Historical Fictions Halloween

Mary is the great-niece of Victor Frankenstein. She knows her uncle disappeared in mysterious circumstances in the Arctic but she doesn't know why or how. She and her husband are trying to make a name for themselves as paleontologists but, in 1850s' London, scientific success requires wealth and connections - neither of which they possess. But then Mary discovers some old family papers that allude to the truth behind her great-uncle's past, of his attempts to create a living being and the creature that ultimately killed him. Perhaps this idea will prove to be their salvation.

Sixteen-year-old photography enthusiast Zoey has been fascinated by the haunted, burnt-out ruins of Medwyn Mill House for as long as she can remember - so she and her best friend, Poulton, run away from home to explore them. In 1851, 17-year-old Roan arrives at the Mill House as a ward - one of three, all with something to hide from their new guardian. 1583. Hermione, a new young bride, accompanies her husband to the wilds of North Wales where he plans to build the largest water mill and mansion in the area.

Soon after her best friend, Kitty, mysteriously dies, orphaned 17-year-old Molly Green is sent away to live with her "aunt". With no relations that she knows of, Molly assumes she has been sold as a maid for the price of an extra donation in the church orphanage's coffers. Such a thing is not unheard of. There are only so many options for an unmarried girl in 1850s Philadelphia. Only, when Molly arrives, she discovers her aunt is very much real, exceedingly wealthy, and with secrets of her own. Secrets and wealth she intends to share - for a price.

The Devil's Gate, the looming barrier that keeps the demons and nightmares at bay every night of the year except for Halloween, comes crashing down. An army of steam-powered automatons, led by the Devil himself, finally gets the better of Jack of the Lantern, the man who tricked the Devil and gave us the jack o' lantern for protection on the darkest night of the year. With their steam-powered soldiers, the demons no longer fear Jack of the Lantern as they pour out in to the world to get into whatever mischief they desire.

After escaping a harsh school where punishment was the lesson of the day, 17-year-old Louisa Ditton is thrilled to find employment as a maid at a boardinghouse. But soon after her arrival at Coldthistle House, Louisa begins to realize that the house's mysterious owner, Mr. Morningside, is providing much more than lodging for his guests. Far from a place of rest, the house is a place of judgment, and Mr. Morningside and his unusual staff are meant to execute their own justice on those who are past being saved.

Maine, 1846. Gabriel Stone is desperate to escape the ghosts that haunt him in Massachusetts after his wife’s death, so he moves to Maine, taking a position as a minister in the remote village of Pale Harbor. But not all is as it seems in the sleepy town. Strange, unsettling things have been happening, and the townspeople claim that only one person can be responsible: Sophronia Carver, a reclusive widow who lives with a spinster maid in the eerie Castle Carver. Sophronia must be a witch, and she almost certainly killed her husband.

When the local town drunk sees a murder committed on Boot Hill on Halloween night, will anyone pay any attention to his story? Sheriff Joe Grubbs, though skeptical, investigates and finds the new grave. Now, he has a job to do and risks losing the love of his life doing it. It's a harrowing Halloween night in Haleyville, Texas.

Miss Henrietta Moore’s life is about to get mysterious. When Sally, Henri’s maid, comes across a mask in a trunk of old costumes, Henrietta is entranced and transformed. She secretly wears the mask at the first of October’s masquerades, hoping to catch the attention of the man she thinks she loves. Instead, she finds herself the talk of the town. When her mother gives her an ultimatum to be engaged by All Hallows Eve or be forced into an arranged marriage, Henrietta continues her rouse in the hopes that the man of her dreams will recognize her.

Another round of horrifying Halloween stories to fill you with delight. The audiobook 31 More Nights of Halloween brings together 31 short stories from today's newest authors. From ghosts to witches, to vampires and possessions, this collection has something for that Halloween kid in all of us. So take off your shoes and light a candle, but be careful what you say, you might end up casting a Halloween spell.