For the first time, I’m going to join in the fun of the R.I.P. Challenge, hosted by Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings.  Why this challenge, you ask?  Because:

1. As Carl himself says: “There are two simple goals to the R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril Challenge: Have fun reading and share that fun with others.”
2. I’d already planned to read Dracula during the month of October.
3. Isn’t this gorgeous:

The goal of the R.I.P. Challenge is to read four, two or one book from any of these genres

• Mystery
• Suspense
• Thriller
• Dark fantasy
• Gothic
• Horror
• Supernatural

between September 1 and October 31.  And while we don’t have to commit to the books ahead of time, Carl does encourage us to share our Reading Pool.  So voila…my pool:

The Woman in White, by Wilkie Collins.  This has been called the original novel of suspense fiction, so it seems a fitting choice. I’m currently reading this through email via DailyLit.  But I only receive a chapter every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so unless I kick it up a notch or fifty, there’s no way I’ll finish this one during the challenge.  I’m not very far in, but Mr. Fairlie recently arrived and he is exceedingly readable in his obnoxiousness.  In fact, I recently called him a wanker on Twitter.  So I might be inspired to finish this one sooner rather than later.

Her Fearful Symmetry, by Audrey Niffenegger.  Let’s face it, I’m going to be all over this as soon as it’s released.  It’ll be available on September 29th, which still gives me lots of time to acquire and read.  I loved The Time Traveler’s Wife, although I refuse to see the movie.  I don’t know how this book will perform (I’m trying to ignore all of the hype/reviews so I can approach it without any preconceptions), but the cover is kinda creepy with those spooky branches that look like they’re about to reach out and grab you.

The Monster of Florence, by Douglas Preston.  This one sounds suitably gory.

Publisher’s description: “Douglas Preston fulfilled a lifelong dream when he moved with his family to a villa in Florence. Upon meeting celebrated journalist Mario Spezi, Preston was stunned to learn that the olive grove next to his home had been the scene of a horrific double murder committed by one of the most infamous figures in Italian history. A serial killer who ritually murdered fourteen young lovers, he has never been caught. He is known as the Monster of Florence.

The Night Villa, by Carol Goodman.  I’ve read and enjoyed her other books.  They’re not quite gothic, but they do have an eerie, something’s not quite right, feel to them.

Publisher’s description: “Beneath layers of volcanic ash lies the Villa della Notte–the Night Villa–home to first-century nobles, as well as to the captivating slave girl at the heart of an ancient controversy. And secreted in a subterranean labyrinth rests a cache of antique documents believed lost to the ages: a prize too tantalizing for Sophie to resist. But suspicion, fear, and danger roam the long-untrodden tunnels and chambers beneath the once sumptuous estate–especially after Sophie sees the face of her former lover in the darkness, leaving her to wonder if she is chasing shadows or succumbing to the siren song of the Night Villa. Whatever shocking events transpired in the face of Vesuvius’s fury have led to deeper, darker machinations that inexorably draw Sophie into their vortex, rich in stunning revelations and laden with unseen menace.”

Dracula, by Bram Stoker. I’ve been meaning to read this for years.  It’s one of those books that begs to be read.  Especially in October.  Maybe I’ll accessorize my reading and wear some plastic fangs…whaddya think?  If I can drum up interest, I might even organize a read-along.

The Little Stranger, by Sarah Waters.  This latest release from Waters is supposedly a “chilling and vividly rendered ghost story set in post-war Britain.”  And there’s a haunted house…no RIP (resting in peace) here.  However, this was just released in hardcover, so I’ll have to think about it.  I have plenty of other books already crowding the bookshelves that I could choose from.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, by Seth Grahame-Smith and Jane Austen.  I’ve been planning to read this one simultaneously with Pride and Prejudice because (*gasp*) I’ve never it (the original, that is).  I figure the addition of zombies might liven up my Austen experience, since I’ve never really been a fan.  I also have both books waiting on the shelf, so I’m prepared.

So there you have it…my possible contenders for the R.I.P. Challenge.  Many thanks to Carl for hosting!