Best Horror Novels

What novels made you want to sleep with the lights on?

Please note: This list is for NOVELS only!

For anthologies (multiple authors) see: Best Horror Anthologies
For single-author collections see: Horror Collections Single Author
For graphic novels & comic books see: Best Horror Comics/Graphic Novels!
For all horror books together see: The Definitive Horror Book List
For all horror books with more than 50,000 ratings see: The Most Popular Horror on Goodreads

flag

All Votes Add Books To This List

301	Speaks the Nightbird (Matthew Corbett, #1) by Robert McCammon 4.15 avg rating — 14,018 ratings score: 751, and 11 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
302	Vamphyri! (Necroscope, #2) by Brian Lumley 4.11 avg rating — 8,057 ratings score: 745, and 12 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
303	The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon (Goodreads Author) 3.82 avg rating — 80,766 ratings score: 744, and 10 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
304	The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury 3.77 avg rating — 34,991 ratings score: 738, and 11 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
305	The Tomb (Repairman Jack, #1) by F. Paul Wilson (Goodreads Author) 4.05 avg rating — 8,879 ratings score: 718, and 10 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
306	Trapped (The Konrath Dark Thriller Collective #4) by J.A. Konrath (Goodreads Author) 3.86 avg rating — 5,680 ratings score: 715, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
307	Seed by Ania Ahlborn (Goodreads Author) 3.80 avg rating — 29,715 ratings score: 714, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
308	The Ignored by Bentley Little 3.80 avg rating — 2,158 ratings score: 713, and 10 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
309	Darkness by John Saul 3.95 avg rating — 21,309 ratings score: 712, and 11 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
310	The Shadow over Innsmouth by H.P. Lovecraft 4.10 avg rating — 23,455 ratings score: 709, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
311	Apocalyptic Empire: The Hatchery Compound by Chris Blake (Goodreads Author) 3.87 avg rating — 68 ratings score: 700, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
311	The Night Begins by Abigail F. Taylor 4.43 avg rating — 51 ratings score: 700, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
313	Beware! by Richard Laymond 3.50 avg rating — 2,463 ratings score: 698, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
314	The Lucienne Twins by Leo Petracci (Goodreads Author) 3.86 avg rating — 115 ratings score: 696, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
315	The Killer Inside Me by Jim Thompson 3.86 avg rating — 23,789 ratings score: 694, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
316	Bloody Bones (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #5) by Laurell K. Hamilton (Goodreads Author) 4.12 avg rating — 75,892 ratings score: 690, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
317	Strange Highways by Dean Koontz (Goodreads Author) 3.87 avg rating — 19,889 ratings score: 688, and 10 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
317	The House with a Clock in Its Walls (Lewis Barnavelt, #1) by John Bellairs 3.73 avg rating — 20,117 ratings score: 688, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
317	Tuning in to Terror by Deborah McClatchey (Goodreads Author) 4.62 avg rating — 132 ratings score: 688, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
320	Asylum: A Hidden Tale - Sinister Tales by Anna Gallegos (Goodreads Author) 4.03 avg rating — 36 ratings score: 686, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
321	The Secret of Crickley Hall by James Herbert 3.91 avg rating — 9,781 ratings score: 685, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
322	Night in the Lonesome October by Richard Laymon 3.83 avg rating — 4,059 ratings score: 683, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
323	Houdini Heart by Ki Longfellow (Goodreads Author) 3.84 avg rating — 5,489 ratings score: 673, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
324	Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King (Goodreads Author) 3.93 avg rating — 159,482 ratings score: 670, and 10 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
325	The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones (Goodreads Author) 3.70 avg rating — 90,754 ratings score: 664, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
326	The Cipher by Kathe Koja (Goodreads Author) 3.54 avg rating — 6,633 ratings score: 644, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
327	No Sanctuary by Richard Laymon 3.74 avg rating — 2,009 ratings score: 642, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
328	We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver (Goodreads Author) 4.08 avg rating — 200,860 ratings score: 623, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
329	Memnoch the Devil (The Vampire Chronicles, #5) by Anne Rice 3.76 avg rating — 83,963 ratings score: 615, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
329	The Bachman Books by Richard Bachman (Pseudonym) 4.14 avg rating — 73,340 ratings score: 615, and 10 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
