Some might argue that movies are the best medium to enjoy a good horror story. However, most of the best horror movies were adapted from horror books. The Shining? A novel by Stephen King. Psycho? The entire franchise is loosely based on Robert Bloch's series of novels. Think of Dracula, The Exorcist, Pet Sematary, The Ring, you name it. All your beloved horror films are likely adaptations of some of the best horror books. Psst, an interesting fact: worldwide box office revenue for movies based on books is 53% higher than for movies with original screenplays.

Whether you prefer to indulge in a horror story through a film or a book is entirely up to you. And let's be honest, reading a horror book and watching a movie are two different experiences. While watching a movie, your brain doesn't have to do much. Everything is given and placed in front of your eyes. You don't have to imagine any of the characters or the settings. You sit and enjoy. Or pick at your nails. And creep out at any sudden unfamiliar noise. Be careful while eating that popcorn, kiddo.

However, reading horror novels has quite a few advantages that might make you pick up the book instead. First and foremost, originals are almost always better than their remakes, and there's data to back it up. Besides, movies have time constraints and budget limitations, so films often miss many significant details. Details make the difference, leading to why the best horror novels are usually better than their adaptations. Other than that, books develop imagination and leave space for interpretation, making reading a unique experience for everyone. Also, if the dread is getting a little too overwhelming, you can always close the book and pick it up from where you left off. In the cinema, however, you won't be able to press the pause button anytime you wish. You would definitely get popcorn thrown at you if you did that.

Below, we've compiled a lengthy list of the best horror books of all time. You might be surprised by some of the entries in the list and perhaps disappointed by failing to spot a book you enjoyed. However, the thing about horror is that it's a relatively personal experience. Something that might give you the willies might just be slightly uncomfortable for somebody else, and vice versa. It's all about how the movie makes you feel. And those feelings might differ from person to person. So buckle up and enjoy our selection of really good horror books that deserve to be read by every biblio-phobo-phile.

#1

It By Stephen King

It By Stephen King

Stephen King never ceases to astound with his sharp intellect and fantastic stories, doesn't he? It seems that a bestselling novelist is always in the mood to frighten readers in the most threatening manner possible. Although It is macabre, vicious, and wrong, the way it is put together draws you into the story until you realize you must keep reading until the end. There's no way out now. You must devour the story to progress through the plot and make it to the epilogue. That said, you should definitely check It out if you liked the movie but couldn't get your hands on the book. But first, make sure your mind is set for it since it will be one heck of a journey!

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#2

House Of Leaves By Mark Z. Danielewski

House Of Leaves By Mark Z. Danielewski

A young family moves into a modest house on Ash Tree Lane, where they quickly learn that something is wrong: the house is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. The fascinating thing about the House of Leaves is that there are numerous ways you can go about it. You may simply enjoy it as a terrifying tale (that could potentially be true). You may enjoy it as a love story. Maybe a vast collection of riddles and codes. Or you can take pleasure in it as a remarkable reading experience that will rekindle your love of traditional paper books. And whichever path you choose, commit to it. There are moments in this book that are so unexpected and poignant that you simply have to put it down and take a moment to process what you've just read. It's an absolute must-read in our books.

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Melissa Spencer
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The author uses the type style and layout to convey how the characters feel so the reader also experiences it. Intimidating the first time you look at it, but worth it. One of the best and original horror books that I have read.

#3

The Shining By Stephen King

The Shining By Stephen King

For Jack Torrance, a new position at The Overlook Hotel is the ideal opportunity for a new beginning. He will have plenty of time to spend getting back in touch with his family and honing his literary skills as the hotel's off-season keeper. But as the harsh winter finally sets in, the lovely setting seems progressively more remote... and frightening. Danny Torrance, a five-year-old boy with extraordinary power, is the only one to see the odd and terrifying forces assembling around The Overlook Hotel. With the hotel ultimately becoming a character in its own right, this might end up being one of the most evocative books you've ever read. The best time to read The Shining is on a chilly, windy night when you're alone at home and there's a slight chance that your electricity might go out. For this one, lit candles in the background are a must.

