There’s just something about the macabre, the creepy, and the horrific that piques human curiosity. Why do we even put ourselves through the trauma of reading about it? Maybe the reason is genetic or cultural; but whatever it is, a lot of us are just suckers for a spine-chilling story.
The horror genre is a thriving monster, churning out movies, TV series, comics, and books that are eagerly consumed by fans of the genre. From the psychological to the supernatural, there’s always that one book that each horror fan would label the creepiest.
18 Creepy Books to Read (If You Dare)
Below is a list of creepy books that the average horror fan should consider reading.
1. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Children are innocent, adults are sinners. At least, that’s the usual way of thinking. But what happens when a group of boys get stranded on a desert island and must find a way to survive with absolutely no adult supervision?
Lord of the Flies is terrifying for one reason: there’s nothing supernatural going on. It’s just a bunch of kids descending into savagery that removes their civilized limits, willing them to do anything to survive—even murder. The creepiness of it comes from the thought that this may happen to you when faced with a similar situation.
2. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Coraline is basically Alice in Wonderland without all the frills and childishness. It’s a dark journey through a creepy version of your world, inhabited by creepy versions of your family. Oh, and they have black buttons for eyes.
The imagery of empty eye sockets alone turns the creepiness to a whole other level, but the Other Mother’s numerous attempts at coercing Coraline to live with her just sends out desperate kidnapper vibes.
3. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Haunted houses are a cliché in the horror genre, but The Haunting of Hill House takes it up a notch by including psychological anguish in the story.
Not only are you dealing with a seemingly angry house that’s out to murder everyone, but also experiencing the creepiness of the claustrophobia it brings. Ultimately, it’s the narrator’s slow descent into madness that will petrify you.
4. Ring by Kōji Suzuki
A ghost consumed by rage, and a cursed tape that proclaims you only have a week to live: Ring is the novel that started all the craze around Sadako.
What’s creepy about the book is that Sadako, though functioning as the antagonist, never directly shows up. She’s the looming threat in the novel that makes you constantly look behind you only to find there’s no one there.
5. The Ruins by Scott Smith
In The Ruins, plants are the enemy. It’s kind of funny at first, but when you realize these are carnivorous plants that can actually think and mimic sounds to lure their prey, it takes a horrific turn really fast.
Deceptively simple, Smith’s story quickly descends into an agonizing battle for survival, only for the characters to realize the hopelessness of it in the end.
6. Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z. Brite
What do you get when two serial killers enter a relationship? A disturbing affair revolving around sex, murder, and occasional cannibalism.
This is definitely not for horror newbies. Exquisite Corpse revolves around two serial killers who plan to kidnap, torture, and consume a beautiful gay man. The matter-of-fact way they discuss such nefarious acts will leave you sweating.
7. The Troop by Nick Cutter
Worms have always given most people the heebie-jeebies. The Troop makes good use of this by introducing killer tapeworms into the story. Courtesy of a genius scientist with a severe lack of restraint, these worms were originally made for the purpose of rapid weight loss.
Add in to the mix the claustrophobia and anxiety of being stranded on an island with a psychopath, and you have yourself a rollercoaster horror read.
8. Now You’re One of Us by Asa Nonami
If you like the anxiety of the movie Get Out, then you’ll love Now You’re One of Us. When a woman marries into a tight-knit family, it seems to be the marriage of anyone’s dreams. The family is always jolly, kind, and eager to please.
But behind the constant smiling is a darkness that can’t be ignored. The creepiness just gets higher as the oddities of the Shito family keep piling on, and the amount of gaslighting and manipulation start to destroy the bride’s sense of identity.
9. Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons
A small percentage of the populace possesses the Ability, or the power to control people through thought and make them do virtually anything. When those with the Ability are used for murder, it imparts youth and longevity to the controller.
Carrion Comfort details how ordinary people are used as cannon fodder by those with the Ability, carelessly thrown away in hidden battles for supremacy.
10. The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen
No, not the Greek god who likes playing the flute and flirting with nymphs. The Great God Pan here is more akin to Lovecraft’s terrifying Elder Gods.
The premise itself is already weird, with a mad scientist drilling holes into people’s heads in an experiment to see the spiritual world. But reading about a half-divine (or demonic) woman who leads men to their doom is quite the horrific read.