331	Haunted (David Ash, #1) by James Herbert 3.78 avg rating — 8,380 ratings score: 614, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
332	Anno Dracula (Anno Dracula, #1) by Kim Newman 3.77 avg rating — 14,544 ratings score: 607, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
333	Our Lady of Darkness by Fritz Leiber 3.61 avg rating — 2,323 ratings score: 601, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
334	The Haunted by Bentley Little 3.53 avg rating — 10,348 ratings score: 600, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
335	Blue Moon (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #8) by Laurell K. Hamilton (Goodreads Author) 4.06 avg rating — 67,012 ratings score: 599, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
336	A Winter Journey by Billy Young (Goodreads Author) 3.62 avg rating — 34 ratings score: 598, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
336	The Straw Men (Straw Men, #1) by Michael Marshall 3.89 avg rating — 5,090 ratings score: 598, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
338	Breeding Ground by Sarah Pinborough (Goodreads Author) 3.60 avg rating — 580 ratings score: 596, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
339	The Lunatic Cafe (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #4) by Laurell K. Hamilton (Goodreads Author) 4.13 avg rating — 80,068 ratings score: 590, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
340	Rose Madder by Stephen King (Goodreads Author) 3.75 avg rating — 117,524 ratings score: 585, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
341	The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket by Edgar Allan Poe 3.50 avg rating — 13,386 ratings score: 584, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
341	The Deep by Nick Cutter (Goodreads Author) 3.42 avg rating — 34,325 ratings score: 584, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
343	The Case of Charles Dexter Ward by H.P. Lovecraft 4.13 avg rating — 21,399 ratings score: 579, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
344	Demon Seed by Dean Koontz (Goodreads Author) 3.45 avg rating — 15,751 ratings score: 575, and 11 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
345	Vampire$ by John Steakley 3.73 avg rating — 3,452 ratings score: 573, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
346	The Sentinel by Jeffrey Konvitz (Goodreads Author) 3.83 avg rating — 7,579 ratings score: 572, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
346	Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King (Goodreads Author) 3.86 avg rating — 98,346 ratings score: 572, and 10 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
346	The Forgotten Island by David Sodergren (Goodreads Author) 3.88 avg rating — 2,816 ratings score: 572, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
349	Every Dead Thing (Charlie Parker, #1) by John Connolly (Goodreads Author) 3.96 avg rating — 31,361 ratings score: 567, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
350	Nobody True by James Herbert 3.87 avg rating — 3,086 ratings score: 565, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
351	Neverland by Douglas Clegg (Goodreads Author) 3.63 avg rating — 1,882 ratings score: 563, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
352	Spiderstalk by D. Nathan Hilliard (Goodreads Author) 4.19 avg rating — 242 ratings score: 561, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
353	Dark Harvest by Norman Partridge 3.61 avg rating — 11,970 ratings score: 553, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
353	The Classic Horror Stories by H.P. Lovecraft 3.86 avg rating — 545 ratings score: 553, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
355	The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens 3.66 avg rating — 12,607 ratings score: 551, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
356	By Bizarre Hands by Joe R. Lansdale (Goodreads Author) 4.21 avg rating — 729 ratings score: 550, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
357	Mirror by Graham Masterton 3.88 avg rating — 2,084 ratings score: 549, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
358	Bite by Richard Laymon 3.59 avg rating — 2,438 ratings score: 548, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
359	Dead Man's Song (Pine Deep, #2) by Jonathan Maberry (Goodreads Author) 4.10 avg rating — 4,017 ratings score: 545, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
360	The Tooth Fairy by Graham Joyce 3.81 avg rating — 3,127 ratings score: 543, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
361	Something from the Nightside (Nightside, #1) by Simon R. Green 3.77 avg rating — 25,190 ratings score: 542, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
362	The House of Thunder by Leigh Nichols (Pseudonym) 3.84 avg rating — 22,499 ratings score: 540, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
363	Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, #1) by Seth Grahame-Smith (Goodreads Author) 3.31 avg rating — 140,415 ratings score: 537, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
363	Into the Drowning Deep (Rolling in the Deep, #1) by Mira Grant 3.96 avg rating — 38,770 ratings score: 537, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
365	The Hellfire Club by Peter Straub 3.75 avg rating — 7,210 ratings score: 530, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
