Â鶹APP

30 Classic Horror Books You Should Know

Horror is a genre that focuses on supernatural ghosts, monsters, elements, and vampires. These entities invoke fear as well as suspense in readers. Horror is mainly used to explore dark themes and human emotions such as trauma, terror, and loss. For many years horror books have been used to provide the audience with exciting if not thrilling experiences. The king of horror Stephen King has become the expert in everything horror. Even though some of his books are science fiction and sometimes fantasy, he still holds the position. Many of the horror novels listed bellow have the same writing style as Stephen King’s work.

1. Dracula by Bram Stoker

, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

It is an epistolary novel because the narrative is related through diary entries, letters, and newspaper articles. The storyline begins with Jonathan Harker taking a business trip to a Transylvanian castle. After staying there for some time, Jonathan discovers that the castle’s owner Count Dracula is an actual vampire.

At the end of the book, a small group that is led by Abraham Van Helsing hunts Dracula down and kills him. The book has led to a number of adaptations and citations in other books.

2. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Also known as The Modern Prometheus, is a novel that is based on the story of Victor Frankenstein a scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment.

After the book came out, many have used the name Frankenstein to refer to a monster or freak situation. Mary shared that her inspiration for the novel came from novels including Things as They Are; or, The Adventures of Caleb Williams, and Fleetwood.

3. Interview with The Vampire by Anne Rice

, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

It is a vampire novel that revolves around the life of Louis de Pointe du Lac, who is a vampire. It starts off in 1791 when Louis owner of an indigo plantation. After the death of his brother, he is approached by a vampire named Lestat de Lioncourt. After Louis is turned, they became immortal companions. As the book proceeds to follow the journey of Louis and Lestat, readers are able to see the struggles Louis faces because he is a vampire.

3. The Turn of The Screw by Henry James

It is a novella that is based on a governess who is caring for two children at a remote estate. Slowly, she convinces herself that the grounds are haunted but after seeing a man on the grounds, she believes that the grounds are really haunted.

4. Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu

It is narrated by a young woman, Laura, who had an encounter with a female vampire Carmilla. The character, Carmilla, was meant to be an example of a lesbian vampire. Even though the book never acknowledges homosexuality, many readers believe that Carmilla has subtle and morally ambiguous characteristics.

5. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

It is a post-apocalyptic horror novel that influenced the development of zombie and vampire literature. Many of the films, novels, and tv shows that followed I Am Legend is based on a worldwide apocalypse due to disease. The book is set in Los Angeles in the year 1976 after an apocalyptic war that causes weekly dust storms and a pandemic that killed Earth’s human population. The remaining survivors are turned into vampires except Neville the only survivor of the pandemic.

6. Strange Cases of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

The novella is among the most famous pieces of English Literature. London-based legal practitioner, Gabriel John Utterson, investigates a series of occurrences between Dr. Henry Jekyll and a murderous criminal named Edward Hyde. The main character Gabriel is an emotionless, trustworthy, and tolerant bachelor.

On the other hand, Dr. Henry Jekyll is a well-made man of fifty years and is based in London’s West End. Throughout the book, readers are able to see Henry battle with the good and evil within himself.

7. Carrie by Stephen King

The novel is a classic King novel that has four film adaptations each of which is successful. It is based around Carrie White, a bullied high-school girl who faces abuse at home and school. After she gains telekinetic powers, she goes on a killing spree and destroys the town with her powers. 

8. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

It is a philosophical novel that many readers consider to be a horror. The shorter version of the book was published in 1890 while the novel-length version was published in 1891. The portrait of Dorian Gray was painted by Basil Hallward a friend of Dorian. After a life filled with praise for his beauty, Dorian decides to sell his soul in order to ensure that the picture ages but not him. As time goes on, the portrait ages and it records all the sins of Dorian.

9. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

Even though many consider it to be a dark fantasy, the book is a horror fiction. It revolves around two best friends, William Halloway and Jim Nightshade, who are 13-year-olds. They both have a nightmarish experience with a carnival that comes to their Midwestern home. The novel is a blend of fantasy and horror. The carnival leader Mr. Dark is a malevolent being who lives off the life force of those they enslave.

10. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

As a finalist for the National Book Award, it has been considered one of the best ghost stories that were published in the 20th century. The book is based on the Hill House mansion that is between many hills. The main characters include Dr John Montague an investigator of the supernatural, Eleanor Vance a young woman who takes care of her disabled mother, Theodora a bohemian artist, and Luke Sanderson, the heir to Hill House.

While all four characters stay at the mansion, they encounter strange events which include unseen noises and ghosts who roam the halls at night as well as other unexplained events.

11. The Shining by Stephen King

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Is the third published novel by Stephen. The success of the book led to him being seen as a preeminent author in the horror genre. Jack Torrance is an aspiring writer who is hired as the winter caretaker. He believes that with his job at the isolated hotel, he will be able to reconnect with his son, Danny, and his wife. 

Danny has psychic abilities that are referred to as shining. While at the hotel, he discovers that Dick Hallorann, the chef, has the same abilities as Danny. After staying at the hotel for some time, Danny learns that it wants to possess him.

12. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

The novel is a bestseller that was translated into a number of languages. It is the story of a young man who finds a manuscript about a manuscript that revolves around a family documentary called The Navidson Record that details their experiences with a strange house. After he finds the manuscript, his life begins to revolve around the text and its story.

Read more about amazing novels here.

13. It by Stephen King

The book is based on the experiences of seven children who are terrorized by an evil entity that thrives on the fears of its victims. The being appears in the form of a Dancing Clown known as Pennywise to attract its prey which is always young children. The novel won the British Fantasy Award and received nominations for Loucs and World Fantasy Awards.

14. Ghost Story by Peter Straub

, , via Wikimedia Commons

The book is based on a man named Donald Wanderley who traveled to Panama City after kidnapping a young girl. When they arrive in Panama City, Florida, the novel jumps back in time to the events of the previous winter. Stephen King cited the book as one of the finest horror novels of the late 20th century.

15. Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

The four sections of the novel are those of rock songs including Heart-shaped Box, Ride On, Black Dog, Hurt, and Alive. It is about Judas Coyne, an aging rock star who uses his retirement time by collecting morbid memorabilia which includes a real snuff film, a witch’s confession, and many others. The book won the 2007 Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel. It also ranked number 8 on The New York Times Bestseller.                

16. At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft

It is a horror-fiction novella that details the events of a disastrous expedition to Antarctica in September 1930. The narrator Dr. William Dyer and his team discover an ancient civilization older than the human race. Through various sculptures and murals, they are able to understand Earth’s past. Readers have noted that the book is connected to numerous stories by Lovecraft. Some of these stories include The Thing on the Doorstep, The Shadow over Innsmouth, and The Haunter of the Dark.

Click here to read more about literary classics.

17. Bird Box by Josh Malerman

It is a post-apocalyptic novel that was first published in the United Kingdom and the United States in 2014. The story takes place during three time periods and is partially told via flashbacks. Malorie, the main character, tells the story of how people grow mad and kill everyone around them and themselves after seeing a being outside. 

Readers have compared the book to the writing style of Stephen King and Jonathan Carroll. In 2018, the book was adapted into a film with the same title.

18. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

It is set in 1880s Â鶹APP at the Palais Garnier Opera House that many believe is haunted by an entity that is known as the Phantom of the Opera. The book’s history is based on the events that took place in the Â鶹APP Opera during the nineteenth century. The most notable adaptation of the film was Depiction which features Lon Chaney. The main character, Erik, also known as the Opera Ghost is a deformed stage magician and skilled opera enthusiast. He slowly falls in love with Christine Daae.

19. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Being one of Shirley’s final works, the book has been highly praised for its perfect writing style and themes. The main character Mary Katherine Blackwood lives with her ailing uncle and sister. After an incident that happened six years prior to the story, the three remaining Blackwoods are isolated by the village and forced to stay in their home every day.

20. The Willows by Algernon Blackwood

It is among the famous works of Algernon which has been considered a supernatural phenomenon. Two friends who travel down the Danube River are faced with numerous unsettling phenomena and supernatural occurrences. The entire story is brought to life through personification and various elements to life.

