We’re in the first full week of my favorite time of year: October. It’s the best for many reasons: the cool weather, the changing leaves, and it’s my birthday month. But most of all, I love that it’s a harbinger for Halloween and all things scary. If you know me, you know horror/thriller movies are my favorite. This also translates to books, especially anything disturbing or dystopian. So, for ROCKtober, as I like to call it, here are some of my best-loved selections that will leave you unnerved and spooked out.

I would also like to highlight that this months’ selections are mostly short stories, an often-overlooked genre that is every bit as engaging as novels. Opportunities to develop characters, create atmosphere, and story lines are narrow, which makes a great short story more impressive to read. Big things come in small packages, right? Three of the books on offer are collections, while “The Lottery,” is a standalone recommendation. The only novel is “Model Home,” a random discovery at a local bookstore that became an instant favorite. The titles range from gory, to heavy, to exposing the darker facets of human nature (which can be the most frightening). Even if you’re not inclined to read spooky stories, this collection has something for everyone.

“The Lottery,” a short story by Shirley Jackson

I always say this is the best episode of “The Twilight Zone” that was never created. I’m not sure if Rod Serling was a fan of Shirley Jackson – this is something I need to research someday – but I can’t imagine that he wouldn’t be enamored with this story. It’s one of Jackson’s most famous and recognizable works and brilliantly illustrates the horror of indiscriminate violence. While the other stories in this collection are excellent, The Lottery is by far the most profound. Much like “Nineteen Eighty-Four,” it is frequently held up as a mirror to society, specifically the current political climate in which discourse is dominated by aggressive tribalism. Jackson is a master of tension, and this story builds at a quick pace. It’s one that you’ll read and re-read and then read again because it’s so haunting.

“The Best of Richard Matheson,” short stories by Richard Matheson

Richard Matheson is somewhat of a best-kept secret in the world of science fiction and the supernatural. While Shirley Jackson never wrote for TZ, Richard Matheson wrote several famous episodes, based on stories included in this book, “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet,” being the most recognizable of them all. One thing that struck me about the stories versus the TZ episodes the raw quality of the writing, which was adapted for tv that was heavily censored at the time. If you’re a fan of “The Twilight Zone” like me, you know Serling did the best he could to tell the stories within constraints of network regulations and with primitive special effects technology. But Twilight Zone is only one small component of Matheson’s career. He also wrote “I Am Legend,” “What Dreams May Come,” “Stir of Echoes” (a particular favorite of mine), and “Hell House.” His short story, “Button Button,” was the premise for the movie, “The Box,” starring Cameron Diaz and James Marsden. The short story was superior to the movie, but I appreciated it as an opportunity to learn more about a frequently overlooked and unsung writer of horror.

“Model Home,” by Rivers Solomon

I picked this book up randomly at a local bookstore because I was intrigued by the cover. I love stories about haunted houses, but I’m also fascinated by the weirdness of suburbia. And full disclosure: I’m an interior designer, and as a result, have A LOT of opinions about the perceived timelessness and resilience of new residential construction. For those unaware, a “model home” is another phrase for what developers refer to as a “spec home,” or an example of dwellings available for purchase in the planned development. Potential buyers can choose various options for interior and exterior finishes and look at configurations of floor plans in the context of a real structure. The great irony is that many of these subdivisions are built quickly and on the cheap, using cheap materials that immediately break down. Unfortunately, buyers can’t foresee these outcomes, because the model home remains pristine, clean, despite the imperfections that lurk below the surface. This metaphor forms underlying structure of this story, about a person who lives in the margins, and struggles with the fallout results from prolonged abuse. As the story progresses, they realize their memories are not what they seem, masking something much more sinister at the core of their being.

“Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror,” edited by Jordan Peele

I believe that comedians or comic actors are also adept at playing roles on the opposite end of the spectrum. Jim Carey, Robin Williams, just to name a couple, can play roles that are as scary as they are funny. More recently, I watched “The Patient” with Steve Carrell, and it’s no surprise, that he has the same range for dramatic parts. Jordan Peele has distinguished himself as another one of these actors with a dual capacity for the light-hearted and the sinister. The Key and Peele show was a staple of my young adult life, and the skits are enduringly hilarious. But in 2017, Peele changed directions with the creation of “Get Out,” a horror movie about the hypocrisy of white progressive liberals. Since that time, he has made many movies that examine the intersections of human nature, race, and historical reference such as “Us,” and “Nope.” He also, to drop yet another reference to “The Twilight Zone,” worked with Rod Serlings’ daughter to create a new set of stories for CBS in 2019. Reviews were mixed, but I have watched several and was truly impressed with the quality of his storytelling. In this same vein, he edited “Out There Screaming,” this collection of short horror stories by contemporary Black authors. The stories are disturbing and thought provoking on many levels and are great reads, especially if you’re interested in learning about horror from divergent perspectives.

“You Like it Darker,” by Stephen King

This was a long-anticipated collection of short works from an undisputed “master of horror.” It had been a while since I read a book by Stephen King. But much like the work of Shirley Jackson, he packs a lot of development into a few pages, so I was particularly excited to read this book. Most of these stories could be adapted for the screen. Some of the stories are new. Others were written for magazines like Esquire – although all of these were “new” to me. “On Slide Inn Road,” and “Red Screen” are two favorites. But there is also a sequel to “Cujo,” a book about a murderous Saint Bernard, that was incredible. Stephen King is excellent at turn of phrase, and even the most stomach-turning plots have elements of humor that will make you laugh out loud. Normally with short stories, I take my time reading. You can read a single story, put the book down for a while, pick it up later, read another story, and so on. Not this one. The suspense makes for constant page-turning that makes the book impossible to put down. Regardless of whether you’ve read any of King’s books to date, this format is a great primer if you’d like to start. If you’re a fan of Stephens’ work, this book is just another reminder of what makes him a great author and storyteller.