Arguably, the two best-known books in the horror genre are Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” published in 1897, and Mary Shelly’s “Frankenstein,” published in 1831.

Dracula and Frankenstein clones have been the central characters of many books and have been portrayed regularly in the movies, both recent and not so recent.

The first Dracula movie was a silent film made in Germany in 1929 and was called “Nosferatu.” While silent, it faithfully follows the drama of Stoker’s story line. And, while silent, it is truly horrifying!

The first Frankenstein movie was made in 1910, again silent, but this time with English subtitles. By one count, there have been over 200 Dracula movies and 56 Frankenstein movies.

Fast forwarding to the present, contemporary masters of the horror genre are many. There’s Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Clive Barker and Ann Rice, to name a few of the best known. None are more well known, well respected or as prolific as King. And, as we know, classic horror probably doesn’t get much scarier than a vampire.

“Salem’s Lot” is King’s second book. In it, we are introduced to vampire hunter Father Donald Callahan, a Catholic priest, whose story continues in “Wolves of Calla.” Rice’s very classic vampire Lestat is introduced in “Interview with a Vampire” and continues with “The Vampire Lestat,” followed by novels featuring vampires in the tradition of Lestat.

Shelly’s monster was perhaps the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” while Roger Corman’s “Frankenstein Unbound” and Peter Ackroyd’s “The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein” were most certainly so inspired.

Halloween comes but once a year. What a great time to enjoy being scared. Yes, enjoy, because part of the reason we can like being scared by movies and books is that our common sense tells it’s all pretend and there is nothing to fear!

NEW BOOKS

Fiction: “Whispering Hearts,” V.C. Andrews; “Hidden in Plain Sight,” Jeffrey Archer; “Marauder,” Clive Cussler; “Whirlwind,” Janet Daily; “The Noel Letter,” Richard Paul Evans; “The Searcher,” Tana French; “Invisible Girl,” Lisa Jewell; “NYPD Red 6,” James Patterson and Marshall Karp; “The Awakening: The Dragon Heart Legacy, Book 1,” Nora Roberts

Nonfiction: “Undaunted: My Fight Against America’s Enemies, At Home and Abroad,” John O. Brennan; “150 Glimpses of the Beatles,” Craig Brown; “Big Ideas Simply Explained: The Law,” DK; “Do You Feel Like I Do?” Peter Frampton; “Battle of Brothers: William and Harry - The Inside Story of a Family in Tumult,” Robert Lacey; “Joe Biden: The Life, the Run and What Matters Now,” Evan Osnos; “The Luckiest Man: Life with John McCain,” Mark Salter; “Humans,” Brandon Stanton

Juvenile: “Super Good Baking for Kids,” Duff Goldman; “Cat Kid Comic Club,” Dav Pilkey; “The Book of Mythical Beasts and Magical Creatures,” DK; “Ickabog,” J.K. Rowling

Young adult: “Crush,” Tracy Wolff

Children’s picture books: “Pig the Slob,” Aaron Blabey; “Elbow Grease vs. Motozilla,” John Cena; “Bunheads,” Misty Copeland; “Llama Llama Loose Tooth Drama,” Anna Dewdney; “The Couch Potato,” Jory John; “The Office: A Day at Dunder Mifflin Elementary,” Robb Pearlman; “Splat the Cat: Splat and the New Baby,” Rob Scotton