25 Classic Horror Books That Will Scare You Silly

Some people lean in to Fall at the beginning of spooky season by watching scary movies and reading horror books. While perhaps others—who are these people?—need to work to get themselves in the mood for Halloween.

Those people might not be our people, because we’re literally always in the mood for horror books and everything spooky. And that’s why we’re the perfect source to get your Halloween reading list from.

Looking for a classic tale, like Dracula or Frankenstein? Or are you more interested in a modern scary story, like Mexican Gothic or My Heart is a Chainsaw? Whatever your answer, there’s a horrifying tale on this list that’ll improve your spooky season. Some of these may seem obvious, but that’s because they’re essential. Don’t come for us.

25 Horror Books, in Chronological Order

1. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1818)

Some say it’s science fiction. We say it can be that as well as horror. But mostly, we say you need to appreciate the fact that this incredibly influential, innovative, and still-horrifying monster story was written by a teenage girl over two hundred years ago.

Pre-TikTok fame? Iconic.
Available on Amazon

2. The Vampyre by John Polidori (1819)

The Vampyre is perhaps the first tale to present a vampire character in the way they are popularly thought of today, as opposed to folkloric vampires. Not only is this a progenitor of the European vampire character, but it’s also a lesson in throwing shade. You’re taking notes, right?

Polidori, Lord Byron’s physician, based his story on an idea that was originally Lord Byron’s. That’s already shady. But Polidori also modeled his sinister and draining “Lord Ruthven” vampire on Bryon. And they say quiet quitting is bad.
Available on Amazon

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

Move this to the top of your TBR pile quickly, before Mike Flanagan’s interpretation airs on Netflix. Poe’s fever dream of an aristocratic family and their manor house crumbling together is loaded with atmosphere—and maybe black mold. Yeah, definitely black mold.
Available on Amazon

4. The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1851)

A gothic romance rife with witches, curses, spiritualism, and sketchy hypnotism. We know you may have been forced to read this as a kid, but trust us, it’s worth a revisit.

And then you have an excuse to go to Salem, where the actual house Hawthorne made famous resides. An excuse besides “it’s October.”
Available on Amazon

5. Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (1872)

We wouldn’t have any campy Hammer vampire flicks without this early progenitor of the lesbian vampire. Settle in to appreciate this 19th-century story of intimacy and desire between two young women.

Then get ready to scream your head off, because this book doesn’t hold back. And we just ran out of popcorn.
Available on Amazon

6. Dracula by Bram Stoker (1897)

We can’t overstate the influence Stoker’s Count has had on culture, from Universal monster movies to Bauhaus to the Muppets to Count Chocula.

The entire plot of the recent The Last Voyage of the Demeter was inspired by a single chapter of this classic. Just read it. Okay, we dare you. Now you have to.
Available on Amazon

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

No one’s ever accused ol’ H. P. of being woke—he basically hated everyone and everything, aside from cats. As huge cat advocates, we understand the exception to his rule.

We get it if some of his language is triggering, but the parts that aren’t are cosmically transcendent. You don’t get to cuddle a cute Cthulhu plushie if you haven’t read the nightmarish source material.
Available on Amazon

8. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson (1954)

Pull up a gif of Stefon for inspiration while we explain how this horror book has everything: post-apocalyptic dystopia, zombies, vampires, a pandemic.

And then watch The Last Man on Earth, The Omega Man, and 2007’s Will Smith vehicle. There, your weekend is planned. Your best friend’s birthday can wait.
Available on Amazon

9. Psycho by Robert Bloch (1959)

The author was living in Wisconsin when Ed “the Butcher of Plainfield” Gein was arrested and made the pages of LIFE magazine. Published just two years later, Psycho‘s Norman Bates has a lot of common interests with ol’ Ed.

We think their mothers would have gotten along, too. Hey, leave ours out of this.
Available on Amazon

10. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirely Jackson (1959)

As much as we adore this essential and perfect ghost story, it’s probably partly to blame for the epidemic of TV paranormal investigators.

At least the supernatural researchers studying Hill House didn’t run around yelling, “Dude!” Sure, technically we weren’t there.
Available on Amazon

11. The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty (1971)

With The Exorcist: Believer movie release, it’s a good time to read the book that started it all. The classic horror book also kick-started the idea that Ouija boards are dangerous, so thanks for that horror trope, Blatty.
Available on Amazon

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

We’ve been shipping Louis and Lestat since reading this sexy queer book in high school. And rereading it over and over again.

If the Tom Cruise movie didn’t inspire you to read it—we get it—maybe the much gayer and dirtier AMC series is the push you needed.
Available on Amazon

13. The Shining by Stephen King (1977)

Reading the original book after being incredibly familiar with the Kubrick film is a trip. It’s fascinating to discover how they differ, although our favorite detail is when topiary animals come to life. Really.

Ooh, is that what they meant by “spoiler alert”? We’ve never been good at that.
Available on Amazon

14. The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson (1977)

We love being scared, but this book is the reason we still get a little shiver when we see flies. Even when they’re not landing on our morning egg and cheese.
Available on Amazon

15. Kindred by Octavia Butler (1979)

Not to be confused with the 1990s vampire TV series of the same name (although there was a decent 2022 series inspired by this book).

Most of the horror in this story is related to the historical treatment of enslaved people, so be warned. A time travel element also gives Butler’s book a supernatural touch.
Available on Amazon

16. Ghost Story by Peter Straub (1979)

This iconic horror book is a ghost story full of other ghost stories. A ghost story turducken, if you will. We will. And you should.
Available on Amazon

17. The Hunger by Whitley Strieber (1981)

Our obsession with the ’80s film interpretation starring David Bowie and opening with a Bauhaus song led us to seek out the source material.

There’s no Bauhaus, but The Hunger is just as enthralling and even a little more depraved than the movie. We’ll always picture the movie cast as the characters though. Off to shop for our Miriam Blaylock costume now.
Available on Amazon

18. The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker (1986)

Would Barker have released this inspiration for Hellraiser if he knew there would be 39 increasingl-worse sequels based on it? We hope so. Especially the Pinhead in Space one.
Available on Amazon

19. Beloved by Toni Morrison (1987)

Beloved is not only a story of the grim and abusive life of chattel slaves, but the horrifying lengths a mother can go to for the protection of her children.

Not everyone considers this important work a ghost story, but the horror is real, and the characters are haunted.
Available on Amazon

20. Ring by Koji Suzuki (1991)

One reason we stream all of our media now is so we don’t have to be afraid of VHS tapes. The Ringu flick traumatized us. Let’s hope Sadako hasn’t figured out how to haunt Netflix.
Available on Amazon

21. Lost Souls by Poppy Z. Brite (1992)

Lost Souls is the remedy for anyone who thinks that vampires are all stuffy old aristocrats in tuxedos or frock coats. It’s a gothic fever dream road trip to the French Quarter in New Orleans with lots of graphic imagery, but most importantly, graphically sexy vampires.

Move over, Edward “Sparkles” Cullen.
Available on Amazon

22. Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z. Brite (1996)

If you thought Brite’s Lost Souls was graphic, sexy, and violent, buckle up before reading Exquisite Corpse. You’ll need a strong stomach and an unhealthy interest in Jeffrey Dahmer and Dennis Nilsen to, eh, devour this one.

*Self-consciously raises hand*
Available on Amazon

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

If your favorite thing about the Evil Dead cabin is how it seems to be much bigger inside than it looks from the outside, this read is for you.

Seriously, though, this book will leave you questioning the laws of physics and if reality is even real at all. It’s not, is it?
Available on Amazon

24. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (2020)

Is mushroom horror a genre? We think it must be after The Last of Us. And this bestselling tale of fungal terror is set to come to Hulu, so go forage for some morels and study up. Just be careful with that red shroom.
Available on Amazon

25. My Heart Is A Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones (2021)

We love post-modern and self-aware horror books. They’re like little paper versions of The Cabin in the Woods. Jones’ protagonist is a slasher flick expert obsessed with the idea of the “Final Girl,” and we definitely want to be friends with her. Here’s hoping she makes it out alive.
Available on Amazon