Halloween Mystery Book List

I know that  for mystery book readers, any time is the right time for reading a good mystery. But, the spooky Halloween season sure is a good time to enjoy a particularly good mystery book.

At the beginning of October, when all of the holidays are approaching, I try to find some time just for myself when I can cozy up on the couch, listen to the wind, and enjoy my first holiday-themed mystery book. I have a whole pile of books that I actually save for just this time of the year. There is nothing like getting right to the climactic part of the book while listening to the rain hitting the pavement outside.

I have included a list of Halloween short stories along with the mystery books. I hope that you are able to enjoy the fun of Halloween, even while enjoying the scary plots that some of our favorite authors have waiting for us!

Halloween Mysteries

Kathie Aarons ….. Behind Chocolate Bars

Ellery Adams …..The Root of All Evil  (w/ Elizabeth Lockard)

Stacey Alabaster….. The Pumpkin Killer

Glynn Marsh Alam….. Green Water Ghost

Susan Wittig Albert….. Witches’ Bane

Ellie Alexander (aka Kate Dyer-Seeley)….. The Pint of No Return

Barbara Allan….. Antiques Maul  

Donna Andrews, Barb Goffman, & Marcia Talley (editors)….. Homicidal Holidays: Fourteen Tales of Murder and Merriment

Donna Andrews  ….. Lord of the Wings

Madelyn Alt….In Charm’s Way (Was supposed to publish in Oct. 2011)

Mary Kay Andrews (aka Kathy Hogan Trochek)….. Strange Brew

Connie Archer ….. A Roux of Revenge (Harvest Festival)

May Louise Aswell….. Far to Go

Kathleen Bacus….. Ghouls Just Want to Have Fun (also known as Calamity Jane and the Haunted Homecoming)

Donald Bain & “Jessica Fletcher”…… Trick or Treachery

Donald Bain, Renée Paley-Bain, & “Jessica Fletcher”….. The Ghost and Mrs. Fletcher

Constance Barker….. Punked by the Pumpkin

Cynthia Baxter ….. Last Licks

Laura Belgrave….. In the Spirit of Murder

Susan Bernhardt ….. The Ginseng Conspiracy

Juliet Blackwell (aka Hailey Lind)….. A Haunting is Brewing (Novella)

Bethany Blake ….. Dial Meow for Murder

Heather Blake (aka Heather Webber)….. Ghost of a Potion

Alice K. Boatwright….. Under an English Heaven 

Janet Bolin….. Night of the Living Thread

Kate Borden….. Death of a Trickster

Thomas Boyle….. Post-Mortem Effects

Ray Bradbury….. A Graveyard for Lunatics

Ray Bradbury….. The Halloween Tree

Jacklyn Brady ….. Rebel Without a Cake

Lilian Jackson Braun….. Cat Who Talked to Ghosts

Allison Brook ….. Death Overdue

Rita Mae Brown….. The Hunt Ball

Rita Mae Brown….. The Litter of the Law

Leo Bruce….. Death on Allhallowe’en

Mollie Cox Bryan….. Scrapbook of the Dead (Day of the Dead)

W. J. Burley…… Wycliffe and the Scapegoat

Jessica Burton….. Death Goes Shopping

Lynn Cahoon ….. A Deadly Brew (novella)

Ann Campbell….. Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

R. Wright Campbell….. The Wizard of La-La Land

John Newton Chance….. The Halloween Murders

Nora Charles….. Death with an Ocean View

Laura Childs….. Frill Kill

Laura Childs….. Fiber and Brimstone

Laura Childs….. Bedeviled Eggs

Laura Childs….. The Jasmine Moon Murder

Laura Childs….. Gossamer Ghost

Laura Childs….. Ming Tea Murder 

Agatha Christie….. The Hallowe’en Party

Nancy Coco (aka Nancy J. Parra & Nell Hampton) …..Fudge Bites

Nancy J. Cohen….. Haunted Hair Nights    (novella)

Christine E. Collier….. A Holiday Sampler

Sheila Connolly (aka Sarah Atwell)….. A Gala Event (Fall Harvest)

Sheila Connolly (aka Sarah Atwell)….. Search for the Dead

Susan Rogers Cooper….. Not in My Backyard

Maya Corrigan ….. Crypt Suzette

Elisabeth Crabtree ….. Deadly Magic

Isis Crawford (aka Barbara Block)….. A Catered Halloween

Isis Crawford (aka Barbara Block)….. A Catered Costume Party

Mary Daheim….. Silver Scream

Kathi Daley ….. Henderson House

Kathi Daley ….. A Whisker in Time

Kathi Daley ….. The Halloween House

Philip Daniels….. The Dracula Murders

Krista Davis….. The Diva Haunts the House

Krista Davis….. The Ghost and Mrs. Mewer

Kathleen Delaney ….. And Murder for Dessert (Fall Harvest)

