What I Read In October 2020

You’ll notice that all the books I read in October had a theme. I associate the month of October with Halloween so the majority of the books are thrillers and some are a little spooky. I haven’t read that many thriller books in a while and I was pleasantly surprised with all the ones I picked out. For sure they are some of my highly recommended books to read!

What I Read In October 2020

The Paris Hours By Alex George

This is Paris during war times from the perspective of artists, writers, and musicians. Even with all of Paris’ glitz and glamour, there are 4 individuals that are searching for something they lost. Camille was the maid of Marcel Proust and has a big secret. Marcel has asked her to burn all of his notebooks, but she saved one for herself. Now the notebook is missing, and this could ruin her life and her family. Souren is an Armenian refugee and performs puppet shows for children except they’re nothing like fairytales.

Guillaume has to pay back his debt or else they will kill him. But he keeps wondering what his life could be like if he stopped running and hiding. Jean Paul is a journalist that loves to write about other people’s stories. Yet he has a story of his own and it is why he can’t leave Paris even if he dreams of living in America. And eventually in one single day, their lives and journeys come together.

I love any book that will take me to Paris and this one definitely does. If you are into historical fiction, this book has a little bit of that. There are talks about World War I and how it has affected each character’s life. However, it did start slow. After a chapter, I was done reading it for the day. Once I got past the halfway mark, the storyline really picked up and I had to know how it all ends. It is incredible to hear how everyone’s journey is so different yet they all end up in the same exact spot. I also really enjoyed that they included famous people like Ernest Hemingway, Marcel Proust, etc. It really added some glam to the book.

Mexican Gothic By Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Noemi received a frantic letter by her newly-wed cousin Catalina. Noemi and her family have always had a strange feeling about her husband. She lives a glamorous life so when she goes to the Mexican countryside to try to rescue her cousin and find out what is going on, it seemed unlikely. The longer she stays at Catalina’s husband’s family house, stranger and unexplained things start to happen. She’s been having nightmares, sleepwalking, and the family gives off a creepy vibe. Eventually, Noemi discovers the family secret and more than ever she is determined to escape with her cousin.

I could not put this book down. It’s been awhile since I was so glued to a book. This book is spooky, creepy, mysterious, and for sure a thriller. Every time Noemi discovers something in the house, it constantly left me confused. It was the perfect book to read in October, and I highly recommend it. I also recently learned that Hulu is going to turn it into a series. The visuals I read in the book are extraordinary so I’m curious how it will be filmed.

Night Swim by Megan Goldin

Rachel became a household name because she hosted the most popular true-crime podcast. She became an overnight sensation when she was able to set an innocent man free. For season 3, she decided to podcast an on-going rape trial. She heads to a small town, Neapolis, for the trial and interviews people who might be able to provide insights on the trial. But one day, she receives a note on her car windshield begging for her help. This is unsettling because only her voice is recognizable not her face. In the letter, she is told that this mysterious person’s sister was murdered it was not an accident. As Rachel progresses in this trial, she also starts to discover the truth behind the letter. Somehow the trial and the answer to the letter cross paths.

Wow, another thriller I could not put down! It’s so good! Since it has a true-crime podcast involved, it reminded me of the book Convicted by Denise Mina (read my review of that book here). But I think Night Swim is much better! What I like about this book, is that it also made me think about how people perceive rape trials and why it is so controversial when it comes to proving beyond a reasonable doubt. I really love how the trial and the letter crossed paths. I didn’t see it coming, and I had other expectations on how it would end.

Home After Dark By Riley Sager

25 years ago, Maggie Holt and her parents moved into Baneberry Hall. They only lasted 20 days and frantically left the house. Pretty soon after, Maggie’s father Ewan wrote a book called House of Horrors that detailed their experience living in Baneberry Hall. Maggie was too young to remember any details of living in that house, but her life was shaped by the success of her father’s book. Her parents never talked to her about their experience living in that house and Maggie just wants to know the truth. When Maggie’s father passed away, Maggie inherits the house. She decides to fix it up and sell it for a profit. After living in the house during the renovation, she discovers dark things that haunt her. Could the house really be haunted? Maggie wonders if she really wants to know the truth about why her family left.

Another winning book this month. Wow, I totally got spooked reading this book. Every detail made me want to know more and want to know the truth about why the Holt Family left. It also made me wonder which parts of Maggie’s father’s book were true or made up. All I can say is if you want a thrilling and haunting book, you will want to read this book. The entire time it made me question if ghosts really exist in that house. So good!

What did you read in October?

xo RD