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If you were a kid in the '80s or '90s, or had a kid in the '80s or '90s, or love Halloween or books, then you're probably familiar with Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Distinguished by their starkly disturbing pen and ink covers, these story collections contained tales that were perhaps too psychologically sophisticated for the elementary schoolers who squabbled over them every Tuesday (library day). My little sister was a fan, so I saw the battered paperbacks up close and personal even though they gave me (and, it turns out, her) the willies.
If I hate these creepy classics, then why am I wasting copy on them? To explain, I suppose, why I'm drawn to their antithesis: namely, cutesy, cozy Halloween mysteries. In these stories, the only people who end up murdered are the ones who deserve it, the killers are always caught, and whatever charming small town that serves as the setting is restored to peace and unlimited candy. In other words, they send a message that the world's a safe place as opposed to one that's out to get you -- or, at the very least, harboring paranormal scarecrows.
Indeed, in Leslie Meier's Trick Or Treat Murder, the only thing scarier than an arsonist on the loose is retired librarian Miss Tilly's driving. (Well, that and the week-old cupcakes that Lucy brings to the town Halloween party. I get that she's a mom of four, but nothing puts the kibosh on a monster mash bash faster than past-its-prime pastry.) An old-school gal of the highest order, Miss Tilly regards TV as "masturbation of the mind" and thrives upon enforcing Tinker Cove's stringent bylaws when it comes to paint colors. So when she -- spoiler alert! -- almost kills a beloved local teen while behind the wheel of her vintage automobile, I couldn't help but despise her as much if not more than the at-large firebug.
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7 comments:
Oh, it's always fun to read what's up on Halloween. Although, I am really not much for the scary stories either, although..scary things do happen out of nowhere. Thanks for the fun review. Obviously, this author needs be taken a bit more seriously. After all, mysteries are always in the works. Thanks so much! Hope you have a relaxing weekend!
Oh, what a riot. Yes, this would certainly take me on a trip. Scary librarians and all! So great to read about these. Thanks for the Friday smile.🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃 All the best to a sweet weekend. It's our Princess Bride Weekend at the library. Yes, they just couldn't stop themselves on staff. A fashion show and a movie.🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁Thanks so much for your comments.
One of my weaknesses is seasonal cozy mysteries, and I have read all by Leslie Meier. Time to get my book of literary ghost stories off of the shelf and scare myself to sleep.
I don't like scary stories. The movie Hocus Pocus is more my style. Whenever I read a scary story or watched a scary movie when I was young, I couldn't sleep at night. But Tis the season for scary stuff!!
I remember Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (although I never read much of that series and wasn't a fan, as I preferred Goosebumps!) Your cutesy cozy Halloween mystery reads sound super intriguing (and the covers are so charming)! It's always nice to read books that coincide with the holiday at hand, and these sound like the perfect holiday companions. :) Happy reading!
I just watched a scary stories kind of Korean Movie that was really good at making it scary but not disgusting.
In adolescence, these stories were a source of great emotions and Halloween scares :)
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