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Read Till You Scream
Posted by Jessica on October 16, 2012
Nocturnal
By Scott Sigler (Goodreads Author)
San Francisco homicide detective Bryan Clauser is having prescient dreams about a series of murders as his investigation leads him closer to the subterranean killers that lurk beneath the city streets and only come out at night. Goodreads member Mitch calls it "a terrifying descent into a nightmarish world along with some of the most incredible action scenes put to paper."
The Haunting of Maddy Clare
By Simone St. James (Goodreads Author)
Penniless temp worker Sarah Piper gets an unexpected assignment: assisting the dashing Alistair Gellis, a professional ghost hunter and shell-shocked World War I veteran. He requires a female assistant to rid a haunted barn in North England of an enraged, man-hating spirit. Goodreads member Jess says, "I have not been so scared by a ghost story in a very long time...truly chilling."
14
By Peter Clines
Nate's run-down Hollywood apartment building may have mutant cockroaches, but the dirt cheap price is right. When he keeps noticing more eccentricities—hidden rooms, weird noises, and blocked staircases—the creeped-out tenants soon band together to discover the building's secret. Goodreads member Nick calls it "a near-flawless mystery-thriller-horror...a treasury of mind-bogglery."
I, Zombie
By Hugh Howey (Goodreads Author)
The breakout author of the dystopian hit Wool reanimates the trope of the zombie apocalypse in this gory horror novel, told from the point of view of the decaying, ravenous corpses themselves. Goodreads member Melissa says, "...there is something trapped within the monstrously disgusting outer shell of this narrative. Something alive, something true, something real."
Severed
Story by Scott Snyder (Goodreads Author) & Scott Tuft (Goodreads Author), art by Attila Futaki
If Freddy Krueger haunted your childhood, this graphic novel's for you. When 12-year-old Jack runs away from home in search of his dad, his cross-country journey through rural 1916 America is tracked by the sinister "Salesman" with a disarming smile. Goodreads member Tristan says, "A classic style of horror, one written like an old child's warning tale. The story is gripping, with gorgeous artwork that leaves you cringing."
A good book keeps you reading through the night, but you'll be cowering under the covers with our spooky reading list. We combed through the top-rated horror books of 2012 to gather a grisly collection of ghost- and monster-themed books. Test your nerves against these paranormal fiction finds guaranteed to deliver the creepy crawly, goose-bump Halloween terror we love. Maybe you'll be leaving the light on after one of these.
NocturnalBy Scott Sigler (Goodreads Author)
San Francisco homicide detective Bryan Clauser is having prescient dreams about a series of murders as his investigation leads him closer to the subterranean killers that lurk beneath the city streets and only come out at night. Goodreads member Mitch calls it "a terrifying descent into a nightmarish world along with some of the most incredible action scenes put to paper."
The Haunting of Maddy ClareBy Simone St. James (Goodreads Author)
Penniless temp worker Sarah Piper gets an unexpected assignment: assisting the dashing Alistair Gellis, a professional ghost hunter and shell-shocked World War I veteran. He requires a female assistant to rid a haunted barn in North England of an enraged, man-hating spirit. Goodreads member Jess says, "I have not been so scared by a ghost story in a very long time...truly chilling."
14By Peter Clines
Nate's run-down Hollywood apartment building may have mutant cockroaches, but the dirt cheap price is right. When he keeps noticing more eccentricities—hidden rooms, weird noises, and blocked staircases—the creeped-out tenants soon band together to discover the building's secret. Goodreads member Nick calls it "a near-flawless mystery-thriller-horror...a treasury of mind-bogglery."
I, ZombieBy Hugh Howey (Goodreads Author)
The breakout author of the dystopian hit Wool reanimates the trope of the zombie apocalypse in this gory horror novel, told from the point of view of the decaying, ravenous corpses themselves. Goodreads member Melissa says, "...there is something trapped within the monstrously disgusting outer shell of this narrative. Something alive, something true, something real."
