Josh Ritter's 6 favorite books that invoke the supernatural

The singer-songwriter, whose first novel concerns a man who chats with an angel, recommends works by Stephen King and Salman Rushdie

Singer-songwriter and first-time novelist Josh Ritter
(Image credit: Marcelo Biglia)

The Ballad of Peckham Rye by Muriel Spark (Penguin, $20). A Scottish migrant overturns the life of an English factory town in this short, sharp little novel. Working to swindle two competing nylon manufacturers, he sows havoc among the employees of both firms while coming to the private conclusion that he might be the Devil.

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (Penguin, $14). The Devil, a giant black house cat, and a cadre of evil dilettantes arrive in Moscow together in the early years of Communist rule. Trouble is, everyone in the city claims to be atheist, and it can be mighty hard to get noticed. A hilarious, stunning, absurd book. One of my favorites.

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