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Kookamunga
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Still one of the best King books. The slow unraveling of Jack Torrance is so disturbing.

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#4

The Haunting Of Hill House By Shirley Jackson

The Haunting Of Hill House By Shirley Jackson

The Haunting Of Hill House tells the tale of four "seekers" who arrive at Hill House, a notoriously hostile home. However, Hill House is gathering its might and will soon pick one of them to call its own. As you read the novel, you become engrossed in the mystery and increasing dread of Hill House. Thanks to its eerie, chilling setting, you become captivated by it from the very first page to the very last. After reading this, you'll be terrified of the darkness for many nights to come. The atmosphere and the characters combine to offer a horrific (in the best way possible) piece of writing.

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#5

Beloved By Toni Morrison

Beloved By Toni Morrison

The tale of Beloved is set in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1873, where former slave Sethe resides with her 18-year-old daughter Denver. However, a house on 124 Bluestone Road, which once had a joyful familial atmosphere, is now grim and unnerving to reside in. It is haunted by the vengeful ghost of Sethe's baby, who perished without a name and whose tombstone only has the word "Beloved" engraved on it. However, there's more to it than meets the eyes. But don't worry, no spoilers here. Beloved is filled to the brim with tales, some tragic, some cruel, some happy, and some full of love. To make the tale appear even more spooky, let me add that it's inspired by the real-life story of Margaret Garner. And needless to say, it's horrifying.

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Gossameringue
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So many Karens want this banned that it MUST be good. Which it is. Morrison has a ghost story, a love story, a creepy seduction story, a battle-with-the-past story, and an indictment of the social and historical horrors of slavery.

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#6

The Little Stranger By Sarah Waters

The Little Stranger By Sarah Waters

The plot begins when Dr. Faraday is requested to visit a crumbling ancestral home named Hundreds Hall because one of the servants falls ill. As it turns out, Betty isn't actually sick - she's just frightened by something in the house, and that something is an evil supernatural presence. Set in the late 1940s, The Little Stranger is about an English doctor's relationship with a struggling aristocratic family. They believe that evil paranormal powers are to blame for the bizarre things happening in their house. Going through the pages, you are drawn in and kept captivated by the plot. It's an intense, unsettling, Gothic ghost story. Just a warning, you might not be able to put it down.

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Powerful Katrinka
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a very unsettling book that leaves you with more questions than answers. Well worth reading.

#7

Ghost Story By Peter Straub

Ghost Story By Peter Straub

In the terror-stricken town of Milburn, New York, four men are haunted by a youthful mistake they made. Soon, they discover what happens to people who think they can cover up their crimes and get away with them. This book does not provide cheap thrills or short frights. The fear is measured in exact and precise amounts, sometimes as predicted and sometimes as not. In terms of the small-town setting, Ghost Story shares quite a lot in common with Stephen King's It, as there are numerous similarities between Derry and Milburn. The entire book has a spooky atmosphere that makes the reader constantly think about what's happening, much like in the whodunit genre (which Ghost Story isn't). However, despite the title, this novel isn't actually a ghost story (spoiler, though a few do show up). This is the novel for you if you want a nicely written, unique, and elaborate horror tale. The definition of a "classic" read in every sense.

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Elizabeth Molloy
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh GAAAAAAD I love this book! Skip the movie.

#8

Frankenstein By Mary Shelley

Frankenstein By Mary Shelley

Most people have heard of the Frankenstein monster, yet few realize how humane the creature actually is. Developed as a scientific experiment by an overly ambitious man, a Swiss student of natural science, he enters a terrifying and hostile environment that rejects him immediately. Even his maker is horrified when he looks at his creation. This creature, made from various corpse parts, seeks love but discovers hatred. Eventually, he progressively swerves toward evil due to his wrath at the world's unfairness. It's one of those books that, when read again, teaches you something new. It's incredible that a tale written two centuries ago in 1818 can be so engaging and subversive.

