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43 Horror Authors Every Scare-Chaser Needs to Know

These must-read horror authors should be on the shelf of every serious horror fan.

Some say we are in a golden age of horror fiction—and with so many horror books available by authors new and old we tend to agree. We asked The Lineup editors and contributors to share their lists of must-read horror authors. 

Everyone already knows about horror fiction stars—authors like Stephen King , Peter Straub , Joe Hill , Anne Rice , and Clive Barker .

The truth is, horror fiction is booming—there has never been a better time to be a voracious reader and horror fan. And, while we will always love authors like Stephen King for putting the genre on the map, there is a lot—and we do mean a lot—more where that came from. 

What follows is an extensive (though not exhaustive) list of 43 horror authors who either helped create, define, or further evolve the horror genre. If these incredible weavers of horror tales don't already grace your shelves, now is the perfect time to remedy that!

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By Nick Mamatas

Nick Mamatas is credited for writing convoluted yet telling tales of horrifying incidents that also often act as social commentary. His work often features fantasy elements, though his voice is sophisticated and prophetic enough that readers can still relate to everything he’s saying–in the most chilling ways.

For example,  Bullettime  is a crime-novel-meets-fantasy work steeped in teenage misery and revenge.

Devil's Day

By Andrew Michael Hurley

Andrew Michael Hurley, the award-winning author of several books, is known for writing stories with picturesque and elucidatory settings. He’s a go-to author for folk horror fans , perhaps best known for his book  Devil’s Day,  a fabled tale about what can happen when members of the valley begin to forget why they celebrate Devil’s Day in the first place.

Linda D. Addison

The Place of Broken Things

By Linda D. Addison

A world-renowned horror poetry author, Linda Addison is practically drowning in awards for her 400+ published horror poems . She is the first African-American recipient of the HWA Bram Stoker Award®, among others, and is also heavily involved in the poetry-writing space. Much of her poetry also includes fantasy elements.

The Place of Broken Things , one of her most recent works in collaboration with Alessandro Manzetti, is a surreal poetry collection exploring the many things that broken bodies, minds, and souls tolerate. 

5 Horror Poetry Collections with Unusual Themes that You Might Have Missed

Goddess of Filth

By V. Castro

V. Castro was born in San Antonio, Texas to Mexican-American parents , which explains why much of her work features Mexican folklore as well as Texan urban legends. A versatile author, her novels include a vast combination of genres, spanning from Christmas horror to military settings, to sci-fi elements.

One of her most popular works,  Goddess of Filth , uses the Chicana experience and Aztec folklore to connect ancestral lore to contemporary San Antonio which results in a chilling story of demonic possession. 

Grady Hendrix

By Grady Hendrix

Grady Hendrix is a quirky, humorous, and versatile horror author that not only writes horror novels, but has also written horror screenplays, among other things. He would also likely chuckle at being called quirky, but that is the best way to describe him. Though his stories are horror-filled, they’re also fun, and feature unlikely plots like Horrorstör, in which employees must work a nine-hour night shift to investigate mysterious goings-on in an Ikea-like furniture store. 

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Zin E. Rocklyn

Flowers for the Sea

By Zin E. Rocklyn

Zin E. Rocklyn is a queer, genderqueer, Black author of horror and dark fantasy, who began writing when they realized that in order to see themself portrayed correctly in the books they love, they’d have to put themself there.

Because writing horror is such a cathartic and healing way for them to learn more about the human experience, much of their (multi-faceted) work is highly personal; but that works, as their goal is to help readers see the humanity in Black characters.

For example, their debut novel  Flowers for the Sea (winner of both Shirley Jackson and Pulver awards) is a gothic fantasy about vengeance and sacrifice featuring Black characters.

13 Essential Books by Black Women in Horror

Brian Keene

The Complex

By Brian Keene

A prolific horror author, Brian Keene has an award-packed resume, including multiple Bram Stokers. With over 50 books in his arsenal, his range is wide, spanning from novels, novellas, and short story collections in many subgenres of horror, fantasy, nonfiction, and crime. The man knows how to write darkness.

Endlessly creative, a great book to get started with Brian Keene is  The Complex , a standalone, claustrophobic horror novel about the gory horrors that live within the Pine Village Apartment Complex. 

Cassandra Khaw

The Salt Grows Heavy

By Cassandra Khaw

While Cassandra Khaw’ s stories may have elements of fiction and fantasy, they are undeniably horror. The Malaysian, award-winning author is known for using Asian folklore and other fantasy elements to create thrilling, slasher (and often paranormal) novels combined with (usually urban) contemporary settings.

One of their more recent releases,  The Salt Grows Heavy , is a Little-Mermaid-gone-wrong tale about a blood-thirsty mermaid who befriends a plague doctor while on the run from the kingdom her daughters have just devoured, only to make it to a village more blood-thirsty than they are. They must embrace their inner demons to make it out alive.

Daniel Kraus

By Daniel Kraus

Daniel Kraus has collaborated with so many important horror figures and has won so many awards that it would be a wonder if you were a horror fan who has never heard his name.

His recent and highly-celebrated novel  Whalefall  is a scientifically accurate thriller about a scuba diver who has been swallowed by a giant whale and must escape before his oxygen tank runs out—and he only has 60 minutes.

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T. Kingfisher

Nettle & Bone

By T. Kingfisher

A renaissance woman who writes horror, books for children, and draws, T. Kingfisher is an author of several genres, though her horror novels spark a certain type of dread that is specific to her. She delivers skin-crawling creepiness in the same sentence that she delivers a laugh. If you’re looking for exceptional horror that’s still a little fun, T. Kingfisher is a great place to start.

Being someone who also enjoys writing fantasy, you’ll find that many of her horror stories have fantasy elements; and Nettle & Bone is not only one of her most popular works, but also a seamless blend of both genres .

Alexis Henderson

The Year of the Witching

By Alexis Henderson

Alexis Henderson is the author of two incredible novels:  The Year of the Witching  and  House of Hunger . The Year of the Witching  is a fantasy and horror novel about a young woman living amongst Puritans who discovers she possesses dark powers.

House of Hunger , in a somewhat similar vein, is a dark gothic horror that features a young woman thrust into the upper ends of the hierarchy where blood equals power. If you’re looking for a specialist in cosmic horror , Alexis Henderson is your next read.

John Langan

The Fisherman

By John Langan

When asked to provide a list of authors every horror fan should be reading, I decided to go with authors who are alive and working today, rather than old classics. Few authors working today feel  as much like discovering one of those old classics for the first time as John Langan, though. His novel The Fisherman , winner of a Bram Stoker Award, is the perfect place to start with his unforgettable prose, but he’s also the author of numerous short story and novella collections, to pull you into deeper waters. 

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Edgar Allan Poe

The Complete Short Stories

By Edgar Allan Poe

While not as explicit in violence and gore as other horror writers, Edgar Allan Poe remains one of the foremost authors to seek out if you love the gothic and the macabre. Although much of Poe's notoriety is as connected to his life—and the mysterious manner of his death—as his writing, we can't deny his legacy.

Not only did he influence entire genres like detective fiction , Poe inspired other famous horror authors like H.P. Lovecraft . If you adore darkly romantic stories about lost loves, guilty murderers, madness, and being buried alive, his work will never fail you.

7 Best Edgar Allan Poe Books and Their Modern Readalikes

Maryse Meijer 

The Seventh Mansion

By Maryse Meijer

Maryse Meijer writes like nobody else, in a calm, knowing, completely controlled voice that tells you gorgeous stories of utter chaos. Try The Seventh Mansion , a love story and a death story unlike anything else you’ve ever read.

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Kayla Chenault 

These Bones

By Kayla Chenault

I don’t know if Kayla Chenault would consider herself a horror writer but she describes herself as a practitioner of Black Girl Magic, and her debut novel  These Bones  (Lanternfish Press), which came out in September, is billed as folk horror. All I know is that it is an amazing book that combines American history—the real and the imagined—with the beautiful and the horrific in a unique and creative way. 

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Graham Masterton

The Manitou

By Graham Masterton

Graham Masterton broke onto the horror scene with The Manitou , a deeply disturbing body horror tale that plays on Native American mythology.

Although The Manitou  instantly placed him amongst horror greats like Stephen King, it’s his haunted house story, Charnel House , that keeps me coming back for more. Masterton’s ability to weave in the real horrors of our pasts into a truly chilling narrative is evident time and time again.

Elizabeth Hand 

Wylding Hall

By Elizabeth Hand

Elizabeth Hand is an author who isn’t afraid to dip her toe into an array of genres—from science fiction to fantasy to horror, and melding them as she pleases. She has a mastery of dark and Gothic themes, spinning unsettling and heavily atmospheric tales.

Her work tends to focus on protagonists involved in some way in artistry and performance, and the novel Wylding Hall , which follows a folk band in an eerie country house, is the perfect snapshot of her talents. 

Where to Start With the Gripping Gothic Horror of Elizabeth Hand

Gwendolyn Kiste

The Rust Maidens

By Gwendolyn Kiste

Gwendolyn Kiste ’s style is lyrical, haunting, and gripping. She effortlessly blends the grotesque with the beautiful, the fairy tale with the horrific, the mundane with the strange.

Her short story collection And Her Smile Will Untether the Universe  reads like a novel, despite the stories not being connected in any way (other than theme.) Often body horror, her work explores the realm of the monstrous feminine. Or perhaps, the ways women have been silenced, contained, and restrained—and how they fight back.

Her debut novel The Rust Maidens explores these themes in a particularly heartbreaking fashion. 

Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Mexican Gothic

By Silvia Moreno-Garcia

She may not be a horror author exclusively, like some of the other names on this list, but Silvia Moreno-Garcia has more than earned a spot here.

Her recent bestseller, Mexican Gothic , alone would be enough to guarantee that every horror fan worth their salt needs to know her name, and once it’s got you addicted, you should seek out some of her self-published short story collections, where she conjures up everything from Lovecraftian horrors to wax effigies of Jack the Ripper and so much more!

12 Haunting Horror Books for Fans of Mexican Gothic

Jonathan Raab

Camp Ghoul Mountain Part VI: The Official Novelization

By Jonathan Raab

I’m a big fan of what I like to call “fun horror,” and few living authors do it better than Jonathan Raab. He’s a relative newcomer to the scene, but there are big things ahead of him.

For those who want an introduction to what he’s capable of, check out Camp Ghoul Mountain Part VI: The Official Novelization . It’s equal parts Scream -esque deconstruction and paranoid cosmic horror, combining the (fictionalized) novelization of an imaginary late-era slasher sequel with liner notes and behind-the-scenes material that paint an infinitely stranger picture. 

Shirley Jackson

The Haunting of Hill House

By Shirley Jackson

Thanks to the popular The Haunting of Hill House Netflix series, Shirley Jackson's works have never been more well-known or in the spotlight.

Given that The Haunting of Hill House was originally published in the late 1950s, its present-day popularity further cements the timelessness of Jackson's fiction.

While casual horror readers are likely more familiar with her novels such as the aforementioned Haunting and We Have Always Live in the Castle , Jackson was a prolific short story writer. And of these, perhaps the most famous is "The Lottery," which reveals a sinister undercurrent running through a small American town. 

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Lindsay Lerman 

I'm From Nowhere

By Lindsay Lerman

Lindsay Lerman is steeped in chaos and her scope goes out, out, out to take in the terrors of climate disaster and the empty (is it?) universe beyond us, for a cosmic and deeply human thrill ride.

Try I’m From Nowhere , and stay tuned for What Are You .

Robert McCammon

By Robert McCammon

Rising to notoriety in the American horror literature boom of the 1970s, Robert McCammon became one of the most influential writers in the game by 1991, with three New York Times bestsellers.

McCammon has a consistent mastery of world-building, and his stories unfold on paper with visceral immersion. His most well-known and beloved novel, Boy’s Life , is a can’t-miss read that follows a 12-year-old boy through a twisted coming-of-age experience after witnessing a murder in the 1960s South. 

12 Creepy Robert McCammon Books That Will Keep You Awake At Night

Hailey Piper

Queen of Teeth

By Hailey Piper

I haven’t read a Hailey Piper piece (short story, novella, or novel) that I could easily put down.

Piper burst onto the horror scene in 2018 with The Possession of Natalie Glasglow , which subverts several canonical possession tropes—and she’s not slowing down anytime soon. Her cosmic horror novella The Worm and His Kings topped  “best-of” lists and her gruesome debut novel Queen of Teeth is receiving rave reviews. Her work is riveting, transgressive, challenging, and entertaining—and, in Piper’s own words, continues her personal mission to “make horror gay AF.”

8 Modern LGBTQ+ Horror Authors Revolutionizing the Genre

Stephen Graham Jones

My Heart is a Chainsaw

By Stephen Graham Jones

Stephen Graham Jones is another author who specializes in deconstructing the slasher genre that was the dominant form of American horror film for much of the 1980s.

But to say that Jones specializes in anything is to sell the prolific author short—unless that “anything” is creating intensely human characters who thrum with inner life, even while the world around them closes in.

His output is staggering, so there are countless places to start, but one of his latest releases is a slasher deconstruction called My Heart is a Chainsaw that is one of the most intense, heartfelt, and transportive reads of recent years.

Paul Tremblay

A Head Full of Ghosts

By Paul Tremblay

Paul Tremblay ’s greatest skill may be his ability to take a single trope or cliché and spin it out into an utterly chilling, original tale. Whether he starts with possession, disappearances, home invasion, or raging disease, each of his horror books leave readers with both unnerving questions and spine-tingling chills.

His chillingly prophetic Survivor Song was released during the COVID-19 global pandemic (but written well before!) and A Head Full of Ghosts is a great starting point for any reader. 

Gemma Files

The Worm in Every Heart

By Gemma Files

First making her entry into the writing scene with short stories that appeared across various freelance periodicals, the majority of Gemma Files ’s work has one foot in fantasy and one foot in horror.

Her novels span the subjects of witches to demons to goddesses. While every one of her works is great, I can’t recommend enough her short story collection The Worm in Every Heart —short fiction is where she shines. 

Max Booth III

We Need to Do Something

By Max Booth III

Max Booth III came to my attention when I wrote the foreword for Miscreations , an anthology of short stories about literal and figurative monsters.

His story, “You Are My Neighbor”, was one of the best of the bunch and I’ve been following him ever since.

He wrote the screenplay for the adaptation of his novella We Need to Do Something , produced by bestselling author Josh Malerman’s  Spin a Black Yarn  film production company. The resulting movie is available to stream for rent from Amazon Prime and other platforms, and has also been screened at various film festivals and theaters across the country. 

10 Disturbing Small Press Horror Books to Read

Matthew M. Bartlett

Creeping Waves

By Matthew M. Bartlett

Proof positive there’s no right or wrong way to carve out a place for yourself in the world of writing, Matthew M. Bartlett got started self-publishing his bizarre, incantatory, hallucinatory pieces.

Once the rest of the world caught on, though, his star rose, and Bartlett recently found himself the subject of a tribute anthology called Hymns of Abomination . While his books are chiefly short story collections, they actually read more like strange mosaic novels, made up of seemingly unrelated vignettes that somehow coalesce into something that grips you like a bad dream and won’t let go.

One of my favorites from among his works is Creeping Waves , and he also has a Patreon , where subscribers can receive a steady injection (infection?) of his creepy tales. 

Carmen Maria Machado

Her Body and Other Parties

By Carmen Maria Machado

A writer whose works run across multiple genres, Carmen Maria Machado is an author to check out if you like re-examining the horrors of every day through a speculative lens. Her work thus far mostly exists in the form of short fiction—an ideal format for horror stories, to be sure—and her short story collection, Her Body and Other Parties , contains an excellent sampling of her bibliography. Standouts include "The Husband Stitch," which riffs on the classic scary story, "The Girl with the Green Ribbon," through the perspective of a coercive heterosexual relationship and "Especially Heinous," which takes a hard look at our love of a certain type of crime story through the longevity of television series like Law and Order. 

Gripping Horror Books for Fans of Carmen Maria Machado

Adam Nevill

By Adam Nevill

Adam Nevill is the king of folk horror, in my opinion. His novel The Ritual —also adapted into a film for Netflix —is the terrifying tale of four friends who wander off the beaten path into the dark woods only to discover that chilling old rites still take place there.

Nevill revisits the realm of folktale, legend, and ancient rituals in his novel The Reddening —but really, all his novels and short stories are well worth your time. 

Cina Pelayo

Children of Chicago

By Cina Pelayo

Cina Pelayo is an author and poet of truly unique and gripping works. Nominated for a Bram Stoker award on two separate occasions, Pelayo has also been nominated for multiple International Latino Book Awards.

Her works are driven by a strong sense of identity, and like her amazing collection of short stories— Loteria —centered around Latin American myth and superstition, her latest novel, Children of Chicago , taps into the folklore of the Pied Piper set in modern-day Humboldt Park.

The Collected Ghost Stories of M.R. James

By M.R. James

And for classic and dire disturbance, get to know the short stories of M.R. James. There’s a reason his work is still being read after all these years, and it’s waiting, quiet, patient, remorseless, just for you. 

Tananarive Due

My Soul to Keep

By Tananarive Due

Many people may be more familiar with Tananarive Due because of her educational work regarding Black horror and afrofuturism, but she has penned many novels and short stories.

The horror genre has a reputation for being very white, and Due's work has been pushing back against that for decades. Black culture and history pervade her fiction, reminding us that horror is both universal and unique to the backgrounds that inform it. 

25 Female Horror Writers That Will Haunt Your Bookshelves Forevermore

Victor LaValle

The Ballad of Black Tom

By Victor LaValle

Victor LaValle seamlessly blends lyrical prose with compelling plots and philosophical ponderings with heart-pounding horror.

His powerful novella The Ballad of Black Tom tackles the complicated work of paying homage to the grandfather of cosmic horror (H.P. Lovecraft) while simultaneously confronting Lovecraft’s racist ideologies .

LaValle’s novel The Changeling blurs the lines between fairy tale and horror, revealing the inseparable link between the two. LaValle is an author to read when you want to be both challenged and awestruck. 

Ronald Malfi

Floating Staircase

By Ronald Malfi

Ronald Malfi is perhaps the current king of literary horror—if you’re into A24 films, you may find your way into horror fiction through his work.

His work is the type that settles into your bones and chills you long after you finish a tale, whether it features a seemingly-magical lake, a hallucination-causing disease, or a Floating Staircase . 

Ronald Malfi: Where to Begin with the Bestselling Horror Author

By Kathe Koja

Kathe Koja is in a league all her own. I recently read The Cipher for the first time and I don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like it. W ith its stream-of-consciousness style, it’s dark, it’s nasty, it’s bizarre, it’s unsettling—once you’ve taken a trip down the funhole, you won’t forget it anytime soon.

And that’s just the starting point. Koja’s work is strange, eerie, and philosophical. You’ll be entertained while also invited to go a little bit farther—a little deeper down the funhole, let’s say—than what you think is possible, every time. 

By Junji Ito

Horror is one of the most popular manga genres and when it comes to horror manga, no one is more famous than Junji Ito. The creator of countless horror series, his manga spans the gamut from the otherworldly terror of Uzumaki to the devastation wrought by relentless feminine rage in Tomie .

And many an internet denizen has probably seen panels taken from the now-infamous "The Enigma of Amigara Fault" in which people are drawn to mysterious people-shaped holes carved into a mountainside.

There's no better time to check out Junji Ito's work because thanks to the current manga boom in North America, so much of his catalog is now available in English. 

Josh Malerman

The House at the Bottom of a Lake

By Josh Malerman

Like many readers, my first encounter with Josh Malerman’s work was with Bird Box . I read it in the middle of a snowstorm, but as the snow piled up outside I was inhaling pages beneath my blankets.

My relationship with Malerman’s work has been like that ever since—just a constant, incessant devouring of anything and everything he puts out. As a writer he’s hard to classify, because all his books tackle varying subjects and forms.

One thing is for sure—his writing can turn your blood cold, and his imagination is unparalleled (the underwater haunted house in A House at the Bottom of a Lake ? I mean?)

Josh Malerman: Must-Read Horror Books by the Stoker Award-Nominated Author

Rachel Harrison

By Rachel Harrison

Rachel Harrison written two wildly different novels: The Return , which is a New Adult horror-thriller, and most recently, Cackle , a charmingly sweet tale of female empowerment through magic.

What both novels have in common is an uncanny understanding of Gen Y, what the current crop of 20- to 30-year olds lust and long for. Having her finger on the public’s pulse is Rachel’s superpower. 

Eric LaRocca

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke

By Eric LaRocca

Eric LaRocca is a prime example of modern horror. With the way that his work is creating buzz all across TikTok, readers at large certainly seem to think so, too. While LaRocca’s work is extremely dark, as a queer writer he uses writing as a safe place to explore the ins and outs of identity.

Be it poetry, short stories, or full-length novels, LaRocca gets to the heart of human fear. His latest novel, Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke , is a deeply psychological terror centered on two young women filled with horrific desires. 

Eric LaRocca’s Top Five Works of Queer Extreme Horror

By Alma Katsu

2018’s The Hunger may have been the first you heard of Alma Katsu , but the author had long been honing her craft through a variety of short stories and a trilogy of supernatural thrillers.

The Hunger , her first true horror novel, explores the idea that something beyond bad luck may have been dogging the Donner Party. Equal parts historically enthralling and chillingly spooky, Katsu’s horror tales are the perfect treat for those of us who grew up with the strange combination of Dear America books and classic horror movies. 

Brian Evenson

Father of Lies

By Brian Evenson

Brian Evenson ’s minimalist style makes his stories a pleasure to read, despite the challenging topics he tackles. Known for stepping outside the box, his work is difficult to categorize because it often blends, mashes, and transcends genre. That said, he makes frequent appearances in the anthologies curated by Ellen Datlow .

His first book Altmann’s Tongue was considered so gruesome, he was asked to step down from his teaching position at BYU. His 2016 psychological thriller Father of Lies  explores power, madness, and the hypocrisy of religious leaders—a morally unsettling tale that illustrates Evenson’s depth and range. 

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The All-Time Greatest Horror Writers

The best horror novelists include some great authors who manage to weave fantastical tales of horror that leave readers scared out of their wits. The horror fiction authors on this list write novels that can strike fear into the heart of virtually any reader, using elements of horror and dark fantasy. Whether it's a classic ghost novel or a book that features real-life evil (like serial killers), these horror novelists are some of the best in the horror genre. Be sure to vote for your favorite horror writers, and add your own personal favorite horror novelist if you don't see them on this list!

Some of the best horror writers on this list will be instantly recognizable. Horror authors like Stephen King and Dean Koontz, for example, are very well-known, popular modern horror fiction writers. I've also included some of the original, classic horror novelists, including the incomparable H.P. Lovecraft and the master, Edgar Allan Poe. Gothic horror writers like Maurice Level are included, as well. You'll notice that some of the top horror writers on the list are also known as science fiction writers and/or fantasy authors , including Ray Bradbury. There is some overlap, and I feel it's important to include these horror and dark fantasy writers as well. In addition, some of the best horror novelists on this list are winners of the prestigious Bram Stoker Award (Richard Matheson, Clive Barker and King, among them) for outstanding achievement in horror writing.

Stephen King

Edgar Allan Poe

H. P. Lovecraft

Ray Bradbury

Mary Shelley

Shirley Jackson

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15 Famous Horror Authors and Their Terrifying Books

Horror has been a popular literature genre for centuries, evolving from ancient folklore to modern-day horror fiction involving frightening tales of monsters, ghosts, and mind-boggling hellraiser plotlines. Today, we will explore some of the famous horror authors and their best horror books, delving into their unique writing styles, themes, and characters.

Table of Contents

Stephen King

Any list of famous horror authors wouldn’t be complete without Stephen King, a prolific author known for his horror and suspense novels. He has published over 60 books, many of which have been adapted into movies and television series. King’s writing style is characterized by his ability to create intricate plot lines and vivid characters that readers can easily relate to. His most popular works include “The Shining,” “Carrie,” “It,” and “The Stand.”

Must-Read Book: Pet Semetary

The book follows the story of a family that moves to a small town in Maine and discovers a mysterious burial ground that can bring the dead back to life. As they explore the boundaries of life and death, the family is plunged into a nightmare that they may never wake up from.

The characters in the book are complex and flawed, making them all the more relatable to readers. “Pet Sematary” is a chilling exploration of the human psyche and the consequences of playing with the natural order of things.

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Anne Rice is a celebrated American author known for her supernatural and Gothic fiction. Rice’s most popular works include “The Vampire Chronicles,” “The Mayfair Witches” series, and “Christ the Lord.” Rice’s literary achievements are impressive, having sold over 100 million copies of her books worldwide. Her writing style is known for its poetic prose and vivid descriptions of characters and settings. Like other famous horror authors in this list, Rice’s ability to create complex and relatable characters has earned her a loyal following of readers.

Must-Read Book: The Vampire Chronicles

The series follows the life of Lestat de Lioncourt, a French nobleman who turned into a vampire in the late 18th century. The books explore the nature of humanity, immortality, and themes of love, loss, and redemption. Rice’s vivid descriptions of Lestat’s adventures in different parts of the world have captivated readers for decades. The series has also been adapted into a successful film franchise.

Tip: Make sure to read The Vampire Chronicles in order to appreciate this Anne Rice series.

Dean Koontz

Dean Koontz is an American author known for his suspenseful and thrilling novels. He has published over 80 books and sold over 500 million copies worldwide. Koontz’s writing style is characterized by his ability to blend horror, mystery, and science fiction elements into his stories. His most popular works include “Intensity,” “Watchers,” and “Odd Thomas.”

Koontz’s achievements as an author are numerous. He has received multiple awards for his work, including the Bram Stoker Award, the Hugo Award, and the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America. Koontz is also known for his philanthropic efforts, donating millions of dollars to animal welfare organizations.

Must-Read Book: Phantoms

The book follows two sisters who return to their hometown and discover that everyone in the town has disappeared. As they investigate, they uncover a terrifying secret that threatens their existence. “Phantoms” is a masterful blend of horror and science fiction, with a gripping plot and well-developed characters that keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Clive Barker

Clive Barker is a British author known for his horror and fantasy fiction. He has written over 30 books and numerous short stories, and his work has been adapted into films, plays, and comics. Barker’s writing style is characterized by its vivid descriptions of gore, horror, and the supernatural. His most popular works include “The Hellbound Heart,” “Cabal,” and “Imajica.”

Barker’s achievements as an author include receiving the World Fantasy Award and being inducted into the Horror Writers Association Hall of Fame. He is also an accomplished artist, filmmaker, and playwright.