366	The Body Snatchers by Finney 3.90 avg rating — 23,707 ratings score: 521, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
367	Apartment 16 by Adam L.G. Nevill (Goodreads Author) 3.20 avg rating — 5,722 ratings score: 515, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
368	The Shrinking Man by Richard Matheson 3.78 avg rating — 8,686 ratings score: 514, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
368	The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes (Goodreads Author) 3.54 avg rating — 52,512 ratings score: 514, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
370	The Secret History by Donna Tartt 4.17 avg rating — 834,549 ratings score: 507, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
371	Among the Missing by Richard Laymon 3.75 avg rating — 2,501 ratings score: 506, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
371	The Unloved by John Saul 3.88 avg rating — 4,719 ratings score: 506, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
373	Music City Macabre (The Low Lying Lands #1) by Bob Williams (Goodreads Author) 4.11 avg rating — 54 ratings score: 500, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
373	Pandora (The Organization, #1) by Joshua Grant (Goodreads Author) 4.01 avg rating — 125 ratings score: 500, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
375	Avenue of Death by Akash Bansal 3.59 avg rating — 85 ratings score: 499, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
376	Billy's Experiment by Jonathan Dunne (Goodreads Author) 4.25 avg rating — 292 ratings score: 498, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
377	The God Project by John Saul 3.93 avg rating — 11,271 ratings score: 497, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
377	Joe R. Lansdale's The Drive-In by Joe R. Lansdale (Goodreads Author) 3.92 avg rating — 1,399 ratings score: 497, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
379	To Wake The Dead by Richard Laymon 3.60 avg rating — 1,737 ratings score: 495, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
380	Hater (Hater, #1) by David Moody (Goodreads Author) 3.65 avg rating — 10,577 ratings score: 494, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
381	Le Horla et autres contes fantastiques by Guy de Maupassant 3.89 avg rating — 21,378 ratings score: 490, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
382	The Resurrectionist by Wrath James White (Goodreads Author) 3.72 avg rating — 1,808 ratings score: 489, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
382	The Monstrumologist (The Monstrumologist, #1) by Rick Yancey 3.91 avg rating — 20,074 ratings score: 489, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
384	Revival by Stephen King (Goodreads Author) 3.80 avg rating — 131,341 ratings score: 486, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
385	20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill (Goodreads Author) 3.90 avg rating — 45,619 ratings score: 485, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
386	The Unheards by A.K. Bansal 3.52 avg rating — 112 ratings score: 484, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
386	The Demon Magician by Alex Dunn 4.02 avg rating — 42 ratings score: 484, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
388	Suffer the Children by John Saul 3.92 avg rating — 31,017 ratings score: 483, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
389	The Face of Fear by Brian Coffey (Pseudonym) 3.86 avg rating — 17,689 ratings score: 482, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
389	The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories by Angela Carter 3.92 avg rating — 60,167 ratings score: 482, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
391	Abyss of Sinners by Anthony Hulse (Goodreads Author) 4.55 avg rating — 20 ratings score: 480, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
392	Whispers of the Dead by Anthony Hulse (Goodreads Author) 4.61 avg rating — 90 ratings score: 477, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
393	Teatro Grottesco by Thomas Ligotti 4.10 avg rating — 5,365 ratings score: 470, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
394	Seize the Night (Moonlight Bay, #2) by Dean Koontz (Goodreads Author) 4.09 avg rating — 29,274 ratings score: 462, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
395	I Am Not a Serial Killer (John Cleaver, #1) by Dan Wells (Goodreads Author) 3.79 avg rating — 39,962 ratings score: 461, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
395	The Croning by Laird Barron (Goodreads Author) 3.73 avg rating — 5,691 ratings score: 461, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
397	The Cabinet of Curiosities (Pendergast, #3; Nora Kelly, #0B) by Douglas Preston (Goodreads Author) 4.27 avg rating — 53,075 ratings score: 460, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
398	This Book Is Full of Spiders (John Dies at the End, #2) by David Wong (Goodreads Author) 4.26 avg rating — 32,378 ratings score: 458, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
399	The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing 3.62 avg rating — 22,149 ratings score: 457, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
400	Little Star by John Ajvide Lindqvist 3.64 avg rating — 7,497 ratings score: 451, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

← Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 19 20 Next →

1,932 books · 5,697 voters · list created June 28th, 2008 by Susan (votes) .

Tags: best, horror

53 likes · Like

Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.

People Who Voted On This List (5697)

Susan 1641 books
61 friends

Heather 1515 books
35 friends

Billy 401 books
3069 friends

Kate 4905 books
1509 friends

Lindsey 1166 books
19 friends

William 4277 books
134 friends

Bresdin 499 books
13 friends

Nicholas 433 books
12 friends

More voters…

Post a comment »
Comments Showing 1-50 of 76 (76 new)

date

newest »

message 1: by Laya (new)

May 15, 2009 09:38AM

this book was so amazing and the movie was just as cool!! steven king is BEAST!!!

reply | flag

message 2: by Nick (new)

Apr 11, 2010 05:18AM

where is Brian Lumley and his Necroscope series or other novels? Can't believe not a one.

reply | flag

message 3: by Mike (the Paladin) (new)

Jun 21, 2010 09:16AM

Dracula is list because people have voted on multiple editions.... I agree they need to be consolidated.

Another thing (pet peeve here, and my pointing things like this out may be a pet peeve of some people) I'd love to vote for H. P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allen Poe...but those are short story collections and this is a list of novels. If the list had been best "horror stories" then they'd fit...but they aren't novels.

reply | flag

message 4: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jun 21, 2010 07:46PM

I got rid of the duplicates.

reply | flag

message 5: by [deleted user] (new)

Jun 24, 2010 02:35PM

Laya wrote: "this book was so amazing and the movie was just as cool!! steven king is BEAST!!!"

He is a beast alright! LOL!

reply | flag

message 6: by Patrick (new)

Aug 07, 2010 12:45AM

Currently reading Silence of the Lambs. Salem's Lot is next!

reply | flag

message 7: by Shannon (new)

Aug 26, 2010 06:21AM

An old book that creeped me out was "The Dark" by James Herbert. Don't read alone in the dark!!!

reply | flag

message 8: by Alec (new)

Sep 11, 2010 10:35AM

It's sad seeing Poe and Lovecraft shunted so low in the list and lost amongst all of the Stephen King novels despite these two being two of the most influential horror writers of all time. I get Robert Chambers or Ashton Clark Smith or August Dereleth not being on here. Lovecraft makes an entrance below World War Z -- that's a fantastic book, but seriously? I think the only thing that would be more insulting is if Meyers was on this list.

reply | flag

message 9: by Yassemin (new)

Sep 16, 2010 06:21AM

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "Dracula is list because people have voted on multiple editions.... I agree they need to be consolidated.

Another thing (pet peeve here, and my pointing things like this out may be a pet peeve of ..."

Thats just an absurdly pedantic point. Its a book! Enough said!

reply | flag

message 10: by Yassemin (new)

Sep 16, 2010 06:23AM

reply | flag

message 11: by Caroline (new)

Sep 23, 2010 12:39PM

Laya wrote: "this book was so amazing and the movie was just as cool!! steven king is BEAST!!!"

truer words have NEVER been spoken

reply | flag

message 12: by Cari (new)

Dec 12, 2010 01:08AM

Looking for a suggestion for a bookclub 'horror' book . . . . not blood and gore but a scare your pants off, keep you up at night, psychological thriller that would satisfy a wide group of readers, but isn't corny and overdone. Any suggestions?

reply | flag

message 13: by Scott (new)

Feb 27, 2011 01:19PM

Do people not know what novels are? There are so many collections listed here (I'll give novellas a pass.)

reply | flag

message 14: by [deleted user] (new)

Sep 03, 2011 12:12AM

Cari wrote: "Looking for a suggestion for a bookclub 'horror' book . . . . not blood and gore but a scare your pants off, keep you up at night, psychological thriller that would satisfy a wide group of readers,..."