11. The Thing on The Doorstep and Other Weird Stories by H. P. Lovecraft
What’s a creepy list without the king of creepy stories himself? The Thing on The Doorstep and Other Weird Stories is an anthology containing some of Lovecraft’s most popular stories, including “The Tomb” and “The Dunwich Horror.”
The Tomb in particular carries a ghoulish tone, with the main character’s dreams, delusion with death, and his promised burial within a decaying mausoleum.
12. The Collector by John Fowles
The horror of The Collector is purely human, in the form of Frederick Clegg’s obsession and eventual kidnapping of Miranda Grey, as he intends to add her to his collection of pretty things. Frederick’s psychotic justification of his “love” for her, along with Miranda’s mental degradation while captive makes for a creepy read.
13. Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
Here, a submarine attempts to navigate the Mariana Trench only to discover the existence of mermaids. The problem is, mermaids aren’t the sing-songy creatures from Disney, but vicious monsters out for blood.
Into the Drowning Deep’s claustrophobic setting, coupled with the anxiety of the unknown depths and subsequent terror of mythical creatures create a suffocating atmosphere that’ll leave you gasping for more.
14. The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
You’d think an illegal elk hunt would be a lame excuse for a horror story, but The Only Good Indians demonstrates the creeping horror of guilt, desperation, and mounting doom initiated by the spirit of an elk out for revenge.
Rather than trampling them to death with its ghostly hooves, the canny elk slowly drives its killers into a state of paranoia and sets them up to eventually self-destruct.
15. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind
What’s more creepy than a serial killer out to turn you into perfume? Preposterous sure, but Jean-Baptiste Grenouille’s obsession with creating the perfect scent, however it must be done, is chilling to say the least. To him, perfection is paramount, and murder’s just one of the small steps to success.
Through kidnapping and murder of young girls to extract their scent, Grenouille’s perfumes incite otherworldly effects that drive people into uncontrollable urges, and his growing hatred for humanity contributes to a terrifying but engrossing read.
16. Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier
Everything that’s creepy about this book revolves around Rebecca, the unseen and deceased first Mrs. de Winter. Throw in an isolated setting and an evil housekeeper, and you’re all set for a suspenseful read, chockfull with mystery and fear.
Although already dead, Rebecca’s influence on an obsessively devoted housekeeper creates problems for the newly married narrator, the second Mrs. de Winter. Considered perfect in every way, It is only near the end of the book that we learn of Rebecca’s true nature as a psychopath.
17. Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
What happens when animal meat is rendered poisonous to all humanity? We eat humans, of course. Tender is the Flesh explores a world where cannibalism has become the norm, with a percentage of humanity consigned to being mere livestock. The clinical and sterile attitude for human slaughter and consumption creates a petrifying read that evokes feelings of disgust.
18. Books of Blood by Clive Barker
Books of Blood is a series of horror anthologies with stories that give rise to fear, anxiety, and outright disgust. The premise of the series concerns a fake psychic being attacked by ghosts who write stories directly in his flesh, turning him into a literal book of blood.
If the premise hasn’t gotten you, check out a few of the stories. “The Midnight Meat Train” is a particularly bloody tale, where humans are butchered and delivered on a train to the City Fathers, New York’s true rulers since even before humans populated America.
The Rise of Horror Entertainment
Horror stories have captivated audiences for ages. It’s a niche interest that only a select few truly appreciate, but with the advancement of technology and the horror genre’s own evolution, more and more people are cultivating an interest in the genre.
It doesn’t matter if it’s supernatural, psychological, biological, monster, or gore—there’s always a growing fanbase for horror subgenres. But, why?
Humans are a naturally curious race. We obtain knowledge, use it to grow, and curb our fears. Maybe our love of horror is due to our fear of the unknown, of demons and monsters, and all the dark and hidden stuff. And our way to cope with these things is to force ourselves to consume content that touches upon them. Or maybe, it’s our way of exercising the dark side that humanity inherently possesses.
Whatever the case, horror is undeniably here to stay. If you’re not an enthusiast of this genre, you might as well check out a few works to satisfy your curiosity (it’s probably best to start with the milder ones). If you’re one of the hardcore connoisseurs, hopefully this list has given you some new materials to peruse. And the most important thing? Keep your lights on!
Are you one of those who like creepy stories? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 21 Best Psychological Thriller Books
- 20 Best Fantasy Books That Will Thrill Your Imagination
- The Most Popular Fiction Genres: Definitions and Examples
- The 10 Best Stephen King Books to Read This Fall
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