Must-Read Book: Books of Blood

“Books of Blood,” a collection of short stories that explore the darkest corners of the human psyche. The stories cover a range of themes, from revenge and betrayal to the supernatural and the macabre. The characters in the book are complex and well-developed, and the stories are masterfully written to keep you on the edge of your seats.

Bram Stoker

Bram Stoker was an Irish author known for his novel “Dracula,” which is considered a classic of horror literature. Stoker was also a theatre manager and worked as a personal assistant to the actor Henry Irving. His literary achievements include writing over a dozen novels and numerous short stories, but ” Dracula ” cemented his place in literary history and his place as one of the more famous horror authors.

Must-Read Book: Dracula

Published in 1897, “Dracula” tells the story of a young lawyer named Jonathan Harker, who travels to Transylvania to help a wealthy client purchase an English estate. Harker soon discovers that his client, Count Dracula, is a vampire seeking to spread his curse to England. The book is told through the perspectives of several characters, including Harker, Dracula, and the vampire hunter Van Helsing. “Dracula” is known for its vivid and chilling descriptions of horror and its exploration of Victorian fears and anxieties.

Shirley Jackson

Also included in our list of the most famous horror authors is Shirley Jackson, an American author known for her contributions to the horror and mystery genres. Her work often dealt with themes of isolation, madness, and the supernatural. Jackson’s most famous novel, “The Haunting of Hill House,” is considered one of the best horror novels and a classic of horror literature.

Jackson’s notable works include “The Lottery,” a short story that caused controversy upon its publication in 1948 for its dark and unsettling themes. She was also known for her memoirs and essays on family life and the writing process. Jackson’s influence on horror and suspense fiction can be seen in the work of contemporary and other famous horror authors.

Must-Read Book: The Haunting of Hill House

“The Haunting of Hill House” is about four people who come to stay in a haunted mansion to document the paranormal activity that occurs there. The main character, Eleanor Vance, is a young woman with a troubled past who begins to experience disturbing visions and sensations as she spends more time in the house.

The novel is known for its atmospheric tension and psychological horror, as well as its exploration of the effects of trauma on the human psyche.

If you’ve watched “The Haunting of Hill House” on Netflix, it’s a loose adaptation of the book. 

Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley was an English novelist best known for her classic work of Gothic fiction, “Frankenstein.” 

Born in 1797, Shelley was the daughter of two prominent writers and grew up surrounded by the literary community. Her novel “Frankenstein” was first published anonymously in 1818 when Shelley was just 21 years old.

Must-Read Book: Frankenstein

“Frankenstein” tells the story of a young scientist, Victor Frankenstein, who becomes obsessed with creating life from inanimate matter. His creation, a grotesque but sentient being, ultimately seeks revenge on its creator after being rejected by society.

“Frankenstein” is known for its exploration of themes such as ambition, morality, and the dangers of unchecked scientific progress.”Frankenstein” has had a lasting impact on popular culture and has been adapted into numerous films, plays, and television shows. Shelley’s writing is also notable for exploring themes such as feminism, social justice, and the human condition.

Peter Straub

Peter Straub is also a part of our famous horror authors list. He has written numerous novels and short stories, many of which have won prestigious awards such as the Bram Stoker and World Fantasy awards. Straub is also known for his collaborations with fellow horror writer Stephen King, including the novel “The Talisman.”

As one of the famous thriller writers, Straub’s often blends elements of horror, suspense, and psychological thriller to create a unique and unsettling reading experience.

Must-Read Book: Ghost Story

The novel tells the story of four elderly men who gather to tell each other ghost stories but soon find themselves facing terrifying supernatural events that are linked to their past. The book features complex characters, intricate plot twists, and a haunting atmosphere that keeps readers on edge until the end.

Ramsey Campbell

Ramsey Campbell is a British horror fiction writer who has won multiple awards for his work, including the World Fantasy Award and the Bram Stoker Award. He is considered one of the leading writers in the horror genre and has been praised for his ability to create suspense and build tension in his writing.

Campbell has written over thirty novels and hundreds of short stories, with many of his works adapted for television and film. His stories often deal with psychological horror and supernatural themes, exploring the depths of human fear and the unknown.

Must-Read Book: Alone With the Horrors: The Great Short Fiction of Ramsey Campbell

It is a collection of some of Campbell’s most acclaimed and influential short stories. The book includes twenty-eight stories showcasing Campbell’s unique voice and ability to create terrifying tales. From haunting ghosts to malevolent entities, Campbell’s stories explore the darkest corners of the human psyche and the unknown horrors that lurk in the shadows.

Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe is a renowned author considered the father of the modern horror genre. His unique style of gothic horror and psychological terror has profoundly influenced the genre. Poe’s achievements include the creation of the first detective story called “The Murders in the Rue Morgue.” Poe also popularized the short story format and pioneered the use of symbolism and the unreliable narrator in fiction.

Must-Read Book: The Tell-Tale Heart and Other Stories

This is a collection of Poe’s short stories, including “The Cask of Amontillado,” “The Fall of the House of Usher,” and, of course, “The Tell-Tale Heart.” These stories showcase Poe’s mastery of the macabre and his ability to create a sense of unease and terror in the reader. “The Tell-Tale Heart,” in particular, is a classic example of Poe’s use of an unreliable narrator to heighten the sense of horror in the story.

Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury was an American author known for his contributions to the science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres. His achievements include receiving the National Medal of Arts and a Pulitzer Prize citation. He wrote over 500 published works, including novels, short stories, and plays.

Must-Read Book: Something Wicked This Way Comes

Bradbury’s “Something Wicked This Way Comes” is a classic. It is a horror novel about two young boys, Jim and Will, who witness the arrival of a mysterious carnival in their small town.

As they become entangled in the strange and sinister events surrounding the carnival, they realize it is run by a malevolent force that seeks to control and manipulate the townspeople. The book explores themes of good vs. evil, aging, and the power of temptation.

Richard Matheson

Richard Matheson was an American author and screenwriter who significantly contributed to the horror genre. He wrote numerous novels, short stories, and screenplays, some of which were adapted into successful movies and TV series. One of his most notable works is I Am Legend, a post-apocalyptic horror novel that has been adapted into three films. Matheson’s other achievements include the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement and the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Must-Read Book: Hell House

Hell House is a horror novel by Richard Matheson, first published in 1971. The story is about a team of investigators who visit the Belasco House, a haunted mansion that was the site of various atrocities, to prove the existence of the afterlife.

The characters, each with unique personalities, uncover the mansion’s dark secrets and face the evil that lurks within. The book was adapted into a successful film, The Legend of Hell House, in 1973.

William Peter Blatty

William Peter Blatty was an American novelist, screenwriter, and filmmaker. Born in 1928 in New York City, Blatty attended Georgetown University, where he earned a degree in English. He began his writing career as a comedy writer for radio and television shows in the 1950s before moving on to horror and suspense.

Blatty passed away in 2017 at 89, but his legacy lives on through his groundbreaking contributions to the horror and suspense genres. “The Exorcist” remains a must-read for horror enthusiasts and a cultural touchstone for literature and film.

Must-Read Book: The Exorcist

Blatty’s most notable work is his novel, “The Exorcist,” published in 1971, which he later adapted into a screenplay for the 1973 horror film of the same name. It is about a young girl who becomes possessed by a demonic force and the subsequent efforts of two priests to exorcise the demon from her body.

The novel was a commercial and critical success, spending over a year on the New York Times bestseller list and winning the prestigious Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel.

Victor LaValle

Victor LaValle is also one of the most famous horror authors today. He is a prolific American author who has received critical acclaim for his works, which span different genres such as horror, science fiction, and fantasy. LaValle was born in New York City in 1972 and grew up in Queens. He graduated from Cornell University and later received his MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University.

Must-Read Book: The Ballad Of Black Tom

This is a novella that was published in 2016. The book retells H.P. Lovecraft’s short story “The Horror at Red Hook” but from the perspective of a Black man named Charles Thomas Tester. Set in 1920s New York City, the story follows Charles as he navigates a world of racism, poverty, and violence.

Despite his best efforts to stay out of trouble, he gets drawn into a web of supernatural horrors threatening to destroy everything he holds dear.The book is a powerful commentary on the intersection of race, class, and power in America. LaValle’s writing is gripping and atmospheric, and he does an excellent job of bringing his characters to life. Charles is a complex and sympathetic protagonist, and the book’s other characters are equally well-drawn.

Jack Ketchum

We are ending our list of famous horror authors with Jack Ketchum, whose real name was Dallas Mayr. He was born in 1946 in Livingston, New Jersey, and he started writing at a young age. He received his bachelor’s degree in English from Emerson College and later worked as a teacher and a literary agent.

Ketchum’s writing was known for its unflinching realism and its ability to delve into the darker aspects of human nature. His work often explored themes such as violence, abuse, and trauma, and he was praised for his ability to create memorable and complex characters.

Must-Read Book: Girl Next Door

“The Girl Next Door” is perhaps Ketchum’s most famous novel. It was published in 1989 and is based on the story of Sylvia Likens, a teenage girl tortured and murdered by her caregiver in Indiana in 1965.

The novel tells the story of Meg and her younger sister, Susan, who are sent to live with their aunt and her children after their parents die in a car accident. The girls soon become the victims of their aunt’s sadistic behavior and are subjected to unspeakable acts of violence and abuse. The novel is a harrowing portrayal of the horrors humans are capable of and the devastating effects of abuse on young people.

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15 Best Horror Authors You Must Read

Here are 15 of the best horror authors and their most well-known works. 

The best-selling horror novels will send a shiver up your spine and leave you reeling for days, if not weeks, on end. Whether you’re looking for a classic ghost story or real-life serial killer scares, these 15 horror story authors are a great option to keep you up at night and leave you rattled during the day. Browse our list of the best books in the horror fiction niche and find where to get them on Amazon. And if horror is your thing, check out our spooky adjectives for your next story.

1. Stephen King

2. bram stoker, 3. shirley jackson, 4. clive barker, 5. dean koontz, 6. anne rice, 7. edgar allan poe, 8. h.p. lovecraft, 9. ramsey campbell, 10. richard matheson , 11. peter straub, 12. ray bradbury, 13. dan simmons , 14. daphne du maurier, 15. jack ketchum, final word on the best horror authors and their books , what do i need to look for in a great horror writer, how do i choose a horror novel to read, how scary is too scary, what authors from the 1800s inspired horror films, who are the most famous gothic horror authors, who is the best-selling horror author, best authors reading list.

Best Horror Authors Of All Time

Stephen King is arguably one of the best horror writers on this list and one of the most popular among horror fans. His first professional sale was in 1967 for a short story published in Startling Mystery Stories . His debut novel Carrie was published in 1971, and King continues to publish short stories and horror books to this day over six decades later. King is a New York Times bestselling author and lives with his wife, sharing their time between Maine and Florida depending on the season.

Best Works 

• Pet Semetary ,  $13.99
• The Shining , $8.99
• The Stand , $9.99
• Carrie , $8.99
• ‘Salem’s Lot , $8.99

Bram Stoker is synonymous with vampires, having written the original  Dracula.  Originally named Abraham Stoker, this Irish gothic author lived between 1847 and 1912, when he died after suffering several strokes. In 1987, the  Bram Stoker Award  was established and has been awarded every year since 1988. Popular Bram Stoker Award winners include other horror authors on this list, like Dean Koontz, Neil Gaiman, Clive Barker, and more. 

• Dracula ,  $3.99
• Dracula’s Guest , $0.00
• The Jewel of Seven Stars , $0.99

Born in 1916, American author Shirley Jackson wrote horror books like  The Haunting of Hill House,  published in 1959, and We Have Always Lived in the Castle . The latter is regarded as one of the best ghost stories of all time. Sadly, Jackson passed away in 1965 before her work found mainstream success. Looking for more sci-fi novels to add to your reading list? Check out our round-up of the best authors, like Stephen King .

• The Haunting of Hill House ,  $11.99
• The Letters of Shirley Jackson , $14.99
• We Have Always Lived In the Castle , $12.99
• Dark Tales , $5.99

English man Clive Barker  is a well-known playwright, film director, and horror author. Clive Barker merges horror and high fantasy, refusing to abide by the traditional rules. His debut set of short stories, The Books of Blood , received high praise from Stephen King.

Several of his stories have been made into movies, including Hellraiser and Candyman . In addition, Barker received an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for his work on Gods and Monsters , a period drama published in 1998 about the last days in the life of another esteemed film director, James Whale.

• Books of Blood, Volume 1 ,  $3.99
• The Hellbound Heart , $11.99
• Weaveworld , $3.99

Dean Koontz is another popular New York Times bestselling author with some of the best horror novels and novellas under his belt. It’s hard to decide which book of his is the scariest; there are so many to choose from.

Whether you’re looking for a horror story about phantoms, ghosts, serial killers, or even horror novels with a bit of science fiction thrown in, Koontz is an ideal choice. Koontz’s horror books read quickly despite their intimidating volume, keeping readers on their toes and guessing about what may be coming next. You might be interested in exploring horror books, such as the best Michael Crichton books .

• The Other Emily ,  $2.49
• 77 Shadow Street , $9.99
• The Lost Soul of the City , $1.99
• The Servants of Twilight , $7.99
• The Night Window: A Jane Hawk Novel , $9.99

Anne Rice is best known for her series The Vampire Chronicles , including the novel Interview With a Vampire . The first book in the series introduced us to Lestat and Louis, later played by Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in the movie of the same name. Since 2008, Rice has sold more than 80 million copies of her debut novel, which remains one of the best books about vampires in the entire horror genre. Sadly, she passed away in 2021.

• The Vampire Chronicles,  $8.99
• Blackwood Farm,  $8.99

Edgar Allen Poe is perhaps one of America’s most beloved poets and short story authors, having written classic works like The Raven and The Tell-Tale Heart . Poe lived between 1809 and 1849, with his death being just as mysterious as his life. A great deal of speculation surrounds his manner and cause of death, which is technically marked as “phrenitis,” a condition that caused brain inflammation and was often used in cases where the actual cause was unknown.

• The Raven ,  $0.00
• The Tell-Tale Heart and Other Stories , $2.99
• The Fall of the House of Usher , $0.99

H.P. Lovecraft  is an acclaimed short story author from Rhode Island, born in August of 1890 to parents Sarah Susan Phillips Lovecraft and Winfield Scott Lovecraft. H.P. showed an early interest in the English language, reciting poetry at just two years of age.

He began reading a year later at the age of three and writing his own work at around six. Lovecraft suffered from severe mental illness throughout his life and later supported himself through ghostwriting and revising work for other authors. He died in March of 1937 of intestinal cancer. 

• The Call of Cthulhu ,  $3.99
• At the Mountains of Madness ,  $7.89
• The Case of Charles Dexter Ward , $3.99
• H.P. Lovecraft Tales of Horror , $7.99

Ramsey Campbell is one of the most awarded authors in the horror book genre. He has been awarded the World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement Award, the Living Legend Award of the International Horror Guild, the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Horror Writers Association, and the Grand Master Award of the World Horror Convention. Campbell is described by The Oxford Companion to English Literature as “the most respected horror writer” in all of Britain. He currently resides in Merseyside.

• The Darkest Part of the Woods
• Born to Dark
• The Searching Dead
• Alone With The Horrors

Richard Matheson is a popular science fiction, horror, and fantasy author and screenwriter. Many of his books have been adapted for the big screen, some more than once, such as  I Am Legend,  most recently starring well-known actor Will Smith.

Matheson published his first short story at just eight years old, inspired by the 1939 movie  Dracula . After serving during World War II, he attended the University of Missouri, where he earned his bachelor’s degree. Matheson died at age 87 in his Los Angeles home in 2013. 

• Hell House ,  $11.99
• I Am Legend , $0.99
• What Dreams May Come , $11.99
• A Stir of Echoes , $11.99
• Somewhere In Time , $8.99

Peter Straub  is a famous American poet and novelist with dozens of horror fiction books under his belt. Having co-written  The Talisman  with fellow horror author and close friend Stephen King, Straub has left a significant mark on the genre.

His unique works have enjoyed literary success, winning the Bram Stoker Award, the International Horror Guild Award, and the World Fantasy Award. Straub enjoys spending time with his family in his Milwaukee brownstone in his spare time. They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, and Straub’s adult children also found careers in writing and film. 

• Koko (Blue Rose Trilogy Book 1) ,  $8.99
• Mystery (Blue Rose Trilogy Book 2) , $2.99
• The Throat (Blue Rose Trilogy Book 3) , $8.99 
• Ghost Story , $9.99
• Floating Dragon: A Thriller , $7.99

Ray Bradbury  is a cherished American author of short stories and poetry. Born in Illinois in 1920, Bradbury spent his childhood in small towns, an aspect of his life that he would use to flavor his work throughout his lifetime.

He died in Los Angeles, California, in 2012 after a long career of successfully publishing more than 50 novels and over 400 short stories. Bradbury is best known for  Fahrenheit 451 , a dystopian novel named after the temperature at which books burn, depicting a future society where literature is illegal.

• Fahrenheit 451: A Novel ,  $12.99
• The Martian Chronicles , $9.49
• The Illustrated Man , $10.99 
• Dandelion Wine (Greentown Book 1) , $15.99
• Something Wicked This Way Comes (Greentown Book 2) , $3.99

Dan Simmons is an American writer of horror books and science fiction literature. He began his career by publishing his work in the  Twilight Zone Magazine,  winning first place. Simmons has since won the World Fantasy Award for his work on  Song of Kali,  the Locus Award for his  Seasons of Horror  series,   the Bram Stoker Award, and has been nominated for the British Fantasy Award. One facet that separates Simmons’ work from other horror authors is that he often blends genres to create wholly unique worlds that transport readers somewhere else entirely. 

• Hyperion (Hyperion Cantos, Book 1) ,  $3.99
• The Fall of Hyperion (Hyperion Cantos, Book 2) , $5.99
• Endymion (Hyperion Cantos, Book 3) , $7.99
• Rise of Endymion (Hyperion Cantos, Book 4) , $8.99
• Children of the Night: A Vampire Novel , $11.99

Born in 1907, Daphne Du Maurier  is the author of the esteemed horror novel  Jamaica Inn , a thrilling mystery about a woman who moves in with her Aunt and Uncle to a home located in a dangerous part of town. Although Du Maurier is most well known for her romance novels, most of her writing has elements of horror and the paranormal woven in to create a multilayered work of fiction. Du Maurier, aka Lady Browning, passed away in 1989.

Looking for more? Check out these essays about Frankenstein .

• Jamaica Inn , $14.40
• Rebecca , $14.86
• Frenchman’s Creek , $12.66
• The House on the Strand , $7.99
• The King’s General , $2.99

Jack Ketchum  (real name Dallas Meyr) is a popular American novelist with a penchant for writing best-selling horror. Stephen King has called Ketchum “the scariest guy in America.” Ketchum spent time as a lumber salesman, teacher, performer, and literary agent to make ends meet between publishing novels.

Five of Ketchum’s books have been adapted to the big screen, and his work  The Crossings  was mentioned in a speech at the National Book Awards in 2003 by Stephen King. Sadly, he died in 2018 after a long battle with cancer at the age of 71. You might also be interested in these articles about Frankenstein .

• The Girl Next Door ,  $1.99
• Off Season ,  $3.99
• Offspring , $3.99
• The Woman , $4.99
• Red , $3.99

If you fancy trying your hand at writing fiction, check out our list of the best books to help you along the way.

Read one of these great horror books by some of the genre’s most well-known and beloved writers if you’re looking for a great scare. Good horror authors will be able to draw you into their original storylines and thrilling plots, regardless of which book or short story you select. Social Media is a great place to connect with your favorite horror authors. Check out our post on the best authors to follow on Twitter .

The greatest horror writers aren’t always the ones with the most published novels. Instead, seek authors that employ topics you enjoy, like romance or science fiction components. Book reviews are a great way to find out what other people have to say about the work but beware of potential spoilers.

To begin with, you shouldn’t judge a book by what’s on the cover. So ignore recommendations, imagery, and even the title. Instead, skim through the first few chapters to see whether you enjoy the horror writer’s style and if you can immediately envision the characters, setting, and other key horror story elements.

There’s no limit on the scariest of scares. Horror authors are constantly pushing the boundaries of thought-provoking literature, delivering chills and thrills with every novel. Reading reviews can help you identify any potential triggers to avoid books with particular themes that may be especially upsetting. 

Horror isn’t a new phenomenon, with some of the classic books within the genre even going on to inspire some contemporary horror films. For instance, Frankenstein was first published in 1818 and there have been at least 20 movies made that were inspired by the story . Dracula (1897) is another iconic 1800s horror novel that has inspired its fair share of film adaptations .

Bram Stoker is probably the most famous classic horror author. His masterpiece, Dracula, continues to inspire writers within this genre. There is even an annual festival dedicated to his work in Dublin each year.

When discussing best-selling authors, it is difficult to look past Stephen King. It has been estimated that King has now sold over 350 million books. His work has also had countless television and film adaptations.

Best Historical Fiction Authors

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Blog – Posted on Monday, Feb 04

100 best (and scariest) horror books of all time.

The definition of scary changes from person to person. For some, it might be ghosts and haunted houses. For others, serial killers. For still others, the most frightening things are the ones that go bump in the night, unseen.

Despite the width of this spectrum, what unites all lovers of horror is the thrill that horror novels inspire within us: that universal sensation of your heart thumping out of your chest, as cold sweat breaks on your forehead when you turn the page.

To create this list, we went to the darkest, most ghostly corners of the literary world. Without further ado, here are the 100 best horror novels of all time — it's safe to say that we hope they'll keep you up at night. Happy reading!

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the number of great horror books out there, you can also take our 30-second quiz below to narrow it down quickly and get a personalized horror book recommendation  😉

Which horror book should you read next?

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1. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1818)

Is there a name more synonymous with horror? The story of Dr. Frankenstein and the anguished, tragic monster he unwittingly creates has become a cultural icon, both macabre and quintessential. When Mary Shelley set out to write Frankenstein over two centuries ago, she said that she wanted to create a book that would “speak to the mysterious fears of our nature and awaken thrilling horror — one to make the reader dread to look round, to curdle the blood, and quicken the beatings of the heart.” We can safely say that she succeeded.

2. The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket by Edgar Allan Poe (1838)

The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym is a mixture of Moby Dick-esque maritime detail (it later inspired Herman Melville) and H.P. Lovecraft-style cosmic horror . The titular Pym stows away on the Grampus, a whaling ship headed for southern waters. But after mutiny breaks out on the upper deck, Pym is left stranded by one of his friends, only to face a series of gruesome situations once he’s retrieved.

3. The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales by Edgar Allan Poe (1839)

Could you really call a list of the best horror books complete without a nod (or two) to the genius of Edgar Allan Poe? Sibling dynamics are given new meaning in The Fall of the House of Usher , a work of gothic fiction that centers on a spooky household. Roderick is a sick man with acute sensitivity to everything, who lives in constant fear he is about to die. His sister, Madeline, suffers from catalepsy (a sickness involving seizures). An unnamed narrator visits them both and gets more than he bargained for.

4. Gothic Tales by Elizabeth Gaskell (1851-1861)

Just as the tin says! Gothic Tales is a collection of (surprise!) gothic tales — more specifically, fairy tales intertwined with short stories. Written by 19th-century author Elizabeth Gaskell, these stories deliver everything: disappearances, Salem witch hunts, mysterious children wandering lost in the moors, and local legends that may or may not return to haunt the townspeople. And with every story, Gaskell shows her uncanny talent of blending reality and the supernatural with spine-tingling dexterity.

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5. Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu (1872)

Before Dracula , there was Carmilla . This tale of a female vampire who attracts a lonely young girl served as the foundation for the “lesbian vampirism” trope (and, no doubt, inspired Bram Stoker to some extent as well). So fans of the emerging cult classic Jennifer’s Body , you’ve found your literary horror match.

6. Dracula by Bram Stoker (1897)

Meet the most famous vampire of all time. Dracula was born out of Bram Stoker’s imagination over a century ago — yet he still lives on today in our collective consciousness. Dracula is his story, one in which he roams from Transylvania to England to spread the curse of the undead amongst innocents. More than a simple tale about vampirism, Dracula is an era-defining masterwork about sexuality, technology, superstition, and an ancient horror that’s too terrible for words.

7. The Turn of the Screw by Henry James (1898)

The Turn of the Screw is the original children of the damned! When a governess is hired to take care of Miles and Flora, the niece and nephew of a wealthy Englishman, she has no idea what she’s in for. As she discovers the tragic fate of her predecessor, she starts seeing things that can only be explained in one of two ways: either she’s mad… or the specter of the late governess wants her job back!

8. The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories by H. P. Lovecraft (1928)

Perhaps the most influential of American horror writers, H.P. Lovecraft was responsible for creating an entire mythology of elder gods, sinister sea-dwellers , mysterious cults, and men of science who are driven to the edge of their sanity. The Call of Cthulhu remains one of the most accessible entry points into Lovecraft’s works — some of which, if we’re being honest, are a bit hard for the uninitiated to follow.

9. Collected Ghost Stories by M. R. James (1931)

M.R. James essentially originated the “antiquarian ghost story.” Indeed, his writing was revolutionary for its time, discarding old Gothic clichés and using more realistic settings — which as we know by now, only makes a scary story scarier. His Collected Ghost Stories includes a whopping 30 tales, most of which involve a mild-mannered academic stumbling upon an artifact that calls forth some malevolent, otherworldly presence. Yes, the ghosts are fascinating; but what’s really admirable here is James’ signature subtlety of style.

10. At the Mountains of Madness by H. P. Lovecraft (1936)

This post-Cthulhu novella by Lovecraft is so long and twisty that even Lovecraft himself couldn’t get it published at first. At the Mountains of Madness relates the horrifying details of an Antarctic expedition gone wrong, in which the remains of a prehistoric species seemingly came to life and slayed humans. As the narrative spirals further, both the characters and the reader come to realize that instead of a life-changing discovery, the explorers may have brought about a death-wracking monster.

11. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (1938)

“Last night, I dreamt I went to Manderley again.” Perhaps the most famous first line of any novel in the 20th century, this intoxicating blend of romance and suspense was seemingly made for Alfred Hitchcock, who went on to direct Rebecca 's silver screen adaptation. After a whirlwind romance, a shy American marries a wealthy Englishman and returns to his estate in Cornwall. She soon realizes that she’s now living under the (literal or figurative) shadow of her husband’s first wife: the seemingly perfect and recently deceased Rebecca de Winter.

12. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

One man’s hero is another man’s villain. If there’s only one lesson we learn from Matheson’s survival classic, let it be that. Doctor Robert Neville is the last man left alive. In the daylight, he hits the streets, stocking up on supplies and vanquishing the vampiric creature that lurk in the shadows. But when night falls, he squirrels himself away in his fortress of a home and works desperately on a cure for an epidemic that has ended the human race.