21. The King in Yellow by F. Tennyson Neely

It is a book filled with short stories that are named after a fictional play in the book. The King in Yellow story is about a mysterious and malevolent supernatural entity. The characters Cassilda, Camilla, and the Stranger are part of the play. Critics such as E.F. Bleiler and T.E.D. Klein has described the book as a classic in the supernatural field.

22. Pet Sematary by Stephen King

It is a famous novel that was nominated for a World Fantasy Award in 1984. The book was adapted into two successful films one in 1989 and the other in 2019. The story is based on Louis Creed, a doctor from Chicago, who moves to a large house that has a pet cemetery in the woods behind their home. The sign of the cemetery is misspelled thus the name Pet Sematary. The cemetery has the power to resurrect anyone who is buried including pets.

Read about great Sci-Fi books here.

23. Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler

It is a story about a 53-year-old called Shori who appears to be a 10-year-old girl. She is also a member of the Ina Species, they are nocturnal, long-lived beings that survive by drinking human blood. They are physically superior to humans in both strength and ability. The venom of the Ina helps humans boost their immune systems and extends their lives up to 200 years.

24. The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole

This novel is based on a haunted castle owned by Manfred, the prince of Otranto, and his family. The begins when Manfred’s son is killed on his wedding day. After this event, a bunch of things begin to happen to the family causing them to believe they are cursed. The main theme of the book is family lineage and social hierarchy. Horace has shared that the book was inspired by a nightmare he had at his Gothic Revival home.

25. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

, Copyrighted free use, via Wikimedia Commons

In this novel, the main character decides to marry a wealthy widower, Maxim de Winter, after two weeks of knowing him. She later finds out that he is haunted as well as his house by the memory of Rebecca, Maxim’s late wife. The narrator who is also the main character, is a naive middle-class woman in her early twenties. Her name is never revealed in the book and she is always addressed as Mrs de Winter and nicknames like my dear and my wife.

26. The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

It is a collection of short stories including The Bloody Chamber, Puss-in-Boots, The Erl-King, The Snow Child, The Werewolf, and The Courtship of Mr Lyon. In 1979 the book won the Cheltenham Festival Literary Prize. Even though the stories have been categorized as fairy tales, they are slightly horrific if not gothic. The first story is based on a teenage girl who weds an older but wealthy French Marquis who ends up being a psychotic man who kills his wives.

27. Beloved by Toni Morrison

, , via Wikimedia Commons

It is set in the period after the American Civil War. The book is based on a dysfunctional family whose home in Cincinnati is haunted by a malevolent spirit. The novel won the Pulitzer Prize and was a finalist for the 1987 National Book Award. In 1998, the book’s adaptation under the same name was released and it starred Oprah Winfrey.

28. The House on the Borderland by William Hope Hodgson

The novel was such a success that H.P. Lovecraft cited the book for its creative writing style and interesting storyline. The book revolves around two men who go on a fishing trip in remote western Ireland and discover a strange abyss. The owner of the journal lives in a peculiar home that to many appears to have leaping flames. He uses the journal to record his strange experiences and thoughts.

29. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

It is among the most important feminist literature in America. It illustrates the attitudes toward the mental and physical health of women in the 19th century. It centers on the journal entries of a woman whose husband rented an Old mansion for the summer. Slowly, readers are shown how the main character descends into madness.

30. Coraline by Neil Gaiman

, , via Wikimedia Commons

It was the recipient of the 2003 Hugo Award, the 2003 Nebula Award, and the 2002 Bram Stoker Award. The book was ranked at number 82 in the 100 Books of 21 Century list by The Guardian. Coraline is based on a girl with the same name who moves into a new apartment that happens to have a strange door that leads to a parallel dimension that is a mirror image of the one she just left. Her adventures in this world are filled with horrific encounters.

Click here to read more about classic books.

Aside from being amazing novels, horror fiction books have become famous with the younger generation and have been adored by many teenagers as well as young adults. These books are highly praised for their great imaginative stories and fantastic gothic themes.