Jenna Bush Hager’s 4 Spookiest ‘Read With Jenna’ Book Club Picks for Halloween
From witches in 1950s Cambridge to a Gothic mystery at the Met Cloisters, these Read With Jenna picks are made for Halloween reading
Key Takeaways
- Jenna Bush Hager shares 4 dark, atmospheric book picks ideal for fall and Halloween.
- Featured titles feature witches, small-town mysteries, tarot cards and family secrets.
- Recommended authors include Alice Hoffman, Chris Whitaker, Katy Hays, and Melissa Albert.
If your idea of a good Halloween night involves a cup of something warm, a soft blanket and a book you can’t put down, Jenna Bush Hager has you covered. Since launching Read With Jenna in 2019, she’s championed everything from sweeping family sagas to Gothic mysteries—and a handful of her picks are tailor-made for the season of falling leaves and flickering candles.
Here are four of her favorite fall reads that lean into the shadows, from witches in 1950s Massachusetts to a chilling disappearance in small-town Missouri.
‘The Witches of Cambridge’ by Alice Hoffman
Alice Hoffman, the author behind Practical Magic, returns with the newest Read With Jenna pick—and the timing couldn’t be better. Set in 1950s Massachusetts, the novel follows Ava during her first year of college, where she meets Lauren, her opposite in nearly every way. When a mysterious group called the Lilith Society recruits them both, the two begin to unearth hidden legacies and the dangers that come with them. The book was released Sept. 8, 2026.
“I cannot think of a more perfect book to welcome us to fall,” Jenna said. “It’s a novel about love, friendship and finding your power.”
One early reader put it this way: “Alice Hoffman never failed me, and this book is no exception. The interwoven stories of past and present that appear within this book flow effortlessly, and the journey of each character is flawless in execution.”
‘All the Colors of the Dark’ by Chris Whitaker
Set in 1975 Missouri, Chris Whitaker’s novel has everything you want in an October read—a small town shadowed by mystery, a string of unexplained disappearances and an atmosphere that hums with dread. When the daughter of a wealthy family becomes the next girl to vanish, a local boy named Patch, who has one eye, steps forward to help. His choice reshapes his life and the lives of everyone around him. Jenna chose it as her July 2024 Read With Jenna pick.
“I read it over a year ago, but it has stayed with me in such a beautiful way,” Jenna said. “It is fast-paced; I know it looks kind of big, but I read it in a weekend — one weekend. I know you all will love it too.”
Readers have echoed her enthusiasm, with one calling it “a knockout—a 5-star triumph that hooked me from its opening pages and never let go.”
‘The Cloisters’ by Katy Hays
Few settings feel more Halloween-ready than New York’s Met Cloisters, and that’s exactly where Katy Hays sets her 2022 Read With Jenna pick. Ann Stilwell lands a curatorial job there and joins a group of researchers studying divination. Then she discovers a hidden 15th-century tarot deck rumored to predict the future—and intrigue slides into obsession, with deadly consequences. It’s an immersive, atmospheric page-turner built for a crisp evening under a blanket.
Jenna has been recommending it to anyone who will listen. “I have recommended it to everybody that I possibly can because I feel like it’s the perfect mystery,” she said. “It reminds me of The Talented Mr. Ripley, but with twists that are Gone Girl.”
A reader review captured the mood: “It has everything I love blended in a novel from the historical background to a suspenseful mystery steeped in tension with dark Gothic vibes and hallelujah, a really good ending!”
‘The Children’ by Melissa Albert
Darker than a typical summer read, Melissa Albert’s novel traded beach vibes for something far more haunting when Jenna selected it in June. After a fire destroys her childhood home, Guinevere is left with only her brother Ennis and their mother’s unfinished manuscripts. Years later, Guinevere lives off her mother’s name while Ennis has pulled away from it — but when he unveils a new art installation called Mother, dark rumors begin to swirl and long-buried family secrets threaten them both.
Jenna made a bold comparison when she introduced the book: “Not since Donna Tartt’s Secret History have I loved a book filled with such magic and mystery as I have with Melissa Albert’s The Children.”
Reader reactions have matched hers. “I absolutely loved this book; it struck a deep chord with me,” one wrote. “It’s the kind of story that leaves you thinking long after the last page, making you desperately want to talk about it.”
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