Whether you enjoy seasonal romance books or supernatural mysteries with witches and ghosts, we’ve got something you’ll love. Here are six books that are a perfect fit for the Halloween season.
In true Page & Pairing fashion, we’ve matched each book with a seasonal recipe perfect for hosting your own Halloween party or spicing up your next book club meeting. Go ahead, take a look at these Halloween books and recipes. We dare you!
1. Halloween Party Murder
by Leslie Meier - Lee Hollis - Barbara Ross
If you’re looking for a fun, short seasonal read for your book club, try Halloween Party Murder. It features a trio of spooky stories by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis and Barbara Ross. A husband is accused of murder when his wife overdoses on tainted drugs at their charity haunted-house Halloween party. A food and cocktail columnist stumbles upon a bludgeoned corpse at a movie-themed Halloween monster bash. Three teenage girls are spooked when a group of high schoolers crash their house to host a party. But how did their elderly neighbor wind up dead in the backyard, dressed up as a ghost?
Paring: Gummy Eyeball Jello Shots
Nothing says Halloween party like Jello shots. These festive drinks look spooky but are easy to make thanks to store-bought gummy eyeball candies (you can find them online or locally). All you need is mini shot glasses, strawberry Jello mix, water, vodka (or another white liquor) and gummy candies
Visit SimplisticallyLiving.com to find the recipe.
2. The Pumpkin Spice Café
by Laurie Gilmore
Book 1 of Laurie Gilmore’s Dream Harbor series continues to be a bookstore sensation more than three years after its initial publication. This grumpy x sunshine small-town romance centers on Jeanie, the bubbly new girl in town who’s been gifted the Pumpkin Spice Cafe by her aunt. Meanwhile, Logan is a grumpy-but-gorgeous farmer who avoids the town gossip at all costs. Jeanie has disrupted his strict routine, but somehow, he finds himself inexplicably attracted to her.
Pairing: Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte
If you love Hallmark movies with happy endings and prefer sweet over spooky, invite your book club over to chat about The Pumpkin Spice Cafe while you sip on these seasonal lattes made with milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract or syrup and espresso. Glaze your glasses with a cinnamon-sugar rim and top with whipped cream if you’re feeling fancy.
Find the full recipe at Mocktail.net.
3. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories
by Washington Irving
Ahhhh, Halloween is the perfect time to dust off a classic like Washington Irving’s Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The tale of the headless horseman, who is based on a Revolutionary War soldier who lost his head to a cannonball, has taken on a life of its own. Ichabod Crane and Brom Bones remain enduring literary characters. The book also includes Rip Van Winkle and other classic stories from this beloved American author.
Pairing: Mini Pumpkin Tarts
Whether you’re reading the book or watching Tim Burton’s famous 1999 film adaptation starring Christopher Walken, you’ll want something tasty to snack on. We suggest these decadent cream cheese-infused mini pumpkin tarts topped with marshmallow cream. You can even make them ahead of time and defrost when needed.
Find all the details at AllRecipes.com.
4. Murder, She Wrote: Trick or Treachery
by Jessica Fletcher - Donald Bain
Jamie Lee Curtis recently signed on to play Jessica Fletcher in an upcoming Murder, She Wrote film. While we wait for the 2028 reboot, we can revisit some classics like Murder, She Wrote: Trick or Treachery, the 14th book based on the hit TV series. Halloween brings some spooky occurrences to Cabot Cave when a fire-and-brimstone medium moves into town. When a self-proclaimed witch is found dead in a graveyard, everyone who attended the town’s Halloween party is a potential suspect. It’s up to Jess to sift through the motives and concoct a solution.
Pairing: Oreo Spider Cookies
Every Halloween party needs some good snacks and finger food. These super-cute Oreo spider cookies definitely fill the bill. The maker used seasonal “Boo” Oreos with orange cream filling. Pretzel stick legs and candy eyeballs are attached using melted chocolate, and they’re decorated with optional candy corn teeth.
You can find all the instructions at MessyMommaCrafts.com.
5. Hallowe'en Party
by Agatha Christie
In Hallowe’en Party (Hercule Poirot #35), our favorite Belgian detective is invited to a seance at a country manor. … What could go wrong? When a disagreeable teenage girl brags that she once witnessed a murder, no one at the party believes her. She storms off suddenly, but hours later, she’s found in the mansion drowned among the bobbing apples. It’s up to Poirot to use his famous deductive reasoning and attention to detail to solve the crime. In 2023, Kenneth Branagh adapted the book into a spooky film called A Haunting in Venice that’s also worth checking out.
Pairing: Crockpot Caramel Apples
When it comes to autumn and Halloween, caramel apples are about as classic as Hercule Poirot. This easy recipe is made from two bags of caramel candies melted with a few drops of water in the crockpot. The hardest part is unwrapping the candy! All you need is popsicle sticks, apples (I like tart apples like Granny Smith), chopped nuts and parchment paper for your completed treats.
Visit MomsWithCrockpots.com for all the info you need to make caramel apples with your friends.
6. Dead Until Dark
by Charlaine Harris
This Halloween, become reacquainted with Sookie Stackhouse of True Blood fame. The first book in the series introduces us to the quiet, shy cocktail waitress who has a supernatural ability to read people’s minds. She can read everyone’s thoughts, except the tall, dark, handsome vampire, Bill Compton. When a string of grisly murders strikes the small town of Bon Temps, she uses her supernatural abilities to solve the crime and find the gang of bloodsuckers who are searching for her boyfriend.
Pairing: Mummies in a Blanket
For those of us who enjoy food, not blood, these adorable mummified pigs in a blanket are perfect fare for a Halloween party, especially if you're looking for something that's kid friendly. All you need is your favorite hotdogs cut in half (I like Hebrew National or similar), a can of crescent dough cut into strips and small candy eyeballs. You can use ketchup to fix the eyes to the hotdogs.
Find the full instructions at EmilyEnchanted.com.
Whether you like spooky stories and jump-scares or cozy mysteries and heartwarming romances, we hope this Halloween reading list includes something for you. For more reading ideas, check out our Book & Beverage Pairings, Guide to Book Club Film Adaptations or our Wine & Book Companion Guide. Happy reading and eating!