When I Arrived at the Castle by E. M. Carroll
This erotic horror graphic novel will leave you thinking about it long after you turn the last page. It follows a woman who arrives at a vampire’s castle determined to kill her, but she’s soon in way over her head. This is bloody, sexy, and sometimes puzzling—I can’t tell you I totally understood what was happening—and it’s also absolutely gorgeous, even when it’s gory. This 72-page graphic novel may be the quickest read on this list. If you’re looking for something creepy but not erotic, I also recommend Carroll’s YA graphic novel, Through the Woods. (Castles and woods are both popular horror settings on this list!)
The Low, Low Woods by Carmen Maria Machado, DaNi, and Tamra Bonvillain
This is the second time I’ve mentioned Carmen Maria Machado in this article, but I can’t help it: she knows how to write stories that drive themselves under my fingernails. Teen girls El and Octavia awaken in a movie theater with no memory of the hours before. Their search for answers will unearth secrets about their town of Shudder-to-Think and the monstrous figures in the woods that most would prefer went unsaid. I’d recommend looking up the content warnings for this one.
Night of the Living Queers: 13 Tales of Terror & Delight edited by Shelly Page and Alex Brown
This anthology is longer than most of the books on this list: it’s 304 pages. In my defense, though, the short stories make it easy to dip in and out of, so even if you don’t finish it all on Halloween, you’ll have the satisfaction of finishing a few stories. It’s also YA, which is often quicker to read. These stories all star queer teens of color, and they all take place on Halloween night! So, you see why I had to sneak it onto this list. Personally, I’m debating whether to start this before the 31st to make sure I finish it by the end of the month, or whether I should read it cover to cover on Halloween proper.
Eat the Rich by Sarah Gailey, Pius Bak, and Roman Titov
Let’s be honest, if the title and cover of this graphic novel appeal to you, I don’t think you need any more convincing to pick it up. It follows up-and-coming lawyer Joey as she meets her wealthy boyfriend’s family for the first time, and discovers an…unconventional hobby they have. This is an over-the-top, gruesome, funny, anti-capitalist queer graphic novel that I gobbled up in one sitting. (Sorry.)
For more, check out these lists of horror novellas and graphic novels.
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