Episode 244 - Spooky Stories with Our Mystery Man
Episode 244 Show Notes
– Currently Reading –
Positive Obsession: The Life and Times of Octavia E. Butler – Susana M. Morris (CW)
Chasing Beauty: The Life of Isabella Stewart Gardner – Natalie Dykstra (CW) (audiobook)
Backstage: Stories of a Writing Life – Donna Leon (CW)
An Arsonist’s Guide to Writers’ Homes in New England – Brock Clarke (EF)
Witches of Dubious Origin – Jenn McKinlay (EF) release date 10/28/2025
Watch our conversation with Jenn McKinlay and the rest of the Jungle Red Writers
– Just Read –
‘The Moonlit Road’ by Ambrose Bierce from The Penguin Book of Ghost Stories: From Elizabeth Gaskell to Ambrose Bierce (CW)(EF) (audiobook)
A House With Good Bones – T. Kingfisher (EF)
107 Days – Kamala Harris (CW)
Sunny Side Up – Katie Sturino (EF)
Margaret Fuller: Collected Writings (LOA #388) – co-edited by Brigitte Bailey, Leslie Eckel, and Megan Marshall (CW)
Death at the White Hart – Chris Chibnall (EF)
– Biblio Adventures –
Chris and Emily went to NYC where they met Aunt Ellen and visited The Twisted Spine, the new horror bookstore in Brooklyn. Chris’s book haul included Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle, The Night Library of Sternendach by Jessica Lévai, and (Don’t) Call Mum by Matt Wesolowski. Emily picked up a copy of Pete the Cat: Trick or Pete by James and Kimberly Dean.
Emily is back from her trip to Cape Cod where she browsed many little free libraries, including this one with beautiful mosaic detail. She made stops at Provincetown Bookshop where she picked up a copy of Typhoid Mary by Anthony Bourdain; Tim’s Used Books where her haul included Crash Diet by Jill McCorkle; Titcomb’s Bookshop where the Gentleman Caller picked up a copy of Dracula by Bram Stoker and she noticed an upcoming book event on October 15th with her new release All This Could Be Yours. Sadly, she was unable to catch a browse through Annie’s Books & Gifts. She also stopped at Provincetown Public Library, the Sturgis Library in Barnstable, Eldredge Public Library in Chatham Library, and South Chatham Library.
Chris met a friend at the book-themed Osteria Accademia in New York City. After dinner, she got caught in Grand Central Station’s power outage, which made her worry about Dementors and rats.
– Upcoming Jaunts –
October 15th, Chris and Emily have tickets for Spunk at the Yale Repertory Club.
October 27th, Emily is registered for an event with Virginia Evans, author of The Correspondent, in conversation with Mel Rosenthal at RJ Julia’s. The event is free, register here.
Read about the grand opening of Gladys Books & Wine a Black lesbian-owned bookstore & wine lounge in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.
The next Patreon Reading Salon will take place on Sunday, October 26th.
– Upcoming Reads –
The Dogs of Venice – Steven Rowley (CW) release date 10/14/2025
The Last Witch – C.J. Cooke (EF) release date 10/14/2025
Agnes Grey – Anne Brontë (CW)
Anne Brontë Night Walker: A Brontë Blood Chronicle – Gea Haff (CW)
The Last Resort – Erin Entrada Kelly (EF)
“The Jolly Corner” by Henry James from The Penguin Book of Ghost Stories: From Elizabeth Gaskell to Ambrose Bierce (CW)(EF) (audiobook)
Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe
– Buddy Read with Our Mystery Man –
We invited John Valeri to discuss two short stories that appear on the Ghost Story Bingo Card:
"The Mask of the Red Death" by Edgar Allan Poe (audiobook)
"The Canterville Ghost" by Oscar Wilde (audiobook)
Also mentioned by John:
Edgar Allan Poe: The Master of Macabre by Levi Lionel Leland
The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre by Philip Fracassi
Watching Evil Dead: Unearthing the Radiant Artist Within by Josh Malerman
Sharp Force by Patricia Cornwell
– 2025 Readalong Theme and 4th Quarter Book –
The 4th Quarter Readalong is How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix. The Zoom conversation will take place on Sunday, November 9th at 7pm (ET). Send us an email if you would like to join. You can join the online conversation via the Goodreads discussion thread.
Our theme for 2025 is Ghost Stories! Click here to follow everything Ghost Stories 2025.
There is a ghost story discussion thread on Goodreads. Come tell us about your favorite ghost stories or those you are interested in reading.
Over the course of the year, we will be reading The Penguin Book of Ghost Stories: From Elizabeth Gaskell to Ambrose Bierce, one story at a time. If you would like to join us there is a schedule available on Goodreads or we can email a copy.
– Also Mentioned –
The Truths We Hold: An American Journey by Kamala Harris
Margaret Fuller: A New American Life by Megan Marshall
Finding Margaret Fuller by Allison Pataki
A Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke
Bird Box by Josh Malerman
Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman
The Strand Mystery Magazine
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