What's the scariest book you've ever read and why?

[˚ ༘ lunar ♡ ⋆｡˚]

w/o (too many) spoilers if possible

[Squire]

Ghost Story. It touched on all my adolescent fears. The story of Fenny Bate gave me nightmares for nearly two years. When I read it again nearly 30 years later it seriously freaked me out and made me realize that it touched upon a lot of my adult fears. And the story of Fenny Bate gave me the heebie-jeebies still.

And Dr. Rabbitfoot still gives me the willies.

[Two Envelopes And A Phone]

Nazareth Hill by Ramsey Campbell, which also happens to be my favourite Horror novel. I did think about this a bit - "Is my favourite Horror novel also the scariest I've read?". The supernatural forces affecting the characters really got more chilling for me as the book went along - the big transformation of a character's mind into someone horrible, and also the little "haunted house" effects that happen from time to time. And, I have never been more worried for a character who is too young to have to endure all this.

Ramsey Campbell is not for everyone; I in fact started as an "intrigued while also annoyed with the technique" semi-fan of the author, after a few of his books, but then I read The Count Of Eleven and Nazareth Hill (aka The House on Nazareth Hill) in quick succession, loved both of them almost equally, and got converted to a super-fan.

[Kimberly]

Two Envelopes And A Phone wrote: "Nazareth Hill by Ramsey Campbell, which also happens to be my favourite Horror novel. I did think about this a bit - "Is my favourite Horror novel also the scariest I've read?". The..."

This is one of the first Ramsey Campbell novels I ever read, and I STILL remember it vividly!!

[Char]

Squire wrote: "Ghost Story. It touched on all my adolescent fears. The story of Fenny Bate gave me nightmares for nearly two years. When I read it again nearly 30 years later it seriously freaked me ..."

Gregory and Fenny scared the shit out of me! Remember that scene with them in the movie theater? *shudder*

The scariest book for me? Probably Salem's Lot or House of Leaves. (The hallway in House of Leaves, that hallway that went on for far longer than the size of the house? It scared me good!)

[Krystal]

I thought Hex was pretty freaky!

[WendyB]

Stephen King's The Shining has some of the most chilling scenes in a book.
And Konrath's Trapped is really horrifying.

[Kimberly]

WendyB wrote: "Stephen King's The Shining has some of the most chilling scenes in a book.
And Konrath's Trapped is really horrifying."

Agree 100%. The first Konrath book I read was AFRAID, then TRAPPED.

[Squire]

WendyB wrote: "Stephen King's The Shining has some of the most chilling scenes in a book."

The Shining would be my second choice. It gave me bad dreams too, but the ones form GS were much worse. The Shining is my favorite King novel, but Ghost Story is my favorite horror novel.

[Randy]

I think when you're a young reader your imagination is most likely to light up from what you read. For me, I was in my late teens when I first read The Haunting of Hill House. Late one night, my mom in bed, so I was alone in our living room with just a light on beside my chair, I came to the scene where it's dark in Hill House and what is going on brings Eleanor to hold Theodora's hand.

My chair was against the wall, and I knew that and still looked over my shoulder. I had a hard time working up the nerve to go to bed.

[Perry]

Squire wrote: "Ghost Story. It touched on all my adolescent fears. The story of Fenny Bate gave me nightmares for nearly two years. When I read it again nearly 30 years later it seriously freaked me ..."

I would agree, Squire. I think "Ghost Story" was scary just because it was so compelling and well-written. I was hooked on the story right from the first page. I remember reading it in the evenings, late into the night because I couldn't put it down until 2:00 AM--That's rare for me. Then I had to go through the dark house, locking doors, and I knew every shadow could hide a spook! And oh man, the flip-around from that opening prologue to the scene at the end!
Beyond that, I don't recall any specifics that scared me. It's probably time for a re-read.