For the past few years, I try to read something 'creepy' for Halloween. I've read Dracula, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and I just finished The Picture of Dorian Gray. Unfortunately (or fortunately) I was so into it, I finished it earlier than I planned. I'm looking for something else, but unfortunately, I'm not familiar with these kinds of classics. I'm looking for suggestions of something creepy - there doesn't have to be anything supernatural about it.

I have been considering Lolita but am uncertain - haven't read it before, so I don't know if it would be considered "creepy."

Does anyone have any favorites?

H.P. Lovecraft- any of his tales, but especially The Thing on the Doorstep, Shadow Over Innsmouth, The Call of Cthulu, The Lurking Fear, The Outside and The Dunwich Horror.

Also The October Country by Ray Bradbury.

And, of course, Poe.

I enjoyed reading Washington Irving's Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

Irving describes food so wonderfully that I'd face the Headless Horseman if it meant I'd get to enjoy the Van Tassel spread.

I haven't read Irving's Legend of Sleepy Hollow in ages. I almost can't believe I didn't think of it. It's such a well-known one. I'm definitely going to reread it. Thank you :)

I can't believe I didn't think of Poe either. He's one of my favorites!

Lovecraft, however, I've heard about but haven't ever read anything by him, and I'm willing to try something new. I looked him up on wikipedia and read that he said, "There are my 'Poe' pieces and my 'Dunsany pieces' – but alas – where are any Lovecraft pieces?" I am wondering if the ones suggested would read like Poe.

Lolita is a wonderful book, but only creepy in the sense that an older man is obsessed with a teenager.

As others have mentioned, Poe has many stories that are morbid and thrilling. (LOVE POE!)

                                                                                                   Rose

I've started reading straight through this book of Poe's short stories, which, I think, are in chronological order. I haven't gotten to really any really weird or creepy ones yet, except perhaps "Metzengerstein." The rest have been pretty funny.

I read The Legend of Sleepy Hollow yesterday. The descriptions of the food made me hungry!

I figured out that I don't have enough time to read Lolita by Halloween, so I've settled on reading Nabokov's The Enchanter, which is supposed to be the "pre-Lolita." It's short, and, so far, has creeped me out, which is what I was going for. :)

I have been recommended Hoffmann's Tales of Hoffmann. Has anyone read that?

(ETA: Here's a youtube video I found that I thought was pretty cute: Lego Metzengerstein)

I've started reading J. Sheridan LeFanu's Uncle Silas, and yes, indeed, it is creepy.  Doubt I'll finish it before Halloween, it's a chunker.  I've been a nonfinisher of anything but the lightest reading, so we'll see if I get through this.  The book is surprising me with it's weirdness so that's a good sign - my interest is piqued!

I know you've already got a creepy classic but I thought I'd add Leroux's Phantom of the Opera and H.G. Wells' The Invisible Man.

Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast trilogy will last you a long while. If you must choose only one book of it, then the middle one, titled Gormenghast.

I know Halloween has come and gone but I can't believe nobody suggested Franz Kafka's *Metamorphosis*, yet. Now that is revoltingly creepy and not just at Halloween.