hat intro is so misleading but also kind of worth it. So, to clarify, not the Christopher Pike from Star Trek, and not The Midnight Club game. We’re talking about the surprisingly popular YA author Christopher Pike, who wrote the very epic (and now rebooted) The Last Vampire series (it was rebooted when Twilight happened and vampires were a thing again).

Pike, whose real name is Kevin McFadden, wrote within the mystery/thriller/horror/supernatural genres in the late ‘80s and the early ‘90s. Now, these genres were really popular back then and we had an absolute slew of writers fulfilling the demands of crazy ‘90s teens. Foremost of these, was Pike’s nemesis R.L.Stine, who was a little more readable, but only because he wrote horror-by-numbers-for-dum-mies books. #TeamPikeForever.

Now imagine growing up reading everything from Sati – a book about a woman who claims something unusual – to the Witch World books well into your 30s, add in a genuine adoration for the broad horror genre, and a very, very healthy appreciation for director Mike Flanagan.

And then imagine a world where one of Christopher Pike’s books is adapted to screen by Mike Flanagan. Just the knowledge that this world now exists is enough to continue believing in miracles.

Flanagan’s style is both gothic and surreal, and he has made three incredibly satisfying shows, that were at once tender and horrific. The style is perfect for The Midnight Club. The gentle undercurrents of infinite love Flanagan brings as he unfolds the story from paper to screen are in line with, and essential to, Pike’s writing. Where Pike faltered, Flanagan will hold him up. 

To backtrack a bit, Pike was ‘surprisingly’ popular, because his books referred to philosophy and mysticism a lot. Not exactly YA fodder. That said, Pike fans have long known that his books would make excellent films and TV series. We don’t know if The Last Vampire has been picked up officially, but it should be. The Season Of Passage needs its day in the theater. The Eternal Enemy is p.e.r.f.e.c.t. for these times. And Gimme A Kiss, Fall Into Darkness, Falling would give that Harlan Coben guy (lady? Person? Okay, checked, it’s guy) a run for his money.

Now add Mike Flanagan to this *magnifique*, *chef’s kiss* recipe. His style is both gothic and surreal, and he has made three incredibly satisfying shows, that were at once tender and horrific.

The style is perfect for The Midnight Club, which is the story of a bunch of kids living out their final days in hospice, killing time by meeting at midnight to tell each other scary stories. The gentle undercurrents of infinite love Flanagan brings as he unfolds the story from paper to screen are in line with, and essential to Pike’s writing. Where Pike faltered, Flanagan will hold him up.

Even if you’ve never read/ watched anything by these two superbly gifted artists, The Midnight Club may be a good place to start – both book and series – and might just have you exploring their work further.