Well, "The Shining", heading this list, has no explicit scenes or violence exactly. It's more the threat and what it's implied. And it's really, really scary. Nothing corny about it.

reply | flag

message 15: by J.W. (new)

Mar 16, 2012 05:34AM

Why is Laymon so far down on this list?

reply | flag

message 16: by Asilee (new)

May 07, 2012 09:16PM

Laya wrote: "this book was so amazing and the movie was just as cool!! steven king is BEAST!!!"

Which book?

reply | flag

message 17: by Pankaj (new)

May 12, 2012 01:02AM

Best Scary House
http://bestforhalloween.com
Horror and Halloween Link Directory. Add your site for free. Horror authors, artists, halloween props, music, goth, costumes, paranormal, virtual haunted houses, all horror related sites are welcome to join. Best Scary House

reply | flag

message 18: by Carl (new)

Aug 31, 2012 12:24AM

Nick wrote: "where is Brian Lumley and his Necroscope series or other novels? Can't believe not a one."

That was one of the best series I ever read, amazing!

reply | flag

message 19: by Guy (new)

Aug 31, 2012 04:38AM

Shannon wrote: "An old book that creeped me out was "The Dark" by James Herbert. Don't read alone in the dark!!!"

Don't worry, I wont.

reply | flag

message 20: by Laura (new)

Oct 08, 2012 11:23AM

I'm deleting books that aren't horror... like The Giver and The Host. 0.o

reply | flag

message 21: by El (new)

Oct 10, 2012 05:51AM

Helter Skelter isn't even a novel. Once I saw the Ann Rule book on the second page (also non-fiction), I gave up looking at this list.

reply | flag

message 22: by Rajshekhar (new)

Jan 11, 2013 12:14AM

this is a horror novel . i have to red it.

reply | flag

message 23: by Laura (new)

Jan 19, 2013 07:53PM

Deleted for not being horror:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
Marked by P.C. Cast
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo
Geek Love by Katherine Dunn
Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong
Dime Store Magic by Kelley Armstrong
Holes by Louis Sachar
Night by Elie Wiesel
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows by J.K. Rowling
The Angel Experiment by James Patterson
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
The Field Guide by Holly Black
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Artemis Fowl by Eion Colfer
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling
Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Matilda by Roald Dahl
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

More will be delete later...

reply | flag

message 24: by Anthony (new)

Jan 29, 2013 12:56PM

Devil's Knot # 206 is not horror, it is non-fiction

reply | flag

message 25: by Scott (new)

Feb 26, 2013 11:51AM

A lot of the Lovecraft books are technically not "novels" but anthologies or novellas. Mostly just semantics, though. Many are great reads.

reply | flag

message 26: by Summer Seeds (new)

Jul 14, 2013 08:42AM

Is Lord of the Flies really a "horror" novel? Don't get me wrong, sure it has some horrifying moments, but I've never considered it in the genre of horror before.

reply | flag

message 27: by Robert (new)

Jul 28, 2013 06:29AM

What are some of Lovecraft's greatest, "non-Mythos" reads that will point me (a non- Lovecraft reader) in the right direction?

reply | flag

message 28: by Josephine (new)

Sep 22, 2013 07:08PM

Is Gunslinger or Dark Tower really horror? I don't think of it that way at all, though I'd give it a top rating in fantasy.

reply | flag

message 29: by Josephine (new)

Sep 22, 2013 07:12PM

Lord of the flies an The Road aren't really horror are they? Good list, aside from a very few books that don't seem to fit horror.

reply | flag

message 30: by Amy (last edited Oct 09, 2013 08:46PM) (new)

Oct 09, 2013 08:42PM

1984 is NOT a horror story. Really, do people even bother to think before they add books? Neither is Lord of the Flies, and the Dark Tower series isn't horror, it's fantasy, by Stephen King's own words. Just because King wrote something doesn't automatically qualify it as horror. I'm not really sure that Flowers in the Attic really qualifies as horror either.

reply | flag

message 31: by Adam (new)

Oct 23, 2013 10:35AM

El wrote: "Helter Skelter isn't even a novel. Once I saw the Ann Rule book on the second page (also non-fiction), I gave up looking at this list."