Abby Deuel: Farmcall Fatality

Denise Dietz….. Throw Darts at a Cheesecake

Doris Miles Disney….. Trick or Treat

John Dixon….. A Map of the Dark

P. C. Doherty…… Ghostly Murders

Deborah Donnelly….. Died to Match

Carole Nelson Douglas….. Cat with an Emerald Eye

Pamela DuMond…..Cupcakes, Bats, and Scare-dy Cats

Susan Dunlap….. Not Exactly a Brahmin

Kaitlyn Dunnett….. Vampires, Bones, and Treacle Scones

Elizabeth Eagan-Cox….. A Ghost to Die For

Dawn Eastman ….. Be Careful What You Witch For (Fall Festival)

Dawn Eastman ….. Do No Harm

Rosemary Edghill….. The Bowl of Night

K.J. Emrick….. Ghost Story

Alex Erickson ….. Death by Pumpkin Spice

John Esteven….. Door of Death

Loren D. Estleman….. The Witchfinder

Anne C. Fallon….. Dead Ends

Jerrilyn Farmer….. Sympathy for the Devil

Connie Feddersen….. Dead in the Pumpkin Patch

Vickie Fee….. It’s Your Party, Die if You Want To

Monica Ferris….. Hanging by a Thread

Monica Ferris….. Blackwork

Kay Finch ….. The Black Cat Sees His Shadow (“Pumpkin Days Festival”)

Sharon Fiffer….. Scary Stuff

Honora Finkelstein….. The Lawyer Who Died Trying

“Jessica Fletcher” & Donald Bain…. Trick or Treachery

“Jessica Fletcher”, Donald Bain, & Renée Paley-Bain….. The Ghost and Mrs. Fletcher

Joanne Fluke….. The Fudge Cupcake Murder

Sarah Fox ….. Wine and Punishment (autumn festival)

Shelley Freydont….. Halloween Murder

Shelley Freydont ….. Trick or Deceit

Shelley Freydont….. Foul Play at the Fair (Harvest)

Eva Gates (aka Vicki Delany)…..The Spook in the Stacks

Daryl Wood Gerber (aka Avery Aames)….. Stirring the Plot

Leslie Glaister….. Trick or Treat

Nancy Gladstone….. Mommy and the Murder

Jeanne Glidewell….. Haunted

Jean G. Goodhind (aka J.G. Goodhind)….. Blood & Broomsticks

Joe Gores & Bill Pronzini, eds….. Trick and Treats (Anthology)

Paula Gosling….. A Few Dying Words

Margaret Grace (aka Camille Minichino)….. Monster in Miniature

Sarah Graves….. Nail Biter

Kerry Greenwood….. Trick or Treat

Jane Haddam….. Quoth the Raven

Jane Haddam….. Skeleton Key

Nancy Haddock….. A Crime of Poison (Fall Folk Art)

Carolyn Haines….. Hallowed Bones

Carolyn Haines….. Bone to Be Wild

Victoria Hamilton….. Muffin but Murder

Happy Homicides 4: Fall into Crime (Autumn & Fall Holidays Anthology)

Carolyn Hart….. Southern Ghost

Carolyn Hart….. Ghost at Work

Frances Noyes Hart….. Hide in the Dark

Ellen Hart….. Sweet Poison

Sparkle Hayter….. Revenge of the Cootie Girls

B. B. Haywood….. Town in a Pumpkin Bash

Reginald Hill…. Asking for the Moon (includes “Pascoe’s Ghost”  and “Dalziel’s Ghost”)

Tony Hillerman….. The Fallen Man

Tony Hillerman….. The Wailing Wind

Lee Hollis ….. Death of a Pumpkin Carver

Bobbie Holmes (aka Anna J. McIntyre)….. The Ghost of Halloween Past

Mary Ellen Hughes ….. A Vintage Death (fall)

Ellen Elizabeth Hunter….. Murder on the Ghost Walk

Maddie Hunter ….. From Bad to Wurst

Susan Isaacs….. Long Time No See

Judith K. Ivie….. Murder on Old Main Street (fall festival)

Judith K. Ivie….. Dirty Tricks

Melanie Jackson….. The Pumpkin Thief

Melanie Jackson….. The Great Pumpkin Caper

Shirley Jackson….. The Haunting of Hill House

Jonnie Jacobs….. Murder Among Us

Pamela James….. A Murder Made in Stitches

William W. Johnstone…… The Devil’s Cat

William W. Johnstone….. Cat’s Eye

William W. Johnstone….. Cat’s Cradle

William W. Johnstone….. The Devil’s Kiss

William W. Johnstone….. The Devil’s Heart

William W. Johnstone….. The Devil’s Touch

Daniel Judson….. The Violet Hour

Heather Justesen ….. Muffins & Murder

Tonya Kappes ….. A Charming Voodoo

Faye Kellerman….. Day of Atonement

Harry Kemelman….. Saturday the Rabbi Went Hungry

Diana Killian….. Verse of the Vampyre

Josi S. Kilpack….. Pumpkin Roll

Andrew Klavan….. The Animal Hour

Annie Knox (aka Wendy Lyn Watson)….. Paws for Murder

Janis Lane ….. Murder in the Neighborhood

Joyce & Jim Lavene….. Ghastly Glass

Amanda Lee (aka Gayle Trent) ….. The Stitching Hour

J. Sheridan LeFanu….. Best Ghost Stories of J. S. Lefanu

Laura Levine….. Death of A Neighborhood Witch

James Lilley….. Death Knocks Twice

Kylie Logan (aka Miranda Bliss & Casey Daniels)….. The Legend of Sleepy Harlow

Karen MacInerney ….. Pumpkin Pied (story)

