Buzz
Halloween is here! You might be too old for trick-or-treating, but there's no reason not to dive into a thrilling Halloween celebration. A spooky movie or hair-raising tale can make the occasion just as enjoyable.
Whether in the form of films, TV shows, or books, scary stories have been a beloved source of excitement for many. They offer the thrill of fear without any real harm. But here's the catch... sometimes, they're more than just fiction.
Here are ten eerie books that claim to be based on 'true events' and will undoubtedly help you embrace the Halloween spirit.
10. The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
It's not surprising to find William Peter Blatty's *The Exorcist* among Halloween tales, but you might be taken aback to learn that it’s based on a real event.
In the late 1940s, a 14-year-old boy named 'Robbie Mannheim,' also known as 'Roland Doe,' from Cottage City, Maryland, became the center of a terrifying story. After attempting to reach his spiritualist aunt Harriet via an Ouija board, he was plagued by demonic disturbances. Speaking in tongues, hearing strange sounds, witnessing moving furniture, and seeing objects fly became routine as Robbie’s presence sent fear into everyone around him.
Robbie is said to have undergone several exorcisms performed by different priests. One time, he reportedly interrupted a ceremony by slashing a priest’s arm with a bedspring. Ultimately, Robbie managed to escape the grasp of the demonic forces.
Robbie's experience is enough to make me reconsider ever using a Ouija board. But it’s just a game, right?
9. The Demon Of Brownsville Road: A Pittsburgh Family’s Battle With Evil In Their Home by Bob Cranmer
In *The Demon of Brownsville Road*, Bob Cranmer provides a personal account of his family’s unsettling experiences while living at 3406 Brownsville Road in Brentwood, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. According to Cranmer, his property was the site of a tragic event in 1792 when a mother and her three children were killed by marauding Native Americans, who sought to halt the growth of pioneer settlements in Western Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Despite criticism—mainly from the family that lived there before the Cranmers—this book is an engrossing and sometimes terrifying read. The *Pittsburgh Post-Gazette* investigated the Cranmers' experiences and verified Bob’s claims through people mentioned in the book, including Fr. Ron Lengwin, who confirmed the Catholic Church's official involvement.
With themes of chronic illness, erratic behavior, and a family descending into their own personal nightmare, this story is the perfect pick to send chills down your spine this Halloween.
8. In A Dark Place: The Story Of A True Haunting by Ray Garton
Before Peter Cornwell’s film, I had already seen the terrifying recounting of *The Haunting in Connecticut* on the Discovery Channel’s *A Haunting*. Very few TV shows manage to make me nervous, but this one did—especially after the experience of famed Haunted Collector, John Zaffis, who refused to ever return to the house that had shaken him so badly.
In 1986, Carmen Snedeker and her family moved into an old Connecticut home that had once served as a funeral home, unbeknownst to them. Their teenage son Paul, undergoing cancer treatments, had already strained the family emotionally and financially. Not long after moving in, Paul, on the brink of death, began to see terrifying visions of four dark figures and the 'Man in the Suit'—the demon that would later drive Zaffis away from the house.
Paul's behavior became so unpredictable that his parents had him committed to a mental hospital. Once he was out of the house, however, the malevolent force that had targeted Paul shifted its focus to the rest of the family, ultimately forcing them to seek the help of renowned paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. (By the way, this won’t be the last time the Warrens show up on this list.)
Although Ray Garton later distanced himself from how the events were portrayed in his book, *In A Dark Place* remains a chilling read all the same.
7. Hostage To The Devil: The Possession And Exorcism Of Five Contemporary Americans by Malachi Martin
This is one of the scariest books I've ever read, largely because the five stories it tells are well-documented and widely known cases.
Malachi Martin, a Catholic priest and writer on church matters, shares five horrifying tales of Satanism, demonic possession, and exorcism. Known for *The Scribal Character of the Dead Sea Scrolls* (1958), Martin's *Hostage to the Devil* remains one of his most controversial and gripping books on exorcism. It's a must-read, especially with Halloween approaching, and should have a place next to your pillow.
6. The Exorcism Of Anneliese Michel by Felicitas D. Goodman
Anna Elisabeth Michel, born on September 21, 1952, was a German woman who experienced demonic possession and underwent several Catholic exorcisms just before her death in July 1976. To her family and those close to her, her death was caused by the Devil, but an investigation later revealed that she was severely malnourished and dehydrated. As a result, her parents and the priests involved were charged with negligent homicide.
From a diagnostic standpoint, Michel's condition seemed to be epileptic psychosis, with a history of psychiatric treatment that had proven ineffective. As her condition deteriorated, her family became convinced that she was possessed by demons, attracting media attention when they decided to conduct an exorcism to cure her. The case has been referred to as a misdiagnosed mental disorder exacerbated by religious hysteria.
Scott Derrickson’s *The Exorcism of Emily Rose*, a film loosely inspired by Michel’s story, went on to gross over $140 million worldwide. As is typical in Hollywood, the movie emphasizes the terrifying scenes of demonic possession, leaving little room for ambiguity about what transpired.
Was this a case of misdiagnosis and religious hysteria, or was there something more sinister at work? Read on and decide for yourself.
5. Begone Satan: A Soul-Stirring Account Of Diabolical Possession In Iowa by Fr. Carl Vogl
A quick search on Amazon reveals that Vogl’s book is touted as the tale of 'the most famous exorcism ever performed in the U.S.'
