SPOOKED: Historical Halloween Read, Watch, Listen
Attention all Vampires, Werewolves, Witches, Headless Horsemen, Ghostly Dogs and various Specters : this Halloween, the moon will not only be a Full Moon, at exactly 9:49 AM, it will also be a Blue Moon. If you need inspiration, or just want a good creepy escape, the recommendations below might be able to help…As usual, this site is not ‘monetized’, and the recommendations are merely my own.
WEIRD READS and LISTENS:
STRANGE PRACTICE and DREADFUL COMPANY, both by Vivian Shaw are books One and Two featuring Dr Greta Helsing. Just think DRACULA and you’ll get the allusion, it’s the first of many. Dr Helsing practices in present day London, but most of her patients are of the, centuries, older variety. I figure this makes it count as ‘historical’. Both of these are charming, witty, occasionally gory and often very funny. Think vampires driving Volvos, shopping in supermarkets and dealing with fear of flying – the budget airline kind, not the other. There is also a very nice werewolf – in the second book, which is set in Paris. Greta herself deals with the problems of not speaking fluent Ghoulish and all sorts of things like the ins and outs of social classes among the undead. To say more would be to risk spoilers, but do look out for a wonderful cameo appearance at the end of STRANGE PRACTICE. There is a third in the series, but I have confess, I didn’t like it anywhere near as much as these first two. They are wholly original, and especially delightful if you are up on your classic horror literature, or even if you’re not. A Treat. The books are available on Amazon, and everywhere else, and the Audible productions are Great.
Sticking with London, where the supernatural world seems to be especially active at the moment, LONDON FALLING by PAUL CORNELL is the first of three books about the Shadow Police, an, erm, highly specialized until within The Met who deal with, well, total utter weirdness of the inexplicable kind. I really loved this, but I am willing to bet it is not for everyone. They are Very London-centric. The first, LONDON FALLING manages, via supernatural shenanigans of a complex kind, to connect – wait for it – Anne Boleyn and football aka soccer to Americans. Quite a lot of this has to do with English fandom and love of football grounds, but you don’t have to be into that, or even know about it, to enjoy it. It’s a great story, with a distinctly dark side, and reads pretty well as a novel as well as a police procedural of the Most Bizarre kind. I liked it a lot – completely original, good writing and great characters. The second and third in the series are THE SEVERED STREETS and WHO KILLED SHERLOCK HOLMES. Notorious historical Londoners play central roles in both. These are twisty enough that they might be more satisfying to read. The Audible productions are also very good.
SIMONE ST JAMES is Canadian, but she’s staked out ground in 1920s England. I have mixed feelings here. Some of her books I find very disappointing, others I love. In terms of spooky, she deals in ghost stories, and in the weird time between the wars when spiritualism was all over the place. Endless numbers of the bereaved were desperate to get in touch with their lost loved ones who had perished in the trenches, and endless numbers of fake psychics were ready and willing to take advantage of them. This is the basis for my favorite of St James’ 1920s England books (there are also two novels set in the present) THE OTHER SIDE OF MIDNIGHT, which I thought was terrific. Great story and great central character and premise. To say more would be to risk spoiling. SILENCE FOR THE DEAD is also a fairly creepy ghost story, with a very strong central character who was a pleasure to spend time with. St James has also written two ghost stories set in the present, sort of. THE BROKEN GIRLS is especially good and seriously spooky. It jumps back and forth in a ‘Then and Now’ formula, based around a particularly satisfying mystery. Highly recommended. All are available on Amazon, although I preferred the Audible productions, which are excellent.
If you are in the mood for a seriously horrible ghost story, check out THE COLONY by FG Cottam. Think haunted island in the Hebrides, ghost hunters, and seriously nasty goings on – all hinged on an equally nasty episode in 1825. There are three of these in a sort of series. For me, number two didn’t work at all, and I haven’t read number three, so I can’t say. But the first one was both convincing and quite seriously unpleasant. These are definitely NOT fun ghosts. Available on Amazon and on Audible.
Of course, the quintessential English ghost story, if you haven’t read it, and even if you have, is THE TURN OF THE SCREW by Henry James. I don’t think enough attention is paid to how much this owes to JANE EYRE. But, that aside, it is a terrifying story, and always a pleasure to both read and, I think even more to listen to. There are several good editions on Audible. Every time I hear or read this, I think something different is going on. Which probably says more about where I’m at at the time than anything else – but surely that’s a hallmark of great fiction?
For a delightfully creepy and utterly weird listening experience, try THE DARK HISTORIES PODCAST. This is a great English bi-weekly that tells the stories of true cases of, well, weirdnesses, mysteries, ghosts, and You Name It. More Dark Histories than you can possibly manage. It’s been going for a while so you can scroll through the episodes and find whatever meets your creepy fancy at the moment. Warning: It Can Be Addictive. Check it out at:http://darkhistories.com
And, for All Things Ghostly, including great discussions on what ghosts are – and aren’t – as well as updates on all topics spectral, from weird buzzings, spirit mists, orbs to reports of encounters, general musings, and some very nice paintings by the author and Ghost Master, Duncan Fisher – check out his blog The Beckoning Fair Ones. Full disclosure: I am on it, too – but try to avoid too much shameless self-promotion… http://beckoningfairones.blog
TOO SCARY TO WATCH: In descending order
What is it about the Victorians? They are just plain weird and creepy, and Victorian governesses take the spectral cake. There is no question that probably the hands down most terrifying movie I have ever seen is also a cracking great ghost story. Do not watch Susan Hill’s THE WOMAN IN BLACK alone. Really, don’t. I saw it with several friends and still had my head under the sofa pillow most of the time. Then again, I’m a wuss. With that warning in mind, it’s brilliant. You will look over your shoulder for a long time afterwards…you want the 2012 edition with Daniel Radcliffe and the wonderful Janet McTeer. It’s available to stream on Amazon.
In a distinctly less petrifying, but still pretty spooky and very interesting vein – try Sherlock Holmes’ THE LAST VAMPYRE. This is less well known than THE CURSE OF THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLE’S, but it’s pretty good. Roy Marsden does the unsettling stuff very well, and the story is especially good on how ideas take hold and become forces in and of themselves. It is full length, a satisfying 1 hr and 40 min, and is either episode 34, or season 6 episode 2 of the Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes made by Granada, and available to stream on Amazon or buy on DVD.
From Victorian England, jump up to the 1930s with Agatha Christie’s THE HALLOWEEN PARTY. Being a Joan Hickson Miss Marple fan, I sometimes find Poirot annoying – Christie did, too, which was why she finally killed him off. But this is delightful. No need for sofa cushions except to except to slouch on. A full 90 minutes of immersion in all things English Upper Class Village Behaving Badly, with the usual fab supporting cast, especially the wonderful Zoe Wanamaker. It’s available wherever you find David Suchet’s Poirot, which is usually Amazon.
Finally, for Totally Not Scary At All, but still a great, and very romantic ghost story, check out THE GHOST AND MRS MUIR. There was a TV series from 1968-70, but it’s not a patch on the original film. Made in 1947, and starring Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison, this is the story of a young widow with two children who re-locates to a charming new England seaside house, only to find out that the previous owner, a cranky sea captain who’s been dead for quite a while is still very much in residence. As a bonus, it also features the teenaged Natalie Wood. The timing is kind of screwed up – we jump from what appears to be 1910ish to what looks like 1940ish, during which Natalie Wood has only aged about ten years…But, why be picky? I love this movie. If you need an escape from our anxious days and seek a little ghostly romance for once in a blue moon, it’s a winner. Find it on Amazon or pretty much anywhere, and enjoy!