:50 AM on September 5, 2018
posted by Hanuman1960 at 4:50 AM on September 5, 2018
Algernon Blackwood, The Willows
Intense, slow-growing weird menace. Not quite scary, but eerie, under-your-skin creepy. I was about to link to wiki, but on reflection DO NOT look at even a partial summary if you might read this one (a very long short story).
posted by Hugobaron at 7:13 AM on September 5, 2018
Intense, slow-growing weird menace. Not quite scary, but eerie, under-your-skin creepy. I was about to link to wiki, but on reflection DO NOT look at even a partial summary if you might read this one (a very long short story).
posted by Hugobaron at 7:13 AM on September 5, 2018
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury should fit perfectly.
(On preview I see that this has already been suggested. Let this be another vote for it.)
posted by 256 at 8:26 AM on September 5, 2018
(On preview I see that this has already been suggested. Let this be another vote for it.)
posted by 256 at 8:26 AM on September 5, 2018
The Ghost Writer by John Harwood is just this book. It is one of the best scary stories I have ever read. No gore, but really scary. It was the last book I read that made me scared to be alone in my house.
posted by chocolatetiara at 8:51 AM on September 5, 2018
posted by chocolatetiara at 8:51 AM on September 5, 2018
The Woman in Black by Susan Hill, perhaps? I have a similar level of tolerance as you for scary things, and I enjoyed it a lot.
posted by meronym at 9:26 AM on September 5, 2018
posted by meronym at 9:26 AM on September 5, 2018
How do you feel about non-fiction? I liked Ghosts: A Natural History.
And I have to add a caution about Strange Practice, mentioned upthread - if you have any reasonable knowledge of either London or medical practice in the UK, it's basically unreadable because it's so incredibly badly researched. I made it about three chapters in before the ever-increasing pile of innacuracies and out of place Americanisms meant that I had to stop because I was grinding my teeth too much. If you're not medical in any way and don't know much about London it might well be a good read!
posted by Vortisaur at 1:39 PM on September 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
And I have to add a caution about Strange Practice, mentioned upthread - if you have any reasonable knowledge of either London or medical practice in the UK, it's basically unreadable because it's so incredibly badly researched. I made it about three chapters in before the ever-increasing pile of innacuracies and out of place Americanisms meant that I had to stop because I was grinding my teeth too much. If you're not medical in any way and don't know much about London it might well be a good read!
posted by Vortisaur at 1:39 PM on September 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
If YA isn't your thing and you want scary-but-not-gory-or-depressing, why not go to the classics and read some of M R James' ghost stories? They were written as entertainments for his friends and are marvelously spooky without making you want to check under your bed for monsters after reading them.
posted by darchildre at 12:56 PM on September 4, 2018 [2 favorites]