I’m such a sucker for holidays. I love to completely immerse myself in a theme: holiday decorations, holiday meals, holiday baking. As soon as the leaves start to turn amber and scarlet; the air goes crisp; and when the windows have that little bit of frost in the mornings, it’s time to think of pumpkins and apple spice, and all things toasty. Is there anything better than a Halloween cozy mystery to get into the spirit of autumn?

I grew up in South Jersey, where we don’t just celebrate Halloween, we have Mischief Night. (That’s a pre-Halloween prank night for those of you not in the know.) That’s right. Jersey attitude requires two nights of tricks for every night of treats. The night before Halloween, kids go out to toilet paper the trees, play ding-dong-ditch, and prank the bejeezus outta the neighbors. No yard is safe, and there’s no reward greater than seeing your high school gym teacher’s yard with a legion of bed-sheet-ghosts floating from his trees. Beware of flaming lunch bags on your front porch. Take my word for it.

Since my Poppy McAllister series is set in Cape May, Mischief Nights Are Murder embraces all the Halloween shenanigans of the Jersey Shore and drops a murder mystery right in the middle of the action. Poppy is already dealing with people calling her the “Cape May Murder Magnet.” Now they’re advertising her Bed and Breakfast as the Murder House. Her eighty-year-old great Aunt Ginny is never any help when it comes to avoiding drama. So naturally she signs Poppy up to be on a Haunted House tour circuit she doesn’t want to be on, to tell dramatic stories about ghosts she doesn’t have. It’s hard enough to filter out the weirdo, chaos-seeking tourists on a normal day. But bring in a ghost hunting TV show crew from Paranormal Pathfinders, and Owen Rodney: Pet Psychic, and Poppy is ready to hide in the pumpkin patch until the whole season is over. Calling the Butterfly Wings B&B the Murder House just isn’t fair since no one has even died there… yet.

I’m definitely more  of the Charlie-Brown-Halloween-type of gal than the Chainsaw Massacre watcher, but I do like a good paranormal ghost story. And I have some great Halloween themed books to recommend that you’ll be sure to fall in love with. Get your steamy mug of spiced cider and grab a cozy blanket. Whether you like your Halloween spooky or sweet, I’ve got you covered with great reads to curl up with in front of the fire while you wait for…or hide from… those trick-or-treaters.

Death of a Halloween Party Monster by Lee Hollis

The brother and sister team that make up Lee Hollis have got the funny stuff figured out. And they should, because Rick Copp was a staff writer for The Golden Girls when he was a baby. Witty and charming, each book is funnier than the last. You’ll laugh your way through this fun novella, even with the creepy clowns. In Death of a Halloween Party Monster, everyone attending Island Times Food and Cocktail columnist Hayley Powell’s Halloween bash is dressed as their favorite movie monster, from the Bride of Frankenstein and Jaws to Chucky and Pennywise the clown. But when partygoers stumble upon Boris Candy’s bludgeoned costumed corpse, it falls to Hayley to discover who among her guests wanted to stop the man from clowning around permanently . . .

Scared Off by Barbara Ross

If you love Barbara Ross’s Maine Clambake series like I do, you revel in any chance to catch up with Julia Snowden and friends, especially around the holidays. Another novella for those who like to get their pumpkin spice in quick bursts of fun. Three teenage girls having a sleepover on Halloween night get spooked when high schoolers crash the house for a party. But no one expected to find a crasher like Mrs. Zelisko, the elderly third floor tenant, dead in the backyard—dressed in a sheet like a ghost. With her niece traumatized, Julia Snowden must uncover who among the uninvited guests was responsible for devising such a murderous trick . . .

Murder in the Bayou Boneyard by Ellen Byron

Another recovering TV writer, Ellen Byron of Wings and Just Shoot Me fame, writes one of the funniest series around. I love every single book she releases, and I can’t wait for the next. Just like my Cape May series, The Cajun Country series is set in a real place – Pelican, Louisiana. I love learning all the inside tidbits to the Halloween traditions in New Orleans. I feel like I’ve been there myself now. Do yourself a favor and don’t just start with this fabulous Halloween mystery. Go back and get the first book in the series set in Cajun Country and read them all.  

Murder at the Pumpkin Pageant by Darci Hannah

Darci Hannah will give you all the Cozy Halloween feels. A spicy romance, a quaint little town, and delicious holiday recipes. Of course, Lindsey has a sweet Newfoundland dog and Poppy has a naughty Persian cat, but Wellie is so delightful that even Figaro would love him. And I love that we both have a ghost hunting investigation. I wonder if the Ghost Guys know the Paranormal Pathfinders? How awesome would it be if both of our home episodes ran back-to-back on the same network? Darci’s entire series is wonderful, and I just know you’ll fall in love with the characters and the Beacon Bakeshop. In Murder at the Pumpkin Pageant, it’s Halloween weekend and Beacon Harbor, Michigan, has a packed schedule of events, including the Pumpkin Pageant, featuring humans and their canine counterparts. For treats, there’s plenty of pumpkin goodness from bakery/café owner and local lighthouse resident Lindsey Bakewell. But someone wants to spoil the fun with a deadly trick . . .

The Legend of Acorn Hollow by Maureen Klovers

I adore Rita Calabrese. She’s a rare find in the cozy mystery world. A middle-aged mother of a big Italian family that don’t always get how fabulous she is or make spending time with her a priority. They don’t come over, they don’t call… Boy, can I relate. Instead of sitting around complaining like I would do, Rita starts a third act carer in her sixties and becomes an investigative journalist turning her small town of Acorn Hollow upside down. The Legend of Acorn Hollow has a little of everything you would want in a Fall mystery: a cute-as-a-button small town, gorgeous Fall foliage, drool-worthy Fall recipes, and a fresh take on a classic Halloween tale—where The locals insist that Acorn Hollow was the real inspiration for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. But is that a blessing…or a curse?

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