Since the Reanimator Mysteries sit firmly on the morbid side of research, I have acquired and read a lot of nonfiction books that are great for the Halloween season, so I thought I would share them with you in case you need a hit of spookiness before October ends or year ’round. All links below are affiliate links, so I get a tiny kickback if you buy anything with them.
- Eaters of the Dead by Kevin J. Wetmore- a fantastic look at cannibalism and man-eating creatures from ancient legends to pre-modern folklore to our pop culture creatures. Wetmore sheds light on where these creatures come from and what in our psyche makes us fear being eaten or becoming man-eaters.
- Calling the Spirits by Lisa Morton- a look at seances and what we now call mediumship throughout history. While far less morbid that Eaters of the Dead, Morton does a great job of linking past to present and how the rise of women in Spiritualist communities really cemented mediumship in pop culture.
- Trick or Treat by Lisa Morton- Morton is very into the spooky, apparently. This is an overview of Halloween from its ancient influences to holidays or traditions that overlap and led to our modern Halloween. It dispels some Victorian myths about Halloween and creates a clearer picture of how it came to be in the US.
- The Book of Halloween by Ruth Edna Kelley- Behold the originator of many of the myths. I read this before Morton’s book, and it was interesting to learn what Kelley got wrong. This Halloween book has a lot of poetry and fun tidbits like recipes from the early 1900s. It is not historically accurate, but I think it paints of fun picture of what people thought about Halloween in the early 20th century.
- A Haunted History of Invisible Women by Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Janes- A look into how the lives of women shape ghost stories and how those ghost stories get their lives incredibly wrong. It sheds light on the lives of people often left in the margins and totally left out of their own stories after death. Hieber and Janes have a second book out America’s Most Gothic, which I haven’t read yet but am looking forward to reading soon.
- Vampire Forensics by Mark Collins Jenkins- This is sort of a how to spot a vampire book. It’s very accessible and what I found particularly interesting about it is the forensics behind it. Many signs of a vampire are actually normal parts of decomposition, and that is mainly what Jenkins explores. If you want to be a vampire expert like Gwen, highly recommend it.
- Ghostland by Colin Dickey- I loved this book. It’s a fascinating read about the archetypes of ghost stories and how ghost stories are akin to fairytales in America. Dickey does a great job connecting the dots when it comes to trauma, warnings, sociological upheaval, and the proliferation of ghost stories. Oh, and of course, capitalism.
- Over My Dead Body by Greg Melville- This was SO GOOD. It’s a book about cemeteries and how they are a reflection of the society that created them. It goes into fascinating depth about how cemeteries in America have evolved over the centuries and where they might be going in the future. For those who think cemeteries are merely hallowed ground, Melville shows they are so much more than merely plots of land. The audiobook is stellar and great for a commute read.
Kara Jorgensen 