It’s the most wonderful time of the year…October! Time for apple picking, all things pumpkin spice, and wearing every shade of mustard, orange, and brown I can find. And, of course, ramping up my lifelong love of scary books, movies, and television. There’s nothing better than spending a rainy afternoon curled up with a creepy novel, a cup of coffee, and a cat.
Jackal, opens a new window by Erin E. Adams
Reluctant to return to her white Rust Belt hometown of Johnston, Pennsylvania, Liz steels herself for an uncomfortable weekend as her best friend gets married. But then, on the evening of the wedding, the bride’s daughter, Caroline, goes missing, leaving behind a bloody scrap of white fabric. A frantic search ensues, and it’s Liz that notices the parallels between the disappearance of Caroline and that of Keisha Woodson, the only other Black girl that went to Liz’s school. Keisha had been last seen walking into the woods with an unknown man and was later found dead with her chest ripped open, heart missing. Liz begins researching her hometown’s history and discovers that Black girls have been disappearing from the woods for years. Something evil lurks in the forest, and it’s up to Liz to find Caroline before it’s too late.
Almost Surely Dead, opens a new window by Amina Akhtar
Until a year ago, Dunia Ahmed was a successful pharmacist in New York, the daughter of Pakistani immigrants who was dealing with a broken engagement and the death of her mother. But Dunia’s been missing for over a year and is now the subject of a true crime podcast and a national obsession. Shortly before her disappearance, someone tries to murder her. Then, the would-be killer ends up dead, and Dunia thinks it’s over. But it happens again and again. Dunia’s childhood superstitions seem to be coming true, and it seems that someone-- or something-- is after her.
Exposure, opens a new window by Ramona Emerson
In the follow-up to Shutter, Rita Todacheene, a Navajo forensic photographer with the ability to see the ghosts of murder victims, is called in to help solve a series of brutal murders in Gallup, New Mexico. A serial killer is targeting poverty-stricken Native people, leaving their bodies on the streets to be mistaken for victims of exposure. As the killer's body count rises, Rita must confront her own personal demons and use her unique abilities to stop the killer before he strikes again. Alternating between the viewpoints of Rita and the killer, who is driven by fanatical voices in his head, Emerson’s latest thriller is hard to put down.
Hidden Pictures, opens a new window by Jason Rekulak
Recovering addict Mallory Quinn takes a nanny job in an affluent New Jersey suburb, looking after five-year-old Teddy Maxwell while embracing the comfort and stability of the Maxwells’ home. Mallory and the sweet, shy Teddy quickly bond. Teddy loves to draw, but his innocuous images of rabbits and trees turn sinister, starting with a man dragging a woman’s body through a forest. The days pass, and Teddy’s drawings become more sophisticated and increasingly disturbing. Believing that these images may be connected to a supernatural force, Mallory teams up with a landscaper and a neighbor to uncover the truth behind Teddy's drawings and protect him from a potential danger.
Murder Road, opens a new window by Simone St. James
I never fail to read the newest by St. James, and Murder Road doesn’t disappoint. In July 1995, newlyweds April and Eddie take a wrong turn on the way to their honeymoon in a resort town. Then they spot a hitchhiker on the deserted road and stop to help, not immediately noticing the blood on the young woman’s jacket. The woman dies in the local hospital, and suddenly April and Eddie come under suspicion. Unexplained murders have been happening along this road, the Atticus Line, for years, and now the police now have their suspects. As April and Eddie research the Atticus Line to try to clear their names, they soon learn something supernatural is behind the string of murders.
Hear the ghost stories and legends of Fredericksburg this Saturday, October 12, at 3:00 at the Fredericksburg Branch of Central Rappahannock Regional Library. Presented in partnership with the Fredericksburg Area Museum. Visit librarypoint.org/events, opens a new window for details.
Tracy McPeck is the adult services coordinator at Central Rappahannock Regional Library. This column first appeared in the Free Lance-Star newspaper.
