---
title: Short Halloween reads
date: 2024-10-30T22:30:00-05:00
---

Each year, I like to read a classic horror story for Halloween. Since it's a bit late to commit to a full novel, I thought I'd recommend some short horror reads.

## [The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson](https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/robert-louis-stevenson/the-strange-case-of-dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde)

This story is quite good, though it's a bit ruined by being everywhere in popular culture. The writing is compelling and the plot is unsettling. *Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde* is such an essential part of the zeitgeist, I think this is a must-read. While I recognize *Treasure Island* as another classic by Stevenson, I do not find it nearly as interesting as *Dr. Jekyll*.

## [The Great God Pan - Arthur Machen](https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/arthur-machen/short-fiction)

I first heard of this after [Bob Dylan's humorous recommendation](https://x.com/bobdylan/status/1849178408443339018), and the next day picked up a collection including this story at my library. The story is similar to *Dr. Jekyll*, a scientific experiment leads to strange results, and horrible things are happening around Victorian London. I like thinking about the influence that this story had on the film *Pan's Labyrinth*.

## [The Dreams in the Witch House - H. P. Lovecraft](https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/h-p-lovecraft/short-fiction)

I was first introduced to this story via [Dark Adventure Radio Theatre](https://store.hplhs.org/collections/dark-adventure-radio-theatre). I bought their dramatized version of this story on CD back in high school and thought it was incredible. As a mathematics student, I think the concept is quite fun, and I love the dark atmosphere of the attic.

## [The Legend of Sleepy Hollow - Washington Irving](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/41)

This is the oldest story on my list, and it certainly feels the most dated to read, but it is a great short read for the season. The 18th century setting in New York is perfect for the autumnal harvest festivities. As a bonus, I highly recommend [this recipe for ginger cakes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBLW7ZP2vRs) inspired by the dinner party from this story.