Top Staff Picks: Netflix Shows & Thrilling Reads

Spooky Season is here, and a few of this week’s Staff Picks reflect that. But don’t worry, if you aren’t in the mood to be scared, we have a couple choices for you as well!

A woman in historical attire gazes back at the camera, amidst a social gathering with other elegantly dressed individuals in the background.

East of Eden

Every now and then Netflix likes to remind us that they are capable of producing something of above-average quality. Their new limited series adaptation of the John Steinbeck novel of the same name aims to do just that and on the basis of early critical reaction it looks like they succeeded. Hunter Ingram at the AV Club says it is “a towering new standard for what literary adaptations for TV could and should be”, while Lewis Knight at Radio Times proclaims, “With stunning cinematography and an elegant score, the unsettling family saga gets room to breathe across a sweeping adaptation that digs into the detail and texture of the source material, and brings this story of generational trauma, sibling rivalry and the intoxicating power of temptation to a whole new generation.” It certainly beats the streamer’s creepy, AI Gene Wilder. – Sean Farrell

Close-up of a stylized animal head merging with natural wood elements.

What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher

Book 3 in the Sworn Soldier series can be enjoyed without reading the previous books, though they are all quick and fascinating reads. Alex Easton does not want to visit America, and certainly does not want to investigate an abandoned (and probably haunted) coal mine to find out what happened to the lost cousin of their dear friend. Filled with humor and heart, this horror novella fits right in with the spooky, supernatural vibes of its predecessors. – Kara Buono

A person speaking with books in various colors arranged on a shelf in the background.

Ron Charles’ Substack

The Washington Post‘s unceremonious closure of its esteemed Book World section was a tragic loss. Fortunately, editor and star reviewer Ron Charles has started a newsletter filled with the same insightful reviews and book news we’ve come to expect from him. Covering materials for all age groups and interests while remaining eloquent and erudite in a way I can only hope to be, if you love to read you owe it to yourself to check this out. – SF

A close-up of the word 'HIDING' in bold, with a dark background and a hint of red shading.

The Hiding Place by C.J. Tudor

After receiving a cryptic email—“I know what happened to your sister. It’s happening again…”—down and out Joe lies and fakes a recommendation to take up a teaching position at the school he went to as a boy. He will have to face the horrifying truths (and bullies) of his past, and the enemies he’s made since, to piece together the mystery of his sister’s disappearance. The town has secrets that someone is willing to kill to keep in this creepy horror-thriller. – KB

Neither the Library nor its staff receive compensation for inclusion on this list or for links to external services.

Cover photo by Nicholas Ceglia on Unsplash.