October, the month of eerie revelry, is upon us.
The pandemic and social distancing measures may have put a thorn in social plans for Halloween, but that doesn't mean the occasion has to be entirely spook-free.
Here are eight terrifying must-read novels, all of which have been written in the past 20 years, that will give you plenty of scares over the coming weeks.
So although you won’t see Poe or Shelley on this list, we promise you’ll find your next spine-chilling page turner here.
‘Bird Box’
The 2014 novel by Josh Malerman inspired the Netflix film that stars Sandra Bullock and John Malkovich.
The story takes place five years after a strange unseen threat begins to drive people to a deadly kind of violence, attacking others before killing themselves. The novel follows the efforts of Malorie and her two children, referred to simply as ‘boy’ and ‘girl’, as they try to find a safer place to live.
Malerman’s debut is a chilling reminder that the unseen threat can be a lot more terrifying than the seen.
‘House of Leaves’
Mark Z Danielewski’s debut 2000 novel has become something of a modern literary horror classic. It was even described by critic Steven Poole as a “satire of academic criticism".
With its unconventional page layout and structure, this novel is not your typical read. Some pages are packed with footnotes and footnotes-within-footnotes, whereas others only contain a few lines arranged in a way that reflect the events of the story. There are also references to fictional books, films and articles throughout, making it a work you need to concentrate on while reading.
While the novel's plot – which revolves around a family whose house has an impossible large and labyrinthine interior – can get positively spooky, House of Leaves has also been described as a love story.
‘A Sick Gray Laugh’
Written with provocative and unflinching prose, Nicole Cushing’s 2019 novel is an exploration of madness, depression, utopian cults, sports and literature.
A Sick Gray Laugh revolves around an award-winning author, Noelle Cashman, who has made a career by writing about her depression, anxiety and paranoid psychosis. But having had enough, she resorts to taking a pill twice daily, which seems to help.
Her symptoms go into remission until she notices the overwhelming grey that is taking over the neighbourhood, "threatening to assimilate all".
‘Broken Monsters’
Lauren Beukes’s 2015 novel begins with the discovery of a body. And while Detective Gabriella Versado is no stranger to gruesome crime scenes, she hasn’t seen anything quite like this before. Part boy, part deer, somehow fused together.
As Versado tries to unravel the truth behind this murder, Thomas Keen, a street hustler, stumbles on to the same malevolent force that the detective is pursuing.
‘Fever Dream’
Samanta Schweblin’s 2014 horror novel is a nightmare come to life. An absorbing, unsettling and memorable read, the Argentine writer's novel is as much a ghost story as it is a cautionary tale.
The story begins with a young woman named Amanda, who is dying in a rural hospital. A boy named David is sitting beside her. The story is told through dialogue but neither of the conversation’s participants are fully tethered to reality.
Schweblin drew inspiration for her novel from the use of harmful pesticides in farming towns throughout Argentina.
‘The Fever’
Author Megan Abbott was inspired to write The Fever by the 2012 mass hysteria case at Le Roy Junior-Senior High School in upstate New York, where multiple students began exhibiting symptoms similar to Tourette syndrome.
This 2014 novel instead revolves around a fever that is sweeping through a high school, causing seizures and hallucinations. Stranger yet, it seems to be only affecting the school’s female population. As the townsfolk, police and medical professionals search for answers, secrets about the girls, their families and the town begin to surface.
‘The Rust Maidens’
Gwendolyn Kiste’s 2018 dark fantasy novel follows a group of teenagers who have just graduated from high school. It is, in essence, a coming-of-age story but with a darker twist.
The novel’s protagonist is Phoebe Shaw, who returns to her home town in Cleveland for the first time since she was a teenager. The novel flits between the present and the past, when Phoebe witnesses her friends turn into Rust Maidens, a grotesque transformation that causes women to become living statues.
‘The Suicide Motor Club’
The 2016 horror novel by Christopher Buehlman is about a band of nomadic vampires who drive around the US in muscle cars in search of victims.
The novel revolves around Judith Lamb, who survives an attack by the vampires, but loses her husband and son. She joins a convent in hopes of finding peace but is then approached by a group of vampires who aim to rid the world of all vampires.
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
Did you know?
Brunch has been around, is some form or another, for more than a century. The word was first mentioned in print in an 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, after making the rounds among university students in Britain. The article, entitled Brunch: A Plea, argued the case for a later, more sociable weekend meal. “By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well,” the piece read. “It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” More than 100 years later, author Guy Beringer’s words still ring true, especially in the UAE, where brunches are often used to mark special, sociable occasions.
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How Beautiful this world is!
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
The specs
Engine: 2x201bhp AC Permanent-magnetic electric
Transmission: n/a
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 659Nm
Price estimate: Dh200,000
On sale: Q3 2022
2.0
Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Arabian Gulf League fixtures:
Friday:
- Emirates v Hatta, 5.15pm
- Al Wahda v Al Dhafra, 5.25pm
- Al Ain v Shabab Al Ahli Dubai, 8.15pm
Saturday:
- Dibba v Ajman, 5.15pm
- Sharjah v Al Wasl, 5.20pm
- Al Jazira v Al Nasr, 8.15pm
Where to Find Me by Alba Arikha
Alma Books
Fight card
1. Featherweight 66kg: Ben Lucas (AUS) v Ibrahim Kendil (EGY)
2. Lightweight 70kg: Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)
3. Welterweight 77kg:Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)
4. Lightweight 70kg: Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)
5. Featherweight 66kg: Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)
6. Catchweight 85kg: Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)
7. Featherweight 66kg: Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)
8. Catchweight 73kg: Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Ahmed Abdelraouf of Egypt (EGY)
9. Featherweight 66kg: Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)
10. Catchweight 90kg: Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
Results
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The biog
Name: Timothy Husband
Nationality: New Zealand
Education: Degree in zoology at The University of Sydney
Favourite book: Lemurs of Madagascar by Russell A Mittermeier
Favourite music: Billy Joel
Weekends and holidays: Talking about animals or visiting his farm in Australia
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
((Disclaimer))
The Liechtensteinische Landesbank AG (“Bank”) assumes no liability or guarantee for the accuracy, balance, or completeness of the information in this publication. The content may change at any time due to given circumstances, and the Liechtensteinische Landesbank AG is under no obligation to update information once it has been published. This publication is intended for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer, a recommendation or an invitation by, or on behalf of, Liechtensteinische Landesbank (DIFC Branch), Liechtensteinische Landesbank AG, or any of its group affiliates to make any investments or obtain services. This publication has not been reviewed, disapproved or approved by the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”) Central Bank, Dubai Financial Services Authority (“DFSA”) or any other relevant licensing authorities in the UAE. It may not be relied upon by or distributed to retail clients. Liechtensteinische Landesbank (DIFC Branch) is regulated by the DFSA and this advertorial is intended for Professional Clients (as defined by the DFSA) who have sufficient financial experience and understanding of financial markets, products or transactions and any associated risks.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh289,000
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