SATURDAY • OCTOBER 10, 2026 • 1-3PM at the TARRYTOWN MUSIC HALL
Sleepy Hollow: Fact & Fiction
Book discussion and signing with J.W. Ocker and authors of Horseman-themed novels.
Get an exclusive glimpse into local folklore and history from bestselling author and podcaster J.W. Ocker, whose brand-new book, Chasing the Headless Horseman (Countryman Press, Sept. 2026), investigates how a quiet riverside village became a global phenomenon, and why Washington Irving’s headless horseman has survived more than 200 years. Ocker will talk about his new book, then join a panel discussion that includes Horseman-inspired novelists Christina Henry, Nichole Louise, Alyssa Palombo, and Jude S. Walko. Chris Steib of Transom Bookshop will introduce and moderate the panel.
A signed copy of J.W. Ocker’s Chasing the Headless Horseman is included in the price of each ticket. After the show, attendees will have a chance to meet the panelists and purchase additional books for signing.
Books About Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown, and the Hudson Valley
“Raven Rock” exists within the world the classic gothic tale “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” weaving together details from Washington Irving’s story, the area’s rich folklore, and the historical context of the American Revolution.
In this atmospheric, terrifying novel that draws strongly from "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," the author of Alice and The Girl in Red works her trademark magic, spinning an engaging and frightening new story from a classic tale.
// PRE-ORDER NOW • PICK UP AT TRANSOM ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2026 //
National best-selling and Edgar Award–winning travel writer J. W. Ocker investigates the town that inspired Washington Irving’s famous short story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” Ocker dives into the storied history of the Headless Horseman’s stomping grounds, visiting the village’s graveyard where Irving himself is buried and exploring all the present-day spookiness of one of the strangest towns in the country.
Blending travelogue, cultural criticism, and behind-the-scenes reporting, Ocker uncovers the tensions between tourism and tradition, profit and preservation, fiction and fact. With wit and curiosity, Chasing the Headless Horseman tells the story of how one small town reinvented itself as America’s Halloween capital, complete with statues, street signs, and an 18-foot-tall Headless Horseman. A must-read for anyone who loves ghost stories, Halloween, or small-town drama, Ocker’s new book does for Sleepy Hollow, New York, what his A Season with the Witch did for Salem, Massachusetts.
A Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow exclusive edition of Washington Irving’s classic short story featuring Ichabod Crane, Brom Bones, Katrina Van Tassel, and the Headless Horsemen. This edition also includes a hand-drawn map, ‘Rip Van Winkle,’ and ‘Sleepy Hollow: a Remembrance,’ with an introduction by Transom Bookshop owner, Chris Steib.
When Ichabod Crane arrives in the spooky little village of Sleepy Hollow as the new schoolmaster, Katrina Van Tassel is instantly drawn to him. Through their shared love of books and music, they form a friendship that quickly develops into romance. Ichabod knows that as an itinerant schoolteacher of little social standing, he has nothing to offer the wealthy Katrina – unlike her childhood friend-turned-enemy, Brom Van Brunt, who is the suitor Katrina’s father favors.
But when romance gives way to passion, Ichabod and Katrina embark on a secret love affair, sneaking away into the woods after dark to be together – all while praying they do not catch sight of Sleepy Hollow’s legendary Headless Horseman. That is, until All Hallows’s Eve, when Ichabod suddenly disappears, leaving Katrina alone and in a perilous position.
Enlisting the help of her friend – and rumored witch – Charlotte Jansen, Katrina seeks the truth of Ichabod Crane’s disappearance, investigating the forest around Sleepy Hollow using unconventional – often magical – means. What they find forces Katrina to question everything she once knew, and to wonder if the Headless Horseman is perhaps more than just a story after all. In Alyssa Palombo's The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel nothing is as it seems, and love is a thing even death won't erase.
In a town enamored with its own "Unhallowed Horseman" legend, a distraught teenage boy must come to terms with his own demons and perhaps the Horseman himself.
"THE UNHALLOWED HORSEMAN" is a contemporary reimagining based on characters of the American classic, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving, the Father of American Literature.
Set in small-town picturesque America, during All Hallow's Eve, against the backdrop of a seemingly peaceful place with an iconic past, the psychological thriller follows the coming-of-age of Vincent; a distraught and troubled young man, and his descent into his own mind.
More Books about Tarrytown & Sleepy Hollow
As residents of Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow, we are invested in preserving the rich history of our villages as well as celebrating the incredible progress made in making the Rivertowns a thriving place to live and a fun destination for visitors.
Hudson Ephemera
Folklore & Mystery
Local Expertise
Natural History
