Top 10 scariest books of all time

[Hayley]

Lori, King was my first adult author and I still love to read his stuff.

[Kirsty]

Logan, I've added both Jaws and Beast to my TBR list.

[Chloe]

Kirsty, maybe it's just me but I am supremely terrified of things that go bump in the deep. Aside from zombies most of my nightmares have me being stalked by a giant squid- even on dry land. Those creatures, at least in my dreams, are some wily beasts.

[Shannon]

Lori,

Yes, we have slated The Stand for October! We are going to read the expanded edition, so that you know when you get your copy.

[Kirsty]

I haven't seen the movie for a long time, but I'm also scared of all things marine... I don't like going in the sea - even paddling - because I'm scared of what I can't see.

[Lori, Super Mod]

Logan, if you are afriad of things that "go bump in the deep" than I have to tell you to never ever read 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea..... NEVER!!!! You might die of fright from some of the things they come across, and have to survive.

[Chloe]

Lori, 20,000 Leagues was the initial source of this phobia. I read it when I was in 2nd grade and had nightmares of tentacular freakiness for weeks afterward. Then I read Michael Crichton's Sphere in 5th grade and this phobia was firmly rooted in me.

[Lori, Super Mod]

Did you read the classics kids version of that book, Logan? I cant picture a 7 year old reading the original adult version of that novel. I had trouble with some of the words, and Im ...well... a-hem... Older.. hee hee

[Chloe]

No, my parents wouldn't let the abridged/illustrated kids version of a book through the front door. I've been reading since I sprung from the womb though and my mom was a classics junkie so Verne, Stephenson and Johann David Wyss were my bosom companions as a kid.

[Marsha]

I have always been a big horror reader- but the only book I remember having to sit in the living room to read (I usually read in my room in peace)was The Amityville Horror. Even then, sitting in the same room with the rest of my family, I distinctly remember moving to sit in the center of the room because being close to any windows or doors was freaking me out. I felt totally vulnerable. I think I was 12 or so.

The movies never bothered me- but that book was scary. Maybe because it was represented as true- but I was reading The Stand around the same time which didn't bother me.

[Julianne]

Since I read this post I added The Best of HP Lovecraft to my TBR books, and picked it up at Borders a few weeks ago. OMG!!!!!!!!!!! I have not been this creeped out in a loooonng time! This is one of those books I refuse to read before bed.

Okay, I admit it, I refuse to read the book in bed b/c ever since I was a child I've been creeped out by having scary books in my room when I turn out the lights (and, yes, I'm almost 30 now and it still haunts me!). As if the words will suddenly come to life and scare the bejeezus out of me while asleep!

[Joanie]

Julianne, I went through a thing like that when I was younger. I remember reading some "Real Haunted Houses" book when I was 12 and being so freaked out I had to get my older sister to take the book out of my room. When I read "It" in college I would have to make sure the book was face down on my nightstand with the pages, not the binding facing me and then I'd put something on top of the book so I wouldn't have to look at the picture on the cover. It's funny what books can do to your mind when the lights are out!

[Lisa]

I can't believe someone else read Necroscope. I wouldn't say it's one of the scariest books I ever read but someone begged me to read it and I liked it a lot more than I thought I would.

[[deleted user]]

Julianne, Lovecraft is very creepy. And I think the way he writes just adds to the ambience.

[Shannon]

Joanie, When I read "It" I did the same thing, but I found that it still bothered me to hold the scary picture in my hand while I was reading it, that I covered it with construction paper! I made a nice little bookcover so as not to ruin the quality, but I couldn't bare to see that face looking at me anymore. My fear of clowns was with me before I read that book and I think that's why it took a while before I even picked it up.

I may have to add Lovecraft to my TBR, I love a good scare.

[Audrey]

Thanks for strting this thread...scary books s are my absolute favorite!

My list as follows...
The Shining
The Exorcist
Silence of the Lambs
Haunted Lily-Nightmare Ball
Ghost Story
Rosemary's Baby

[[deleted user]]

Nice list Audrey. I haven't read Haunted Lily, but the others are among my favorite scary novels.

[Charity]

Haunted Lily...didn't the author of that book just get sent to Spammer Hell? Ah, well, what do you know?? Sure did.

