The Scariest Horror Novels for Halloween Reading

It's getting colder outside, Halloween decorations swing from trees, whose leaves are brown and fallen to the ground. The empty branches rattle in the wind.... No, I'm not writing a horror story here, instead it's a list of scary horror books. This is the time of year to cozy up to a good, spooky horror novel.  This is especially appropriate for Halloween week, so get your itty bitty light ready.

The Top 10 Scary Horror Books for Halloween


1 - Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray bradbury, our favorite Halloween novel. Set in October, a strange carnival comes to town, along with Mr. Dark - it's leader. This mysterious man has gifts for the town's people, and a strange secret too.

2 - Pet Sematary by Stephen King.  Of course the "man" himself tops our list too, and this one is especially good for Halloween week. Pets are buried in an old graveyard, then come back to life. "Sometimes, dead is better."  "Christine" is a good alternative, it even takes place in the Fall.

3 - I am Legend by Richard Matheson  The first true zombie novel, which has inspired over a dozen movies, including "Last Man on Earth" and "The Omega Man." A pandemic turns everyone on Earth into vampire/zombie creatures. One man, the sole survivor, struggles to live and to find a cure.  It was again made into a movie called "I am Legend" in 2007.

4 - The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson  Very spooky "haunted house" reading.

5 - Turn of the Screw by Henry James, published in 1898, the old language might be a problem to some readers, but it's worth the effort. It's a story about the appearance of evil, how easily it slips into our lives.

6 - The Fog by Dennis Etchison.  This is the novelization of the John Carpenter movie from 1980, and it does a good job of relaying the eerie story.  100 years ago, a ship of lepers crashed on the shores of San Antonio bay, tricked by 6 conspirators, and their gold founded the town. Now on the centennial, the ship has come back for revenge on the descendants of the six conspirators.

7 -  They Thirst by Robert R. McCammon. Vampires run amok in LA. It's better than it sounds.

8 - Whispers by Dean Koontz.  A compelling suspense novel about a killer who continually stalks and attacks a woman, our main character.

9 -The Drive-In by Joe R. Landsdale  What is your monster movie becomes real?

10 - Ghost Story by Peter Straub. One of four best friends dies suddenly, which sets in motion of series of chilling events and realizations.

See Also:

• Top 20 Post-Apocalyptic Novels
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•  Top 20 Ghost Movies of All Time
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•  Top 10 Horror Books in Ice and Snow

Best Horror Poem: "The Raven" by Edgar Allen Poe

Best Collection of short horror stories for Halloween:
"Nightshift" by Stephen King.  Many of these stories, including Graveyard Shift, were later made into movies.

Enjoy your Halloween horror reading!