The RIP V Challenge

It's here, it's here, it's here!!! The challenge I've been waiting for since...well, since this time last year. Carl V. at Stainless Steel Droppings has finally announced the start of the Fifth edition of his R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril (RIP) Challenge. And the first thing I want to say (besides yippee!!!) is: Just look at that graphic!

OK, down to business. The challenge runs from September 1st through October 31st, and as usual will offer several levels of participation. You can read all about that on the challenge announcement page here. Last year, I signed up for Peril the First (at least four books), and didn't have any trouble finishing. This year, my schedule is going to be a little hectic during the next couple of months, but I'm throwing caution to the winds and signing up at the Peril the First level once again. In fact, I'm hoping to combine that with one or two of the other "perils," but we'll just see how it goes (Carl has added a Peril on the Screen category this year, and it looks really tempting).

Now, about books. I've been giving a lot of thought to what I might read for this one. And since the challenge focuses on just about all my favorite genres (mystery, suspense, thriller, dark fantasy, gothic, horror, supernatural), my list of possible reads is unbelievably (and ridiculously) long. But these are a few of the books I'm considering:

• The Dark Half or The Dead Zone. Stephen King (It's been over thirty years since I read anything by the King of horror.)
• Grave Sight. Charlaine Harris (The first book in the Harper Connelly mystery series. Everyone else has read something by Harris, and I'm beginning to feel left out.)
• The House Next Door. Anne Rivers Siddons (An early work by Siddons, and very different from her later books.)
• The Hunger. Whitley Strieber (I'm not usually a vampire fan, but I could make an exception for this one. Loved the movie.)
• Mr. Murder. Dean Koontz (Never read anything by Koontz, but several trusted recommenders have recommended this one.)
• The Prince of Mist. Carlos Ruiz Zafón (A spooky novel for young adults, by the author of Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game.)
• The Rapture. Liz Jensen (Mainly because I received an ARC of this one which I never got around to reading. Shame on me. Must do better.)
• We Have Always Lived in the Castle. Shirley Jackson (I've had this one on my TBR list for years now, and this would be the perfect excuse to get it read. Recommended by my cousin MLB.)
• Widdershins. Oliver Onions (First published in 1911, and one of the classic ghost story collections; includes the novella that is probably Onions' best-known work, The Beckoning Fair One.)

Or, I might ignore all those and just stick with Preston and Child – there are still quite a few of their Pendergast novels I haven't gotten to yet. And Diogenes P. is a really delicious villain – perfect for a little autumnal reading spree. Anyway, during the challenge I'll be updating my reading progress on my challenge blog here.

Now, I'm off to sign myself up for the challenge, and then do some blog-hopping to see what everyone else is thinking about reading.