The story centers on Father Theophilus Riesinger (also known as Francis Xavier Riesinger), a man who immigrated from Germany to the U.S. to join the Capuchin Order. Experienced in exorcism, Riesinger was assigned to perform the rite of exorcism on a resident of Earling, Iowa, believed to be possessed by multiple demons. Emma Schmidt (a pseudonym) was a 40-year-old woman who had first shown signs of demonic influence at the young age of 14.
Riesinger spent a grueling 23 days performing exorcisms, and just two days before Christmas, Emma was finally liberated from her demonic tormentors.
One particularly intriguing aspect of Vogl’s book is the story of one demon’s admission that they had taken possession of Emma because her father had 'cursed' the spirits into her. Thanks, dad.
4. The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career Of Ed And Lorraine Warren by Gerald Brittle
Theeeyyyree baaaccck.
Ed and Lorraine Warren make a return in Gerald Brittle’s The Demonologist. It’s an exceptional read that’s like a 'Greatest Hits' collection, showcasing some of the eeriest and most unsettling cases they've encountered over the years.
A New York Times Best Seller, this book kept me hooked from start to finish. It was often late into the night when I had to put it down, always leaving me with a lingering sense of unease. For over fifty years, Ed and Lorraine Warren have been known as the leading experts on demonology and exorcism, with thousands of investigations to their name, making for compelling stories. Familiar tales, such as the Annabelle doll and the Enfield poltergeist, also make an appearance here.
In November 2016, Gerald Brittle took Warner Bros. to court, filing a $900 million lawsuit for copyright infringement. By August 2017, a district court judge, John Gibney Jr., dismissed the studio's attempt to have the case thrown out, pointing to misleading advertisements for The Conjuring and issues with personal jurisdiction.
If the chilling stories in this book don’t send a shiver down your spine, maybe the thought of being stuck with a $900 million bill will do the trick.
3. The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson
It might seem strange to rank Jay Anson’s The Amityville Horror as my number one pick, especially after declaring The Haunted as the essential read, but this is the book I revisit every Halloween. It’s become a tradition for me.
George and Kathy Lutz, a young couple from New York, buy a home for $80,000, only to be driven out just 28 days later. They abandon all their belongings and claim that a malevolent demonic force haunts the house. Jay Anson’s novel about the Lutz family’s terrifying month became a massive success, captivating readers, myself included.
The Amityville Horror is a mess, not Anson’s book—that’s fantastic—but the real-life events behind it. The Warrens make another appearance and are perhaps most famous for this case. The story of The Amityville Horror has been clouded by controversy, with Stephen and Roxanne Kaplan’s The Amityville Horror Conspiracy calling it a hoax. However, Lorraine has publicly stated that the Lutz family was genuinely in need of paranormal assistance.
In 1979, the same year Stuart Rosenberg’s film about the infamous house premiered, lawyer William Weber reportedly claimed that he, Jay Anson, and the Lutzes “invented” the story while drinking wine. No matter the truth, Jay Anson’s The Amityville Horror always sets the perfect mood for Halloween.
Happy reading!
2. The Haunted: The True Story Of One Family’s Nightmare by Robert Curran
This one really shook me up. Even if only a fraction of the Smurls' terrifying experiences were true, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. The paranormal events ranged from disembodied voices to demons racing down dark corridors, bed sheets being yanked off them while they slept, and a mysterious woman appearing out of nowhere to assault Jack.
No, thank you.
Jack and Janet Smurl moved into their new home in Pennsylvania, only to realize they had some unwanted housemates. Plagued by eerie supernatural events, disturbing sounds, foul odors, and terrifying apparitions, they sought help from Ed and Lorraine Warren. (I knew they'd return.) After investigating, the Warrens concluded that the Smurl house was haunted by three spirits and a demon, the latter allegedly assaulting both Jack and Janet.
The Smurls' unsettling story became the basis for the 1991 TV movie The Haunted, which absolutely terrified me. I’ll never forget the haunting scene where neighbors gathered outside the Smurl house while lights flickered, curtains shook violently, and blood-curdling screams echoed through the night—while the Smurls were away camping. I wish I could track down a DVD of this one.
If you pick just one book from this list, make it The Haunted.
1. The Black Hope Horror: The True Story Of A Haunting by Ben, Jean Williams, and John Shoemaker
John Patterson’s 1992 film, Grave Secrets: The Legacy of Hilltop Drive, featured Patty Duke as Jean Williams and David Selby as Shag Williams. This film did for graveyards what Jaws did for the sea – it introduced just enough unease to make you speed up when passing a graveyard.
The Black Hope Horror is one of those instances where I watched the film before reading the book. After seeing the made-for-TV movie, I was eager to dive into the book, and let me tell you, it’s a captivating read.
In 1980, Ben and Jean Williams bought land in the Newport neighborhood of Houston to build their dream home. Not long after the construction was finished, they moved in. Almost immediately, strange occurrences started happening. During their time in the eerie house, toilets flushed by themselves, things disappeared or were shifted, unsettling noises filled the halls and rooms, and tragically, five family members died.
What’s fascinating about this story is that, unlike most tales of the supernatural that target one individual or family, the neighbors all experienced similar paranormal events. Upon learning that their homes were built atop an old cemetery, they were outraged, with some even suing the developer—only to lose the case in court.
Does this tale ring a bell? It should. Even if you haven’t seen Grave Secrets or read The Black Hope Horror, I’m willing to bet you’ve watched the Spielberg/Hooper joint Poltergeist. This book essentially serves as a detailed guide for one of the most iconic films of the 1980s.