Karen MacInerney ….. Deadly Brew

Elaine Macko…..  Poisoned

Meg Macy….. Bear Witness to Murder  (Octobear Fest)

Debbie Madison….. Halloween Flight 77

Cynthia Manson….. Murder for Halloween (Anthology)

Cynthia Manson  & Constance Scarborough, eds….. The Haunted Hour (Anthology)

Alex Matthews….. Satan’s Silence

Ed McBain….. Tricks: an 87th Precinct Mystery

G.A. McKevett….. Poisoned Tarts

Allen Campbell McLean….. Death on All Hallows

Donna McLean….. A Sparrow Falls Holiday (Includes 4 stories: Christmas, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, & Fourth of July)

Mardi Oakley Medawar….. Witch of the Palo Duro

Leslie Meier….. Trick or Treat Murder

Leslie Meier….. Wicked Witch Murder

Leslie Meier….. Candy Corn Murder

Barbara Michaels….. Dancing Floor

Barbara Michaels….. Prince of Darkness

Liz Mugavero ….. A Biscuit, a Casket

Ann Myers ….. Bread of the Dead

Helen R. Myers….. Dead End

Tamar Myers….. Nightmare in Shining Armor

J. E. Neighbors….. Hatchet Job

J.L. Newton….. Oink: A Food for Thought Mystery

Patrick J. O’Brian….. Retribution

Ed Okonowicz….. Halloween House

Gail Oust….. Curried Away (Oktoberfest)

Katherine Hall Page….. The Body in the Moonlight

Norman Partridge….. Dark Harvest

Carol J. Perry….. Caught Dead Handed

Carol J. Perry….. Grave Errors

Leigh Perry…..The Skeleton Haunts a House

Ellis Peters….. Flight of a Witch

Nancy Pickard….. Twilight

Kat Richardson….. Poltergeist 

David Robbins….. Spook Night

Gillian Roberts….. A Hole in Juan 

Lora Roberts….. Murder in a Nice Neighborhood

Sara Rosett….. Magnolias, Moonlight, and Murder

Annelise Ryan….. Scared Stiff

Kim Sauke….. Death of Halloween

Mary Saums….. Mighty Old Bones

Corinne Holt Sawyer….. Murder Ole!

Maria E. Schneider….. Tracking Magic (ghost stories)

Mark Schweizer….. The Tenor Wore Tapshoes (All Saints Day)

Maggie Sefton….. Halloween Scare (story)

Connie Shelton….. Spooky Sweet

Paige Shelton ….. A Killer Maize

Ray Sipherd….. Dance of the Scarecrows

Michele Slung & Roland Hartman, eds….. Murder for Halloween: Tales of Suspense (Anthology)

Susan Smily….. The Lawyer Who Died Trying

Janet Elaine Smith….. Recipe for Murder

Cathy Spencer….. Town Haunts

J. B. Stanley (aka Jennifer Stanley)….. Carbs and Cadavers

Wendy Corsi Staub….. In the Blink of an Eye

Wendy Corsi Staub….. Halloween Party

Denise Swanson….. Murder of a Royal Pain

Kathleen Taylor….. Mourning Shift

Lee Thayer….. Halloween Homicide

Terri Thayer….. Inked Up

Lisa B. Thomas ….. Sharpe Point

Linda Thrasher….. Charlie’s Web

James Tipper ….. Gods of The Nowhere

Rebecca Tope ….. Death in the Cotswolds

Joyce Tremel …… A Room with a Brew  (Oktoberfest)

Teresa Trent: A Dash of Murder

Kathy Hogan Trochek (aka Mary Kay Andrews)….. Strange Brew

Wendy Tyson….. Bitter Harvest 

Diane Vallere ….. Masking for Trouble

Debbie Viguié ….. I Will Fear No Evil

Livia J. Washburn….. Murder by the Slice

Livia J. Washburn….. Trick or Deadly Treat

Livia J. Washburn ….. Death Bakes a Pecan Pie (Harvest Festival)

Ken Weber….. Five-Minute Halloween Mysteries

Mary V. Welk….. The Scarecrow Murders

Richard F. West….. Ghoul of My Dreams

Donald Westlake, ed….. Mystery for Halloween (Anthology)

Charles Williams….. All Hallow’s Eve

J L Wilson….. Mayhem, Marriage, and Murderous Mystery Manuscripts

Lois Winston….. A Stitch to Die For

Valerie Wolzien….. All Hallow’s Evil

***Back to the Holiday Mystery Book page***