Hallowe'en Reading List
The nights are drawing in, the pumpkins have all got fat and the Day of the Dead is nigh. Here are our suggestions of books for tiding you over this Samhain.

After Dark, Haruki Murakami; translated by Jay Rubin (Harvill Secker)
Set between midnight and first light, Murakami here does what he does best, hinting at connections amongst the loneliness.

Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror, Chris Priestly (Bloomsbury)
Patrick Samphire isn't the only one to explore a boy's relationship with his uncle. This new novel from illustrator Chris Priestly is one to share with the kids. Uncle Montague reveals the secrets of the world to his young nephew Edgar.

The Cusp of Something, Jai Clare (Elastic Press)
The publication of Jai Clare's new collection of short stories marks the fifth anniversary of Elastic Press, which has not only been championing the short form for five years, but also publishing in the main interstitial, off-beat fantasy too.

Cover the Mirrors, Faye L Booth (Macmillan)
This historical gothic romance is the debut from Macmillan New Writing author Faye L Booth. Perfect for the season of things going bump in the night.

The end of MR Y, Scarlett Thomas (Canongate)
This is somewhat hit-and-miss, but an enjoyably inventive oddball adventure from the one-time New Puritan.

Appearances, Gianni Celati; translated by Stuart Hood (Serpent's Tail)
In the four novellas compiled here, Celati packs his tales with philosophical observations without losing track of the storytelling.

The Woman in Black, Susan Hill (Vintage)
The Blair Witch Project is nothing more than a walk in the park compared with this. One of the creepiest stories this side of Edgar Allen Poe. Read it alone, at night, with a torch, only if you are extremely brave or not wishing for pleasant dreams.

The Lollipop Shoes, Joanne Harris (Doubleday)
More on the life of Vianne Rocher, the proprietor of the world's most famous chocolate shop, and her daughter Anouk from Joanne Harris, this month's interviewee. Also worth a look is her new fantasy, Runemarks.

Previous: Editorial by Neil Ayres

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