[Lori, Super Mod]

Yeah... a little bit fishy...

[Angela]

I found this on the Paranormal Group:

"Anyway, yes, I do agree about the sock puppet thing, If you look at the accounts of those three "reviewers" (John, Audrey, and Tabitha) it does appear they were created solely for the purpose of raving about this one book in as many different discussion groups as possible. None of them show real pix of real people. Each has just a few common books on the shelves. And then they each post 4 to 6 of these drive by reviews on the same book. Shoot, they even "read and like" each other's reviews!

Things that make you go hmmm...

And oh, yeah, I find it amusing that one of "Audrey's" quotes has to do with reality."

[Charity]

Yes...it is really SUSPICIOUS!

Things that make you go hmmmmm indeed...

[Charity]

All of the "reviewers" for Haunted Lily have joined GR from July through September. And the profile pictures are extremely odd...like fake pictures.

I'm calling it...those are fake accounts created solely to promote that book. Check out the author's "Comments" section on her author page. Everyone signing their name and some kind of fair-thee-well. And all of the "reviewers" places of residence are where the author has lived (according to her bio). And it's simply "AMAZING" that all the author's little followers seem to have read the exact same books she has. Who'da thunk it??

I hate these kind of shenanigans! Take it to Amazon people...

[Charity]

P.S. They are joining all kinds of groups solely to promote this ONE book (same messages in each group). It is the WORST SPAMMER STUNT yet!!!!

[silvia]

LOL haunted made me laugh... Am I seriusly disturbed?

my favorite author horrors are a thriade:
EDGAR ALLAN POE,H.P LOVECRAFT and CLIVE BARKER

[silvia]

alicia mentioned douglas glegg some posts back, I havent read anything buy him yet but I stumbled upon his books on amazon and liked the reviwes so I'm wainting for the nigthmare chronicles from bookmooch.


and about hp lovecraft beinh a racist shall I say sort of in is defence that it was way normal and aceptable back then...

[Julianne]

Joanie,

LOL!! I used to do the same thing. Face down, with a couple other books or something heavy over top. It was terrible in college, since people would look at you funny if you set your books right outside your door overnight!

Jesse, I agree. Lovecraft's style of writing is so suspenseful. And, b/c he wrote in the early 20th century, I'm reading very closely, hanging on and absorbing every word he says. Like that person who leans in to the TV just before the axe murderer leaps out of the darkness.

[Coalbanks]

SPOILER ALERT!
Somewhat differant than the movie. The mayor is evan more of a scumbag in the book than in the movie. The character of the chief is better developed in the book esp in his feelings of insecurity & exclusion in the community & in his family. He is an "outsider' & a cop so the community is not relaxed toward him & he does not know or respect their small-town ways. He feels insecure in his relationship with his & offended by her membership in the insider "island" clique & their attitudes towards outsiders like him. His sons are considered insiders beacause their mother is a born islander but the chief is an outsider, evan in his family. The relationship between the chief & his wife is well-done in both but her character is maybe more developed in the book. The relationship between the chief & the scientist is much less congenial in the book, Jaws ain't the only dangerous beast in the book!

[Jeane]

So many of Patricia Cornwell can get really scary.

According to my sister Enfdless Night by agatha Christie is scary. She refused to read it during the evening before going to bed.

[Inkyuboz]

I've compiled a short list of my Top 10 Scariest Novels, these are:

10. The Wolfen by Whitley Strieber
9. Nightmare House by Douglas Clegg
8. Ghost Road Blues by Jonathan Maberry
7. Books of Blood by Clive Barker
6. The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
5. Misery by Stephen King
4. John Dies at the End by David Wong
3. Memnoch the Devil by Anne Rice
2. The Amulet by Michael McDowell
1. Infected by Scott Sigler

[Stacey]

I looked through most of the books listed here and haven't read several of them. I'll be going back and taking notes to add them to my to-be-read list! :)

I had to go back pretty far to remember reading something that scared me at all. Most are Stephen King and Edgar Allan Poe. The stories that jump out at me are:

It - King (the made-for-tv movie did nothing for me)
The Shining - King
Misery - King
Carrie - King (both book and movie scare me!)
The Pit and the Pendulum - Poe
The Fall of the House of Usher - Poe

I have found that the books that scared me the most, are ones that are about real-life murders/serial killers (I have several). The stories that actually happened are the most scary!

