Creepy Catskills: A Reading List
By Kelli Huggins, Visitor Experience Coordinator
With autumn here and Halloween just around the corner, maybe you’re finding yourself in the mood for some spooky books.
Or, if you’re like me, you’re a year-round horror reader. Either way, I’ve got recommendations that will keep your creepy reads Catskills-centric.
A note on how I made these selections: For this list, I’ve focused on fiction with distinctive horror, gothic, and supernatural elements (I can do a whole other list of locally-set thrillers and mystery novels). Books are listed alphabetically by author. I also stuck with books I have already read, so this is not a list of all Catskills horror. I may do a sequel to this list as I plow through my to-be-read pile. Feel free to email me at khuggins@catskillcenter.org if you want more Catskills book recommendations or want to tell me about your favorite Catskills reads.
The Grave Keepers by Elizabeth Byrne
Byrne’s YA novel, set in a fictionalized Northern Catskills town, is a perfect fit for folks who want a little spooky vibe without the full-fledged horror. In the novel, people “keep” their own graves-- having special grave opening ceremonies when they come of age and then lovingly decorating and spending time in them while alive. And there’s a ghost. Byrne’s book is a truly unique coming of age story and portrait of a family doing their best to get by in the face of tragedy.
Fans of Stephen King (he blurbs the book) will probably take to Carson’s novel about a fictional Catskills reservoir and the ghostly inhabitants of a drowned town who are bent on revenge. I read a ton of books so it takes a lot for a plot to surprise me anymore, but I’ll say that I did not see the book’s climax coming. No spoilers!
Harrison’s debut novel has so many elements I love: complicated friendships, a weird hotel, a mysterious disappearance (and the titular return), and slow burn terror that leads up to an explosive finale. I had the pleasure of doing a Q&A with Harrison as part of our Catskills Virtual Book tour. I recommend checking it out for her thoughts on why the woods and the Catskills have such power as horror settings.
This book is horror on multiple levels. There’s the supernatural story of Der Fischer, a haunted tale involving the construction of the Ashokan Reservoir. This is also a story of the deep grief of two men, reminding us sometimes the scariest things aren’t monsters, but living with incredible loss.
The Hotel Neversink by Adam O'Fallon Price
This was one of my absolute favorite releases of 2019 and I’ve already written about its effectiveness as a gothic tale. The linked stories of multiple generations of a family running a failing Borscht Belt hotel are intertwined with the mysterious disappearances of children from the area. It’s eerie, sad, and so compelling.
Bellweather Rhapsody by Kate Racculia
Hotels are popular settings for Catskills thrillers and horror, but Racculia’s Bellweather Hotel is a standout. A hotel that has seen better days is the location for a large school music festival. The hotel was also the site of an infamous murder-suicide years earlier. The specter of that event hangs over the festival. The book manages the difficult task of being dark and quirky, a combination I loved.
Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma
A girl drowns in the Ashokan Reservoir… or does she? This YA novel takes you inside a dysfunctional modern-day sister dynamic that also intersects with the story of the destruction of the Town of Olive in the construction of the reservoir. It’s lovely, surreal, and haunting.
Still looking for more Catskills horror? Check out my list of Catskills-set pulp fiction, featuring stories by H.P. Lovecraft and more.
If you want to check out any of these books, please remember to support our Catskills independent bookstores. Most do online orders and shipping. If you’re an audiobook listener, some local bookstores are partnered with libro.fm so you can support indie bookstores with your audio purchases, too.
Inquiring Minds Coffee House and Bookstore
Inquiring Minds Bookstore New Paltz