Horror books: 20 works that will make you shiver so scary

Whether to venture into a dark universe or to have good scares while reading, horror books can be good company. With universes with supernatural beings, macabre characters and even haunted houses, it is possible to come across really scary stories. There are those options where the horror is psychological, while in others, a lot of blood flows freely. There are also some that are a little lighter.

Regardless of the type of horror you like, the list below may have an option that pleases you, after all, it is extremely versatile. You can check out works that have been consecrated for years, as well as newer ones that are also very good.

1. It: The Thing

One of the best-selling horror books, “The Thing” was written by Stephen King, author regarded as the king of the genre. The story tells the story of a group of boys who live in the sleepy town of Derry, Maine. Together, they discover the true meaning of not only friendship, but fear as well. During the summer of 1958, an evil being spreads a lot of blood across the city. Almost 30 years later, the creature attacks again. It is then that the friends, already adults, decide to try to beat The Thing.

2. Edgar Allan Poe: Classic Fear

This is a book that brings together some of the most famous works of Edgar Allan Poe, considered one of the cursed writers and author who revolutionized literature. Here, you have a little bit of everything: short stories, novels and poems. Not to mention the introduction by Charles Baudelaire. If you are a fan of the genre, you should not miss out on this author’s works.

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3. Frankenstein

It is very likely that you already know this story written by Mary Shelley. Otherwise, let’s go: Victor Frankenstein is a scientist who decides to cross the boundaries between life and death and decides to create his own living being. For this, he tries to reanimate dead tissue, to create an artificial life. With a successful result, he creates a being, which the scientist himself considers an aberration, as he has desires and feelings, just like a human. Realizing that they are opposites, there is a confrontation between them.

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4. Psychosis

Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s film of the same name, Robert Bloch’s classic book tells the story of Marion Crane, a young woman who runs away after stealing a sum of money. During the escape, she arrives at the Bates Motel, which is owned by Norman Bates, a man who lives in the shadow of his controlling mother.

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5. The Shining

Another Stephen King novel, The Shining, stars Jack Torrance, a decadent writer. His luck seems to change when he gets a job as a caretaker for the winter at the famous Overlook hotel, which is secluded on top of a mountain. To keep him company, since the hotel will be closed, he takes his wife, Wendy, and their little son, Danny, with him. What they don’t know is that evil forces are present there.

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6. The Raven

The Raven is Edgar Allan Poe’s most famous poem and a great success in world literature. There are 108 verses that narrate the suffering of the lyrical self who loses Lenora, his beloved. The work talks about loss, desire, death, hope, anguish and loneliness.

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7. The Exorcist

Chris MacNeil is an actress struggling with the behavioral changes her 11-year-old daughter, Regan, is going through. Doctors can’t tell what’s wrong with the girl when she has a demonic personality. In search of help, Chris goes to church and two priests offer to help her deal with the case of possession. However, William Peter Blatty’s book goes beyond the supernatural issue and also talks about faith and guilt.

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8. The Cemetery

Another work by Stephen King, The Cemetery tells the story of Louis Creed, a young doctor from Chicago who is happy with his move to a small town in Maine. While exploring the new town, his family discovers a pet cemetery near his house. What they still don’t know is that there are evil forces in the lands of this place.

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9. The Collector

Frederick Clegg is a lonely man, despised by a snobbish society, who finds the love of his life, but is unrequited. Miranda Gray, another character, is a young student kidnapped by a maniac. In John Fowles’ novel, victim and kidnapper are the narrators of the story.

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10. Horror in Amityville

December 1975, George and Kathleen Lutz’s family moves to the city of Amityville. They got a good deal on a house where the son killed his parents with shotgun blasts. The killer claimed to hear voices telling him to commit the crime, however, many said they were just hallucinations due to drug use. With that, the Lutz ignore the story and move into the house, where they manage to live for only 28 days. Scary, Jay Anson’s work yielded several inspired films.

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11. The Doctor and the Monster

In Victorian London, lawyer Utterson, narrator of the story, seeks to understand the strange relationship between his friend Henry Jekyll and the mysterious Edward Hyde. Robert Louis Stevenson’s Gothic novel blends psychological horror with science fiction.

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12. Dracula

Narrated through letters, diaries and newspaper clippings, Bram Stoker’s book can surprise even those who already know his story. He was also responsible for making the vampire so popular. Set in Victorian London, the work tells the story of humans struggling to survive Dracula’s bloodlust.

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13. Rosemary’s Baby

The story of Ira Levin gained great success due to the film adaptation made by Roman Polanski. The book tells the story of a couple who move into a building with very strange neighbors. During her pregnancy, Rosemary goes through frightening situations, which make her believe that she is going crazy.

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14. Immortal Fear

If you’re missing national names on this list, check out this book: this is an anthology that brings together scary plots by classic Brazilian authors, such as Machado de Assis and Aluísio de Azevedo. The work was organized by journalist Romeu Martins.

15. Small Realities

Written by Tabitha King, the lady of terror, this book tells the story of Dorothy Hardesty Douglas, daughter of a former US president. Passionate about miniatures, she has a wonderful replica of the White House. Upon meeting Roger Tinker, she discovers a disturbing way to make her dollhouse perfect.

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16. The Ghost Bride

Writer Yangsze Choo’s debut novel, The Ghost Bride tells the story of young Li Lan. After the bankruptcy of her parents, the girl has little prospects. Everything changes when she is proposed to marry the heir of a wealthy family. However, there is a problem: the groom is dead.

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17. Interview with the Vampire

Written by Anne Rice, this is a novel in interview form. Interviewed by Daniel, a young reporter, the narrator is Louis de Pointe du Lac. He is a vampire who tells how his transformation happened and also talks about the relationship that mixes love and hate with Lestat de Lioncourt, who transformed him.

18. Where the Birds Sing

In this book, author Evie Wyld narrates the story of Jake White, a farmer who leads a quiet and lonely life on an English island. Only nature, her dog and her sheep keep her company. With a sheep turning up dead from time to time, her solitude and safety seem to be threatened. Rumors of a monstrous beast and meeting a lost boy and a strange man begin to plague Jake.

19. The Submerged Girl

A current horror masterpiece, this is a book that blends the genre with magical realism, like an unconventional fairy tale. Forget about princes and princesses and put ghosts in their place. Having mermaids and werewolves as characters, Caitlín Kierman’s book still tells a love story. If you’re looking for up-to-date horror books, this Bram Stoker award-winning work might be a good bet.

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20. The Orphanage of Ms. Peregrine for Peculiar Children

In this book by Ransom Riggs, after his grandfather’s death, Jake and his father go to a remote island in Wales to fulfill their grandfather’s last wish, which was to visit the orphanage where he lived as a child. However, when they arrive, they discover that the place is in ruins. While exploring the area, Jake comes across a time rift and finds several children with supernatural powers living in Ms. Pilgrim.

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With such a full list of options, it’s even difficult to choose which book to read first, isn’t it? And if you like to throw yourself on the couch to watch TV, how about getting to know some supernatural series? Thus, the fright is guaranteed in several moments of leisure.