13. The Bad Seed by William March (1954)

Now synonymous with any misbehaving child, the original “bad seed” was Rhoda Penmark, the sociopathic eight-year-old. Her mother Christine suspects her of hurting and possibly killing a classmate, an elderly neighbor, and even her own dog — and as Christine discovers the truth about her own mother’s dark past, she realizes that Rhoda has to be stopped at all costs, before The Bad Seed sprouts any further.

14. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (1959)

You know how some people say that the setting is almost like another character in the story? Well, in the case of this spooky classic, that’s the literal truth. When a parapsychologist invites a group of volunteers to stay at an old mansion with a bloody mystery, he hopes to uncover evidence of the supernatural. As the tension ratchets up, each of the guests is confronted by inexplicable phenomena. Listed by Stephen King as one of the best horror books of the 20th century, The Haunting of Hill House is a must-read for any fan of the genre.

15. Psycho by Robert Bloch (1959)

If you’re into horror, you’re no stranger to Psycho . But let’s recap one of the best horror plots of all time anyway: inspired by the real-life story of psychotic murderer Ed Gein, Norman Bates and his Mother own the Bates motel, with the unlit neon sign out front. When a woman checks into the motel one night, Norman can’t help but spy on her. Displeased, Mother plans to rectify her son’s behaviour by eliminating the woman, and anything that might purge Norman of his dark thoughts.

16. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson (1962)

We learn three things in the first paragraph of Jackson’s final novel: Mary Katherine Blackwood lives with her sister Constance; she loves the death-cap mushroom; and everyone else in her family is dead. From the supreme master of shivers-down-your-spine horror comes a tale of Gothic surroundings and even more sinister, yet inscrutable, inner lives. You’ll be guessing the wicked truth about Mary and Constance right up to the very end.

17. The Case Against Satan by Ray Russell (1962)

Bearing strong superficial resemblance to a certain classic, Russell’s novel also features a pair of priests tasked with examining a young girl who may be possessed by the devil. Between The Case Against Satan , The Exorcist and Rosemary’s Baby, contemporary readers can sense a Catholic-tinged fear of the devil pervading through American horror of the 60s. If you like the other two, why not give this one a chance?

18. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury (1962)

At the beginning of Something Wicked This Way Comes , twelve-year-olds Will and Jim can’t wait to visit “Cooger & Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show.” But during their visit, they witness something odd: ol’ Cooger riding backwards on the carousel, which turns him into a boy of their own age. As Will and Jim tail the Benjamin Button-ized Cooger, searching for answers, they find that the mysteries of the carnival are even darker than they anticipated — and that that darkness may not be limited to the carnival alone.

19. Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin (1967)

If, for some reason, you’re doubting whether Rosemary’s Baby is one of the best horror books of all time, let us remind that it was the bestselling horror novel of the 1960s, launching a boom in the commercial success of horror fiction in general. As with many stories in the genre, Rosemary’s Baby starts out pretty innocently, and then things take a turn for the worst: Rosemary and Guy have just moved into a beautiful Manhattan apartment, and life is good. That is, until their dream home starts to turn into a living nightmare, and they begin to feel that the devil lives only a few doors down.

20. Hell House by Richard Matheson (1971)

In Hell House , the I am Legend scribe reaches terrifying new heights by expertly combining his flair for suspense with an intuitive eye for horror. The story opens on a dying millionaire who pays $100,000 each to a physicist and two mediums for them to retrieve “proof” of life after death. The group’s plan: travel to Maine and spend the week in the Belasco House, the most haunted house in the world. Whether any of them make it out alive — without going mad — is another question altogether.

If you don’t trust us, believe Stephen King, who once said: “ Hell House is the scariest haunted house novel ever written. It looms over the rest the way the mountains loom over the foothills.”

21. The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty (1971)

No author creates sensation quite like William Peter Blatty and no story has satisfied a nation’s capacity for horror quite like The Exorcist . A literary landmark of the 21st-century , The Exorcist is the deeply troubling tale of one child’s demonic possession and two priests’ attempts to save her from a fate worse than death. Part family drama and all horror, it delivers on all fronts.

22. Carrie by Stephen King (1974)

Allegedly fished out of the trash by his wife, it’s hard to believe that this classic was only the first novel published by Stephen King. As one of the most put-upon teenage girls in literature, the title character struggles with school bullies, a puritanical mother, and unusual (to say the least) physical changes. Even before it went on to become a famous film, Carrie gave early fans a glimpse of King’s greatest gifts: his ability to write sympathetic, fully fleshed characters while also delivering on the big shocks. (Want more King? Check out this list of every Stephen King novel , ranked from most popular to least popular.)

23. Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice (1976)

Speaking of debuts that made a splash: with her first published novel, Anne Rice redefined Southern Gothic for a new generation. The titular interview takes place in modern day, as the vampire Louis recounts his story to a cub reporter. Once a plantation owner in pre-Civil War Louisiana, his life as a creature of the night is marked by his various encounters with Lestat, the vampire responsible for his undeath. Interview with the Vampire went on to be an incredible success, spawning a series of popular novels and a film adaptation starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt.

24. The Shining by Stephen King (1977)

What do you get when you take a frustrated writer, a creepy old hotel, and a blizzard that locks everyone inside? An absolute cornerstone of horror, that’s what! If you’ve never read The Shining , brace yourself for a marathon of mounting tension and terrifying twists, with a family fighting for their lives, even as they’re not exactly sure who or what they’re fighting.

25. The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter (1979)

Angela Carter is one of the preeminent magical realist writers of the twentieth century, female or male. The Bloody Chamber , a collection of darkly reimagined fairy tales and folktales, takes a distinctly feminist slant with its portrayal of female characters: many of the heroines in these stories save themselves, rather than waiting for a hero on a white horse. Of course, they have to go through some pretty scary stuff first. Horror lovers who also enjoy a bit of Holly Black or Marissa Meyer, this is unquestionably the collection for you.

26. Ghost Story by Peter Straub (1979)

A group of old men in a quiet town call themselves The Chowder Society. Every so often, they gather to share ghost stories with each other. It’s all just fun and game… until it isn’t. In the wake of a horrific accident, the men are forced to confront one of their stories — and the consequences of the worst thing that they’ve ever done in this brilliant homage to “Night of the Living Dead.”

27. Whispers by Dean Koontz (1980)

Whispers stars Thomas, a screenwriter living in Los Angeles. One day, she is attacked by Bruno Frye, the proprietor of a vineyard she recently visited. She forces him to leave at gunpoint and immediately calls the police — who then call Bruno’s home, where he answers, not more than seconds after the attack. Later on, she is once again attacked by Bruno but manages to get injure him as he escapes. When she called the cops again, she learns that her assailant was found dead hundreds of miles away. But if you think that will put an end to her assaults, then you’re in for a big surprise.

28. The Mask by Dean Koontz (1981)

Not to be confused with the Jim Carrey comedy, The Mask is a shudder-inducing novel from Koontz follows Carol and Paul, a hopeful couple who welcomes a young, amnesiac foster girl into their home. But though “Jane” (who can’t remember her real name) seems angelic at first, her increasingly strange behavior and the mystery of her true identity begins to worry her potential adoptive parents… who may have a closer connection to her than they realize.

29. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill (1983)

Now a major motion picture starring Daniel Radcliffe ( as well as a long-running stage play in London), The Woman in Black is often described as “if Jane Austen wrote horror.” This take on a classic ghost story follows solicitor Arthur Kipps as he travels to the English moors to settle the affairs of Mrs. Alice Drablow of Eel Marsh House. What he finds really finds is a mansion haunted by the elusive “Woman in Black”. Readers who love a slow build-up and the sensation of being watching will be thrilled.

30. The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks (1984)

Frank Cauldhame is sick in the head, even by the standards of the horror genre. Though only sixteen, he lives in isolation and has developed a number of sociopathic tendencies, including torturing wasps in a machine he calls “the wasp factory.” As the reader gets to know more about Frank’s twisted past, they begin to understand why he’s like this — and another twist toward the end of The Wasp Factory makes Frank’s everyday activities seem practically banal.

I look at these pieces and I don't think the man who wrote them is alive in me anymore.... We are all our own graveyards I believe; we squat amongst the tombs of the people we were. If we're healthy, every day is a celebration, a Day of the Dead, in which we give thanks for the lives that we lived; and if we are neurotic we brood and mourn and wish that the past was still present. Reading these stories over, I feel a little of both. Some of the simple energies that made these words flow through my pen--that made the phrases felicitous and the ideas sing--have gone. I lost their maker a long time ago.

These enthusiastic tales are not ashamed of visceral horror, of blood splashing freely across the page: \'The Midnight Meat Train,\' a grisly subway tale that surprises you with one twist after another; \'The Yattering and Jack,\' about a hilarious demon who possesses a Christmas turkey; \'In the Hills, the Cities,\' an unusual example of an original horror premise; \'Dread,\' a harrowing non-supernatural tale about being forced to realize your worst nightmare; \'Jacqueline Ess: Her Will and Testament,\' about a woman who kills men with her mind. Some of the tales are more successful than others, but all are distinguished by strikingly beautiful images of evil and destruction. No horror library is complete without them. --Fiona Webster

31. Books of Blood by Clive Barker (1984)

As Britain’s leading purveyor of shocking horror, Clive Barker has made a bit splash as both an author and a film director. While cinephiles may recognise his works Candyman and Hellraiser , he first appeared on the horror radar with his short story collection, Books of Blood . Compulsively blood-curdling, these contemporary stories see regular people sucked into grotesque, disturbing, and often comic scenarios. A brilliant gateway for Barker newbs.

Ghosts and The Locked Room are the next two brilliant installments in Paul Auster's The New York Trilogy .

32. City of Glass by Paul Auster (1985)

City of Glass is the first installment in Auster’s landmark New York Trilogy , and a genuinely psychedelic work of intertwining narratives. It begins with a private investigator and former fiction writer who’s driving himself crazy trying to solve a case, then unspools into countless more intertextual threads and questions — the possible answers to which will have readers questioning their own sanity and stability by the end of this book.

33. It by Stephen King (1986)

In the story that injected clowns straight into the nightmares of an entire generation, the title character is a demonic entity that disguises itself while pursuing its prey. And for the children of Derry, that mostly involves taking the form of Pennywise the Clown. Alternating between two time periods (childhood and adulthood), It is packed with fascinating tangents that expertly flesh out the sad, traumatized, and occasionally nostalgic natives of this quiet Maine town.

34. Beloved by Toni Morrison (1987)

The horrors of Beloved , considered by many to be Morrison’s seminal work, are thoroughly intertwined with the ghastly history of America. Sethe is a former slave who had to slit her infant daughter’s throat to prevent her from enduring the same profound injustices and trauma as her. Eighteen years later, the child still haunts her — in some ways more than others. Between the intensely surreal atmosphere that pervades the entire book and Morrison’s deep-cutting prose, Beloved is a masterpiece beyond that of most contemporary horror novels.

35. The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing (1988)

In the 1960s, Harriet and David Lovatt are normal parents with four normal children in England — until Harriet gives birth to their fifth child. Ben is the devil incarnate: he is too strong for his own good, insatiable when it comes to sustenance, and abnormally violent. As he grows up, the family becomes increasingly paralyzed by fear and indecision. Underneath the thrills and agony of The Fifth Child lies a dangerous question about parenthood and the obligations of family.

36. The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris (1988)

The basis for the Oscar-winning film, The Silence of the Lambs is the follow-up to Red Dragon , which was the first novel to feature cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter. In this sequel, FBI trainee Clarice Starling enlists the help of Dr. Lecter to find “Buffalo Bill” — another killer on the loose. In order to do so, the inner workings of a very dark mind are probed, and spine-chilling suspense ensues.

37. Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons (1989)

Carrion Comfort is based on a brilliantly unique premise: that throughout history, a select group of individuals with psychic powers (known as “The Ability”) have compelled humans to commit horrific violence. Acts such as the cruelty of Nazi guards, John Lennon’s assassination, and the Iranian Hostage Crisis can all be attributed to people with The Ability — and they may be planning something even worse. It’s up to one man, a Holocaust survivor, to extinguish this ancient evil before they do any more harm.

38. Ring by Kōji Suzuki (1991)

The premise is a modern-twist on a classic trope: there is a videotape that warns viewers they will die in one week unless they perform an unspecified act. And, yes, the videotape does keep its promises. This Japanese mystery horror novel was the basis for the 2002 film, The Ring , a film which kickstarted the trend of adapting Asian horror for English-speaking markets. Indeed, the nineties was when international readers really started to pay attention to the chilling work being produced by Japanese genre writers like Suzuki.

39. Drawing Blood by Poppy Z. Brite (1993)

In Drawing Blood , Trevor McGee avoids his childhood home in North Carolina for a reason. Years ago, when he was only five years old, his father murdered his mother and his younger brother before hanging himself. Now he’s determined to return and confront his past, but there’s a small problem: the demons that drove his father to insanity might never have left the house.

40. Parasite Eve by Hideaki Sena (1995)

Described as a “medical fantasmagoria,” comparable to Frankenstein in its scientific acuity, this Japanese sci-fi horror follows Dr. Nagashima, who is overwhelmed with grief at the loss of his wife. To cope, he begins the process of reincarnating his wife using a small sample of her liver. What he isn’t prepared for is when her cells begin to mutate, and an ancient, unseen consciousness starts rising from its long sleep.

41. Uzumaki by Junji Ito (1998)

Uzumaki is a seinen horror manga series. Kurôzu-cho, a small fogbound town on the coast of Japan, is plagued by a supernatural curse in the form of uzumaki — spiral, otherwise known as the hypnotic secret shape of the world. As the hold of the curse over the town strengthens, its inhabitants begin to fall deeper and deeper into a whirlpool of madness.

42. From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell (1999)

The peerless Alan Moore put aside V for Vendetta and Watchmen to write this graphic novel, bringing to life the world of Jack the Ripper and his reign of terror in the 1880s. From the grisly theories surrounding the Ripper to the personalities that stood tall during the desperate investigation, Moore spares no gruesome detail as he examines the motivations and identity of the most famous serial killer of all times. With Eddie Campbell’s stark illustrations, this extraordinary graphic novel is a reminder that the most horrifying truths lurk inside the depths of the human soul — and that not all monsters live in Hell.

43. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski (2000)

Though Danielewski’s experimental debut remains largely uncategorizable, it definitely contains strands of horror DNA. This mammoth 700-page novel follows "The Navidson Record" — a documentary about an apparently haunted house (if by "haunted" one actually means "alive"). The Navidson house seems to mutate, changing size and sprouting corridors in a dizzying labyrinths, all while emitting an ominous growl. But what makes House of Leaves truly frightening is Danielewski’s intertwining of plot and structure, the latter’s chaotic layout mirroring the former.

44. Skin Folk by Nalo Hopkinson (2001)

Skin Folk is a short story collection that includes science fiction, Caribbean folklore, passionate love stories, and downright chilling horror. While not all the stories would be described as horror, the darkest of the collection is “Greedy Choke Puppy,” which features a bitter woman who discards her skin at night, and replenishes herself by killing children for their life force.

45. Coraline by Neil Gaiman (2002)

There’s a mysterious door in Coraline’s new house. The neighbors all warn her that she shouldn’t open it under any circumstances… but Coraline never was a girl who listened to other people’s advice. From the mind of the bestselling author who brought you American Gods and Neverwhere comes a novel of wondrous and chilling imagination. Coraline is one of the staples in Gaiman’s remarkable oeuvre for a reason.

46. 30 Days of Night by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith (2002)

This dramatic comic book miniseries brings supernatural terror to life: for a town in Alaska, prolonged periods of darkness means that vampires can openly kill and feed upon humans at almost any time. Their victims are rendered helpless by both the incapacitating darkness and the vampires’ vicious attacks — attacks that Ben Templesmith depicts with such gory immediacy that his illustrations could almost be crime scene photographs.

47. Come Closer by Sara Gran (2003)

Come closer, indeed. This 2003 novel by Sara Gran revolves around a woman named Amanda, who has an ostensibly perfect life. But one day she realizes that some things are a little off. Like the quiet but recurrent tapping in her apartment. And the memo that she sent earlier to her boss that was somehow replaced by a series of insults. Then there are the dreams: those of a beautiful woman with pointed teeth, and a seashore the color of blood. As this mystery escalates in size and terror, Amanda is forced to confront nothing less than her own self.

48. The Good House by Tananarive Due (2003)

The Good House is named after a Sacajawea, Washington home that was much-beloved… until a young boy died behind its doors. Two year later, Angela hadn’t planned on returning to the house that bore silent witness to her son’s death, but then terrible things start happening to the community. Now Angela has the chance to lay to rest once and for all what exactly happened to Corey — and what it has to do with a curse that Angela’s grandmother may or may not have placed on the community decades ago.

But the murder is not the most important thing on his mind. A new girl has moved in next door---a girl who has never seen a Rubik's Cube before, but who can solve it at once. There is something wrong with her, though, something odd. And she only comes out at night.

49. Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist (2004)

Oskar is a young boy living with his divorced mother in a suburb of Stockholm. Mercilessly bullied by kids at school and increasingly insular, he makes a much-needed connection when Eli, a child of a similar age, moves in next door. Little does he know that his new bestie isn’t as young as he thinks… and that he has a peculiar set of appetites. Titled after the lyrics of a Morrissey song, this sweet but frightening novel has been adapted twice into film and once as a stage show.

50. Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler (2005)

To read one of Octavia E. Butler’s book is to become a fan for life. In Fledgling , Butler demonstrates her mastery of horror once again. On the surface, Shori seems to be a young girl who suffers from severe amnesia. Yet a discovery leads her to the horrifying revelation that she is in fact a 53-year old vampire who has been genetically modified by someone who wants her dead. Now she must decide whether to pursue more answers, even though it might lead her to her own doom.

51. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (2005)

Kostova’s debut novel is a complex interlacing of spooky fiction and chilling historical fact. It follows a professor and his daughter who become entrenched in the folklore of Vlad the Impaler, a major inspiration for Dracula. They soon realize that their connection to Vlad goes far beyond the scholarly. This connection becomes especially critical when their father disappears, and his daughter (our narrator) must use her knowledge to track him down.

52. The Road by Cormac McCarthy (2006)

Cormac McCarthy is no slouch when it comes to publishing gripping tales, and The Road is one of his most haunting books. Spurning an equally well-received film adaptation, the story follows a father and son as they make their way through barren, post-apocalyptic America. They’re headed for the coast, not sure of what they will find there, but in the hope that they will find, well, something . All they know is that the road is dangerous, and all they’ve got to protect themselves is a single pistol and each other.

53. The Snowman by Jo Nesbo

This tantalizing thriller from Norwegian crime writer Nesbø is about a series of brutal murders all connected by snowmen, and the jaded former FBI agent who tries to understand why. As Detective Harry Hole delves further and further into the investigation, he starts to believe that the murderer may be someone he knows… but who can say for certain when so much of the evidence has melted away?

54. Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill (2007)

Heart-Shaped Box centers on Judas Coyne, a retired rockstar who now spends his days collecting “items of the macabre” — snuff films, confessions, anything deathly and disturbing. Naturally he jumps at the chance to acquire the suit of a dead man (with his ghost still allegedly attached). But when it arrives in a heart-shaped box, Coyne realizes that this addition to his collection is less of a novelty than liability. If he can’t control it, he’ll suffer the dire consequences of its wrath.

55. Pandemonium by Daryl Gregory (2008)

Del Pierce has been possessed by a demon with a penchant for deadly mischief. Desperate to rid himself of the demon, Del turns to three sources: a likewise possessed former sci-fi writer, a nun who tends to inspire unchaste feelings rather than an inclination to pray, and a secret society devoted to the art of exorcism. Can he find the cure to the plague of demonic possessions hitting society? And if so — at what cost? Pandemonium gives us the spine-chilling answer.

56. Last Days by Brian Evenson (2008)

Meet Kline, a former detective with an amputated hand. However rather than giving him a handicap in the gumshoe business, it makes him the perfect candidate to investigate a dismemberment-based cult — the ghastly nature of which even Kline can’t foresee. Evenson’s brilliantly economic writing depicts this story in such a way that each sharp, shocking revelation of Last Days does indeed feel like a knife to one of your extremities.

57. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger (2009)

You might not expect the author of The Time Traveler’s Wife to deliver on the creepiness front, but Audrey Niffenegger will outdo your wildest expectations in Her Fearful Symmetry . Julia and Valentina Poole are 20 year-old twins and best friends when they’re told that their aunt has died of cancer. She bequeaths her London apartment to them, on one condition: that Julia and Valentina live in the flat for a year — alone — before selling it. Easy, right? And yet Julia and Valentina are visited by a host of unnerving characters while there… including their aunt, who may not be entirely gone after all.

58. White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi (2009)

There’s just something about a seemingly sentient house. If you agree, you’ll surely enjoy White Is for Witching . Four generations of Silver women have lived in the big house in isolated Dover, England. The house has witnessed a lot of history — much of which has been tragic or outright horrific — and seems to cope by working mischief. Check it out for a modern take on Gothic horror.

59. Mr Shivers by Robert Jackson Bennett (2010)

The widespread and severe poverty created by the Great Depression has carried thousands of people to the American railroad system, desperately looking for work. But one more has been driven by more than just poverty — he’s on revenge-fueled journey, and will not rest until he makes one Mr. Shivers pay for the brutal murder of his daughter. Mr. Shivers tells his horrifying tale of vengeance.

60. Dark Matter by Michelle Paver (2010)

One of the eeriest ghost stories in recent memory, Dark Matter tracks a five-man expedition to a remote part of the Arctic, where there is no sunlight whatsoever for months during the “polar winter.” All the men are optimistic going into the expedition; it’s only when they get there that they realize something is terribly, terribly wrong. And not only will they have to get to the bottom of it if they want to survive, they also have to do it in complete and utter darkness.

61. Feed by Mira Grant (2010)

The Rising: the moment when the world froze in horror and watched as the dead came back to life, driven by genetically engineered viruses. The infected move with only one motivation in mind: to feed. Now it’s twenty years later and two journalists are determined to uncover the truth behind the origins of the catastrophe. More than a zombie horror novel, this blockbuster work transcends the form to ask serious questions of politics, power, and the right to information.

62. The Passage by Justin Cronin (2010)

In The Passage , a governmental experiment to develop an immunity-boosting drug based on a South American bat goes horribly wrong. Suddenly the world is dealing with a highly contagious virus that turns people into vampire-like beings — beings that are always on the hunt for fresh blood. At the center of it all is Amy, a young girl abandoned in a terrifying world, and the key to saving humanity.

63. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake (2011)

One of National Public Radio’s Top 5 YA Novels of 2011, this highly unusual and vividly imagined horror story centers around Cas Lowood, an exorcist’s son who carries on his father’s legacy by expertly killing ghosts. But when Cas sets off to vanquish a violent spirit known by the locals as “Anna Dressed in Blood,” he has no idea what he’s getting himself into — especially when Anna starts communicating with him, spilling the secrets of her past.

64. Those Across the River by Christopher Buehlman (2011)

In Those Across the River , failed academic Frank Nichols and his wife move to the sleepy Georgian town of Whitbrow. There, Frank intends to write about the history of his family’s old estate and the horrors that took place there. But as Frank knows, history is not easily forgotten — and under the small-town charm and southern hospitality lurks an unspoken presence that has been waiting for a debt of blood to be paid.

65. The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan (2011)

This sexy thriller centers on Jacob Marlowe, a werewolf with class: he reads Kant, drinks Scotch, and enjoys all means of modern sophistication. However (like so many intellectuals), he’s also undergoing an existential crisis: Jacob has to kill and eat a person every time there’s a full moon, and he doesn’t want to do it anymore. Fully prepared to commit suicide, he’s stopped in his tracks when he learns one of his friends has been murdered, and embarks on a path of fatal vengeance — which, ironically, just might give him a reason to live again.

66. Zone One by Colson Whitehead (2011)

The pandemic that wreaked havoc on Earth is finally starting to subside, and the first goal for civilization is to start rebuilding Manhattan, aka Zone One . In order to do so, they need to start by getting rid of those who have been infected but not yet died, aka zombies. But what seems like a fairly straightforward first step in reclaiming the Big Apple is about to take an (even more) chilling turn.

67. The Croning by Laird Barron (2012)

Fans of H.P Lovecraft and Richard Matheson, this one’s for you. In The Croning , Laird Barron has crafted a weird horror story for the ages: one in which affable geologist Donald Miller discovers dark things existing in the shadows of our vision… and savage secrets about his family that will make him re-examine everything that he thought he knew. Creepy and atmospheric, this novel from the rising star of cosmic horror will make you understand that we are all Children of the Old Leech.

68. The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle (2012)

New Hyde Hospital has a psychiatric ward that keeps its patients up in the evenings: they claim that a hungry monster prowls the hallways at night. According to them, it has the body of an old man and the head of a bison. And Pepper, the newest resident who was falsely accused of mental illness, is about to meet it for himself. Victor Lavalle knocks it out of the park again in this riveting read in which the most horrifying thing might not even be the horrifying Devil in Silver — but your own mind.

69. The Drowning Girl by Caitlín R. Kiernan (2012)

Caitlin R. Kiernan is one of the finest horror writers out there when it comes to blending the gothic and the fantastic. She elevates her game even more with this ghost story about India Morgan Phelps, a schizophrenic girl who one day picks up Eve Canning on the street — and who, in turn, might be a werewolf, mermaid, or siren. Kiernan is one of the rare authors who can up the suspense quotient to insane levels while writing about mental illness with the sensitivity that it deserves.

70. Fiend by Peter Stenson (2013)

A zombie apocalypse novel with a twist, Fiend presents a universe where the people turned into zombies are the ones who aren’t crystal meth junkies. For some reason, meth has granted Chase and his friends against the plague. More than anything else, it almost seems like a second chance… but as the excuse to continue using meth presents itself, Chase starts to question what separates him from the zombies.

71. Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi (2013)

Countless monsters inspired by Frankenstein have cropped up in the 200 years since Mary Shelley first published her seminal novel, but none have come closer to recreating the surrealist terror than Frankenstein in Baghdad . Black humor and true fright clash in Ahmen Saadaw’s chilling retelling about a man named Hadi who aimlessly stitches together the body parts that he finds on the streets of Baghdad. It’s then that a wave of brutal murders begins to overwhelm the city… and Hadi realizes at the same time that his corpse has gone missing.

72. Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt (2013)

The town of Black Spring, New York is haunted — not just by any old ghost, but by a centuries-old entity called the Black Rock Witch. She roams Black Spring with her eyes and mouth sewn shut, vestiges of when she was first put to death for her crimes. And even as the townspeople (who are cursed to remain in Black Spring forever) put practical measures in place to avoid her — such as a mobile app to keep track of her movements — her wrath cannot be quashed. This supremely scary mashup of both old-school witch hunting and the consequences of new-age technology is perfect for fans of Black Mirror and Robert Eggers’ The Witch alike.

73. Night Film by Marisha Pessl (2013)

Night Film stars Stanislaus Cordova, a reclusive cult-horror film director who hasn’t been seen in public for over thirty years. His daughter, 24-year old Ashley Cordova, has just been found dead in an abandoned warehouse — and while her death has been ruled a suicide, investigative journalist Scott McGrath isn’t buying it. Especially when another strange death connected to the Cordovas occurs shortly after. Scott is now on a mission to uncover and expose the family’s deadly secrets.

74. NOS4A2 by Joe Hill (2013)

The Kings of Maine are thoroughly represented on this list — and with good reason. Having established his own reputation with Heart-Shaped Box and Horns , Joe Hill’s third novel contains countless nods to his father’s works while also leaning on his own brand of chilling prose. The book opens with Vic McQueen, a girl with an ability to magically create bridges to things she’s looking for — a talent that brings her into contact with a serial killer with a penchant for abducting children.

75. The Six-Gun Tarot by R.S. Belcher (2013)

A paranormal take on western fiction, The Six-Gun Tarot takes place in 1869 Nevada, in a tiny desert cattle town called Golgotha. The residents of Golgotha are no stranger to the supernatural — the mayor is guarding a hoard of mythical creatures, a banker’s wife is part of a secret order of assassins, and the town deputy is half human, half coyote. But what’s really strange about this town is the abandoned silver mine, out of which an ancient evil seems to be spilling. Fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Deadwood , the Golgotha series is for you.

76. Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin (2014)

Described as a “nightmare come to life,” Fever Dream will grip you in the throes of a dread that lasts for days. A young mother lays dying in the hospital and a boy sits next to her bedside — only he isn’t her son. Indeed, this story about broken souls and family unraveling might just shake you to the core. Note that Fever Dream was originally written in Spanish by Argentinian author Samanta Schweblin, but this English translation is no less unsettling, disturbing, and electric.

77. The Frangipani Hotel by Violet Kupersmith (2014)

Based on traditional Vietnamese ghost stories, The Frangipani Hotel is a fantastical collection of short stories that functions on another level as a meditation on the lasting legacy of the Vietnam War. From beautiful women who’re oddly attached to bathtubs to truck drivers who pick up mysterious hitchhikers, the short stories never stray far away from the supernatural that lurks in the shadows nearby.

78. Bird Box by Josh Malerman (2014)

Recent memes notwithstanding , the original source of the Netflix film Bird Box was none other than this innovative work by Josh Malerman. In the book version, something has arrived on the scene, and no one knows what it is, how it got there, or why it’s targeting civilians: all they know is that its appearance drives people mad with violence, leading them to attack others and commit suicide. Mother of two, Malorie must decide whether to keep her young children enshrouded in darkness for all their days, or risk all of them dying at the hands of “The Problem” in order to find a better shelter.

79. Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes (2014)

No matter how many Greek myths you’ve read, there’s no way to prepare for the broken monsters that Beukes puts on display in this book. The creature that catalyzes the action of this book is a malformed half-deer, half-human hybrid that Detective Gabriella Versado finds dead in an abandoned warehouse — and if you can believe it, things only get more upsetting from there. Versado is set on tracking down the perpetrator of this grotesque science experiment, but that doesn’t mean she’s happy with what she finds.

80. Maplecroft: The Borden Dispatches by Cherie Priest (2014)

Few American figures have taken on such mythical status as Lizzie Borden, the woman tried and acquitted for murdering her parents with an ax. This fantastical, Lovecraftian take on the urban legend sees Borden (post-acquittal) and her sister take up residence in a seaside manor, only to find an evil spirit bubbling up from the ocean deep.

81. The Beauty by Aliya Whiteley (2014)

Nate is a “storyteller” in a society wherein women have become extinct. As his clan craves more and more details about these women of yore — all of whom died of a mysterious fungal disease — Nate realizes that stories will never be enough. But the men’s wishes for physical manifestations of women turn into a horrific reality when curvaceous mushroom-like creatures, known as The Beauty , join the tribe and quickly upend the fragile life they’ve built.

82. Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix (2014)

Ever wondered what it’d be like to get trapped in a haunted IKEA? The characters of Horrorstör know. When furniture store “ORSK” starts experiencing strange acts of vandalism, its employees decide to stay overnight to investigate. Little do they know that, rather than getting to the bottom of the mystery, they’ll be unleashing a reign of terror upon both themselves and their beloved customers…

83. The Lesser Dead by Christopher Buehlman (2014)

In this twisting tale told by self-described unreliable narrator Joey Peacock, the vampires of 1970s NYC have a perfectly organized (if violent) system of getting the sustenance they need. That is, until a group of vampire children appear on the scene — kids who require way more blood than the other vampires to survive, and whose presence will threaten not only the vampiric hierarchy, but also the lives of Joey and his companions. If you thought vampires weren’t afraid of anything, think again…

84. Three Moments of an Explosion by China Miéville (2015)

The world is a strange place, and humans, perhaps, are strangest of all; this strangeness is the very core of Miéville’s collection. One story begins with the city of London waking up to find icebergs floating in the sky. In another, an anatomy student find intricate designs carved into the bones of a cadaver he is examining. Stranger things follow.

85. Shutter by Courtney Alameda (2015)

In Shutter , Micheline Helsing is one of the last descendants of the Van Helsing family, and is an expert at destroying monsters. One day, a routine ghost hunt goes awry and Michelina finds herself plagued by a curse that spreads “ghost chains” through her body — turning her into one of the very monsters she’s spent her life hunting. Deemed a renegade agent by her own monster-hunting father, she must now find a way to rid herself of the curse before it’s too late.

86. Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma (2015)

Violet is a ballet dancer on the cusp of stardom; Oriana was Violet’s friend and once stepped in between Violet and her tormentors in a self-sacrificing act; and Amber has been living in the Aurora Hills juvenile center for so long that she scarcely remembers what it’s like to be free. This suspenseful story is told from two of these perspectives — one living and one dead. But all three women are tied together together through a dark and terrible secret.

87. A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay (2015)

Is 14 year-old Marjorie Barrett schizophrenic or is she possessed by a demon? This is the question at the heart of the Barretts, an otherwise normal suburban family. When a reality television production company catches wind of Marjorie’s strange condition, they sense a business opportunity — one that Marjorie’s cash-strapped father cannot easily turn down. With each page evoking blood-curling dread, the unraveling of this book’s events become a gripping tale of psychological horror. Winner of the 2015 Bram Stoker Award, A Head Full of Ghosts might just leave you with a head full of fear.

88. Hammers on Bone by Cassandra Khaw (2016)

Cassandra Khaw’s “banging” debut novel takes the traditional detective P.I. story and gives it an appealing Lovecraftian makeover. In this fascinating blend of noir and cosmic horror, private investigator John Persons gets an unexpected client one day — a ten year-old boy who asks Persons to murder his stepfather. As Persons delves deeper into the case, he realizes that his subject might not actually be human. But that’s fine, because Persons isn’t all that he appears to be, either. As the saying goes, it sometimes takes a monster to kill a monster.

89. Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff (2016)

Lovecraft Country breaks down the complexities of American racism in the mid-twentieth century, and how Lovecraft himself was complicit in that racism. Our hero, Atticus Turner, is a young black man who must seek out his missing father, facing countless horrors along the way — both to do with the color of his skin and mysterious, mythological threats that seem to have escaped the pulp fiction he reads. The closely related nature of these two elements becomes more and more clear over the course of Ruff’s book, and the shocking twist at the end will ensure that you never see Lovecraft (or America) in the same way again.

90. Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones (2016)

The unnamed young narrator of Mongrels faces an unusual quandary: while he’s aware that he carries the werewolf gene, he has no idea whether or not it will come to fruition. As a mongrel, he lives life in limbo, uncertain of his destiny, constantly being shuttled around. This werewolf bildungsroman of sorts is pretty much the only one of its kind, and Jones' sharp, moving prose will have you sympathizing with monsters (or almost-monsters) in a way you never thought you could.

91. Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enríquez (2016)

Fans of the macabre should be sure to add this collection to their list of best horror books of all time. In Argentina, violence and corruption are the laws of the land for people who vividly remember recent military dictatorships and masses of disappeared citizens. Within these fiercely disturbing stories, three young friends distract themselves with drugs in the middle of a government-enforced blackout, and encounter dark supernatural forces themselves.

92. The Changeling by Victor LaValle (2017)

Fairy tale meets horror in Victor Lavalle’s critically acclaimed The Changeling . Apollo Kagwa’s life is full of disappearances — first, his father goes missing when he is four. Then his wife vanishes, right after she commits a terrible act of violence. Now Apollo must journey through a dark underworld to bring back a family that he might not have really known in the first place. Be warned: this is a novel where nightmares lurk in every nook and eeriness is perpetual, right up until the terrifying crescendo of a climax.

93. Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero (2017)

Named after the recurring catchphrase of all Scooby-Doo villains, this comic horror novel finds the members of a worryingly young detective team reunited in their twenties to reinvestigate an unsolved mystery. Pitched by the author as “Enid Blyton meets H.P. Lovecraft”, Cantero’s novel has also been compared to Stranger Things and Stephen King’s It , as his young protagonists face off against a danger that’s somewhat more menacing than an old prospector in a rubber mask.

94. Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado (2017)

Called a “love letter to an obstinate genre that won’t be gentrified,” Carmen Maria Machado’s debut short story collection was heralded when it was published. And it’s easy to see why: Machado deftly stretches the borders of horror, as evidenced in “The Husband Stitch” (a retelling of “The Green Ribbon” in which the wife refuses her husband’s pleas to remove a green ribbon around her neck) and “The Resident” (in which a writer’s time in the mountains goes horribly wrong). It’s a book that seriously examines the pre-set narratives that women are forced to live and breathe in society. And it’s a must-read for anyone who’s tired of heteronormativity in horror.

95. Winter Tide by Ruthanna Emrys (2017)

In this homage to his cosmic horror, Lovecraft’s Deep Ones are brought to life, and the government isn’t a fan. In 1928, Deep One Aphra and her family are captured and banished to the desert… until the government becomes certain that Russians is attempting to win the Cold War with dark magic. With the promise she will help the people that stole her community’s way of life, Aphra returns home to contend with her lost past, and a potentially dark looming future.

96. The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell (2017)

The Silent Companions combines spine-chilling thrills with compelling characterization. When her husband dies just weeks after their wedding, Elsie feels more alone than ever. This is made worse by the fact that her new servants are resentful and the local villagers are openly hostile towards Elsie; she starts to believe her only companionship will come from her husband’s awkward cousin. Until she opens a locked door and finds a painted wooden figure that not only bears uncanny resemblance to Elsie, but also seems to be watching her...

97. The Grip of It by Jac Jemc (2017)

You probably know of couples like James and Julie: young and optimistic, they’re looking to leave behind their home in the city to get a fresh start in the country. But something is amiss with their new house. The air becomes suffocating. Children’s voices are heard, but the children themselves are never seen. The forest seems closer than it was before. And the stains on the walls are somehow appearing mapped as bruises on Julie’s body… to say too much is to ruin the impact of this novel, but rest assured that you will get a full night’s worth of terror when you pick it up.

98. Dread Nation by Justina Ireland (2018)

When the dead start walking on the battlefields of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville, the fate of the nation suddenly doesn’t seem quite so important anymore. As the country is thrown into disarray and scrambles to erect combat schools to learn how to put down the dead, Jane McKeene studies to become an Attendant to protect rich white people… but her true motives are much more revolutionary. Jane is indeed the star of this stunning alternate history novel: a black zombie hunter who defies society’s expectations, fighting against a conspiracy that threatens to overwhelm all of America.

99. The Hunger by Alma Katsu (2018)

The Hunger will have you on the very edge of your seat with its story of a group of travelers who are slowly unraveling. Not only do they face obstacle after obstacle of basic bad luck — low food rations, freezing weather, and a general predilection to take every wrong turn — but there also seems to be something darker, even more menacing, lurking in the mountains. And is it their imaginations, or does it all seem to be linked to beautiful, mysterious Tamsen Donner? You may have heard of the Donner Party before, but not like this: Katsu’s historical horror novel will cast both the people and the situation in a whole new, terrifying light.

100. Obscura by Joe Hart (2018)

This incisive work from Joe Hart demonstrates that new horror can be just as thrilling as classic. Obscura speculates about a near-future in which dementia afflicts people of all ages, rendering scientists and doctors powerless to even try and stop it. Dr. Gillian Ryan, who’s still of sound mind, determines that she will travel to a space station to gather unique data points that could help her cure the disease… not knowing that in embarking on this mission, she’s only putting herself in more danger, and not necessarily from the ravages of the disease.

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11 Contemporary Horror Authors to Read (Who Aren’t Stephen King)

By jane alexander | oct 19, 2023.

When people think of contemporary horror fiction, the name Stephen King frequently comes to mind (as well it should: King has been publishing novels since 1974’s Carrie and is so prolific he wrote under a pseudonym so he could publish books more frequently). But the range of impressive writers in this field extends far and wide beyond his work. Here are 11 notable authors of contemporary horror whose novels you might want to add to your TBR.

1. Agustina Bazterrica

The Argentine writer Agustina Bazterrica has said that a turning point in her life came when she decided to give up eating meat. Seeing animals hanging in the window of a butcher shop partially spurred the idea for her 2020 novel Tender is the Flesh , which explores a dystopian world in which cannibalism is allowed because animal meat has become tainted by a virus. But that wasn’t the only inspiration: “Although my book contains clear criticism of the meat industry,” Bazterrica wrote in The Irish Times , “I also wrote the novel because I have always believed that in our capitalist, consumerist society, we devour each other.”

2. Tananarive Due 

Tananarive Due’s interest in horror is inherited: Her mother, civil rights activist Patricia Stephens Due, was “a huge horror fan,” Due said in a 2021 interview with Roxane Gay. Beyond that, “I’ve always been a scaredy-cat,” Due told Gay. “Around the age of 8, I was sharing a bedroom with my great-grandmother who had emphysema and was on an oxygen machine. I listened to that hissing all night terrified she was going to stop breathing and had that first confrontation with, ‘Oh, life is finite.’ I could project myself to that future and see myself in that bed. That’s where my stories come from—whatever direction that terror is.”

In addition to writing horror, Due also publishes works of Afrofuturism , which connects African diaspora culture with explorations of technology, science fiction, and fantasy. Her notable works include the novels in the African Immortals series, as well as The Between (1995), The Good House (2003), and the forthcoming The Reformatory . She has also taught courses on Black horror and Afrofuturism at UCLA (which you can check out online, too).

3. Mariana Enriquez

Mariana Enriquez’s writing has been praised by Kazuo Ishiguro as “the most exciting discovery I’ve made in fiction for some time.” The author engages deeply with her native Argentina in her work: Her 2019 novel Our Share of Night (translated into English by Megan McDowell) takes place during the 1980s at a time when the country was under military dictatorship; it tells the story of a medium and his son, who are enmeshed in a cult known as The Order. The Order worships an entity called “The Darkness,” which they hope will grant them immortality.

“I think what happened to people like me who grew up in the ’80s and ’90s is that slasher movies, Stephen King and Twin Peaks all got mixed with our reality, which was already full of the language of horror: the disappeared, the children of the dead, children of the lost generation,” Enriquez said in a 2022 interview with The Guardian . “Maybe I turn up the volume to 11 because of the genre I like to work in, but the genre puts a light on the real horror that gets lost in [a phrase like] political violence .”

4. Grady Hendrix

American author Grady Hendrix’s writing has been influenced by both fairy tales—“Little Red Riding Hood is the ur-slasher,” he told Mental Floss in 2021—and cinema: His 2021 book The Final Girl Support Group was inspired by the “final girl,” a horror trope which refers to the last woman (or women) left alive to face down the killer in slasher films like Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street . Support Group helped him unseat Stephen King as the Goodreads Choice Award for best horror writer. Hendrix, who once worked for a paranormal institute, has also received acclaim for his other books, including The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires (2020) and How to Sell a Haunted House (2023).

5. Stephen Graham Jones 

Stephen Graham Jones is a Blackfoot Native American writer who published more than 20 books before 2020’s terrifying horror novel The Only Good Indians . In the story, a group of Blackfoot men hunt in a restricted area reserved for elders of their tribe—then have a chilling confrontation with the supernatural. Jones followed that book up with 2021’s My Heart is a Chainsaw , whose protagonist, Jade, is a Native American girl. “It means everything to me,” the author told Esquire , “because we’ve never had a Native final girl.” The latter novel—which has a sequel, Don’t Fear the Reaper —showcases Jones’s love of slasher movies ( Esquire calls him “a walking encyclopedia of the sub-genre”) and draws a lot of inspiration from them.

6. Alma Katsu 

Alma Katsu has used real-life historical events as the basis for a number of her novels, including 2018’s The Hunger , which was inspired by the true story of the Donner Party, and The Deep (2020), which takes on the sinkings of the RMS Titanic and the HMHS Britannic . “They say that art is the mirror that you hold up to life, right? It helps you understand the truth,” Katsu told Mental Floss in 2022. “Like a good professor will explain to you and pull the threads together and show you the bigger picture and really make it resonate with you, I think that’s what fiction can do.”

Katsu’s roots—her mother is Japanese, her father American— affected her 2022 novel, The Fervor , which takes place during World War II and fuses Japanese folklore with the experiences of the Japanese and Japanese-American people imprisoned in incarceration camps . A real-life historical incident that Katsu incorporated into the novel involves the use of fu-go (fire balloons). More than 250 fu-go were released from Japan and drifted on the jet stream to America and Canada; Katsu’s novel opens with the detonation of a fire balloon in May 1945 that—in both real life and the novel—resulted in the deaths of six people. Katsu, a former intelligence officer, has also written the spy novels Red Widow (2021) and Red London (2023).

7. T. Kingfisher

Using the pen name T. Kingfisher, children’s author Ursula Vernon publishes books for older readers, including 2020’s The Hollow Places and 2023’s A House with Good Bones . Her 2022 novella What Moves the Dead is a take on Edgar Allan Poe ’s Fall of the House of Usher with a creepy fungal twist: “I read Fall of the House of Usher and it’s obsessed with rotting vegetation and fungus,” Kingfisher said on Lithub’s podcast Voyage into Genre . “And it’s really short. And they don’t explain hardly anything … I wanted to get in and get the details.”

8. Silvia Moreno-Garcia 

Silvia Moreno-Garcia ’s bio describes her as “Mexican by birth, Canadian by inclination,” and a number of her novels have been set in her birth country: Mexican Gothic (2020), for example, takes place in the 1950s and focuses on a woman’s quest to discover the secret of a mysterious mansion—and the horrors that lie within—in the mountains near El Triunfo, Mexico. Moreno-Garcia wove her love of film into her recently published novel Silver Nitrate , which is set in Mexico City in the 1990s. She wanted to write a book about sound-editing and ended up weaving a tale of magic and the occult, with plenty of cinematic references to boot. “I don’t really care if people don’t get the film references,” the author told USA Today . “[ Silver Nitrate] is not just a story about a supernatural element, it’s also about the film industry in general and the passion that somebody can have for it.”

9. Paul Tremblay

Paul Tremblay’s 2015 novel A Head Full of Ghosts —a spooky tale of potential possession—gained attention quickly after Stephen King described it as having “scared the living hell out of me.” After that, Tremblay published books like A Cabin at the End of the World (2018), about a home invasion and the threat of an impending apocalypse. For one scene in the novel, Tremblay drew on his own experience visiting the ruins of the collapsed St. Francis Dam in Valencia, California. “I’ll never forget sort of the feeling of walking through there,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “I think it’s why people read end-of-the-world stories because there is that weird thrill of, ‘What would this actually be like to experience?’ Even though it’s the most horrific thing that could possibly happen.” The book was adapted into the movie Knock at the Cabin by M. Night Shyamalan in 2023.

10. Catriona Ward 

Author Catriona Ward was born in the U.S., grew up in countries around the world, and was university-educated in the UK. She has hypnagogic hallucinations (sensations that occur as a person falls asleep), which influenced her feelings about fear, something enhanced further after reading the W. W. Jacobs short story “ The Monkey’s Paw .” Her novels Rawblood (known in the U.S. as The Girl from Rawblood ), Little Eve, and The Last House on Needless Street have won the August Derleth Award for the best horror novel.

“I love horror,” Ward told The Guardian in 2022 . “I think it’s one of the most expressive, most empathetic genres you can work in. Everyone feels afraid at some point in their life. Reading is a sustained act of telepathy or empathy, and reading horror is even more profound than that: it’s asking people to share real vulnerabilities of yours and open themselves up to their own. It is like going down a tunnel, and hopefully the writer is leading the way with a torch, taking the reader’s hand.”

11. Kiersten White

Kiersten White first began writing as a YA author (her Paranormalcy series features a young woman working as a supernatural investigator), and has recently moved into fiction for adults. Her first horror novel for an older audience, Hide , was published in 2022. In it, 14 people compete to win $50,000 by hiding in an abandoned theme park for seven days without getting caught. “Most ideas are several ideas that suddenly, gloriously combine,” White told the LA Public Library of Hide . “In this case, it was an interest in Greek mythology and how we keep telling ourselves the same stories because we keep repeating the same cycles of violence over and over through the ages, plus an article on an actual hide-and-seek competition set in an abandoned Italian resort town that made me think, ‘gosh that sounds murdery.’ (It wasn’t. So I made my own.)”

12 Best Horror Authors You May Or May Not Know

Find your new fave.

Quick Review

Narrowing down the plethora of writers in this genre for a best horror authors list is nearly impossible. The horror genre comes in so many flavours, from so many talented individuals. If you’ve never read horror and want to check out some of the more popular authors, we’ve got your covered. But if horror is already your thing, there will be an author or two here new to you as well. No list of the best horror authors will ever be comprehensive, but this wide variety should get you started, or give you some new ideas for fresh voices.

The Best Horror Authors

1. clive barker.

Clive Barker is an absolute stalwart of the genre and definitely one of our best horror authors here in the UK. He’s been writing since the 1980s, and as well as being a novelist he also is a film director and visual artist. There is a very real visceral feeling to his written work, perhaps because of his artistic talents.

You could pick up any Clive Barker book and be sure of a good time, but many fans say that The Books Of Blood, the short story collection that launched his career, is still one of his very best. Get a taste of the 80s, and experience how he helped shake up the genre, by checking it out.

2. Lauren Beukes

Lauren Beukes is a South African author who, like Clive Barker, has a multi-faceted career. As well as writing novels, she also is a successful comic book author, working on her own original projects for Vertigo as well as for DC Comics.

Survivors’ Club is a great place to start for checking out her work. This comic book imagines that all of the 80s horror movies were real, and thirty years later checks in on the kids who were forced to live through them. The kids, now adults, are about to have to face their demons – and those of the others – once and for all.

3. Ramsey Campbell

Campbell is one of those authors who will always make an appearance on a best horror authors list. Like Barker, he’s been around forever, publishing more than 30 novels and hundreds of short stories in his role as one of the cornerstones of British horror.

While he is a novelist, Campbell’s strongest work often comes in his short stories, a format he has undoubtedly mastered. With that in mind, start with Dark Feasts, a sort of anthology of his best work from the 60s through to the 80s.

Prepare to be deeply, deliciously disturbed by the content of some of his work.

4. Daphne Du Maurier

There is always room for a classic writer on a best horror authors list, and Daphne Du Maurier is always a safe pair of hands. Her horror is much more of a slow burn, unsettling and psychological, rather than blood and guts and spooks, but that doesn’t make it any less disturbing or likely to leave you wanting your bedroom light on once you’ve finished reading.

Jamaica Inn is a creepy read, but few fans of her work will ever deny that Rebecca, her most popular novel, is the most popular for a reason. A young woman marries a rich widower, only to find that the presence of his first wife has never really gone away from their sprawling, Gothic home.

5. Nalo Hopkinson

Nalo Hopkinson is a speculative fiction author, but a lot of her work has a horror flavour to it. If you’re looking for an author with a lot to say about gender, as well as having a far less Western-centric vibe to their work, then Hopkinson might be for you.

Skin Folk, her collection of short stories from the early 2000s, covers horror, science fiction and fantasy, showing Hopkinson’s ability to move seamlessly between the genres. Some of the stories, steeped in eroticism and sexuality, may be a little bit unsettling. But that is exactly what Hopkinson wants you to feel.

6. Shirley Jackson

There is room for more one classic writer on this best horror authors list, and that classic is Shirley Jackson. She needs no introduction for many people; The Haunting of Hill House was a runaway success on Netflix and it is hard to imagine any discerning horror fan having missed out on her work.

If you read The Haunting of Hill House already at the height of the Netflix furore, check out We Have Always Lived In The Castle, Jackson’s final published novel. Main character Merricat is one of Jackson’s most vivid and real creations.

7. Stephen Graham Jones

Jones is a prolific and unstoppable force in modern horror writing. He is not yet 50 and has published 22 books already, and has won the Bram Stoker and Ray Bradbury prizes, as well as being nominated further times for the Stoker prize.

As a member of the Blackfeet Native American tribe, Jones brings a vital new voice to the forefront of horror writing in some of his work. The Only Good Indians, one of his most recent novels, follows four men hunted by an unknown entity hellbent on revenge, and demonstrates how the culture and traditions that they had tried to leave behind finds a way to catch up with them.

8. Dean Koontz

Koontz, that ultra-prolific writer of thrillers with frequent horror vibes, might not be everyone’s cup of tea. But he is incredibly popular with readers and regardless of what you may thing of his style, that makes him one of the best horror authors. People love him for a reason, after all.

If you’re completely lost as to where to begin with Koontz’s over one hundred novels then start with Demon Seed, the book that was his first bestseller. A reclusive woman named Susan is trapped in her house by an AI with one wish – to experience life as humans do. And he will stop at nothing to make his wish come true – including impregnating his prisoner in order to live through his progeny.

9. Victor LaValle

Victor LaValle may not be as prolific as Jones or Koontz, but his work is becoming more and more popular with every novel that he publishes, and his most recent, The Changeling, won a bunch of fantasy and horror awards.

The Changeling is also a good place to start with his work. It is a story about family and the secrets that people keep from one another, two themes that LaValle covers beautifully. There are a lot of layers to this story which need to be unpicked. Apollo Kagwa is a book dealer haunted by strange nightmares. When his wife begins to act strangely, Apollo thinks she has post-partum depression, until he loses both Emma and their son and begins to understand that the world he thought he knew is not as it seems.

