Halloween is almost here and the staff of the Champlain Library have hand-picked a selection of books that will send chills up your spine. Try a book from this list of eerie tales and heart-pounding mysteries – if you dare!
The God of the Woods, Liz Moore
In August 1975, the disappearance of Barbara Van Laar from her summer camp triggers a frantic search. The Van Laars, who own the camp, have faced tragedy before; Barbara’s brother vanished 16 years earlier. Liz Moore weaves a compelling narrative of layered secrets, exploring the emotional toll on Barbara’s grieving mother, the townspeople, and an outsider seeking the truth behind this haunting mystery.
The Searcher, Tana French
Cal Hooper hopes a fixer-upper in a charming Irish village will offer him a fresh start after his years as a Chicago police officer and a difficult divorce. Seeking peace and quiet, he instead finds himself drawn into a local mystery when a boy whose brother has gone missing persuades him to investigate. As Cal delves deeper, he uncovers unsettling secrets lurking beneath the village’s idyllic surface.
She’s not sorry, Mary Kubica
Single mother and full-time nurse Meghan Michaels, when it is revealed her patient with a traumatic brain injury didn’t jump from a bridge but was pushed, mistakenly lets herself get too close to the case, realizing she and her daughter could be the next victims.
Verity, Colleen Hoover
Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling writer facing financial ruin, gets a dream job completing the books of bestselling author Verity Crawford, who can’t finish them due to an injury. While at the Crawford home, Lowen finds an unfinished autobiography filled with chilling admissions. As she hides the manuscript from Verity’s husband, Jeremy, her feelings for him deepen, making her question how revealing the truth could change everything.
L’énigme de la chambre 622, Joël Dicker
Un meurtre a lieu au Palace de Verbier dans les Alpes suisses ; l’enquête policière échoue. Des années plus tard, à l’été 2018, un écrivain en vacances à l’hôtel se retrouve impliqué de manière inattendue dans l’affaire. Avec la précision d’un maître horloger, Joël Dicker révèle le mystère de la chambre 622, sur fond de triangle amoureux, de luttes de pouvoir et de trahisons dans une Suisse étonnamment tumultueuse.
Le cœur à retardement, Andrew Kaufman ; traduit de l’anglais par Catherine Leroux
À quoi sert le cœur humain ? Beaucoup passent leur vie à chercher cette réponse. Charlie Waterfield a seulement vingt-quatre heures avant que la bombe dans sa poitrine n’explose. Arrivé à Métaphoria, ville des accidentés de l’amour, il doit comprendre ce qui a ruiné sa vie sentimentale. Tic-tac, tic-tac.
The Return of Ellie Black, Emiko Jean
When Ellie Black, who disappeared two years earlier, is found alive in the woods of Washington State, Detective Chelsey Calhoun, whose own sister went missing when they were teenagers, realizes something is not right with Ellie and it’s up to her to find the answers before another girl is taken.
All the Colors of the Dark, Chris Whitaker
In 1975 America, as the Vietnam War ends, girls start disappearing in Monta Clare, Missouri. Local boy Patch becomes an unlikely hero when he saves a wealthy girl. As he and his loved ones search for answers, they confront truths that could tear them apart. Chris Whitaker’s novel blends missing person mystery, serial killer thriller, and love story, exploring the shadows of obsession and the light of hope.
The Darkness Surrounds Us, Gail Lukasik
Nurse Nellie Lester flees Chicago during the 1918 Spanish flu for a job at a decaying mansion on a remote Michigan island, hoping to learn about her mother’s past. Haunted by a ghostly presence—possibly her mother—Nellie discovers the body of the previous nurse and suspects a link to a vanished group. As winter nears, she confronts a killer intent on keeping the island’s secrets. Can she uncover her mother’s past before it’s too late?
Spooky Canada: Tales of Hauntings, Strange Happenings, and Other Local Lore, Retold by S.E. Schloosser
Gather round the campfire for thirty creepy tales of ghostly hauntings and strange occurrences from times past in Canada. This captivating collection will keep you looking over your shoulder!
