Scariest sequence in a horror novel

[Nick]

It's harder to scare people with a book but the best authors can send chills up your spine and make you turn on all the lights in your house. With that said, what is the scariest sequence in a horror novel or short story you can remember?

For me, the Marsten House part in Salems Lot would be it.

[Crowinator]

There's a scene with a beehive in the House of Small Shadows that terrified me - it was so unexpected. Bees should be bad enough, right?

[Char]

The hallway scenes in House of Leaves.

[WendyB]

From Summer of Night, any scenes with the WWI soldier.
And well, just about the whole book was creepy. Loved it.

[Nate]

Nice choice, Nick! Love the Marsten House scenes. When asked this type of question, my immediate reaction is Pet Semetary, when Louis goes and does the thing he shouldn't toward the end. That trip to the Semetary is intense!

[Richard]

The trek to the Indian burial ground in Pet Sematary creeped me the hell out when I first read it late at night.

The last act of Sunblind is pretty terrifying as well.

And in the same way, the ending of the novella The Underdwelling got to me.

I'm sure I'm missing something else, but I'd like to hear more about what freaked you all out!!

[Char]

The Underdwelling! GREAT call!

[Latasha]

in The Ritual the guys find shelter and one of them is standing at the bottom of stairs. there is something at the top that freaking sits up and omg looks at him. I think at this point I put the book down and decided I could not read this before bed time.

[Eva]

I remember that there were parts in The Shining I completely freaked out about. I can't remember which ones though.... But I want to reread it asap, so I'll definitely let you guys know :)

And yes, Pet Sematary. That shit was scary as hell.

And I remember the part in Gerald's Game (Stephen King) where the woman hears the first noises outside of the house. Can't spoiler it of course, but that entire story is such a scary thought...

[Bill]

I don't know about being the scariest sequence, but there is a part in Dead Sea by Tim Curran about a puppet spider baby and it may be one of the best sequences I have ever read. Only a few pages (or paragraphs even, can't remember) but the concept has stuck with me and I think about it often.

[Richard]

Not entirely scary but there are TRULY unsettling scenes and ideas in Suffer the Children!

[Kimberly]

Bill wrote: "I don't know about being the scariest sequence, but there is a part in Dead Sea by Tim Curran about a puppet spider baby and it may be one of the best sequences I have ever read. Only a few pages (..."

I know exactly the part you mean, Bill! It stuck with me, too. :)

[Kimberly]

McBride's SUNBLIND Sunblind really surprised me with that ending sequence!

[Eva]

Kimberly wrote: "McBride's SUNBLIND Sunblind really surprised me with that ending sequence!"


Putting it on my TBR, love the sound of it!!!

[Kimberly]

Eva wrote: "Kimberly wrote: "McBride's SUNBLIND Sunblind really surprised me with that ending sequence!"


Putting it on my TBR, love the sound of it!!!"
I hope you love it!

[Char]

Yes, Bill! I forgot about that part!

[Rachel]

In Peter Straub's Ghost Story, James tells the story of when he was teaching in that super rural town and the Bates schoolchildren with their older brother Gregory. Actually that whole book scared the shit out of me but nothing scared me more than Gregory Bates!

[Rachel]

Char wrote: "The hallway scenes in House of Leaves."

YES. All these years later and I still recall how I felt when I was first read that.

[Kelly B]

The doors slamming shut in The Haunting of Hill House.


Towards the end of Let's Go Play At The Adams', when they (view spoiler)[ torture poor Barbara to death (hide spoiler)].

The Ritual, when they go up in the attic (both times).

The Stand when that one guy has to walk through the tunnel/bridge.

[Kelly B]

Crowinator wrote: "There's a scene with a beehive in the House of Small Shadows that terrified me - it was so unexpected. Bees should be bad enough, right?"

I thought this whole book was scary....those stuffed animals, the village with the tiny people, the house. Creepy!

[Nurse]

One that has truly stuck with me - The Girl Next Door , the slow build up of torture to poor Meg in this novel and the fact that is is loosely based on true event is truly un-nerving!!

[Eva]

Nurse wrote: "One that has truly stuck with me - The Girl Next Door, the slow build up of torture to poor Meg in this novel and the fact that is is loosely base..."

This is one of the most disturbing books I ever read!

[Steve]

In Robert Curran's book Haunted describing the alleged true events experienced by the Smurl family, there are several events that send chills up your spine. The one that really scared me was Mr Smurl coming out of his bedroom to see a spirit with a Pigs head running at him.
Also Regan's spider walk in The Exorcist.
Georgie's murder by Pennywise in IT.

[Char]

Rachel wrote: "In Peter Straub's Ghost Story, James tells the story of when he was teaching in that super rural town and the Bates schoolchildren with their older brother Gregory. Actually that whole book scared ..."

Gregory and Fenny! There was a scene in a dark movie theater with them that freaked me the hell out.

[Char]

Lilyn G. (Scifi and Scary) wrote: "Rachel wrote: "In Peter Straub's Ghost Story, James tells the story of when he was teaching in that super rural town and the Bates schoolchildren with their older brother Gregory. Actually that who..."

I hope it does!

[Latasha]

Lol!! That's great 😁

[Eva]

I would pee my pants and bed....

[Randy]

The shrubbery maze sequence in The Shining was the first time I remember ever being truly scared while reading. I was in 7th grade and have been a horror fanatic ever since haha

[Mitch]

The end of 'Seed' by Ania Ahlborn is pretty gnarly! It has stayed with me for a while.