Six Books We’d Gift to a Guillermo del Toro Fan

*You found the Quirk or Treat giveaway!*

October and all things spooky are officially upon us. We imagine Guillermo del Toro exiting some gothic style home right now, donning Dracula’s cape and Dr. Caligari’s top hat. While fans of del Toro might be tempted to watch his films this October, might we suggest a few spooky reads instead?

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

Do you love vampires? Del Toro sure does! (see his film Cronos!) I Am Legend tells the story of the last man on earth, in a world of hungry vampires. And, let’s not talk about the film adaptation…it was not great. The book itself is short but poignant with a story that will have you second guessing yourself and wondering…are we the real monsters?

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Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound

Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff

Guillermo del Toro loves H.P. Lovecraft, and he’s been famously trying to adapt “At the Mountains of Madness” for years! We’re pretty sure any fan of his will also enjoy Lovecraft Country, an ode to H.P. and his writing style, but set in the 1950s Jim Crow America. The book is broken down into mini stories that will—no joke—give you the willies. Sleep with the lights on after reading this one!

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Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound

Sparrow Hill Road by Seanan McGuire

Ghosts are a common theme in del Toro’s filmography. See Crimson Peak for example. That’s why the ghosts and ghouls in Sparrow Hill Road will make any horror lover jump with joy (and fright). Fans of the afterlife will find the tale of Rose, a hitchhiking ghost who dies on her way to prom, fascinating. Plus, the ghost “mythology” and rule system is really well done, and the story is fast paced enough to keep you reading way past your bedtime.

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Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound

Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero

Not many books can pull off horror and comedy, but Meddling Kids hits all the marks! The story plays on the what/if the Scooby-Doo gang were a real group of kids who solved mysteries…and how messed up that made them as adults. The book has a great underlining story about dealing with trauma and the terrors of growing up. And when the real monsters do appear, the whole town is thrown upside down. Probably the only monster book that will make you laugh!

Buy the book:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound

The Remaking by Clay McLeod Chapman

Did you enjoy the film adaptation of Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark, produced by none other than Guillermo del Toro? If so, The Remaking should be next on your to read list. The story unfolds first around a campfire, then as a campy '70s movie, then as a '90s remake (of course), and lastly as a true crime podcast. This horror tale will have you truly believing in ghost stories—and you won't want to go anywhere near the grave of the little witch girl, Jessica Ford.

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Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound

Locke & Key by Joe Hill

Technically Locke & Key is a graphic novel series, but it’s perfect for this list and any fan of del Toro. The story is set in an eerier mansion (check) that is riddled with dark secrets (check) and the villain is an evil creature from the world below (triple check).  Fair warning, this series is violent and very bloody, so those who are squeamish might turn away. But if ye be brave enough to enter the twisted world of Joe Hill, you would not be disappointed.

Buy the book:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound