From horror movies to lighter and more family-friendly spooky stories, here are 15 scary books, movies, and TV shows set in Michigan.
Halloween in Michigan means one thing and one thing only: It’s probably going to snow. I’m kidding, of course, although those of us who live in the Mitten State know it’s always a good idea to choose a Halloween costume with added insulation if you’ll be trick-or-treating outdoors.
But for those of you who will be spending some time indoors this spooky season, we have some frightfully good books, movies, and TV shows—all set in Michigan—to help you set the scary scene. There may be some inclusions on this list that surprise you: for instance, did you know that the infamous horror movie “Scream 4” was filmed in various locations near Detroit and Ann Arbor? Or that the award-winning novel “Station Eleven” told the tale of a worldwide pandemic with survivors in Michigan well before the COVID-19 pandemic happened in real life?
I learned a thing or two about just how many spooky multimedia experiences our great state of Michigan has inspired—and you can check them out too, with this list of books, movies, and TV shows all set in Michigan, from the truly frightful to the more family-friendly.
1. Station Eleven
Genre: Thriller book and TV series
Where to find it: Amazon
A mysterious new respiratory virus sweeps the globe in a worldwide pandemic that takes millions of lives—no, you’re not flashing back to 2020, you’re reading the introductory plot to this award-winning novel based in a post-apocalyptic Michigan. After a swine-flu-like virus kills most of the world, a group of survivors carves their own path through the collapse of civilization. (And in case you’re wondering, this book was published in 2016, so it was most definitely pre-COVID, which is even more chilling, right?) The book was also made into a TV series—there’s one season with 10 episodes available to watch.
2. Scream 4
Genre: Horror movie
Where to find it: YouTube
Next on our list is a name many people know—”Scream 4,” the fourth installment of the popular Scream series, starring original actresses Neve Campbell and Courtney Cox, was set and filmed in various locations around Detroit and near Ann Arbor. Fans of the franchise can even visit the exact locations where specific scenes were filmed, such as the bookstore and high school featured in the movie, as well as the house where the final “Stabathon” took place.
Photo courtesy of Rafael Poveda/CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
3. Somewhere in Time
Genre: Movie
Where to find it: Free on Amazon Prime; Pay-to-play on other streaming services
The infamous movie starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymor is set at none other than the Grand Hotel in Mackinaw, Island. The film delivers a fascinating look at the hotel—where the movie was filmed and still looks remarkably similar to this day–as well as breathtaking scenes of the island. The movie is “spooky” in the sense that it involves time travel and haunted lovers. Having recently watched this movie for the first time with my own five children, I can also attest that it’s pretty family-friendly in that there are no language or suggestive scenes. However, my kids did find the movie slightly disturbing, and overall, it’s just a sad movie, so prepare yourself.
4. American Horror Story: Cult
Genre: Horror TV series
Where to find it: Hulu
Switching gears a little, if you’re looking for something a bit scarier, the entire series of “American Horror Story: Cult” was set in Michigan. The series is set in a fictional suburb of Michigan and follows a town disrupted by the 2016 election. And, of course, there’s also a dangerous cult leader using the town’s unsettled nature for his own nefarious benefit.
5. Let Her Rest: A Northern Michigan Asylum Novel
Genre: E-book
Where to find it: Amazon
Thanks to its captivating natural beauty, proximity to many natural waterways, and wide open spaces with plenty of fresh air, Michigan was once renowned for its multitude of homes and hospitals for the mentally ill. Many of the facilities were run with impeccable care and some, well, were not. You can tour many of the former facilities, especially around this time of year, which I highly recommend, as well as pick up some spooky reads inspired by the many different institutions Michigan housed, like this one that is part thriller, part mystery.
6. The House with a Clock in Its Walls
Genre: Mystery movie
Where to find it: Amazon Prime
A family-friendly mystery movie, “The House with a Clock in Its Walls” stars actor Jack Black and was filmed at a mysterious-looking mansion in Marshall, Michigan. The story is not real, but the house very much is—it’s a historic home with a lot of history in the town, and after it was meticulously restored to its former glory, it hosts many community and visitor-friendly events so people can see where the book got its inspiration.
7. Huckleberry Halloween
Genre: Book
Where to find it: Amazon
According to author T.S. Wallace, “Midwest Mysteries” is a “captivating book series that follows a diverse group of kids and teens as they journey through the heartland of America, discovering its hidden secrets, and exploring intriguing real-world locations.” These books are meant for elementary to middle-school readers.
There are three books in the Midwest Mysteries series, each set in an iconic Michigan landmark. The first book in the series is “Huckleberry Halloween,” which follows the brave protagonist Jake as he faces an unexpected spooky adventure on his family’s annual trip to Crossroads Village at Huckleberry Railroad.
Photo courtesy of T.S. Wallace.
Genre: Book
Where to find it: Amazon
The second book in the series is “Mackinaw Meltdown,” set on—you guessed it–Mackinaw Island. This book takes readers on a journey with basketball star Leon and his sister Leyla, who are “scooped” into an enchanted world in a magical ice cream parlor on the island. “Accompanied by a group of misfit teens and the wisdom of the Seven Grandfather Teachings, they must navigate fantastical Scoop Loops—challenges within magical ice cream worlds that test their character—and confront their own failings to restore balance to the island,” the book promises.
Photo courtesy of T.S. Wallace.
9. Tulip Terror
Genre: Book
Where to find it: Amazon
Thirdly, the Midwest Mysteries series winds down with “Tulip Terror,” featuring a Dutch-heritage teen, Anouk, who unlocks the power of ancient folklore in Holland, Michigan, to save her family and town. Readers can experience scenes from the famous Tulip Time Festival in Holland, MI, and learn more about the heritage of the area, all in an exciting, mystery-packed adventure. Fans of the Midwest Mysteries series will also be excited to learn that there will soon be a fourth book releases sooon, which will feature a choose-your-own-adventure format.
Photo courtesy of T.S. Wallace.
10. Catastrophe in Caseville
Genre: Books
Where to find it: Amazon
In the same vein as Midwest Mysteries, the Michigan Chillers series is intended for a middle-school audience and is set in Michigan. I chose this one because it’s set at the annual cheeseburger festival in Caseville, which is a famous event for many people in the Thumb area. The book also gives major “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatball” vibes because the cheeseburger main character is a giant menace who sets out to destroy the town. Look out!
11. Evil Dead
Genre: Horror movie
Where to watch: Pay to play on Amazon Prime
Known as a cult classic horror movie, this 1981 film is set in a remote cabin in Michigan (although the actual cabin was in Tenessee). Known for grossing 2.4 million despite a shoestring budget, many of the movie’s famous scenes were also filmed in different locations in Michigan, including Marshall, Detroit, and Knoxville. The movie was also directed by a Michigan native from Royal Oak, and the main characters are all Michigan State University students.
12. The Virgin Suicides
Genre: Book/Movie
Where to find it: Amazon
This novel is loosely inspired by a true story of a suicide pact among sisters and tells the tale of five sisters from Michigan who all committed suicide within 13 months of each other. The infamous story was turned into what has been described as a maddening and haunting novel by Jeffrey Eugenides who tells the story of the sisters from the viewpoints of five grown men remembering the girls as teenagers. (Creepy, right?) The film adaptation also follows the same story as the book, and one review says the most disturbing part of the story is how all other people in the sisters’ lives—from their parents to their neighbors to the boys obsessed with them—failed to see the girls as anything other than objects meant to be controlled.
Photo courtesy of giuliaduepuntozero/CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
13. The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Genre: Song
Where to find it: YouTube
It may not be spooky per se, but the song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” is certainly haunting, especially because it speaks to the heartbreakingly sad tale of the 29 sailors who lost their lives in the shipwreck. The ore carrier SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank on Lake Superior, only 17 miles away from safety in Whitefish Point, MI, on November 10, 197, under mysterious conditions that remain unsolved today. The ship was being closely watched and in contact with other ships on the water that day when it suddenly lost contact. According to the shipwreck and debris found after, it appeared to sink suddenly and drastically without any cries for help.
14. Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations
Genre: Thriller
Where to watch: Amazon
Although not as popular as the first movie in the Butterfly Effect series, the third film installment is set in Michigan and did most of its filming in Detroit as well. The movie follows a young time traveler as he sets out to try to save his sister, only to alter the past in dangerous ways.
15. Holland, Michigan
Genre: Thriller
Where to watch: TBD
It’s not a movie you can currently watch, but Nicole Kidman and Matthew Macfayden star in a movie simply titled “Holland, Michigan,” that follows Kidman as a midwestern wife who suspects her husband is cheating on her. There’s no real explanation of why the movie is set in Holland—or literally named after the town—but I’m intrigued already. The film also shot scenes on Holland’s famous Windmill Island.
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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