Spooky stories make good autumn reading

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Do you read your books based on the season? I have many friends who always read the light, “beach reads” in the summer, and then opt for something a bit heavier in the winter. Spring stories tend to have a feeling of renewal and romance, but fall is where the horror and mystery stories really shine.

Our adult book clubs at the Delaware County District Library will meet this week, and they’ve got a lot of spooky stories on their discussion list. On Tuesday at the Ostrander Branch Library, the group discusses one of the scariest books I’ve ever read, Bird Box by Josh Malerman, at 7 p.m. The Orange Branch Library book group tackles a new book by a familiar name in the horror genre, Stephen King. On Wednesday at 7 p.m., they’ll discuss Finders Keepers, the follow-up to Mr. Mercedes.

The critics call Swedish author John Ajvide Lindqvist the heir apparent to Stephen King. Delaware Main Library’s evening book group will discuss his debut vampire tale, Let the Right One In, on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Finally, Powell Branch Library’s group meets on Tuesday at 7 p.m. to discuss the first in the Witching Savannah series by J.D. Horn, The Line. From witches and vampires to mysteries and post-apocalyptic thrillers, these are some pulse-racing stories being discussed.

Also coming up this week at DCDL is a Halloween family storytime at the Orange branch on Tuesday at 6:30. Little ghouls are encouraged to come dressed in costume. The Ohio Ghost Hunters organization will also be at the Orange branch on Thursday at 7 p.m. with stories of past investigations, ghost hunting equipment, and myth debunking methods. The Powell Branch Library will host an after-hours spooky screening of the movie Goosebumps on Friday at 6 p.m. Candy, snacks and entertainment for ages 6 and up will be enjoyed.

On Saturday, Oct. 29 all day at the Orange branch, there is the opportunity for scary, nerdy and much more with the first library Great GeekFest – a library comic-con event. The GeekFest goes from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and will feature costume contests, photo opportunities with famous characters, movies, videogames, tabletop games, role playing games, food trucks, artists, vendors, and panels featuring speakers of all kinds. This all-ages comic-con is the first of its kind for DCDL.

Visit www.delawarelibrary.org to learn more about upcoming library events, the Great GeekFest or to request your next scary read. Here are some recommendations from our staff.

• Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill. A collector of obscure and macabre artifacts, unscrupulous metal band musician Judas Coyne is unable to resist purchasing a ghost over the Internet, which turns out to be the vengeful spirit of his late girlfriend’s stepfather.

• The Keep by F. Paul Wilson. When an unknown force begins killing Nazi soldiers stationed in the remote Transylvanian Alps, the panicked Nazis bring in a local expert on folklore—who happens to be Jewish—to shed some light on the mysterious killings.

• House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski. A family relocates to a small house on Ash Tree Lane and discovers that the inside of their new home seems to be without boundaries.

• Shadowland by Peter Straub. Best friends Tom Flanagan and Del Nightingale, apprentices to a master magician, enter a dark realm of immeasurable evil, more ancient than death itself, where only one of them will survive.

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Nicole Fowles

Glad You Asked

If you have a question that you would like to see answered in this column, mail it to Nicole Fowles, Delaware County District Library, 84 E. Winter St., Delaware, OH 43015, or call us at 740-362-3861. You can also email your questions by visiting the library’s web site at www.delawarelibrary.org or directly to Nicole at [email protected]. No matter how you contact us, we’re always glad you asked!

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