[Stacey]

Just went back and realized that with the exception of the post prior to mine, this is a 2008 thread. Sorry!

[El]

Stacey - don't apologize! Personally I love it when old threads are brought back to life. That's how other people come across them and can hopefully contribute to the suggestions. I had forgotten about this thread, so it's good to see it up and running again.

Plus, I love E.A. Poe. :)

[Liesl]

I don't generally read much that's designed to scare, but there are two I remember scaring the crap out of me:

It by Stephen King
Amityville Horror

[Stacey]

Thanks El:). I practically lived on Poe during high school, to my father's dismay.
Liesl-I'd forgotten Amityville Horror! That book scared me too! I had a hard time sleeping after that one.

[Stacey]

At bookstore now, trying to convince hubby to buy "Heart-Shaped Box" for me. I want something creepy!

[Lori, Super Mod]

Horray for bringing back an old thread :)

[Rosemary]

Ammie, Come Home this book scared the heck out of me!

[Becky]

Pet Semetary by Stephen King - I didn't read another of his books for years. I probably will never read It because clowns are too freaky already (my apologies to professional clowns!).

Helter-Skelter by Vince Bugliosi gave me the willies - decades after the murders

Magic by William Goldman - more of a psychological terror than horror

[El]

Man, I love Helter Skelter. It freaks the crap out of me, but I love it.

[Brenda]

Both of my picks may seem dated but here goes...

The Talented Mr. Ripley (P. Highsmith)
Harvest Home (T. Tryon)

[Coalbanks]

Ripley scarey? I found him charming in the early days but too precious in the later novels .
IT & Salem's Lot by Stephen King

[Ashley]

ohh scary books :)

Has anyone mentioned House of Leaves yet?? It took me a while to get into it, but by the end I was IN it. I'm pretty sure it nearly stole my soul. It just screws with your mind.

[Terence]

Jeffrey Barlough's The House in the High Wood A Story of Old Talbotshire

[Zac]

Ok so I've been watching "scary" movies ever since my parent let me. The only problem is I've never seen one that actually scared me so I'm going to try books to see if that does the trick. I've been going through this forum looking at the different books but I don't know which one to start with. I want to read a book that will scare the **** out of me, not one thats just kind of creepy. I'll put it this way I don't want to be able to fall asleep or turn out the lights and if I do manage to pass out I want to have nightmares. By the way I'm 17 and I'v been searching for something to scare me for more than 10 years. Please help.

-Thanks

[Sasha]

I just skimmed this, but LORI! I love you for giving The Ruins props! I totally love that book.

I don't think it's King's accident that accounts for his drop in quality; I think it's his quitting the booze. I call this Aerosmith Syndrome, when someone quits drugs and simultaneously quits being awesome.

This is going to sound stupid, but: I recently read a scene in Anna Karenina and distinctly thought, "This is as scary as anything I've ever read." It was honestly horrifying.

(If you're curious, MILD SPOILER FOR PART III: it's the day after she confesses her indiscretion to Alexei.)

[Sasha]

Aaaaannnd I see Logan has already made my point, even citing Aerosmith. (And two other perfect examples.) Well done Logan! High five.

[sheila]

Dont know if this would be scarey or just a spooky as heck book. Stephen King "Pet Semetary".

[Tracy]

I read 'Salem's Lot when I was in high school and had to sleep with the light on at night. Ever since, I don't read very scary books.

[Cathy]

Tracy wrote: "I read 'Salem's Lot when I was in high school and had to sleep with the light on at night. Ever since, I don't read very scary books."

Salem's Lot is definitely the scariest book I've ever read, followed closely by The Shining. Love Stephen King!

[Kat (A Journey In Reading)]

Zac wrote: "Ok so I've been watching "scary" movies ever since my parent let me. The only problem is I've never seen one that actually scared me so I'm going to try books to see if that does the trick. I've be..."


The original Amityville Horror..........not the remake... the original.