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#9

A Head Full Of Ghosts By Paul Tremblay

A Head Full Of Ghosts By Paul Tremblay

When a fourteen-year-old who lives in a typical suburban New England family starts to exhibit symptoms of severe schizophrenia, it completely upends their lives. Much to the letdown of her parents, the doctors are helpless to halt the girl's slide towards turmoil. They desperately seek assistance from a local Catholic church as their family home transforms into a house of terror. The priest suggests an exorcism. Although A Head Full Of Ghosts isn't particularly gory or frightening in the usual horror sense, it is highly unsettling and unnerving with a sense of urgency that slowly builds up. The closer the ending gets, the quicker you'll turn the pages. As a bonus, true horror fanatics will appreciate finding all the hidden references to different writers and works while flipping through the pages.

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Gossameringue
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This one still haunts me a few years after reading. That penultimate scene is just visceral!

#10

Dracula By Bram Stoker

Dracula By Bram Stoker

Although Dracula isn't the first novel about vampires, it's definitely the most famous one. Dracula, however, isn't your typical novel; its narrative is told through letters, diaries, and newspaper articles. Other than that, there is no main character. The story begins with solicitor Jonathan Harker traveling for work to stay at the castle of the Transylvanian nobleman Count Dracula. After learning that a client of his firm, Dracula, is a vampire, Harker escapes the castle. Then Dracula relocates to England and terrorizes the seaside town of Whitby. Professor and Dutch doctor Abraham Van Helsing is then in charge of a small gang that goes after Dracula. Over the years, many have tried to replicate this book's mood of fear and horror. However, no creation has been able to capture anything like what Stoker accomplished in Dracula. There is a good reason why this book has been a classic for more than a century.

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Powerful Katrinka
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is one scene in Dracula that is the most frightening thing I've ever read.

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#11

The Terror By Dan Simmons

The Terror By Dan Simmons

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Gossameringue
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Part history, part supernatural, part mythological, part survival story. Eloquently written and full of imagery and scenes that will scare and scar you.

#12

The Exorcist By William Peter Blatty

The Exorcist By William Peter Blatty

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Kookamunga
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Another perfect book that (as usual) gives you so much more than the movie.

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#13

Let The Right One In By John Ajvide Lindqvist

Let The Right One In By John Ajvide Lindqvist

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Gossameringue
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Also a well done movie adaptation

#14

Kindred By Octavia E. Butler

Kindred By Octavia E. Butler

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#15

Geek Love By Katherine Dunn

Geek Love By Katherine Dunn

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#16

The Fisherman By John Langan

The Fisherman By John Langan

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Gossameringue
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This one is really haunting - not in a jump scare way but in a slow build, gonna-creep-you-out with its apocalyptic imagery way.

#17

Haunted By Chuck Palahniuk

Haunted By Chuck Palahniuk

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Elizabeth Molloy
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mwah hah haaah! Some parts may be too much for some folk. Men famously fainted at some public readings of the swimming pool scene.

#18

I Am Legend By Richard Matheson

I Am Legend By Richard Matheson

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#19

The Only Good Indians By Stephen Graham Jones

The Only Good Indians By Stephen Graham Jones

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#20

Come Closer By Sara Gran

Come Closer By Sara Gran

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#21

The Complete Short Stories By Edgar Allan Poe

The Complete Short Stories By Edgar Allan Poe

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Kookamunga
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At midnight, in the month of June, I stand beneath the mystic moon. An opiate vapor, dewy, dim, exhales from out her golden rim (The Sleeper 1831)

#22

Carrie By Stephen King

Carrie By Stephen King

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Gossameringue
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Can you believe he through away his initial draft, only to have it rescued from the trash by his wife, who convinced him it has potential?

#23

Coraline By Neil Gaiman

Coraline By Neil Gaiman

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#24

The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde By Robert Louis Stevenson

The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde By Robert Louis Stevenson

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#25

Interview With The Vampire By Anne Rice

Interview With The Vampire By Anne Rice

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Kookamunga
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Anything by Anne Rice (may she RIP) is awesome, bizarre and spooky. My favorite is The Witching Hour.