10. Sarah Lotz

Sarah Lotz is another productive author who publishes under many different names; urban horror as S.L Grey, zombie YA pulp as Lily Herne and erotica as Helena S. Paige. Lotz is a busy person, and bound to have written something for every horror fan along the way.

Under her own name. check out The Three, a terrifying novel about three children who survive separately when four commuter planes crash within hours of one another. With terror and other factors ruled out, there isn’t a link between the crashes except for the fact that the three children survive them. As the children begin to behave erratically, a rapture cult leader insists that the kids are three of the four harbingers of the apocalypse.

11. Helen Oyeyemi

Helen Oyeyemi writes horror with a literary flavour, novels that are deeply unsettling and ever shifting, like a kaleidoscope of genre. A young talent, Oyeyemi wrote her first novel The Icarus Girl at just 18 years old, and received generally very good reviews for it. This is a writer who seemingly was born to her craft.

In reworking fairy tales, Oyeyemi presents readers with stories they think they know, then pulls the rug from underneath them. But her novel White Is For Witching, easily her creepiest, a young woman with unsatiable hunger lives in a house that won’t tolerate strangers and can’t shake the memory of the mother she lost at just sixteen years old. At least, she thinks it is only the memory.

12. Suzuki Kōji

Any list of the best horror authors must include at least one Japanese writer; the horror that comes from Japan is so rich and varied, and so unlike the horror produced by Western novelists. There is a quality to the work in translation almost dreamlike. Suzuki’s work in translation is no different.

He is best known as the author of the Ring novels, which have become such a staple of the horror genre with films, manga and TV series based on his work. The Ring novels focus on a curse embodied within a video tape. Psychic Sadako Yamamura was sexually assaulted and murdered before being thrown down a well. And when anyone watches the video tape, they are cursed to die seven days later.

READ NEXT : 10 Underrated Horror Authors To Check Out 

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16 Best Horror Authors: A Look at the Stories We Fear

• by Sam Howard

I love a good scare, especially around Halloween. There’s something about the visceral nature of the Horror genre that really sets it apart from other genres.

Horror is one of the best genres to read (even though it’s only a fraction of what I do read), and there are so many talented horror authors out there. But who are the best?

It can be hard to find a list that includes all of your favorite authors, but I’ve attempted just that – here’s my best horror authors list! This article will include some well-known names like H. P. Lovecraft and Stephen King, but also lesser known independent writers like Michaelbrent Collings.

We hope this inspires you to pick up a copy or two!

I’ve listed these in no particular order (but getting the heavy hitters out of the way first), along with a few of their best books if you want to try them out.

1. Stephen King

if you know anything about horror, then you know who Stephen King is.

King has written dozens of best selling novels, including some that have been turned into movies like “Salem’s Lot” and “The Shining”. Some of his best known books are The Stand, Pet Sematary, IT, Carrie, and The Shining.

King has received the National Medal of Arts, as well as countless best selling titles and awards from The World Fantasy Awards to Bram Stoker’s Dracula Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2011. He is without a doubt one of the best horror authors out there today – if not THE best!

I like King because of his ability to draw you into the story and scare the living daylights out of you at times. He doesn’t rely on gore or buckets of blood, but rather a more subtle kind of horror that creeps up on his readers instead. I’ve read some Stephen King books in my time (my favorites being IT and The Stand), so if you’re looking for suggestions this Halloween season, pick one of these best selling novels!

Some of his best books include:

• No products found.

2. H. P. Lovecraft

H. P Lovecraft is best known for his short stories, with many of them written in collaboration with other authors (who often received the credit).

Lovecraft wrote mostly horror and fantasy fiction, and is best known for practically inventing the genre of cosmic horror. His best known stories include “The Call of Cthulhu”, “At The Mountains of Madness”, and many more.

While there are definitely some issues with Lovecraft’s racist background, I think we can all agree that the horror works that he produced were pure genius. And you can’t deny the impact it’s having now.

Curiously, many modern usages of Lovecraft’s mythos attempt to turn the racist aspect on its head, to really highlight the problems that we have in our society. One great example of this is the book and accompanying TV show, Lovecraft Country.

Some of his best short stories include:

• The Call of Cthulhu
• The Rat in the Walls
• The Mountains of Madness

I recommend picking up No products found. if you want to read his work.

3. Edgar Allan Poe

We’ve all probably heard of Edgar Allan Poe, the gothic horror writer of the 19th century.

Poe is best known for “The Raven” and his short stories, which are widely considered to be some of the best in American literature.

While Poe is best known for his short stories, he also wrote a number of poems that are often considered to be some of the best in American literature.

Poe’s work has influenced countless other writers and poets, including many prominent ones like H. P. Lovecraft and Stephen King above..

His influence can still be felt today through neo-romanticism and even Gothic metal music!

Some of my favorite works by Edgar Allan Poe include:

Some of his best work includes:

• The Black Cat
• The Masque of the Red Death
• The Tell-Tale Heart
• The Pit and the Pendulum

As with Lovecraft, I recommend you pick up No products found. of Poe’s.

4. Bram Stoker

Bram Stoker is best known for his 1897 novel Dracula, one of the best selling and most influential horror novels ever written.

Stoker’s work has been adapted into countless movies, TV shows and even video games!

You can’t deny that vampires are everywhere in pop culture now (owing nothing to Twilight), with many people citing this book as their inspiration. It was also heavily inspired by folk legends from Eastern Europe. And if you know anything about these stories then it becomes clear just how much influence they’ve had on other media like Buffy The Vampire Slayer or Supernatural…

For my Bram Stoker recommendation, I primarily recommend No products found. .

5. Dean Koontz

Dean Koontz is best known for his work in the suspense, thriller and horror genres. But all of his genres, even his thriller books, have strong elements of horror in them.

Over the years, he’s had a ton of success, and is one of the more prolific writers out there, with over 105 novels published! Sixteen of those ended up on the bestseller list

6. Michaelbrent Collings

In the self-publishing realm, Michaelbrent Collings is best known for his horror novels. He’s an award-winning writer, and one of the most successful indie horror writers in the world.

One of the impressive things about Michaelbrent Collings is the fact that he is the only author who has ever been a finalist for a Bram Stoker Award, a Dragon Award, and a RONE Award all together.

7. Shirley Jackson

Shirley Jackson is another classic horror writer, and a kick-a** woman to boot! You’re probably most familiar with her novel, The Haunting of Hill House which was made into a uber-popular series on Netflix.

She was one of several authors who wrote notable short stories in The New Yorker during the 1950s and early 1960s, some of which are now considered classics!

Some of my favorite Shirley Jackson books include:

8. Richard Matheson

Richard Matheson is best known as the author of I Am Legend (which was adapted into a film starring Will Smith) and Hell House.

His work has been turned into countless movies over the years, including The Shrinking Man which became two films, called The Incredible Shrinking Man in 1957 and The Incredible Shrinking Woman in 1981!

He’s best known for his novels and short stories that synergize sci-fi and horror elements flawlessly together to create thought-provoking narratives.

Some of my favorite Richard Matheson books include:

9. Neil Gaiman

While he’s known for far more than Horror, Neil Gaiman is best known for his dark fantasy novels like American Gods, Coraline and The Graveyard Book.

Gaiman’s best works are usually classified as dark fantasy rather than horror… But all of them have enough elements in common with the genre that they’re worth mentioning here! The Graveyard Book is particularly good as a spooky book for kids that won’t have them scared out of their britches.

Some of my favorite Neil Gaiman books include:

10. Anne Rice

Anne Rice is best known for her series of Vampire Chronicles books, and while I’m not a huge fan of that genre myself (I don’t think there’s anything inherently scary about vampires), it doesn’t change the fact that she’s one of the best horror authors ever.

She also wrote some other very good books like The Wolf Gift and The Mayfair Witches trilogy, Interview with the Vampire, and Queen of the Damned, the latter two of which went on to be adapted into huge feature films.

Some of my favorite Anne Rice books include:

11. Jonathan Maberry

Jonathan Maberry is best known for his work in the thriller, science fiction and horror genres, with work in comic books and magazines as well.

He’s published tons of books over the years, but keeps churning them out at a ridiculously fast pace – he has over 100 titles to his name! Additionally, he has mentioned on social media that he can write over 5,000 words in a day, which is insane!

Some of Jonathan Maberry best books include:

12. Samanta Schweblin

Samanta Schweblin is best known for her novel, Fever Dream. While I haven’t read it yet myself, the reviews are fantastic and say that she’s one of the best horror authors writing today.

Samanta is originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina. She moved to Germany in 2007 and has lived there ever since with her husband and son. All of her work was originally written in Spanish but have been translated into many languages, including English!

Some of the best Samanta Schweblin books include:

13. Mary Shelley

Few people deserve as much credit for practically creating the horror genre (not to mention the science fiction genre) as Mary Shelley. Mary is kind of a personal heroine for me.

She was best known for her novel Frankenstein. She was born and died in London, but spent much of her adult life in Italy. She died at the age of 53 in 1851 of what is suspected to be a brain tumor.

When it comes to Shelley, the main book everyone must read is No products found. .

14. Peter Straub

Peter Straub is best known for his novel, Ghost Story. He’s had a long and successful career as one of the best horror authors around.

In addition to that book, he also co-authored two additional novels with Stephen King: The Talisman and Black House which take place in the same universe as each other! I haven’t read those yet either but they’re on my list…

Straub was born in Milwaukee, WI, where he lived until college when he moved across country to attend Reed College in Portland OR. His books have been translated into over 25 languages since first being published back in 1974.

Some of Peter Straub best works include:

15. Clive Barker

Clive Barker is best known for his short story collections and novels like Books of Blood and Hellraiser. His books have been translated into 30 languages worldwide!

Not only is Barker a novelist, but he is also a filmmaker, a playright, and an artist. The guy can apparently do it all.

Chances are, you’ve at least heard of Hellraiser, which is a book about a puzzle box that opens a gateway to another dimension where sadistic demons gather human souls for torture. It was made into a movie by…you guessed it, Clive Barker, it’s original author.

Some of Clive Barkers best works include:

16. Mylo Carbia

Mylo Carbia is a relative newcomer to the Horror scene, but she’s got the writing chopes to prove her worth. She was originally a script doctor and screenwriter, who made the transition to horror writing.

She has been described as “The Queen Of Horror” by some people online which sounds interesting enough all on its own.

She would eventually outsell even Stephen King on some of her debut books, and her book “Violets Are Red” was praised as the best story of 2019 by PopHorror.com.

In short, she’s worth a read.

Her two bestselling books are:

The Bottom Line

So there you have it, the best horror authors in the business. This information is based on my own personal opinion and tastes, as well as a ton of research, but I think that these are some great books for people to check out who want a good scare!

I hope you found this list of the top 16 best horror authors of all time to be informative and helpful. If not, let me know which author is your favorite, or if there are any that have been left off my list. Comment below with your feedback!

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The 20 Best Horror Writers of All Time – Ultimate Guide

Lists like this one aren’t easy, with so many writers in the world and so few spaces to list them all. That’s not even factoring in the ranking, with the number of horror writers that have changed the game over the years.

That said, these are the twenty horror authors that have had an impact on the genre whether it be through their sheer body of work, influence on the genre, and longevity of their writing. Longevity will be a contentious point with some, as there are going to be a few authors excluded that some would consider major, such as HP Lovecraft.

With those exclusions, it’s not meant to dismiss their impact on the genre, but more how their themes and prose itself hold up today. Of course, my opinion isn’t definitive, but my experience is that some of the classic revolutionary writers like Stoker and Lovecraft are nearly unreadable in a modern context whether due to the more classical prose or overt racism in Lovecraft’s case.

Okay, that was the last disclaimer, promise. The twenty listed here have changed the genre and can still have their influence felt today whether it be through inspiration from other writers or proliferation into other media. Each a master of horror in their way, these authors will thrill, chill, and inspire new stories for years to come.

Richard Matheson

Matheson was a game changer, not just for horror, but for sci-fi and drama as well. A renowned writer in both literature and screen, he’s responsible for some of the most memorable episodes of The Twilight Zone and his short stories like I Am Legend and Button, Button . When it comes to the realm of horror, he is a legend.

A cool thing with Matheson is that a lot of his writing for both mediums is readily available, with screenplays for episodes like Terror at 20,000 Feet being published along with some of his other famous Twilight Zone scripts.

For recommendations on Matheson, I have two to cover his range. Naturally, I Am Legend is his standout when it comes to horror and his influence on the genre , but there’s also an underrated fantasy with elements of horror called What Dreams May Come. This one will get you deep in your feelings as a man journeys the afterlife to find his wife, going through both fantastical heaven and dreary, terrifying hell.

Buy it on Amazon

Stephen King

It’s hard to make a list of all-time best horror writers without talking about Stephen King . The author of horror classics like IT and The Shining has spent fifty years at his craft, writing hundreds of stories between his combined works. He’s been parodied, paid homage to, satirized, and copied millions of times in every medium and it’s not going to stop for the foreseeable future.

While he’s got a penchant for long novels with deep characters, King crafts his best scares in short form. Releasing hundreds of novellas and short stories through the decades, he’s amassed a whole section in the bookstore for himself.

With so many choices it gets a little overwhelming, but dip your toe in with the collection Skeleton Crew . All of King’s collections have standouts but Skeleton Crew is just all killer no filler with stories like “ The Jaunt ”, “ Survivor Type ” and personal favorite “ Word Processor of the Gods ”.

Clive Barker

Clive Barker was one of the first authors to bring the horror genre’s innate queerness to the forefront. Combining intimate love stories between LGBT+ characters with the backdrop of horror around them often represents the suppression of Barker’s queerness in his youth. From fantasy like The Thief of Always to the full-blown horror of The Hellbound Heart , Barker has left bloody marks all over the genre.

As with most horror authors, his short-form work is superb. His Books of Blood collections are a fantastic starting point for any horror fan, with enough escalating blood and terror for the most seasoned as well. Recommended stories from Volume One include “ The Midnight Meat Train”, “Pig Blood Blues” and “In the Hills, the Cities” .

Robert McCammon

McCammon often gets overshadowed by Stephen King , with the two both rising to prominence around the same time and steadily putting out work since. While he’s always had a dedicated following, his works just never caught into the mainstream like King’s did.

A shame too, as McCammon’s Swan Song is an apocalyptic epic to rival The Stand, while his other stories branched into everything from southern gothic surrealism to kidnapping thriller to creature feature. He’s got it all, but Stinger is a fun, terrifying ride with a bloodthirsty creature preying on a small town.

Ramsey Campbell

It’s doubtful if the Cthulhu Mythos started by Lovecraft would be anywhere near as popular today without contributors like Ramsey Campbell. While the author would keep the creatures and terrors created by Lovecraft, he would often relocate to the moors and cliffs of England and combine folk horror elements in the mix.

The best place to start with Campbell is also one of his most popular, The Hungry Moo n. An evangelical preacher gets inhabited by an eldritch being and things escalate from there into a story of isolation and reality-blurring terror.

Algernon Blackwood

A folk horror legend that took inspiration from nature’s terror just as much as the local lore. Blackwood would influence authors after him for over a century with his still-modern prose and terrifying dread built through stories like The Willows and The Wendigo

Neil Gaiman

Very few authors have made impacts in horror and fantasy equally as Gaiman has. The author of stories like Sandman , American Gods , and Neverwhere , not to mention co-author of Good Omens , he’s made his mark with wit and humor alongside mystical and terrifying horrors. Neverwhere is a shining example of his horrifying, magical surrealism with a deep cast of characters.

John Langan

A master of horror coming to prominence in the 2010s, Langan took the cosmic horror of Lovecraft and molded it into something on a local, centralized level with themes of grief and loss mixed in. The Fisherman is a fantastic novel, but his shining work to me is The Wide Carnivorous Sky , a collection of novellas and shorts including one of the most dread-filled stories I’ve ever read, Mother of Stone.

Laird Barron

Barron is a powerhouse of suspense and Lovecraftian horror , with his detective series about Isaac Coleridge or the terrors of the Children of Old Leech. Barron takes cosmic horror and immerses it in the often freezing wilderness of the Pacific Northwest. Check out The Croning , his seminal horror novel involving a terrifying conspiracy beyond reality.

Paul Tremblay

Another writer that came to fame in the 10s, Tremblay keeps quiet, dreadful horror at the forefront while focusing on family ties, creeping dread, and grief for loved ones. Tremblay has a way of making even the safest of places feel dangerous while stretching a mysterious and unknown dread throughout.

His debut Head Full of Ghosts is a must-read, with an amazing modern take on The Exorcist with a focus on the family’s breakdown while the parents exploit the opportunity for wealth.

Josh Malerman

Bird Box was a life-changing novel for me, coming around as I was in my prime phase of reading cosmic horror about the unknown. Malerman’s ability to describe the looming chaos and imminent danger of a horror that can’t be seen unless you desire to die. It’s so tense as the audience and characters venture into the world blind, with everything described as the sounds around.

LGBT+ icon and revolutionary in classical monsters being romanticized (which is a top-selling genre on its own now) Anne Rice changed the world with Interview With The Vampire . The journeys and stories of vampires drifting in and out of love triangles across the ages eventually interwoven with Rice’s other stories as well, with witches, demons, and werewolves making appearances decades before Twilight .

Shirley Jackson

An icon of feminism and horror, Jackson’s stories were often more personal and quiet, with true terror being the real nature of humans and our desires/fears. Though most would recommend The Haunting of Hill House , her collection of stories including “The Lottery” and “The Summer People” is a must-read, with many of the stories being classics with messages still relevant today.

Stephen Graham Jones

A voice of the Blackfoot Nation, he’s been combining the folklore of his land and people with the horrors of modern life like growing up differently, the effects of guilt, and often horrors beyond comprehension in nature. Check out Demon Theory for a real dive into his early experimental style that carved his place in the genre .

Grady Hendrix

Grady Hendrix is a horror lover of the most elevated order, with knowledge of films, classic pulp horror, and other classic literature filling every available space in his books . He plays with tropes like a kid on a playground in everything from haunted houses to exorcisms to vampires. His best though is the haunted big-box furniture store in Horrorstor, a great blend of horror and comedy .

Octavia Butler

Butler was a voice for BIPOC authors in the horror scene when it was desperately needed, and offered that in a scathing critique of the horror coming straight from humans in Kindred . The story of a woman transported back in time to the pre-Civil War US who must then contend with being sold into slavery. The book is chilling and showcases the cruelty senselessly inflicted as the true horror of the story.

While Joe Hill is just the pen name he uses to differentiate his works from that of his fathers, it wasn’t until a while after he made his debut that anyone found that out. It is really weird if anyone looks at Joe Hill because he’s like a carbon copy of his father in the 80s (minus a lot of substances). Hill’s literary voice is all his own though, and he’s become a leader of the macabre and weird.

Strange Weather is a fantastic showcase of his talents, with four novellas focused around, of course, strange weather. These can be rough, with one focusing on rain coming down like solid needles among other things.

Brian Keene

Keene is a personal favorite among modern horror, and just an all-around cool dude willing to answer most questions about his works on Twitter. While The Rising is a fantastic take on the zombie genre, Keene’s novellas end up taking the cake for weird horror. Darkness on the Edge of Town is a perfect example, showcasing a town suddenly engulfed in dark surroundings that prove incredibly dangerous to anyone that enters.

Billy Martin (Published as Poppy Z Brite)

Another LGBT icon in horror on the level of Barker and Rice, Martin originally published under Poppy Z Brite and still has most books listed under that name, though he has transitioned since. The author’s work often featured gay and bisexual characters that mirrored his sexuality and gender identity in the context of the bloody horror around them. Lost Souls is a fantastic love story set against the backdrop of a haunted house.

Thomas Ligotti

Ligotti takes cosmic horror in the most nihilistic direction possible, with stories of malevolent beings just beyond our veil of reality toying with humanity for their fun. While he doesn’t have an extensive output, his short stories have been collected in Songs of a Dead Dreamer and Grimmscribe , with each being some terrifying meditation on morality and life.

These twenty deserve places in the hall of horror history, making marks with terrifying, dread-inducing locations, evils beyond our imagination, and characters that everyone hopes will survive to the end. While of course it can’t be a definitive list, just these authors will be enough to fill up a small library or at least a page of your reading list.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do horror authors write nothing but horror.

Not necessarily. While a lot of the above authors write horror primarily, they have also written other works in genres like adventure, drama, and some romance here and there. Horror makes for a surprisingly versatile playbook.

Who is the best horror writer of all time?

That’s a loaded question and will get you a lot of different answers depending on who you ask. The best horror writer may not even be a writer of books or literature, in my opinion overall it would be Rod Serling, creator and head writer of The Twilight Zone . When it comes to literature, most will answer Stephen King.

Are there any horror authors that are on the less scary side?

Dean Koontz would be right up your alley, with his horror being more of a fantastical element as a background to the stories. He does have some taut thrillers that go down, but for the most part, they’re fun adventures like with Odd Thomas . Otherwise, check out Anne Rice and Neil Gaiman as well.

What if I’m not sure what I want and can’t figure out who to read?

There are dozens of great horror anthologies out there that combine the best stories by multiple authors famous and just starting. Check out any of the various anthologies edited by Ellen Datlow, who curates and publishes yearly compilations by genre and other factors.

What is the scariest book ever written?

This is going to be divisive no matter how you slice it. A lot of critics will say The Exorcist , but personally it didn’t get me nearly as much as other stories. The story that scared me the most was Salem’s Lot by Stephen King. The slow takeover by vampires mixed with the horror of the townspeople who don’t know what’s going on. Plus, creepy kids. Can’t stand creepy kids.

Bonus: Great Authors We Ran Out of Space For

1. Victor LaValle 2. Richard Laymon 3. Dean Koontz 4. Alma Katsu 5. Jeff VanderMeer 6. Dan Simmons 7. Silvia Moreno-Garcia 8. Yoko Ogawa 9. Christopher Buehlman 10. Lauren Beukes

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The 50 Best Horror Books of All Time Will Scare You Sh*tless

Our number one pick has inspired generations of nightmares.

Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. We may earn a commission from these links.

Horror is a broad church. Definitions abound.

For some, horror is a genre founded on trope and convention: a checklist of blighted houses and monstrous secrets, men in masks and women in white nightgowns. For others it hinges on atmosphere and tone.

This is before we even attempt a historical context. Scholars trace the legacy of literary horror back to the British Gothic fictions of the eighteenth century, when castles were haunted, monks were evil, and anywhere beyond the edges of Protestant England was tinged sinister. Others locate the genre’s origins in a slate of late-Victorian novels and their roster of horror icons. Dracula, Dorian Gray, Dr. Jekyll–these figures emerged from a culture in crisis, when twin anxieties about masculinity and modernity birthed urban nightmares. Contemporary readers may look no further than the horror ‘boom’ of the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. It was an era dominated by brand-name authors, with epic sales and matching page-lengths.

With such a weight of contention, any attempt at a list of ‘best’ horror novels is doomed to disagreement. That’s fine. All lists are subjective. We have, however, tried to celebrate the breadth of horror—to highlight those books that establish something about the genre or push it forward into new realms. It’s worth noting that we have confined our choices to novels. Short horror fiction has a parallel ­­but distinct history that would require a survey all of its own.

You will see some unexpected inclusions in this list, and some surprising absences. Certain big names are missing because their greatest contributions are in short form, or because their books tread ground better travelled by others. Equally, some of these choices may cause horror fans’ eyes to wrinkle in confusion. But perhaps, in the end, that’s the secret of horror: it’s personal. It’s about how it makes you feel.

Here, then, is our ranking of the best horror novels of all time.

Gallery / Saga Press The Loop

You could argue that body horror is the purest horror. It taps into our basest fears: the vulnerability of our own bodies to infection, mutation, and destruction. In The Loop, a Pacific Northwest town falls prey to a parasite that transforms its youth into ravening fiends. After a short build-up, young adult sensibility blossoms darkly into scenes of extreme violence and bodily damage. The Loop is fiction’s closest equivalent to the films of David Cronenberg, with a jaw-dropping central set-piece that rivals the most fevered excesses of horror cinema.

Open Road Media Harvest Home, by Thomas Tryon

After quitting his career as a Hollywood star, Thomas Tryon turned to writing and gave us a pair of bestselling horror novels. The Other may be better known, but Harvest Home is the true chiller. In classic New England Gothic style, a nice family relocates to a Quaint Little Town™ only to discover hideous secrets about the corn crop. What follows is an ultra slow-burn of tightening anxiety, with a folk-horror finale that rivals 1973’s other pagan classic, The Wicker Man , or even Ben Wheatley’s 2011 shocker, Kill List. The final passages are as bleak as horror got in the ‘70s.

Atria Books The Other Black Girl, by Zakiya Dalila Harris

At first glance, the terrors of The Other Black Girl appear slight. Harris’ workplace thriller spends ample time cataloguing the microaggressions endured by Nella, the only woman of color at a major New York publishing house. However, when Hazel, the titular other Black girl, joins the firm, the novel moves into more uncanny territory. The result is a scalpel-sharp instrument of social horror—a book that exposes monstrousness in the minutiae of office politics and the complacent evil of white privilege. It’s particularly telling that Harris wrote the book after working in New York publishing…

Valancourt Books The Auctioneer, by Joan Samson

The Auctioneer may be the bestselling horror novel that most people have never heard of. It sold a million copies on release, garnered praise from genre heavyweights, and was further distinguished by the author’s death soon after publication. Yet Samson’s novel remained in obscurity for decades until Grady Hendrix and Valancourt Press reissued it as part of the Paperbacks from Hell series. In the figure of the titular auctioneer, Perly Dinsmore, and the havoc wreaked by his manipulation of a rural New Hampshire community, Samson’s novel refers back to Shirley Jackson’s ”The Lottery,” and must surely be the inspiration behind Leland Gaunt, the malignant shopkeeper in Stephen King’s Needful Things.

G.P. Putnam's Sons The Hunger, by Alma Katsu

The Hunger takes one of the darkest incidents in American history and makes it more horrible still. Katsu’s retelling of the Donner Party’s catastrophic attempt to cross the Sierra Nevadas in winter begins with the death of a child and heads onward, like the wagon train, into deeper horror. It’s slow progress, too. The Hunger takes its time to get to the awful fate we know is waiting. Some people may buck at the pace and the way Katsu dangles the grisliest elements of the story just out of reach. But for those who appreciate authenticity and great character work, it’s a piece of historical horror that takes exactly the route it should.

Simon & Schuster Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury

It’s hard to overstate Bradbury’s contribution to speculative fiction. His unique blend of horror and fantasy is a clear influence on later giants like Stephen King and Neil Gaiman. But his macabre whimsy was never more powerful than in Something Wicked This Way Comes, a tale of romanticized boyhood in the golden decades of post-war America. Best friends Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade (neatly born on either side of the same Halloween midnight) confront the loss of innocence in the form of Mr. Dark’s traveling carnival. The scene in which the aging Miss Foley is granted her wish to become young again stands out as the most horrifically poignant moment in a novel obsessed with the boundary between youth and adulthood.

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke, by Eric LaRocca

At only 120 pages, Eric LaRocca’s novella is the shortest book on this list, but it may also be the most distressing. It is an epistolary period-piece—taking place in the internet chat-rooms of the early 2000s—in which two broken souls come together in a pact of extreme body horror and emotional degeneration. If that sounds fun, well, it isn’t. Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke pulls not a single punch, offering perhaps the single most upsetting scene to be found on this list (The Little Christ—if you know, you know!) and a question for the ages: “What have you done today to deserve your eyes?”

Dark Valley, by Joe Donnelly

Joe Donnelly’s books arrived at the tail-end of horror’s paperback boom, all gaudy covers and pulpy premises. Yet his final horror novel is an almost unknown classic: an adolescent trial set on the West coast of Scotland, where five young friends on a camping trip encounter a child killer. The Scottish setting gives a different tone and a grittier vernacular to the oft-romanticized coming-of-age tradition. Think Stand by Me refracted through Trainspotting. It’s a violent story, with the rare threat that simply being a child is not enough to save Donnelly’s characters from a brutal end.

Ace The Red Tree, by Caitlin R. Kiernan

Caitlin R. Kiernan floats freely across the map of speculative fiction, from hard sci-fi to lyrical fantasy. The Red Tree is their purest horror offering. When Sarah Crowe relocates to an isolated cabin in order to write and grieve, she falls under the influence of a strange manuscript and the history of a nearby oak tree. The found document and faux-lore locate Kiernan’s novel in the arcane tradition of M.R. James and H.P. Lovecraft. But a postmodern unreliability pervades, with doubts about Sarah’s sanity, as well as ‘editor’s notes’ complicating easy separation of truth and fiction. Narrative trickery aside, The Red Tree also contains the creepiest cellar in horror.

Penguin Classics The Monk, by Matthew Lewis

Horror’s roots extend far back into the 18th century Gothic tradition, beginning with The Castle of Otranto in 1764 and evolving in Anne Radcliffe’s The Mysteries of Udolpho in 1794. It is Lewis’ novel, however, that first showcases the genre’s power to shock. Written when Lewis was still a teenager, The Monk relates the demonic corruption of the devout Ambrosio. Upon its release, the novel was considered a danger to society; even now, its details of rape, incest, murder, and black sorcery remain eyebrow-raising. If the scares are dulled by archaic language, some moments still hit hard, such as when the prioress’ body is mutilated by a mob “till it became no more than a mass of flesh, unsightly, shapeless, and disgusting.” Remember, this was written in 1796!

Open Road Media Experimental Film, by Gemma Files

Files worked as a film critic for years, and in Experimental Film, all that insider knowledge is put to uncanny use. She blends a verité blogging style with the story of cursed film footage from the early 20th century and a frightening Slavic demon named Lady Midday. As so often happens in Files’ fiction, things get very weird, but the industry detail coupled with biographical allusions grounds the high strangeness into something truly unnerving. This is a too-often overlooked postmodern gem, one of the best in a string of books about the spectral effects of film.

Vintage Lunar Park, by Bret Easton Ellis

American Psycho may be the most controversial novel of the late 20th century, but Lunar Park is the more affecting horror story. Ellis’ faux-memoir slides from authentic early experiences into a fictional middle-age as reluctant husband and father. Out in the suburbs, reality and fiction collapse, ushering horrors into Ellis’ home. These include a version of Ellis’ infamous killer, Patrick Bateman, and—in the centrepiece scene—a doll that undergoes a truly terrifying metamorphosis. Readers are never sure where truth or sincerity lie. The novel could be a big joke, or it could, as is suggested in the scenes between Ellis and his make-believe son, be a yearning for a life not lived. If American Psycho is the book that made Ellis the enfant terrible of contemporary fiction, Lunar Park is the book that exposes his heart.

Tordotcom The Ballad of Black Tom, by Victor LaValle

H.P. Lovecraft’s imagination endures in countless derivations of his Cthulhu Mythos, but his bigotry remains a cancer at the heart of it all. Most imitators borrow the lore, but ignore the ideology. In The Ballad of Black Tom, Victor LaValle takes a different approach, choosing to explore the events of Lovecraft’s notoriously racist “The Horror at Red Hook” from the Black point-of-view of Lavalle’s own protagonist, Tommy Tester. Though there are ‘Old Ones’ aplenty, LaValle’s retelling suggests that cosmic peril is of less consequence to the Black community than the threat of white power. After all, the book asks, “What was indifference compared to malice?”

Ecco Press Bird Box, by Josh Malerman

Some books have a conceit that makes other authors seethe for not thinking of it themselves. Birdbox , you would imagine, is such a book. There are monsters, and if you see them, you kill yourself. It’s a riff on the Lovecraftian notion that the human mind can only withstand a certain degree of otherness. Yet Malerman has none of Lovecraft’s pomposity. Instead, he examines everyday humanity under extreme, inexplicable pressure. Trapped in a house with strangers, our protagonist Malorie gradually hardens into a pitiless survivor. Her journey to possible refuge is a masterclass in sustained tension and sensory storytelling.

Pan MacMillan Apartment 16, by Adam Nevill

Each of Adam Nevill’s novels is imbued with an unclean disquiet, a grimly British social-realist horror stripped of all romance. It’s never more effective than this story of an exclusive London residence haunted by a fascist, occult-obsessed artist. Apryl Beckford quickly discovers the supernatural menace within Apartment 16, but the real nightmares belong to a secondary character, addled security guard Seth. His repeated failures to escape the building lead to a chokingly claustrophobic breakdown. People will tell you to read The Ritual, but Apartment 16 is the Nevill book that’ll have you looking at the corners of rooms to make sure the shadows are still where they should be.

Dell Lost Souls, by Poppy Z. Brite

There is no more ‘90s novel on this list than Lost Souls. I’m not sure a more ‘90s novel exists. Poppy Z. Brite’s lament for misspent youth is as pitch black as the kohl around the characters’ eyes, and saturated with the angsty existentialism that typified the decade. The teens of Missing Mile, North Carolina are damaged—by substances, by hard living, and abuse—and that’s before the vampires arrive. When they do, the novel explodes in a debauch of violence and sex. It’s a road trip, a love story, and a brutal horror odyssey in which a vampire taking his own son as his lover remains one of the less transgressive elements of the plot.

Ballantine Books Interview with the Vampire, by Anne Rice

Anne Rice died in late 2021, leaving behind a legacy that few modern horror authors can match. Her Vampire Chronicles spans over a dozen novels, with numerous offshoots. Everyone has their favorite, but Interview is where the intricate, baroque tapestry of her alternative vampiric history begins. The interview in question is with Louis, an 1800s plantation owner turned into a creature of the night by the vampire Lestat. Over the course of the novel, Louis relates the history of their immortal companionship, including the perverse family they form with child vampire Claudia. The later series develops in outlandish directions (Atlantis!), but Interview anchors itself in the romantic tragedy of eternal life.

Gallery Books The House Next Door, by Anne Rivers Siddons

Haunted houses don’t need to be old. That’s the revolutionary premise that makes Siddon’s novel so freshly disquieting. Through Colquitt Kennedy’s polite, hyper-observant narration, we watch as a sequence of families move into the newly-built property next door, only for tragedy to unravel their lives. There isn’t a history of murder to taint the land, nor a single disturbed grave—just a random malignancy that suggests modern walls are no guarantee of safety. It’s a souring of the American Dream that Stephen King called one of the best horror novels of the 20th Century.

Simon & Schuster The Wasp Factory, by Iain Banks

Frank Cauldhame wanders the beaches of his isolated island home, killing small animals. He has built an elaborate mechanism to ritualistically kill wasps. We are told he has killed three children before he entered his own teens. Oh, and he is the hero of this story. The Wasp Factory was Banks’ first novel, and it has the provocativeness of all great debuts. It was acclaimed for its mixture of horror and the blackest of comedy, just as it was pilloried for its depravity. Both sound like good reasons to read it. Be warned, though, this one contains some truly disgusting scenes.

Scribner Tender Is the Flesh, by Agustina Bazterrica

In Bazterrica’s brutal dystopia, a lack of animal meat has resulted in state-sanctioned cannibalism. Marcos works in a slaughterhouse, where human cattle (or ‘heads’) are bred for slaughter, and where he tussles with his inner morality within the industrial normalization of the universal taboo. The plot focuses on Marcos’ relationship with a head named Jasmine; what ensues is as disturbing as expected, though it’s the wider world-building that makes Tender is the Flesh a truly dispiriting read. Through both gorgeous metaphor and blunt statement, Bazterrica drives home the realization that we are all either meat or butcher in capitalism’s grinder.

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Looking for a fright? Here are the 15 best contemporary horror authors to listen to right now

These horror authors have written a range of stories, from classic horror to new age supernatural fiction.

When it comes to horror, there’s no shortage of unique, terrifying tales. Horror authors have a talent for mining our deepest fears and insecurities, then using them to tell fascinating, engaging, and horrifying stories. While there are so many classic horror authors—such as Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, and Shirley Jackson—you ought to explore, this list focuses on a selection of current, contemporary horror authors whose works are as enthralling as they are terrifying. From serial killers to ghosts to the eerie and unexplainable, these authors offer some of the best that the horror genre has to give.

Stephen King

We couldn't write about the best horror authors and not include the King of Horror! Stephen King is the prolific writer of dozens of horror novels, with a dash of mystery, paranormal, and a little sci-fi thrown in for good measure. He got his start writing short stories (and continues to publish short fiction to this day) before the publication of his debut novel, Carrie , which is narrated in audio by the acclaimed film adaptation’s star, Sissy Spacek. He’s best known for titles such as The Shining , The Stand , It , and so other many unforgettable stories that have inspired countless film and TV adaptations. If for some reason you haven't yet listened to anything by Stephen King, we can't recommend his chilling work enough.

By Stephen King

Narrated by Sissy Spacek

Stephen Graham Jones

Stephen Graham Jones is a Blackfeet Native American author best known for his horror audiobooks, but his works are often experimental in nature, ranging from literary to pulp horror. His stories often reflect his background as a Native writer— Mapping the Interior , for instance, is a novella about a 15-year-old boy who sees the figure of his father, who died before he and his family left the reservation. A parody of horror conventions, The Last Final Girl follows the last girl who survived one bloodbath and is determined to survive more horrors to come. Both are narrated by Eric G. Dove. Jones's latest release, The Only Good Indians is a revenge story focused on four Native American men who find themselves facing the repercussions of a youthful elk hunting incident where they made a life-changing choice.

Mapping the Interior

By Stephen Graham Jones

Narrated by Eric G Dove

Jonathan Maberry

Beware! Once you step into Jonathan Maberry's postapocalyptic world, there’s no going back. Horror fans know nothing beats a classic, and Maberry's action-packed spins on those classic baddies—zombies—are among the greatest of all time. Take your pick of zombie hunters to follow in his bestselling Joe Ledger , Dead of Night , and Rot & Ruin series, or explore something on the short (but definitely not sweet) side with a chilling ghost story or a twisty werewolf tale . Maberry's knack for thrills and chills keeps fans thoroughly entertained from start to finish. What else can you expect from a multiple Bram Stoker Award-winning horror genius?

Patient Zero

By Jonathan Maberry

Narrated by Ray Porter

Joe Hill is the son of Stephen King, and while he may not be quite as prolific as his father (yet!), he's written an impressive array of comic books and horror novels. Early in his career, he decided to use the pseudonym Joe Hill in an attempt to distinguish himself from his famous dad. With the publication of his debut novel 20th Century Ghosts , however, speculation about his family history (and his resemblance to his father) abounded, so he became open about the connection in 2007. Hill is also the author of Horns and Locke & Key , an Audible Original narrated by a star-studded cast that includes Haley Joel Osment, Tatiana Maslany, and Kate Mulgrew. If you're looking for excellent horror narrated by a talented actress, look no further—Mulgrew narrates many of Joe Hill's books, including the widely acclaimed NOS4A2 .

20th Century Ghosts

By Joe Hill

Narrated by David LeDoux

Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Silvia Moreno-Garcia was born in Mexico and now lives in Canada, and although she's a prolific writer across all genres, it's only recently that she's become well-known for her horror. Her first horror release, Mexican Gothic is set in a moldering estate in the Mexican countryside and dwells on the horrors of colonialism and eugenics. She's also published numerous horror short stories and has edited anthologies inspired by the work of H.P. Lovecraft. (Her master's thesis was entitled, "Magna Mater: Women and Eugenic Thought in the Work of H.P. Lovecraft," so trust us when we say she really knows horror!) If you'd like to wade into her body of work, pick up Mexican Gothic , narrated by Frankie Corzo, or her most recent horror release, Certain Dark Things .

Mexican Gothic

By Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Narrated by Frankie Corzo

Dean Koontz

Dean Koontz is the author of numerous thriller, paranormal, mystery, and horror novels. He got his start writing science fiction before trying his hand at horror and suspense, and throughout the 60s and 70s, he wrote many novels under a wide array of pseudonyms. Whispers , a chilling story of a man driven to kill, became his breakout hit, and Strangers was his first novel published in hardcover. Koontz continues to write in a range of genres, but his notable horror titles include Phantoms , the Odd Thomas series narrated by David Aaron Baker, and Intensity .

By Dean Koontz

Narrated by Dick Hill

Grady Hendrix

Born in Charleston, South Carolina, and now residing in New York City, Grady Hendrix writes horror that will particularly appeal to pop culture fans. His first novel was Horrorstör , a horror satire about a popular Nordic home goods store in the Midwest that opens each morning to find strange destruction and mayhem, and the employees who volunteer to stay overnight in the store to get to the bottom of it. He's also written My Best Friend's Exorcism , narrated by Emily Woo Zeller, and The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires , narrated by Bahni Turpin, which both take place in his hometown of Charleston in the 80s and 90s. So far, each of his books have been published to wide acclaim and optioned for either TV or film.

By Grady Hendrix

Narrated by Tai Sammons, Bronson Pinchot

Victor LaValle

Victor LaValle is a writer of essays and novels, and although not all of his works are in the horror genre, it's perhaps what he's best known for. His novel Big Machine won the Shirley Jackson Award, and he followed it up with , a story about a man living in a mental institution where a monster lurks. The Ballad of Black Tom is a retelling of the H.P. Lovecraft short story "The Horror at Red Hook," with an African American protagonist. Explores the fears surrounding being a new parent, his dark horror fantasy The Changeling won the World Fantasy Award and is currently being adapted for the screen.

The Ballad of Black Tom

By Victor LaValle

Narrated by Kevin R. Free

Alma Katsu was born in Alaska and worked as an analyst for the federal government before turning to fiction. Her novels tend to combine historical events, supernatural occurrences, and horror elements. Katsu's debut novel was The Taker , about a woman who walks into a small-town ER as a murder suspect and tells a fantastical tale about immorality and darkness. She followed up the Taker trilogy with The Hunger , a dark supernatural take on the tragic course of events that befell the infamous Donner Party. Her latest listen, The Deep is about the evil that lurked on the Titanic—and two survivors of the sinking who meet years later on a WWI hospital ship.

By Alma Katsu

Narrated by Laurel Lefkow

Yoko Ogawa is a Japanese writer who widely publishes fiction and nonfiction alike. Although her first book to be translated into English and published in the US isn't horror, her other releases include Revenge , a collection of 11 dark and disturbing tales, and The Memory Police , which was a National Book Award finalist. Narrated by Traci Kato-Kiriyama, The Memory Police is an Orwellian nightmare about an island where objects disappear—and those who dare to remember them are targeted by the titular Memory Police.

The Memory Police

By Yoko Ogawa, Stephen Snyder - translator

Narrated by Traci Kato-Kiriyama

Tananarive Due

Tananarive Due has written numerous books in the speculative and supernatural genres and is a Bram Stoker Award finalist. In addition to writing, she's also a film historian with a focus on Black horror and an educator who has taught at an MFA program. (She even teaches a course on Jordan Peele's groundbreaking film Get Out at UCLA!) Her novels include The Good House , narrated by Robin Miles, about a young woman who returns home to her grandmother's mansion only to face demonic forces, and Joplin's Ghost , the story of a young singer haunted by the past. And don't miss her debut short story collection Ghost Summer , released in 2020.

The Good House

By Tananarive Due

Narrated by Robin Miles

Tananarive Due, author of The Living Blood won the American Book Award and is praised as Stephen King's equal by Publishers Weekly ....

Jennifer McMahon

Jennifer McMahon writes suspenseful, eerie ghost stories. She grew up in Connecticut and now lives in Vermont; her New England background certainly inspires her work, which often incorporates elements of history and local lore. Her debut novel, Promise Not to Tell is about a woman who has returned home to care for her ailing mother only to be alarmed when certain events mirror her disturbing childhood. She followed it up with Don't Breathe a Word , the story of a man forced to face the truth about what really happened when his sister disappeared when they were children. 

Promise Not to Tell

By Jennifer McMahon

Narrated by Karen White, Kathleen McInerney, Caitlin Davies

Christopher Buehlman

Christopher Buehlman might be one of the most interesting multi-hyphenates in contemporary horror. A novelist, poet, performer, and, in his spare time, a Ren Faire icon known as “Christopher the Insulter,” he also turns out acclaimed horror and fantasy bursting with literary prose and wild imagination. In Between Two Fires , Buehlman’s medieval expertise informs an epic 14th-century saga framed by religion and the Black Death, while his self-narrated novels, like the sinister vampire tales The Lesser Dead and The Suicide Motor Club , are among the best author performances of all time.

Between Two Fires

By Christopher Buehlman

Narrated by Steve West

Catriona Ward

Few horror writers have made a splash over the past few years quite like the DC-born, Oxford-educated Catriona Ward. Arguably her breakout novel was 2021’s riveting The Last House on Needless Street , a dark and creepy psychological horror told from the POV of three compelling characters—one of whom is a cat. Little Eve , her Shirley Jackson Award-winning novel about a Scottish clan anticipating the apocalypse, was released in audio in 2022. Fans are eagerly awaiting the release of her next novel, Looking Glass Sound , in 2023.

The Last House on Needless Street

By Catriona Ward

Narrated by Christopher Ragland

Rachel Harrison

Wickedly funny and super prolific, Bram Stoker Award nominee Rachel Harrison has become a major author to watch since her 2020 debut, The Return . Since then, she’s published four more books, each one a delightfully original take on classic horror tropes. Cackle is a witty addition to witch lit, Such Sharp Teeth gives the werewolf novel fresh fangs, and Bad Dolls is a collection of four funny and frightening short stories. At under an hour and included in Audible Plus, her 2021 ghost story The Veil is one you absolutely have to hear.

By Rachel Harrison

Narrated by Louisa Krause

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• Best Authors
• Spooky Season

15 Authors of Horror Books You Must Read

Among the various genres of literature that exist, horror is one of the most attractive to thousands of readers. In their stories, horror books authors tend to create a terrifying and mysterious environment, which can be of a natural or supernatural nature.

Through their words, the writers of this type of book manage to enter the minds of the readers, creating a series of thoughts and sensations, which finally turn into terror and fear .

At the end we invite you to visit:

Classic Horror Authors

Horror novels are some of the most striking in the world of literature. It is impressive but that dark and supernatural aspect has the capacity of captivating readers despite how gloomy and terrifying the story may be.

1) Bram Stoker

Dracula was his most recognized literary creation, in which he enhanced the nuances of vampirism and which became a literary work passed down through the years. Today it is considered a classic of literature.

The novel tells the story of Dracula’s attempt to move from Transylvania to England so he could find new blood and spread the curse of the undead, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of people led by Professor Abraham Van Helsing.

2) Edgar Allan Poe

He was a renovator of the gothic novel, remembered especially for his horror stories. Considered the inventor of the detective story, he also created several works in the emerging genre of science fiction.

The Fall of The House of Usher

Usher lives prey to an indefinable disease, which makes everyone fear for his life. The one who ends up dying is his sister. Her mortal remains are deposited in a crypt, but it does not take long for terrible events to take place that will lead to a tragic end.

The text recounts the mysterious visit of a talking raven to the home of a grieving lover, and the latter’s slow descent into madness. The lover, who has often been identified as a student, mourns the loss of his beloved, Leonora.

The Tell-Tale Heart

The relationship between victim and killer is unknown. The ambiguity and lack of detail about the two main characters are in sharp contrast to the detail with which the crime is recreated.

3) H.P. Lovecraft

Here we present 2 outstanding work by H.P. Lovecraft , if you want to read and download other works by H.P. Lovecraft in PDF format we invite you to visit our collection of H.P. Lovecraft books .

Call of Cthulhu

The case of charles dexter ward.

The Case of Charles Dexter Ward is a short novel written by H. P. Lovecraft between 1927 and 1928. It can be considered one of the author’s major works.

4) Mary Shelley

This novel was considered the first modern science fiction novel and managed to inaugurate the genre.

Frankstein or the Modern Prometheus

Frankenstein is the main character, an aberration of human invention, the product of the evil ambition of a scientist, who after having created him immediately rejects him.

The Last Man

Can you imagine being the only person on earth? It must be a pretty depressing situation, but it is the scenario where the author takes us through the pages of her book, and best of all, the way she writes will keep you captivated from the moment you start reading until you finish the whole novel.

Current Horror Authors

Today Stephen King is the benchmark in this area, but other authors have created interesting novels, such as Anne Rice, a writer who has decanted the world of literature with her works about vampires, supernatural love, death, and much more.

5) Stephen King

Stephen Edwin King , better known as Stephen King and occasionally by his pseudonym Richard Bachman, is an American writer of horror, supernatural fiction, mystery, science fiction, and fantasy novels.

Stephen King’s It book, like all his published books, is one more bestseller by this incredible author, so much so that it has been taken to theaters twice, part 1 and part 2.

The Shining

The Shining is about a 5-year-old boy, who without an adult or clear notion of reality notices some words written on the mirror “REDRUM” is the word, which is inverted because of the reflection of the mirror, but it really says murder.

6) Shirley Jackson

She was convinced that a good writer does not need to explain her books because they explain themselves perfectly.

The Haunting of Hill House

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We Have Always Lived in the Castle

The letters of shirley jackson, 7) clive barker.

Clive Barker is a British writer, film director, and visual artist. He began his career with various horror stories collected in the series Books of Blood and the Faustian novel The Damnation Game.

Hellraiser has its origins in the heart of man, and its plot speaks precisely about it, but the author describes it in such an amazing way that it will leave you stunned while reading, the main themes are love, greed, despair, lack of love, desire, slavery, blood, and death.

Books of Blood: Volumes I, II and III

You will find titles like: The Pig’s Blood Blues, The Midnight Meat Train, Terror, Death Knocks at the Door, A Princess Dead by Day and Alive by Night, The Cross of the Bloody Carnival, The Scarecrow’s Bride and many stories more.

8) Dean Koontz

Here we present an outstanding work by Dean Koontz:

The Eyes of Darkness

9) anne rice.

Anne Rice was an American author of best-selling gothic and religious themes.

The Vampire Chronicles

They are recognized as one of the best novels dedicated to the current vampire myth, responsible for resurrecting the myth in the US. It is really difficult not to mention this literary saga when referring to the world of vampires, gothic, and horror.

10) Ramsey Campbell

His novels have been adapted to the big screen twice: Los sin nombre by Jaume Balagueró and El Segundo Nombre by Francisco Plaza.

The Searching Dead

Born to the dark, 11) richard matheson.

Richard Matheson was an American fantasy, science fiction, and horror writer and screenwriter.

The story revolves around four people who are hired to investigate the possibility of an afterlife and solve it with a time limit of one week. To do so, they must enter the infamous Belasco House in Maine, considered the most haunted house in the world.

I am Legend

However, these creatures have a high degree of intelligence, and they are not mere zombies, but dangerous beings that come out at night to hunt; therefore Robert Neville (the legend) takes care during the day to eliminate as many as possible to withstand the night siege.

What Dreams May Come

12) peter straub.

Koko is an American mystery horror novel by American writer Peter Straub, first published in the United States in 1988 by EP Dutton and in Britain by Viking. It was the winner of the World Fantasy Award for best novel in 1989.

13) Ray Bradbury

He considered himself “a storyteller for moral purposes.” His works often produce in the reader a metaphysical and, therefore, disconcerting anguish, but always with a touch of daily life, since they reflect Bradbury’s conviction that the destiny of humanity is “to traverse infinite spaces and suffer excruciating sufferings to conclude defeated, contemplating the end of eternity».

Fahrenheit 451

The novel has been the subject of interpretations that focus on the historical role that the burning of books has had in repressing dissenting ideas. In a 1956 radio interview, Bradbury claimed to have written Fahrenheit 451 because of his concerns during the McCarthy era of the threat of book burning in the United States.

The Martian Chronicles

The illustraded man, 14) dan simmons.

Dan Simmons is an American writer. His best-known work is Hyperion, winner of the Hugo and Locus science fiction awards. Hyperion is the first novel of the tetralogy The Songs of Hyperion, completed by the works The Fall of Hyperion, Endymion, and The Rise of Endymion.

In September 1847, two British Navy ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, under the command of Sir John Franklin, go in search of the Northwest Passage. In the vicinity of King William Island, they are trapped in the Arctic ice.

15) John Ajvide Lindqvist

Throughout his career, he has received awards such as the Selma Lagerlöf, one of the most prestigious in Sweden.

But one day, Eli, a girl his age, shows up, and they quickly become inseparable friends. From this point on, his life becomes happier, however, a series of serial murders begin to happen in his town, so much so that the police have no solution.

Horror Books

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Jack Nicholson peering through axed in door in lobby card for the film "The Shining," 1980.

Horror is a mind-bending genre that can be powerful and imaginative. Some of the best horror books and authors are known for taking the normal grind of everyday life, making them grotesque and frightening. Here is a list of the best horror books to read right now.

Top Horror Books

There are several horror novels that have set the standard in the world of literature, including Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818), Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897), and Stephen King’s The Shining (1977). These books are not just classics but define the essence of the genre.

25 . We Have Always Lived in the Castle By Shirley Jackson

Published in 1962, Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle is one of the most familiar horror books in American literary horror history. The body of work was among the last books Jackson ever wrote, and it captures her razor-sharp ability to use psychological horror and her unique toolkit for exploring human interiority and commenting on social mores. The book follows the story of 18-year-old Mary Katherine “Merricat” Blackwood, one of the only surviving family members of the Blackwood family who were poisoned by arsenic in their food six years prior. One of the novel’s central themes is physical and emotional isolation. This duality explores the human condition—the safety of familiar spaces and the suffocating effect they can have on the mind. We Have Always Lived in the Castle was published by Penguin Random House .

