It’s the spooky season once again. Here’s some spine-chilling horrors and mysteries recommended by librarian Allyson Mower.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Enter the gloom–a plant-based biological creeper–in this novel as the protagonist and her sickened cousin attempt to unleash themselves from it as it binds and possesses them and others in the creepy house and even creepier family the cousin has married into.

Kindred by Octavia Butler

Imaginative, best-selling horror story about a modern-day descendent being pulled back in time by her slave-owning ancestor for the purpose, she slowly discovers, of ensuring that her family-line continues, a mission she rightfully struggles with as she witnesses (and experiences) the violent world her enslaved ancestors lived through.

The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay

Unexpected visitors get called upon by a mysterious being to stop the apocalypse by descending on a small cabin where youngster Wen and her dads are staying for a summer vacation!

The Magnus Archives by Jonathan Sims

Recommended by a U of U graduate student for those needing a regular dose of horror and ghost stories, this free and openly-licensed weekly podcast tells stories about the weird things that exist in the archives of the Magnus Institute and the dedicated archivists who both explore the strange and help others manage it, too.

The Passage by Justin Cronin

A virus-themed epic that’s like three books in one (rivalling Stephen King’s “The Stand”) with elements of historical fiction, fantasy, horror, and sci-fi—makes for a very engaging book that will happily take over your reading life during the pandemic