SeveredStory by Scott Snyder (Goodreads Author) & Scott Tuft (Goodreads Author), art by Attila Futaki
If Freddy Krueger haunted your childhood, this graphic novel's for you. When 12-year-old Jack runs away from home in search of his dad, his cross-country journey through rural 1916 America is tracked by the sinister "Salesman" with a disarming smile. Goodreads member Tristan says, "A classic style of horror, one written like an old child's warning tale. The story is gripping, with gorgeous artwork that leaves you cringing."
What's the scariest book you've ever read?
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David
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Oct 16, 2012 05:33am
This list doesn't have enough "Turn of the Screw"
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The scariest book I ever read was The Exorcist ... I can remember laying on the couch reading it on a weekend afternoon and realizing it had gotten dark out -- I had to put the book down -- I actually thought of trying to hide it!!
William Hjortsberg Falling Angel. A movie, Angel Heart, with Mickey Rourke and Robert De Niro, eventually appeared and scary as it was, it paled in comparison with the book. If you haven't seen the movie this would be an even more horrific treat.
I love horror fiction but the one book that made me afraid to turn out the light was Joe Hill's "The Heart-Shaped Box."
May I please humbly suggest Shady Palms. Every reviewer & critic has said it makes their skin crawl. A few have even listed it as a must read for Halloween. Don't take my word for it...check out their reviews at http://allendusk.com/novels
Velocity by Dean Koontz. It took me 3 days to read it because I could only read it in bits and pieces. Had to get my courage back in between reads.
I remember reading Stephen King's "Pet Sematary" in bed in the early morning hours...wishing I wasn't alone but unable to put it down...
My old classic scare...The Shining by Stephen King. Newest scare...Shadow Man (Smoky Barrett #1) by Cody McFadyen. The Mephisto club by Tess Gerritsen was pretty creepy as well.
Hands down, The Exorcist, by William Peter Blatty. Started reading it early evening in my student apartment with my door closed. By midnight or so, my roommate was in bed asleep, door closed, all lights were out in the apartment. I was so freaked out, I LOUDLY demanded my roommate get up and help me turn on lights. Then I read her a really scary part, and now our combined fear forced her to stay up all night with me, taking turns reading the book till we finished in the morning. I HAD to get some kind of a resolution. Don't make me re-live the night we went to see the movie...!
My top 3 scary reads:1) Hell House by Richard Matheson
2) The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
3) The Amityville Horror
Mine would be Ammityville Horror, I read it within a day and had nightmares about it lol. Neither movie did the book justice but that's how it always goes, there are very few book adaptations to movies that I like.
"The Exorcist" was my number one most frightening book. I had to make sure someone was in the room while I read it. And, I absolutely could night read it at night. Truly terrifying!
Wow, thanks for putting my novel NOCTURNAL on your list! I'm thrilled you enjoyed it. The comments have a ton of scary books as well.
Lindsey wrote: "Stephen King's IT isn't on this list?????"Yup. Scared the [bleep] out of me when I was a teenager and I've not read, listened horror/scary books since. I stay away from films of that genre, too. Stephen King's "It" proved to me that I just didn't have the stomach for such stories.
Amanda wrote: "
"WT* is that?
P.S.: People, stop asking for this or that book to be included in this List, it clearly says ...We combed through the top-rated horror books of 2012 to... With 2012 being the operative word here!
Scariest I remember: The Omen and Amityville Horror. Also, At the Mountains of Madness by Lovecraft.
Ɲėṩṛīȵ wrote: "P.S.: People, stop asking for this or that book to be included in this List, it clearly says ...We combed through the top-rated horror books of 2012 to... With 2012 being the operative word here! "But, the question in the last sentence of the blog/original post asks: "What's the scariest book you've ever read?", and that is what everyone is responding to, with only one responder mentioning the list.
Donna wrote: "I also realize I should have also mentioned Thomas Tryon's amazing novel, Harvest Home."This one is listed for $180.90 on Amazon! I guess if my library doesn't have a copy, I won't be reading this one LOL
Julissa, his book The Other recently became available for Kindle, so I would keep a look out for HH to be released for Kindle soon. I would recommend 'Salem's Lot,
Ghost Story and Seed.
Cyndy wrote: "Reading the bathroom scene in The Shining at 2:30 a.m. was truly scarey!"I was scared mostly at the animal garden part. Maybe my imagination made it worse than it is.