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#26

Something Wicked This Way Comes By Ray Bradbury

Something Wicked This Way Comes By Ray Bradbury

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Elizabeth Molloy
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Beautifully written, as is all Bradbury's work.

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#27

Rebecca By Daphne Du Maurier

Rebecca By Daphne Du Maurier

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#28

The Stand By Stephen King

The Stand By Stephen King

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Kookamunga
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Epic, enormous, scary, beautiful. I read this first in the 80s. I still read it every year or two. This year my 80 year old mother read it on Kindle IN 4 WEEKS. I was impressed, the uncut version is about 1100 pages.

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#29

The Fall Of The House Of Usher And Other Tales By Edgar Allan Poe

The Fall Of The House Of Usher And Other Tales By Edgar Allan Poe

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#30

Pet Sematary By Stephen King

Pet Sematary By Stephen King

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Gossameringue
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a parent, I can now understand what this book is about.

#31

The Silence Of The Lambs By Thomas Harris

The Silence Of The Lambs By Thomas Harris

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#32

Hell House By Richard Matheson

Hell House By Richard Matheson

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#33

The Turn Of The Screw By Henry James

The Turn Of The Screw By Henry James

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Elizabeth Molloy
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Watch The Innocents, a movie version of the novel, starring the great Deborah Kerr. Creeeeeeeeepy!

#34

Salem’s Lot By Stephen King

Salem’s Lot By Stephen King

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Elizabeth Molloy
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The 80s Tobe Hooper mini series is a classic, but please read the book! Proper scary.

#35

Nos4a2 By Joe Hill

Nos4a2 By Joe Hill

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#36

Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark Collection By Alvin Schwartz

Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark Collection By Alvin Schwartz

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#37

The Books Of Blood By Clive Barker

The Books Of Blood By Clive Barker

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#38

Uzumaki By Junji Ito

Uzumaki By Junji Ito

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Elizabeth Molloy
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Great stuff! People turning into snails, spirals and getting tangled up into one huge mass.

#39

The Road By Cormac Mccarthy

The Road By Cormac Mccarthy

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Marisol L. Banks
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This was a tough, sobering book to read. It stayed with me for days. Didn’t watch the movie as I didn’t want to feel that depressed again.

#40

We Need To Talk About Kevin By Lionel Shriver

We Need To Talk About Kevin By Lionel Shriver

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Kookamunga
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Should be higher. Such complex brilliant writing. The movie didn't even come close to doing it justice.

#41

Blindness By José Saramago

Blindness By José Saramago

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#42

At The Mountains Of Madness By H.p. Lovecraft

At The Mountains Of Madness By H.p. Lovecraft

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#43

American Psycho By Bret Easton Ellis

American Psycho By Bret Easton Ellis

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Kookamunga
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

After reading and re-reading the book years ago...I don't think Patrick actually killed anyone. I think it was all in his head. All kinds of hints there. That's just my take. But it's so brutal and then so funny - the endless tangents on clothes, electronics, musicians.

#44

Conjure Wife By Fritz Leiber

Conjure Wife By Fritz Leiber

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#45

The Midwich Cuckoos By John Wyndham

The Midwich Cuckoos By John Wyndham

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Elizabeth Molloy
Community Member
10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Village of the Damned is the 60s movie version. Beautifully shot, and oh so creepy. The Simpsons did a version of it for Halloween: "We know all your secrets ..."

#46

The Amityville Horror By Jay Anson

The Amityville Horror By Jay Anson

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Jason Marin
Community Member
9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Read this book one night many years ago and after that, I couldn't get to sleep unless I had the blankets over my head.

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#47

The Outsider By Stephen King

The Outsider By Stephen King

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#48

The Call Of Cthulhu And Other Weird Stories By H. P. Lovecraft

The Call Of Cthulhu And Other Weird Stories By H. P. Lovecraft

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#49

From Hell By Alan Moore And Eddie Campbell

From Hell By Alan Moore And Eddie Campbell

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#50

Heart-Shaped Box By Joe Hill

Heart-Shaped Box By Joe Hill

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