The Cruelest Joke of All: The Myth of the Poisoned Halloween Candy – Alan Dundes – 1980
Alan Dundes’ work offers a folkloristic analysis of the urban legend surrounding poisoned Halloween candy, revealing underlying cultural anxieties and patterns in its dissemination.
The book contextualizes the myth within broader cultural concerns about stranger danger and consumer product safety.
It’s a scholarly exploration of fear and storytelling, rather than a literal account of criminal acts.