Who should read: This novel is an excellent read for fans who enjoy psychological horror, literary fiction, or stories that explore themes of isolation and suspicion.

24. The Haunting of Hill House By Shirley Jackson

Shirley Jackson makes another appearance on this list with her 1959 release, The Haunting of Hill House . Jackson, who refused to be restricted by the genre status quo, created The Haunting of Hill House, w hich delved into psychic hauntings. Over six decades later, it remains a touchstone for authors and filmmakers. The undeniably creepy ghost story is a work of art that studies the examination of the dark, hostile space that exists between humans. The book revolves around four characters: John Montague, who is a scholar interested in proving that the supernatural exists; Eleanor Vance, an embittered nursery maid who has led a sheltered life taking care of her overbearing mother; Theodora, a bohemian artist; and Luke Sanderson, the young heir to Hill House. These four adults must navigate staying in a haunted mansion and the paranormal activities that follow. The Haunting of Hill House can be found at Penguin Random House .

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Who should read: The Haunting of Hill House is a psychological horror book with gothic elements and is ideal for readers who are drawn to classic horror.

23. Let the Right One In By John Ajvide Lindqvist

In John Ajvide Lindqvist’s Let the Right One In (2004), Lindquist follows the lives of two main characters: a 12-year-old boy, Oskar, and a vampire child called Eli. Oskar, a bullied middle schooler, lives with his mother in one of the blocks of flats in a drab neighborhood. For the most part, his life is dull and mundane, but things take a dark turn when he meets Eli. The story’s plot takes place in Blackeberg, Stockholm, a Swedish suburb in the early 1980s. In this novel, Lindqvist turns vampire folklore inside out, blending themes of horror, adventure, and drama in the vampire story. Let the Right One In, can be found at Macmillan Publishers.

Who should read: Lindqvist’s Let the Right One In is a good read for people who enjoy stories about underdogs whose lives take a swift turn in the most unexpected ways.

22. The Case Against Satan By Ray Russell

In his 1962 horror novel, Ray Russell delves deep into the throes of demonic possession and brings his readers along with him. Russell, who is known for his spin on gothic fiction, brings the story of Susan Garth, a mild-mannered high schooler who suddenly develops a disdain for religion and becomes extremely violent and vulgar in her speech. It soon becomes obvious that Susan is possessed by demonic forces, and it is up to her priest and bishop to exorcize the spirits out of her. The exorcism promises to be an uphill battle, not just spiritual warfare but also a deep psychological battle that tests the limits of their faith and challenges the faith of the community. This book is available at Penguin Random House .

Who should read: Readers who are fascinated by the confluence of religion and its contrast with demonic possession and the fight for good and evil.

21. The Night Eaters: She Eats the Night By Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda

Published in 2022, The Night Eaters: She Eats the Night is the first volume of the graphic novel horror trilogy by award-winning team Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda, the duo behind the New York Times-bestselling Monstress trilogy. The book follows the lives of Chinese American twins, Milly and Billy, who are struggling to keep their Chinese restaurant afloat amid the added chaos of their personal lives. Things take a sinister turn for them when their mother, Ipo enlists their help to tidy the neighboring house—an eerie, wreck where a gruesome murder once took place. What starts as a straightforward clean-up quickly spirals into a chaotic blend of gore and supernatural chaos. The Night Eaters: She Eats the Night is available at Barnes & Noble .

Who should read: Readers who enjoy plot twists and like to find horror in unimaginable places will find this book to be an appropriate literary escape.

20. Nothing But Blackened Teeth By Cassandra Khaw

In her 2021 horror novella Nothing But Blackened Teeth, Cassandra Khaw uncovers the terror and intrigue through tensions of family and relationships played off against a Japanese haunted house (of the Heian era). In this story, the supernatural becomes entangled with reality with a wedding that turns into a nightmare. This is shown through the evil of a samurai spirit, the ghost of an executed wife, and an ancient suicide pact, with all the terror playing out throughout the wedding party. As Khaw keeps increasing the stakes of her horrifyingly good drama, she increases the stakes and tension, capturing the minds of readers through intrigue, mystery, and tension. This book is available at Barnes & Noble .

Who should read: Readers who enjoy reading about culture will like the angle in which Khaw approached the plot of this story. This novel is also a good read for those with a penchant for tight-knit storytelling.

19. Road of Bones By Christopher Golden

Christopher Golden’s Road of Bones, which was published in 2022, is a vivid depiction of how far people will go to fight for their freedom. The novel follows the story of protagonist Felix Teigland, a documentary filmmaker who is determined to explore the infamous Kolyma Highway in Siberia, known as the “Road of Bones.” This road, built during Stalin’s reign, is notorious for being constructed on the corpses of prisoners who died during its construction. Felix, along with his team and a guide, venture into the Siberian wilderness to capture the haunted history of this road on film. This New York Best Seller is available at Macmillan Publishers .

Who should read: Readers who enjoy stories with plots that delve into spooky historical facts and ghostly apparitions will find Road of Bones very satisfying.

18. The Only Good Indians By Stephen Graham Jones

Stephen Graham Jones’ The Only Good Indians is a book, published in 2020, that dives into the American Indian experience. Jones follows four American Indian men — Lewis, Gabe, Cass, and Rick— whose lives are forever shattered, when, as boys, they stumble upon a terrible accident on an elk hunt. The story traces the psychological and spiritual fallout of what happened during that elk hunt and the horrific accident that took place after that. Jones explores the cultural, geographical, and emotional distances that the four men have crossed over since that incident happened. The Only Good Indians can be found at Simon & Schuster .

Who should read: Readers who like books that highlight themes of horror, cultural identity, and the influence of the past on the present, will appreciate the intense and haunting scenes of this book.

17. Doing Harm By Kelly Parson

Kelly Parson’s 2014 novel Doing Harm dives into the ethical and moral dilemmas that can show up in the medical field. Doing Harm follows Steve Mitchell, a confident surgeon whose life seems to be going in the right direction with a promising career at Boston’s renowned University Hospital. The plot of the novel ramps up, however, when Steve’s world is turned upside down by a series of unsettling events that happen at the hospital. When he discovers that there is an evil force within the hospital that is causing mysterious medical complications for patients, he becomes alarmed. Things take an abrupt turn when Steve finds himself suspected of being the perpetrator behind these mysterious medical conditions. Doing Harm is available on Macmillan Publishers .

Who should read: Doing Harm is a good read for readers who enjoy medical-themed plots and are fascinated by out-of-the-box storylines.

16. Beloved By Toni Morrison

Toni Morrison’s Beloved (1987) is an American literary classic that is set in Ohio after the Civil War. In Beloved, Morrison introduces readers to a freed slave woman named Sethe, who is still haunted by what she remembers of her enslavement, the murder of her husband and child, and the years she spent struggling to get her life back on track after she escaped slavery. Although she is free, Sethe continues to be haunted by the ghost of her dead baby, and in what appears to be a terrifying sequence of events, the infant’s ghost pushes Sethe to come to terms with the realities of her complex past and the supernatural world. In Beloved, Morrison brilliantly interrogates ideas of family, freedom, and the legacy of the past. The book is available on Penguin Random House .

Who should read: Readers who enjoy evocative stories by Black authors that tap into serious elements of history and provocative themes will enjoy this book.

15. Roald Dahl’s Book of Ghost Stories By Roald Dahl

Just before his untimely death in 1990, Roald Dahl, combed through 749 short stories in the British Museum Library and chose a collection of 14 of the best stories to curate this anthology. Although this book is a collection of several stories by other authors, Dahl weaves the various ghost-centered stories in a way that is cohesive and easy to follow. This collection is available at Macmillan Publishers .

Who should read: Roald Dahl’s Book of Ghost Stories is a good read for readers who enjoy a collection of short stories with various plots.

14. Those Across the River by Christopher Buehlman

Christopher Buehlman’s Those Across The River is a 2011 novel that follows the lives of a struggling professor, Frank Nichols and his wife Eudora who move back to his family estate in Whitbrow, Georgia. With this move, Frank hopes to write about the crumbling remains of his family’s ancient plantation. At first, Frank and Eudora believe that the small town is peaceful and idyllic for the new lifestyle, but they soon discover that this new environment will become an eerie backdrop for Southern Gothic tradition and supernatural mystery . Those Across the River is available at Barnes & Noble .

Who should read: Christopher Buehlman’s Those Across The River is a great read for readers who enjoy horror and cultural rituals and traditions.

13. The Ruins by Scott Smith

Scott Smith’s The Ruins is a page-turner, but, thanks to the expert way the 2006 novel layers horror on horror, it also becomes a tense meditation on the nature of terror. Set in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, it is a novel that uses the thrill of horror, linked with fantasy adventure, to tell its story. Smith tells the story through the lens of teenage adventurers who don’t realize that their vacation spot is more dangerous and sinister than they thought. This book is available at Barnes & Noble .

Who should read: Readers who enjoy horror, fantasy, adventure, and fiction will be drawn to the heart-pounding plot in Smith’s The Ruins .

12. Coraline By Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman’s Coraline , published in 2002, does not rely on gore or shock alone, but instead on the unsettling sense of dread and the realization that the world we take for comfort may hold much darker secrets. The book plays into one of our scariest fears: that the familiar can be more sinister down the line. In Coraline , young Coraline Jones discovers a dark reflection of her reality when, one fateful day, she walks through a strange door and her life is forever altered. Although this book is specifically marketed toward young readers, its ideas and plot can still seem particularly scary, especially for those who are not quite used to it.

Who should read: Young readers who are ready to start engaging with the horror genre will find this book compelling. It is available at HarperCollinsPublisher .

11. White Is for Witching By Helen Oyeyemi

Helen Oyeyemi’s White Is for Witching is a 2009 book that follows the Silver family, who are mourning the death of their matriarch, Lily. After Lily’s death, the lives of her twins, Miranda and Eliot, along with her husband Luc, begin to fall apart Things become stranger when their house begins to make mysterious creaking noises. Miranda's drastic change in behavior compounds this. Oyeyemi’s White Is for Witching navigates the maze of demonic influence, paranoia, and suspicion that can be heightened by the daily repetition of isolation. This book is available at Penguin Random House.

Who should read: Readers who enjoy gothic horror, mystery, and suspense will like this book.

10. Something Wicked This Way Comes By Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury ’s Something Wicked This Way Comes (1962) is pure Bradbury—dark and filled with the signature foreboding that often defines his work. Although the novel isn’t Bradbury’s most commercially famous body of work, it is arguably one of his best horror stories. Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes tells the story of a traveling circus full of carnival rides and games that comes to a town, bringing with it a strange man named Mr. Dark who can grant the wishes of residents in the most vengeful ways. This book is available at Simon & Schuster .

Who should read: This book is a perfect read for people who enjoy dark horror and mysterious protagonists.

9. The House Across the Lake By Riley Sager (Todd Ritter)

Some of the best literary horror stories have a fascination with secluded cabins and eerie lake houses that offer the perfect setting for spooky acts and tit-for-tat paybacks. One of the most effective uses of this trope is in Riley Sager’s 2022 novel, The House Across the Lake , where the widowed actress Casey Fletcher decides to spend some time alone in a holiday home in rural Vermont. During this time of seclusion, she ends up obsessively spying on her wealthy neighbors, and it soon dawns on her that there is more to her neighbors than meets the eye. Soon, her neighborly hobby turns into something darker when one of her neighbors disappears without a trace.

Who should read: This book is a perfect read for those who enjoy an extra dose of pulse-pounding mystery and suspense. This book is available at Penguin Random House .

8. Carrion Comfort By Dan Simmons

Dan Simmons’ 1989 novel Carrion Comfort has a terrifying premise that offers a fresh twist on our common fears. Although most people dread physical threats that could harm or steal their bodies, this novel introduces a far more sinister fear: The human mind. In Carrion Comfort , the mind vampires are content to manipulate their victims from within by controlling their actions without ever needing to physically manifest. The story follows the plot of Dr. Saul Laski, a psychiatrist and concentration camp survivor whose haunting memories continue to affect his future.

Who should read: This is a great book for readers who appreciate horror as a genre and like plots that are mind-bending and intriguing. The book is available at Macmillan Publishers .

7. The Terror By Dan Simmons

Dan Simmons’ 2007 The Terror is a book that leans into classic horror to tell the story of two ships stranded in the Arctic with no way to escape. Published in 2007, Simmons uses the true events of the 1845 Franklin expedition led by Sir John Franklin to tell the fictional account of the 19th-century British Royal Navy Franklin Expedition. This story adds to the historical event by incorporating a supernatural twist. The crew, already battling the cold environment and depleted food supplies, finds themselves stalked by a mysterious predator—a hideous creature that appears from the fog and ice. In this story, Simmons offers a unique interpretation of a historical event through his sharp storytelling.

Who should read: This is a great book for readers who enjoy historical books and is available on Hachette Book Group .

6. Dracula By Bram Stoker

Bram Stoker’s 1897 classic horror Dracula is told through the lens of letters, diary entries, and newspaper articles. Although the book does not have a main character, Jonathan Harker is one character that the story revolves around. The young English solicitor visits Count Dracula in Transylvania to help with a real estate transaction. Harker soon discovers Dracula’s true identity as a vampire and promptly escapes. Shortly after, Dracula moves to England and brings a wave of bizarre and horrifying events to terrorize his victims

Who should read: Dracula is a classic for readers who enjoy historical books and is available on Simon & Schuster .

5. Ghost Story By Peter Staub

First published in 1979, Peter Staub’s Ghost Story follows the story of a group of elderly men called the Chowder Society, who gather together to share ghost stories. However, the seemingly harmless tradition among these old friends holds a darker past. Several years ago, they were involved in a tragic accident that led to the death of a young woman, and now they are all haunted by their invasive memories and the evil and supernatural forces that they have accidentally awakened. Staub’s approach to writing this book was subtle because he relied on subtlety, rather than overt expressions of gore and horror. This book is available at Penguin Random House .

Who should read: Staub’s classic book is excellent for readers who are drawn to this book.

4. The Strangler By William Landay

William Landay’s second novel, The Strangler (2007), is a 1963 Boston mystery thriller. In his book. Landy uses legal and crime thrillers to tell the story of the Daley family in Boston during a tumultuous period that is marked by a series of serial strangler murders that have the city on edge. At first, what starts as the suspicious death of a police officer in the line of duty soon grows into something more persistent and sinister, forcing the Daley brothers to act. The book is available at Penguin Random House .

Who should read: Landay’s The Strangler is a perfect book for readers who enjoy adventure, horror, and suspense.

3. IT By Stephen King

Many Stephen King fans will agree that IT is one of his most terrifying bodies of work in King’s repertoire. The 1986 horror novel sees King follow the lives of seven adults back to Derry, Maine, where they once fought an evil creature that targeted the town’s children. As teenagers, they were confident that they had completely defeated the creature, but they swore to return to the town if the horror ever returned. Now, with new child murders terrorizing Derry, the seven adults must once again confront the sinister creature 30 years later. The book is available at Simon & Schuster .

Who should read: King’s IT is a perfect book for readers who can handle horror that many might consider disturbing.

2. Frankenstein By Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley’s timeless 1818 masterpiece, Frankenstein , has fascinated readers for over two centuries, and for good reason. The story poses a profound question that remains chillingly relevant even after so many years: What are the consequences when humanity dares to play God? The book centers around gothic horror, romantic tragedy, and philosophical inquiry and explores themes of ambition, responsibility, and the limits of human creativity. Shelley’s layered storytelling and attention to detail come through as she explores the relationships between characters enhancing the novel’s exploration of isolation and the desire for acceptance, making Frankenstein much more than just a horror story. Each reading of this tale about a visionary scientist and his monstrous creation offers new insights and emotional resonances. This book is available at Simon & Schuster .

Who should read: This is a great book for readers who are loyal to classic horror and love the intellectual aspects of it.

1. The Shining By Stephen King

It would be a travesty not to include Stephen King ’s masterpiece on this list, and it is hard to choose just one. King’s The Shining follows middle-aged writer Jack Torrance who thought he would solve his creative block when he was hired as the winter caretaker of the historic Overlook Hotel. Cut off from the rest of the world, Jack’s psyche quickly begins to unravel. The yawning, empty corridors of the hotel echo only with the sinister creaks of buildings settling into place, and the haunting shriek of wind down its chimneys. These sounds seem to drive Jack towards a state of madness, rather than inspiring creativity. And this ultimately leads to his wife and son being at his mercy. The Shining is available at Penguin Random House .

Who should read: Stephen King’s The Shining is perfect for people who are fascinated by the psychological aspects of horror, especially those who are fascinated by the breakdown of the human psyche under isolation and stress.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the best books by stephen king.

Stephen King is often called the master of modern horror. His novels have earned him a reputation as a master storyteller. Some of the books that have defined his career include:

IT : In this 1986 novel, King taps into the universal fear of the unknown and the creature, referred to as IT , whom a group of friends are determined to confront.

The Shining: Another masterpiece in King’s resume is The Shining , which is set in the isolated Overlook Hotel and showcases Jack Torrance’s regression into psychotic madness after he is tormented by the forces around him.

What Are Good Creepy Short Stories?

Horror can be a lot to take in, and a short story can offer a better option for readers who don’t have the appetite for a horror-themed book full of gore.

Stephen King’s Survivor Type follows the story of a failed surgeon who finds himself stranded on an island with no hope of escaping. As days turn into weeks with no sign of rescue, his situation grows increasingly dire. The psychological horror story was released in 1982.

What Are Good Romantic Horror Stories? 

What are good romantic horror stories .

Harley Laroux’s Her Soul to Take is the first book in the Souls Trilogy. The book, which was first published in 2021, follows the story of a ritualistic monster cult and the dark and twisted sides of romance embedded in it. The book is available at Barnes & Noble .

What Are Good Sci-Fi Horror Stories? 

What are good sci-fi horror stories .

Set in the 22nd century, Blindsight is a 2006 sci-fi horror fiction book by Peter Watts that combines intelligence with terror in this high-stakes sci-fi story. Humanity encounters a significant alien spacecraft lurking on the solar system’s fringes.

What Are Good Horror Stories For Kids?

From 1992 to 1997, R. L. Stine published 62 books under the main Goosebumps title, offering something unique for young readers with diverse reading palettes. Stine’s Goosebumps series has become one of the bestselling teen horror series of all time. The series is available at Simon & Schuster and is one of the best-selling horror stories for kids.

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Ghosts, Haunted Dreams and the Devil Himself in 4 New Horror Books

Our columnist reviews June’s horror releases.

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By Gabino Iglesias

Gabino Iglesias is a writer, editor, literary critic and professor, and the author of “The Devil Takes You Home.” His next book, “House of Bone and Rain,” is out in August.

Riley Sager’s MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT (Dutton, 376 pp., $30) is a creepy and unnerving thriller that flirts with the supernatural.

Not much happened in Hemlock Circle, a quiet cul-de-sac in New Jersey, until one July night, when everything changed. Ethan and his best friend, Billy — both 10 years old — spent the evening camping in Ethan’s backyard. When Ethan woke up the next morning, he discovered that the tent had been cut open and Billy was gone, never to be seen again.

Thirty years later, Ethan comes back home after a failed relationship. Hemlock Circle is still quiet, but something is amiss — something is setting off the motion sensor lights on the street at night and someone is throwing a baseball into Ethan’s backyard, just like Billy used to do when he wanted to play. The bizarre events drive Ethan to dig into the unsolved case, and the more he investigates, the more he thinks the forces that led to Billy’s disappearance are still around.

“Middle of the Night” uses a horrific event — and maybe a ghost — to shatter the idea of American suburban tranquillity. Sager is a master of twists, and he delivers plenty of them here. The novel is also full of ’90s nostalgia, but the things stalking the backyard and the mysterious institute hidden in the nearby woods are what make this a gripping read.

Monika Kim’s THE EYES ARE THE BEST PART (Erewhon Books, 278 pp., $27) is an outstanding debut, a feminist horror novel that tackles big social issues and also delivers the gory origin story of a female serial killer.

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All the New Sci-Fi, Horror, and Fantasy Books to Add to Your Reading List in July

In July, there are multiple new sci-fi, fantasy, and horror books about estranged friends reuniting to confront something dark in their past —call it the It effect —as well as an array of sci-fi adventures, mythology revisions, tales of terror , supernatural mysteries, fantastical romances, and more. Read on!

Concerning the Future of Souls by Joy Williams

In this collection of stories, “connected and disparate beings—ranging from ordinary folk to grand, known figures—experience the varying fate of the soul as each encounters the darkness of transcendence in this era of extinction.” (July 2)

The Down Deep by Catherine Asaro

“Major Bhaajan and her gang of Dust Knights act as guides and bodyguards to a member of the Imperial family on a mission of good will in the Undercity. But what awaits them in the Down Deep may ruin the chance at peace forever.” (July 2)

The Failures by Benjamin Liar

This blend of apocalyptic sci-fi and epic fantasy, the first of a trilogy, follows “a scattered group of unlikely heroes traveling across their broken mechanical planet to stave off eternal darkness.” (July 2)

The Gilded Crown by Marianne Gordon

A woman who can resurrect dead souls—serving a mysterious representative of the afterlife—is tasked with bringing back the assassinated heir to the throne, then sticking around to make sure the recently revived princess stays alive. Things get complicated when love enters the picture. (July 2)

The Icarus Changeling by Timothy Zahn

“Gregory Roarke—agent for the ultra-secret Icarus Group—has received a new assignment: locate a teleportation portal on a backwater colony world. But what should be an easy assignment leads to a string of murders, and a race against an alien enemy.” (July 2)

Made For You by Jenna Satterthwaite

A synthetic woman enters a Bachelor-like contest and wins—but the promise of domestic bliss that follows becomes twisted when her new husband goes missing, and she’s accused of being involved. (July 2)

Masquerade by O.O. Sangoyomi

Set in an alt version of 15th century West Africa and inspired by the myth of Persephone, this fantasy tale explores “the true cost of one woman’s fight for freedom and self-discovery, and the lengths she’ll go to secure her future.” (July 2)

The Moonlight Market by Joanne Harris

This London-set romance follows a photographer who falls for a mysterious woman, then discovers an alternate world of “strange and colorful beings” caught in a war raging just beyond the notice of regular humans. (July 2)

The Night Ends With Fire by K.X. Song

“Infused with magic and romance, this sweeping fantasy adventure inspired by the legend of Mulan follows a young woman determined to choose her own destiny—even if that means going against everyone she loves.” (July 2)

Rhymer: Hoode by Gregory Frost

The Rhymer Trilogy continues as Thomas Rimor, now living as a hermit in the Sherwood Forest, takes on the identity of Robin Hood to face both his elven and human foes. (July 2)

Wilderness Reform by Matt and Harrison Query

A newcomer at a court-mandated wilderness camp for troubled teens starts to suspect something very sinister is going on with the counselors, so he teams up with his fellow inmates to dig into a dangerous mystery. (July 2)

All This and More by Peng Shepherd

An unhappy middle-aged woman is chosen to star on a popular TV show that uses quantum technology that allows her to go back in time and fix mistakes in her past life. She’s thrilled at first, but soon realizes getting everything she ever dreamed of isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. (July 9)

Black Tide Son by H.M. Long

The Winter Seas series—following the adventures of privateers—“continues as a prisonbreak to save Benedict leaves him, Sam, and Mary trapped in a desperate race for survival in enemy territory.” (July 9)

The Blood Dimmed Tide by Stephen Aryan

The Nightingale and the Falcon series continues, following Genghis Khan’s grandson on his quest to take over the world—a goal complicated when the Golden Horde faces a burgeoning civil war. (July 9)

Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle

A long-struggling actor finally gets his big break—then learns studio execs are planning to kill off his character in his show’s season finale. Then he realizes monsters from horror movies he’s made in the past have seemingly come to life and are seeking revenge. (July 9)

The Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee, translated by Sandy Joosun Lee

This cozy fantasy tale asks: “What if there was a store that sold dreams? Which would you buy? And who might you become when you wake up?” (July 9)

Daughters of Olympus by Hannah Lynn

A retelling of the myth of mother-daughter duo Demeter and Persephone. (July 9)

The Family Experiment by John Marrs

This speculative thriller imagines that in a dangerously overpopulated world, some couples opt to have a “virtual child”—and then allow a reality show to follow along as they “raise” it, hoping to win the prize of the right to have a real baby. (July 9)

Let Gravity Seize the Dead by Darrin Doyle

When a family moves to a remote cabin once owned by the father’s grandparents, the teen daughters begin to feel reverberations of sinister spirits lurking from a century before. (July 9)

Navola by Paolo Bacigalupi

In a setting that evokes a fantasy version of Renaissance Italy, influential families battle for power—including one rising scion who must unravel the mystery of an ancient artifact that seems to be influencing his path. (July 9)

The Price of Redemption by Shawn Carpenter

“A debut swashbuckling fantasy following a powerful sorceress, the Marquese Enid d’Tancreville, as she is forced on the run where she meets a vast cast of characters including a young sea captain who has need of a sea mage.” (July 9)

Shadowstitch by Cari Thomas

In this sequel to Threadneedle, Anna is back to concealing her magic to keep her coven safe—until a rapidly spreading hunt for witches means she must team up with Effie to try and protect them. (July 9)

The Sky on Fire by Jenn Lyons

This standalone fantasy tale is described as combining “conniving dragons, lightning banter, high-stakes intrigue, and a little bit of heat.” (July 9)

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

A librarian who tends a collection of spellbooks goes on the run with her assistant (a sentient spider plant) when the city falls into a fiery revolt—ending up in her island hometown, where she makes magical jam and opens a magical store. (July 9)

These Deathless Shores by P.H. Low

“A richly reimagined tale of Captain Hook’s origin, a story of cruelty, magic, lost innocence, and the indelible power of stories.” (July 9)

This Great Hemisphere by Mateo Askaripour

“A speculative novel about a young woman—invisible by birth and relegated to second-class citizenship—who sets off on a mission to find her older brother, whom she had presumed dead but who is now the primary suspect in a high-profile political murder.” (July 9)

Toward Eternity: A Novel by Anton Hur

This speculative novel set in a near-future world where immortality is nearly attainable explores one central question: “What does it mean to be human in a world where technology is quickly catching up to biology?” (July 9)

Unraveling by Karen Lord

This standalone fantasy novel explores “the dark truth behind a string of unusual murders leads to an otherworldly exploration of spirits, myth, and memory, steeped in Caribbean storytelling.” (July 9)

