Scariest books of all time

Books that will give you nightmares - but in a good way!
201

by
4.10 avg rating — 982,075 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
202

by
4.06 avg rating — 7,441 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
202

by
3.64 avg rating — 23,849 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
204

by
3.85 avg rating — 32,026 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
205

by
3.86 avg rating — 2,146 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
206

by
3.90 avg rating — 18,894 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
207

by
3.98 avg rating — 529 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
207

by
3.22 avg rating — 36 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
207

by
4.32 avg rating — 77 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
207

by
3.45 avg rating — 20 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
207

by
3.88 avg rating — 48 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
212

by
4.64 avg rating — 11 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
212

by
3.75 avg rating — 55 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
212

by
3.95 avg rating — 40 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
212

by
3.85 avg rating — 13 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
216

by
3.75 avg rating — 105,676 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
216

by
3.65 avg rating — 24,535 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
218

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 61 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
219

by
4.06 avg rating — 4,050 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
219

by
3.66 avg rating — 358,291 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
219

by
3.37 avg rating — 21,869 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
219

by
3.83 avg rating — 26,309 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
223

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 172,428 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
223

by
4.28 avg rating — 18 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
223

by
4.24 avg rating — 164 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
226

by
4.29 avg rating — 35 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
227

by
3.87 avg rating — 4,470 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
228

by
3.83 avg rating — 3,373 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
228

by
3.56 avg rating — 28,132 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
228

by
3.83 avg rating — 4,677 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
231

by
4.01 avg rating — 2,551 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
231

by
3.97 avg rating — 38,826 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
231

by
4.08 avg rating — 150 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
234

by
4.06 avg rating — 436,658 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
235

by
4.25 avg rating — 112 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
235

by
4.29 avg rating — 111 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
237

by
3.82 avg rating — 90,788 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
238

by
3.76 avg rating — 3,732 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
239

by
4.50 avg rating — 105 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
240

by
3.91 avg rating — 27,989 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
241

by
3.91 avg rating — 109,149 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
242

by
3.57 avg rating — 58,670 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
243

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 32 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
244

by
4.06 avg rating — 635,934 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
245

by
3.56 avg rating — 7,721 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
246

by
3.89 avg rating — 33,673 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
247

by
3.88 avg rating — 68,948 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
248

by
3.20 avg rating — 6,103 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
249

by
3.36 avg rating — 1,244 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
249

by
4.06 avg rating — 287 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
251

by
3.90 avg rating — 55,749 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
252

by
3.92 avg rating — 2,362 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
252

by
3.98 avg rating — 48,286 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
254

by
3.93 avg rating — 175,051 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
254

by
3.64 avg rating — 6,090 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
254

by
3.93 avg rating — 27,799 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
257

by
4.27 avg rating — 5,984 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
257

by
4.14 avg rating — 109,810 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
257

by
4.02 avg rating — 559,229 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
260

by
3.51 avg rating — 2,302 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
260

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 283,295 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
262

by
4.03 avg rating — 10,974 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
263

by
3.94 avg rating — 10,101 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
263

by
4.07 avg rating — 131,501 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
265

by
3.54 avg rating — 17,411 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
266

by
3.91 avg rating — 453 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
267

by
3.72 avg rating — 8,773 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
268

by
3.94 avg rating — 3,140 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
269

by
3.88 avg rating — 4,957 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
269

by
3.77 avg rating — 3,192 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
271

by
3.61 avg rating — 4,546 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
271

by
3.76 avg rating — 36,194 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
273

by
4.67 avg rating — 636,803 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
274

by
3.83 avg rating — 4,180 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
275

by
3.70 avg rating — 25,447 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
276

by
3.74 avg rating — 38 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
276

by
4.06 avg rating — 45,122 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
278

by
3.84 avg rating — 17,200 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
279

by
3.45 avg rating — 65 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
279

by
3.48 avg rating — 3,817 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
281

by
3.80 avg rating — 14,780 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
282