The Backtrack by Erin La Rosa

A woman returns to her childhood home after 20 years, where the nostalgia she feels for her teen years takes a strange twist when her old CD player reveals it has the power to turn back time. (July 16)

The Black Bird Oracle by Deborah Harkness

The All Souls series that began with A Discovery of Witches continues the story of witch Diana Bishop and vampire Matthew de Clermont. In this adventure, Diana decides the way to ensure safety for their young children is to dig into her family’s mysterious past. (July 16)

Blood Jade by Julia Vee and Ken Bebelle

The Phoenix Hoarde series continues as Emiko Soong, guardian of the sentient city of San Francisco, embarks on a murder investigation that points toward a long-hidden secret in her magical family’s past. (July 16)

Bright Objects by Ruby Todd

“A young widow grapples with the arrival of a once-in-a-lifetime comet and its tumultuous consequences, in a debut novel that blends mystery, astronomy, and romance.” (July 16)

The Bright Sword: A Novel of King Arthur by Lev Grossman

The latest from the author of The Magicians trilogy is described as “a triumphant reimagining of the King Arthur legend for the new millennium.” (July 16)

Descent by Marko Kloos

The military sci-fi Palladium Wars series continues as a POW is given a chance at freedom and a fresh start, but it comes with a dangerous risk: he’ll need to go undercover and sabotage an interstellar rebellion. (July 16)

I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones

The author of My Heart Is a Chainsaw explores another slasher tale, this one set in late-’80s small-town Texas, and told from the POV of its teenage killer. (July 16)

In the Belly of the Whale by Michael Flynn

“Aboard a colossal generation ship, Earth’s brightest minds have forged a strict regime to ensure survival of the human race. The unintentionally oppressive rules form uniquely distinct societies as the years pass, until differences in ideology, class, and cultural identity stirs up rebellion among the beleaguered crew, igniting the first whispers of revolution.” (July 16)

The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer

This Chronicles of Narnia-inspired story follows two childhood friends who go missing together in a state forest, and return six months later with only murky memories of what happened to them. Fifteen years on, they reluctantly reunite to track down a girl who’s vanished from the same woods. (July 16)

A Rose by Any Other Name by Mary McMyne

“The lush, magical story behind Shakespeare’s sonnets, as told by one of his most famous subjects—the incendiary and mysterious Dark Lady.” (July 16)

The Second Son by Adrienne Tooley

“An epic clash of deities explores the two facets of pain—rage versus sadness—in this rousing followup to The Third Daughter, a dark crown fantasy duology with a sweeping sapphic romance.” (July 16)

The Spice Gate by Prashanth Srivatsa

“Delve into this debut fantasy and journey through the Spice Gates as Amir, a young man born with the ability to travel between the eight kingdoms, unravels the power that keeps the world in balance.” (July 16)

Talio’s Codex by J. Alexander Cohen

“Ten years ago, the theft of his codex destroyed Talio Rossa’s career as a magistrate in the four cities. But when his ex-wife—finally willing to forgive finding him in bed with a man—presents him with a long-shot legal case, he has the chance to get his career back on track.” (July 16)

The West Passage by Jared Pechaček

“When the Guardian of the West Passage died in her bed, the women of Grey Tower fed her to the crows and went back to their chores. No successor was named as Guardian, no one took up the fallen blade; the West Passage went unguarded. Now, snow blankets Grey in the height of summer, foretelling the coming of the Beast. The too-young Mother of Grey House and the Guardian’s unnamed squire set out to save their people.” (July 16)

The White Guy Dies First: 13 Scary Stories of Fear and Power edited by Terry J. Benton-Walker

This collection gathers 13 scary stories from Adiba Jaigirdar, Alexis Henderson, Chloe Gong, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, H. E. Edgmon, Kalynn Bayron, Karen Strong, Kendare Blake, Lamar Giles, Mark Oshiro, Naseem Jamnia, Tiffany D. Jackson, and Terry J. Benton-Walker. (July 16)

Yoke of Stars by R.B. Lemberg

“An apprentice assassin and an inquisitive linguist trade interwoven tales in order to enact revenge.” (July 16)

The Body Harvest by Michael J. Seidlinger

“J.G. Ballard’s Crash meets Albert Camus’s The Plague in a transgressive horror novel for the TikTok generation.” (July 23)

The Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves and China Miéville

The famous actor and the acclaimed author team up for this novel inspired by Reeves’ BRZRKR comics; it’s about an immortal warrior who teams up with a black-ops group in order to fulfill his death wish, then gets pulled into a mystery even greater than his own existence. (July 23)

The Dissonance by Shaun Hamill

A trio of former friends must reunite 20 years later to revive the magical powers they cultivated as high-schoolers to save a kidnapped teen and prevent an apocalypse they may have unintentionally set in motion. (July 23)

The Drowning House by Cherie Priest

When a house washes ashore on a Pacific Northwest island after a vicious storm—and a man goes missing—his estranged friends must uncover the dwelling’s evil history if they want any hope of finding him. (July 23)

The Factus Sequence – Ninth Life by Stark Holborn

When an elusive outlaw is finally captured at the edge of the galaxy, a bounty hunter must agree to hear stories about all of her lives in order to collect his reward. (July 23)

Grand Theft AI by James Cox

In 2051 San Francisco, a seasoned thief and an underworld fixer team up for the ultimate high-tech heist (July 23).

Gravity Lost by L.M. Sagas

In this sequel to Cascade Failure, “everyone’s favorite fierce, messy, chaotic space fam is back with more vibrant worlds, and the wildest crew since Guardians of the Galaxy.” (July 23)

Hera by Jennifer Saint

Zeus’ wife gets the feminist-retelling treatment in this tale inspired by Greek mythology. (July 23)

In the Shadow of the Fall by Tobi Ogundiran

“A cosmic war reignites and the fate of the orisha lie in the hands of an untried acolyte in this first entry of a new epic fantasy novella duology.” (July 23)

The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love by India Holton

“Rival ornithologists hunt through England for a rare magical bird in this historical-fantasy rom-com reminiscent of Indiana Jones but with manners, tea, and helicopter parasols.” (July 23)

Queen B: The Story of Anne Boleyn, Witch Queen by Juno Dawson

The third entry in the author’s Her Majesty’s Royal Coven series “takes us back to the reign of Henry VIII and the origins of Her Majesty’s Royal Coven under the beautiful, the bewitching, Anne Boleyn.” (July 23)

Brothersong by TJ Klune

The fourth and final book in the author’s Green Creek fantasy romance series about shape-shifting wolves follows Carter as he hits the road in search of Gavin. (July 30)

The Future Was Now: Madmen, Mavericks, and the Epic Sci-Fi Summer of 1982 by Chris Nashawaty

The film critic and culture writer looks back at the action-packed summer of 1982—which saw the release of E.T., Tron, Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, Conan the Barbarian, Blade Runner, Poltergeist, The Thing, and Mad Max: The Road Warrior—and explores how those films came to be, as well as their lasting impact on Hollywood. (July 30)

Navigational Entanglements by Aliette de Bodard

“A compelling tale of love, duty, and found family in an exciting new space opera that brings xianxia-style martial arts to the stars.” (July 30)

One Year Ago in Spain by Evelyn Skye

After her boyfriend slips into a coma, a woman realizes she’s able to communicate with his soul—which has become divided from his body and has no memory of her. In order to heal him, she’ll need to put aside her own doubts about their relationship and convince his soul to fall in love with her again. (July 30)

Saturation Point by Adrian Tchaikovsky

A scientist must enter “the Zone,” a stretch of equatorial rainforest where the climate has become so extreme that warm-blooded creatures cannot survive without protection, on a dangerous rescue mission—and uncovers a corporate conspiracy in the process. (July 30)

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel , Star Wars , and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV , and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who .

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Our 21 Most-Anticipated Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Books for the Rest of 2024

Books for the witches, spacefarers, and ghouls among us.

It might be a bad year in the world, generally speaking, but it has been a great year for books—especially genre books! I love some good literary fiction as much as anybody but I’m a sucker for a good book of magic, dragons, spaceships, monsters, slashers, ghosts, etc… and so I’ve been combing the calendar for the back half of 2024 to bring you a totally idiosyncratic and absolutely non-comprehensive list of 21 sci-fi, fantasy, and horror books to look forward to.

We’re living in a true golden age of genre fiction, so there’s a little something for everyone here—Big Five publishers, small indie presses, novels, short story collections, non-fiction, doorstoppers, single-sitting novellas—but feel free to sound off in the comments with books I didn’t include that you’re looking forward to, too!

* A note on my methodology: there are a handful of big books out this summer like Lev Grossman’s The Bright Sword that I’m not including here even though they are absolutely genre fiction, because they are getting what I like to call the “literary-fiction treatment” in terms of coverage and launch attention. Definitely read The Bright Sword but also… pick up some of these that you maybe haven’t heard of before, too.

Cynthia Gómez, The Nightmare Box and Other Stories Cursed Morsels, July 9

I’ve read a few of these stories and have been looking forward to the collection for ages. Gómez brings Oakland to a magical kind of life in these strange, sometimes scary, sometimes furious tales. Vampires, witches, Black Panthers, ACAB—this one’s got it all. Plus, that cover!

Chuck Tingle, Bury Your Gays Tor Nightfire, July 9

As previously recommended: I loved Chuck Tingle’s traditional-publishing debut Camp Damascus (a terrific possession/demonology novel that managed to both terrify and uplift) and his Tinglers remain an absolute delight, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Bury Your Gays is his best work yet. It deserves to be the literary equivalent of a massive summer blockbuster, and I’m using that term specifically because it is set in Hollywood and written by somebody who gets it : the suits are going to drive us all off the cliff of increasingly crappy AI-driven stories that have zero humanity to them whatsoever, but we-the-artists (and we-the-audiences) can and must push back!

It also works as a total thrill-ride, following a screenwriter on the verge of his big moment (an Oscar nomination, critical and commercial success) only to discover that the suits want him to kill off the gay characters in his long-running series. When he declines, monsters from his horror movie days start appearing in real life and trying to kill him and his loved ones—coincidence? Outrageous publicity stunt? An over-the-top attempt to bring a rogue writer to heel? If you were on the picket lines last year, if original stories are important to you, if you too believe that love is real(!), then this one is for you—even if you don’t think you like horror, you’re gonna devour this.

Keanu Reeves & China Mieville,  The Book of Elsewhere Del Rey, July 23

I still can’t believe this book exists. Miéville and Reeves turn out to be a great match, and I for one will take new Miéville fiction however I can get it. Come for the action set-pieces and techno-thriller plotting but stay for the immortal pig(!) and the stirring digressions on ethics, morality, and humanity. It’s nothing like you could possibly expect, so don’t even bother: just dive in.

Gabino Iglesias,  House of Bone and Rain Mulholland, August 6

Five teenage boys set out to get revenge on the biggest gang in Puerto Rico after one of their mothers is murdered—just in time for a massive hurricane to sweep down onto the island. Trust Gabino Iglesias to deliver pulse-pounding scares, unflinchingly bloody violence, and achingly beautiful moments of friendship and humanity.

James S. A. Corey, The Mercy of Gods Orbit Books, August 6

For their first book since the end of The Expanse —for my money, one of the best and most satisfying space operas of the 21st Century so far—the writing duo of James S. A. Corey head back to the stars… but where those books were very much about humanity stepping out of the solar system into the stars and discovering space to be a somewhat lonelier place than we’d thought, The Mercy of Gods looks like it’s going to have aliens galore. I’m guessing we’ll have multiple points of view, thorny ethical quandaries, snarky banter, and the building blocks of the next big epic space opera series.

Carson Winter, A Spectre is Haunting Greentree Tenebrous Press, August 15

Tenebrous Press is quickly establishing themselves as a must-read indie press for horror lovers. Since taking over Dread Stone Press’s Split Scream novella series, they’ve introduced me to some incredible up-and-coming horror writers—and I’ve been looking forward to something new from Carson Winter since reading “The Guts of Myth” in Split Scream, Vol. 1 . This latest had me at the spooky scarecrows on the cover and in the blurb, not to mention the Marx reference in the title.

Emily Hughes, Horror for Weenies: Everything You Need to Know about the Films You’re Too Scared to Watch Quirk Books, September 3

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Emily Hughes is the go-to guide for all things horror. A sterling literary citizen and a relentless champion of others, now she turns her attentions to helping those among us who might like the  idea of being scared a whole lot more than they do the actual  feeling of being scared.  Horror for Weenies is here to deliver all the info you might need about some of the greatest horror films of the past half-century or so but without a single jump scare and with a whole ton of good jokes along the way. (But make no mistake: it’s a great read for lovers of the genre too, as Hughes provides a true afficionado’s insights into these classic horror films!)

Hildur Knútsdóttir, tr. Mary Robinette Kowal, The Night Guest Tor Nightfire, September 3

“When we all fall asleep, where do we go?” takes on a new and even-eerier dimension in this English-language debut from Knutsdottir (and translation debut from the celebrated Kowal), about a woman in Reykjavik who can’t shake off her constant tiredness… only to discover that, when she thinks she’s asleep, she’s actually been walking over 40,000 steps every night. A true nightmare.

TJ Klune,  Somewhere Beyond the Sea Tor, September 10

Klune returns to the world of The House in the Cerulean Sea to follow Arthur, the caretaker of the magical orphanage that so enraptured a legion of readers, as he must return to the mainland and take a stand to defend his found family. Expect tears, laughter, and a feeling of glowing warmth so lovely you’ll never want to leave.

Laird Barron,  Not a Speck of Light: Stories Bad Hand Books, September 10

For my money, Laird Barron is one of the best horror writers working—his particular grasp of the Weird speaks directly to the dark caves of my soul. His recent turn to noir with the Isiaiah Coleridge novels was a delight, but I’m excited to see him back at work in the form that terrifies me the most: a short story collection.

Dan Kois, Hampton Heights: One Harrowing Night in the Most Haunted Neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Harper Perennial, September 17

Teenaged paperboys confronting a bunch of monsters in a Milwaukee suburb? From the guy who brought us Vintage Contemporaries and the oral history of Angels in America ?? Say no more, just let this fill the Stranger Things -shaped hole in your fall.

Jedediah Berry, The Naming Song Tor Books, September 24

I’ve been waiting for this book for a long time: Barry’s first novel The Manual of Detection was an instant favorite when it came out and his story-in-cards The Family Arcana has been deeply inspiring to my own creative practice. Now, he’s back with a fantastical epic about a world that lost its language and is trying to get it back. Plus, there’s a magical train! You probably couldn’t design a book more keyed into my personal interests, but I have the feeling this one is going to hit the sweet spot for a whole lot of people.

Nghi Vo, The City in Glass Tordotcom, October 1

I love fantasy cities and am always looking to visit new ones—so the promise of Nghi Vo squiring us away to a city beset by angels, protected (and maddened) by a demon, and caught in a cycle of history is very exciting indeed. Publicity copy cites Calvino, Mieville, and Le Guin—and if anybody could live up to that trinity, Nghi Vo can. Stamp my passport for Azril now.

Rivers Solomon,  Model Home MCD, October 1

A haunted house novel dealing with family, segregation, and racism in the American South, released on the first day of spooky season and five weeks before the election? Blurring the line between the supernatural and the all-too-human evils around us?? Rivers Solomon has their finger on the pulse of things, to be sure. I’m betting on this one to be Solomon’s breakout.

Alan Moore,  The Great When Bloomsbury, October 1

When a fictional book out of an Arthur Machen story ends up in a used bookstore in post-WWII London, a young man’s entire sense of the universe is turned upside down. It’s a rollicking adventure, the first in an apparent series. Imagine if Neil Gaiman commissioned Kevin Barry to write a prequel to Neverwhere and gave him some acid to help get things going, and that’s just the start of it.

Sofia Ajram, Coup de Grâce Titan Books, October 1

A suicidal young man on his way to throw himself into the Saint Lawrence River instead gets stuck in an endless Montreal subway station. Shades of Piranesi and House of Leaves abound.

Nicholas Pullen, The Black Hunger Redhook, October 8

A queer historical gothic structured in classic epistolary style? A journey across a dark and fantastically dangerous Europe? I’m always looking for something I know next-to-nothing about to win me over during spooky season and I’m thinking that Pullen’s debut might just be that, this year.

CJ Leede, American Rapture Tor Nightfire, October 15

There really seems to be something in the air right now when it comes to horror writers tackling the apocalypse as brought on by (or relating to) the forces of repression and shame. CJ Leede might have the most audacious yet, featuring lust-zombies and a good Catholic girl trying to find her family in a world on fire. Maeve Fly was one of my favorite reads of last year and I have the highest hopes for this one.

Andy Marino, The Swarm Redhook, November 5

Cicadas are scary! I mean think about it: they come out of the ground at these cyclical intervals and we talk about them in such near-apocalyptic tones… so what would happen if they really were harbingers of the apocalpyse? Trust Andy Marino to meld the 70s-horror-premise to a truly terrifying modern sensibility. Plus, it’s coming out on the scariest day of the year so I bet it’s going to be a banger.

Brandon Sanderson, Wind and Truth Tor Books, December 6

Start adding weight to your arm workouts: Sanderson’s latest doorstopper, clocking in somewhere north of 1200 pages, brings the first arc of his Stormlight Archive series to an explosive conclusion—featuring godfights, magic swords, and literally-world-shaking decisions.

Arkady Martine, Rose/House Tordotcom, December 10

Originally published as a limited-run one-off, Tordotcom is bringing Martine’s AI-haunted Hill House to the masses. Not only is it a great haunted house novel, but Martine’s exceptional eye for structures and systems (as seen in her Teixcalaan series) really shines here as she looks into architecture and design and the way such things shape our very perceptions of the world.

Drew Broussard

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Fourth Wing's Greatest Strength Creates A Character Problem For The Books

10 most-anticipated thriller & horror books coming out in july 2024, george rr martin's 10 best books, ranked.

• June 2024 horror novel offers a gory and intense replacement for Fear Street trilogy with social commentary on gentrification.
• Summer Camp For Slasher Victims is a self-aware horror throwback that complicates the usual innocence story of summer camp slashers.
• Perfect for Fear Street fans, the novel combines classic slasher thrills with smart social commentary, appealing to those awaiting the next spinoff.

For readers who loved Netflix’s gory slasher trilogy Fear Street , one June 2024 horror book could be a perfect replacement for the series. Author RL Stine’s Fear Street novels were adapted into a trilogy of slasher movies in the summer of 2021, with Netflix releasing Fear Street: 1994 , Fear Street: 1978 , and Fear Street: 1666 throughout July. Netflix’s Fear Street trilogy was met with critical acclaim as the series offered a nostalgic throwback to the golden age of slasher movies. Despite their fondness for the sub-genre, the Fear Street movies were gory , brutal, and far from playful.

The trilogy were surprisingly intense slasher movies that also doubled as canny social satires, tackling the theme of gentrification throughout their century-spanning story. While the upcoming Fear Street 4 sounds exciting, viewers will need to wait a little longer for that movie to arrive. Fortunately, book lovers can rely on an upcoming horror novel to give them the gory summer camp horror story fix that they need. One June 2024 horror novel looks set to revive the gruesome thrills of Fear Street via another story of a masked murderer hunting down teens in a violent summer camp massacre.

Summer Camp For Slasher Victims Is 1 Of June's Most Exciting Horror Book Releases

Summer camp for slasher victims is a self-aware horror throwback.

Author Matthew Mercer’s Summer Camp for Slasher Victims is a meta-slasher in the vein of Fear Street: 1978 that strands its heroine Annie at the ironically named Camp Safe Woods. Intended to be a retreat for trauma survivors who have already been through tough times, Camp Safe Woods soon becomes a slasher villain’s stalking ground as an unknown assailant picks off campers one at a time. While Fear Street: 1978 ’s slasher story was a straightforward homage to the likes of Friday the 13th , The Burning , and Sleepaway Camp , Summer Camp For Slasher Victims takes a skewed view of the sub-genre.

The fact that Annie and her fellow campers are already bonded by surviving unimaginable horrors makes their story more nuanced and complicates the usual lost innocence story of summer camp slashers. Typically, the sub-genre is particularly chilling because summer camps are home to teenage rites of passage and the thought of victims who aren’t old enough to vote being hunted by a slasher is chilling. However, the characters of Summer Camp For Slasher Victims have already been through more than many of their grownup counterparts. A similar clever twist was seen in author Grady Hendrix’s The Final Girls Support Group .

Why Summer Camp For Slasher Victims Is Perfect For Fans Of Netflix's Fear Street

Summer camp for slasher victims recalls fear street: 1978’s setting & story.

While Summer Camp For Slasher Victims ’ stellar Goodreads reviews prove the story is a good fit for any horror reader, the novel sounds particularly well suited to lovers of the Fear Street series. After all, Netflix’s take on Fear Street combined classic slasher thrills with a smart satirical deconstruction of the sub-genre’s social commentary. Similarly, Summer Camp For Slasher Victims foregrounding the past traumas of its heroes instead of their youth and innocence proves Mercer is interested in complicating the slasher sub-genre. In the process, the author made a story perfectly suited for readers eagerly awaiting Fear Street ’s next spinoff.

Fear Street

New Horror Books That Will Have You Shaking in Your Sandals This July

Emily Martin

Emily has a PhD in English from the University of Southern Mississippi, MS, and she has an MFA in Creative Writing from GCSU in Milledgeville, GA, home of Flannery O’Connor. She spends her free time reading, watching horror movies and musicals, cuddling cats, Instagramming pictures of cats, and blogging/podcasting about books with the ladies over at #BookSquadGoals (www.booksquadgoals.com). She can be reached at [email protected].

View All posts by Emily Martin

July’s horror books include some stunning debut fiction, some YA novels that will keep you up at night, and some new works from big names in horror like Stephen Graham Jones and Junji Ito, among others. It’s everything you could ask for in a new releases list, in other words. I’m so excited about each and every one of these super spooky stories, and I think you will be too. Be sure to every book on this list a read, but be forewarned: you might not be able to sleep with the lights off after consuming these horror books.

Midnight Rooms by Donyae Coles (Amistad, July 2)

This gothic horror novel is set in England in 1840. Orabella Mumthrope is the orphaned daughter of a white man and a Black woman. She has zero prospects and no connections, so when a wealthy man named Elias Blakersby appears and declares his interest in marrying her, Orabella is surprised. She allows him to sweep her away to his family estate, Korringhill Manor, but the home is nothing like what she expected. Everything is falling apart, and the servants seem nervous. What’s more, Orabella starts having strange nightmares.

Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle (Nightfire, July 9)

If you enjoyed Chuck Tingle’s horror debut Camp Damascus , then you’ll love Bury Your Gays. The book’s title refers to an infamous trope that suggests queer characters can never have a happy ending. The novel follows Misha, an award-winning television scriptwriter who has just been told he must kill off a gay character in an upcoming season finale. Misha wants to do what’s right, but in Hollywood, nothing is ever that simple.

The Building That Wasn’t by Abigail Miles (CamCat, July 16)

This horror novel is one that is sure to twist your mind in a million different ways. One day in the park, Everly Tertium encounters an old man who claims to be her grandfather. When she follows him back to his apartment building, she’s shocked to discover that all of this feels very familiar to her. She’s certain she’s been here before. She feels like she’s done all of these things already. But none of it is quite clear. The longer Everly stays in the building, the more uneasy she becomes, and yet she’s unable to leave.

I Was A Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones (Saga, July 16)

Stephen Graham Jones is one of the most exciting horror authors writing today. This most recent novel, I Was A Teenage Slasher, is a slasher story set in the 1980s in Lamesa, Texas. But this isn’t your average slasher novel. This book is told from the perspective of Tolly Driver, a teen who lived a fairly normal life until he was cursed to kill for revenge. This is Tolly’s autobiography, his story as he wants it to be told.

Alley by Junji Ito (Viz, July 23)

Images from any Junji Ito manga will haunt your nightmares, and the latest, Alley, is super scary. This book is a collection of ten grotesque and surreal horror stories based on urban legends. Each of these stories incorporates uncanny imagery that will make you feel uneasy and will send chills down your spine. This short story collection was originally published in Japan in 1992, but it’s now being adapted for English audiences for the first time.

So Witches We Became by Jill Baguchinsky (Little, Brown, July 23)

This YA book is one that first caught my attention because of this disturbing cover illustration and its intriguing title. But guess what? The rest of the book also delivers. It’s spring break, and high school senior Nell is heading to a private Florida island with some of her friends. It seems like the perfect vacation, but the island houses a secret curse. And each of Nell’s friends brought secrets of their own.

The Blonde Dies First by Joelle Wellington (Delacorte, July 30)

The Blonde Dies First is a sapphic horror comedy novel from Joelle Wellington, the author of Their Vicious Games . This one kicks off when Devon and her friends decide it would be fun to mess with a Ouija board and suddenly find themselves stalked by a literal demon. Yikes. But one thing that’s working to Devon and her friends’ advantage? This demon seems to have a pattern, and its following all the horror rules. With their knowledge of horror films, surely they can come out on top, right?

It Came from the Trees by Ally Russell (Delacorte, July 30)

I love a scouting story, don’t you? Especially when it’s horror. Jenna knows her best friend Reese as been abducted by a strange creature in the woods, but nobody will believe her. And so Jenna decides to take matters into her own hands. She joins a local scout troop and goes back into the woods to find Reese. When the troop encounters strange, large footprints in the forest, Jenna knows what she saw was real, and now it’s back to come for her and her new friends.

Ghost Camera by Darcy Coates (Poisoned Pen Press, July 30)

Darcy Coates has established herself as a must-read horror author, and now this out-of-print horror short story collection is getting a rerelease, with new stories! The title story is about an abandoned Polaroid camera that captures new terrors with each snap. Other stories include a strange shoebox with old video tapes, a woman who survives a plane crash with a creepy stranger, and more.

Stay on the Line by Clay McLeod Chapman (Shortwave, July 30)

Here’s another horror author I will always read. This month, we’re getting a new novelette from Clay McLeod Chapman, featuring several new illustrations by Trevor Henderson. Following a devastating hurricane, this small coastal town finds solace in a strange out-of-service phone booth. When the booth starts ringing, townspeople answer the call and get the unexpected opportunity to reconnect with their loved ones thought to be lost in the storm.

If you’re loving all the horror recs, just rest assured I will be back here at the beginning of every month to deliver all the new releases you’ll want to have on your shelves. Truly, the horrors never cease. But that’s what we love.

Looking for even more horror books to add to your TBR? Check out 72 of the Best Horror Books, According to Horror Authors and 10 New Horror Books Coming Out in June to Give You the Chills .

As always, you can find a full list of new releases in the magical New Release Index , carefully curated by your favorite Book Riot editors, organized by genre and release date.

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