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 39,115 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
283

by
3.93 avg rating — 175,834 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
284

by
3.93 avg rating — 31,524 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
284

by
3.88 avg rating — 52,686 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
286

by
4.03 avg rating — 54,993 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
287

by
3.92 avg rating — 316 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
287

by
3.94 avg rating — 79 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
287

by
3.56 avg rating — 118 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
287

by
3.57 avg rating — 47 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
287

by
3.02 avg rating — 86 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
287

by
4.20 avg rating — 119 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
287

by
3.54 avg rating — 13 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
287

by
4.22 avg rating — 9 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
287

by
3.61 avg rating — 187 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
287

by
3.95 avg rating — 21 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
287

by
3.84 avg rating — 5,457 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
287

by
3.37 avg rating — 30 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
287

by
4.17 avg rating — 18 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
287

by
4.30 avg rating — 10 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
629 books · 733 voters · list created August 6th, 2009 by TM (votes) .
160 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


TM 33 books
0 friends
Greyweather 2660 books
65 friends
Bettie 15668 books
19 friends
Robert 2756 books
303 friends
Lezlee 1467 books
84 friends
Anna 6104 books
47 friends
Sofia 1426 books
183 friends
Esmer 399 books
36 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-16 of 16 (16 new)

dateUp arrow    newest »

message 1: by Adam (new)

Adam Haha, look at how many of thes are Stephen King!


message 2: by Morgan (new)

Morgan F Adam/ wrote: "Haha, look at how many of thes are Stephen King!"

That's what I was thinking. I like how his name is even in the tags.


message 3: by [deleted user] (new)

He's written many books, and each has a way of getting to your mind and screw with you... guess they were bound to crop up :D
Now, this list has given me a lot more tittles to read.


message 4: by Mihaela (new)

Mihaela The Stephen King's list.
His name is so common here and of course is not without a reason.


message 5: by Aubrey (new)

Aubrey Well I can't take this list seriously, there's a Harry Potter book on here!


message 6: by Olivia (new)

Olivia Might as well call this Steven King Book List. No surprise his books are the scariest.


message 7: by Karrie (new)

Karrie What book is Harry Potter may I ask? I didn't see it.I like Blake Crouch, konrath as well as Amy Cross.


message 8: by Lynn (new)

Lynn Neering Wow- some of these title brought back memories of reading years and years ago. It reminded me of some series that I need to start again! Thanks!!


message 10: by Debbie (new)

Debbie Darnell-kielman great list when you are trying to think "now what do I want to read next?" Except for the Harry Potter book.


message 11: by Laura (last edited Jul 24, 2016 12:03PM) (new)

Laura Manory I chose harry potter out of curiosity. Even my grandkids are not into him...at all. I wanted to know what the big deal was. Then I saw the first movie of it. It is definitely for young kids. I prefer Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Michael Laimo (the next Stephen King), Jeffrey Deaver and others of the same genre. It IS my favorite genre.


message 12: by Holly (new)

Holly This is a seriously flawed list.........lots of books here have a scare factor comparable to Scooby Doo.


message 13: by Nisus (new)

Nisus Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis and The Castle should be in this list. Kafka is the king of what one could call "absurdist horror" (sic), his main character is basically in the same situation than the "last survivor" of a horror story- he never knows if he's awake or experiencing a nightmare.

Also, Harry Potter is a children's book and does not belong anywhere in a list like this


message 14: by ~☆~Autumn (new)

~☆~Autumn There are NO good nightmares. There are good dreams but by definition a nightmare is terrifying and BAD.


message 15: by Benjamin (new)

Benjamin Holly wrote: "This is a seriously flawed list.........lots of books here have a scare factor comparable to Scooby Doo."

Can you recommend some good scary books?


BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) Benjamin wrote: "Can you recommend some good scary books?"

'Scary' can have different reasons... :-)


back to top



Related News

  At the beginning of each calendar month, Goodreads’ crack editorial squad assembles a list of the hottest and most popular new books...

Anyone can add books to this list.