I removed it.

reply | flag

message 32: by Adam (last edited Oct 23, 2013 10:44AM) (new)

Oct 23, 2013 10:40AM

Summer wrote: "Is Lord of the Flies really a "horror" novel? Don't get me wrong, sure it has some horrifying moments, but I've never considered it in the genre of horror before."

Josephine wrote: "Lord of the flies an The Road aren't really horror are they? Good list, aside from a very few books that don't seem to fit horror."

Amy wrote: "1984 is NOT a horror story. Really, do people even bother to think before they add books? Neither is Lord of the Flies, and the Dark Tower series isn't horror, it's fantasy, by Stephen King's own ..."

Lord of the Flies & 1984 are gone. I also removed the following, because they are not horror books:

The Stand - Stephen King
Intensity - Dean Koontz
Insomnia - Stephen King
Gunslinger - Stephen King

reply | flag

message 33: by Amy (last edited Nov 03, 2013 06:05PM) (new)

Oct 23, 2013 04:23PM

Removed:

Under the Dome
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Fahrenheit 451
Adventures of Tom Sawyer
SeinLanguage
Jane Eyre

Quite a few duplicates.

Almost all those titles are either pure sci-fi or comedy non-fiction or Victorian literary classics. None of them belong on a horror list; and I suspect that people putting them here think they're being cute.

reply | flag

message 34: by Sami (new)

Oct 24, 2013 12:06PM

It amuses me that 26 - over a quarter, obviously - of the top 100 horror books are by Stephen King. He truly seems to be the current King of Horror.

reply | flag

message 35: by Adam (new)

Nov 13, 2013 11:57AM

Sami wrote: "It amuses me that 26 - over a quarter, obviously - of the top 100 horror books are by Stephen King. He truly seems to be the current King of Horror."

He gets such a bad rap because of the sheer volume of works he's written, but I have yet to get the feeling that they are repetitive or merely fit some form or style of writing that is repeated. (For example, almost all of Grisham's book involve a young to middle age, white, attorney male, running in to some trouble, resolving said trouble, and living happily ever after).

reply | flag

message 36: by Jon (new)

Nov 17, 2013 07:57AM

No John Connolly? Not even one title?

reply | flag

message 37: by Justice (new)

Dec 10, 2013 03:59AM

Shadowland by Peter Straub & Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons should have both been higher and many of Kings books should have been lower but hes a mainstream author so cant be surprised about that I guess..

reply | flag

message 38: by Matthew (new)

Feb 14, 2014 06:51AM

I see a previous comment saying that Intensity by Koontz was removed for not being horror. Based on my opinion of what horror is, I disagree with that move. It seems to me that Inensity is more of a horror novel than Coma (which is still on this list, and I am not suggesting be removed, I just don't think of it as much of a horror novel as Intensity.)

reply | flag

message 39: by [deleted user] (new)

Mar 29, 2014 06:24PM

Matthew wrote: "I see a previous comment saying that Intensity by Koontz was removed for not being horror. Based on my opinion of what horror is, I disagree with that move. It seems to me that Inensity is more o..."

I agree with you that it is horror! Some people just have nerves of steel. I guess nothing could scare them.

reply | flag

message 40: by Steph (new)

Jun 06, 2014 10:49PM

Come on... Stephen King is good, but not that good.... he doesn't deserve half of the damn list.

reply | flag

message 41: by [deleted user] (new)

Jun 07, 2014 04:09PM

Mark wrote: "Has anyone read Glen Duncan's "The Last Werewolf?" It's a pretty damn "Good Read." A little more sophisticated than most werewolf novels. Horrific and yet without a lot of scares. Told from the wer..."

I started it and thought it was the most horrible trashy thing I had ever started. Then I abandoned it.

reply | flag

message 42: by Kirsten (new)

Sep 13, 2014 05:37AM

How the hell did Agatha Christie get on a Horror Novels list??

reply | flag

message 43: by Leo (new)

Oct 02, 2014 07:38AM

Cari wrote: "Looking for a suggestion for a bookclub 'horror' book . . . . not blood and gore but a scare your pants off, keep you up at night, psychological thriller that would satisfy a wide group of readers,..."

I enjoyed both Horns and NOS4A2 and think both would be good for a book club suggestion.

reply | flag

message 44: by Paul (new)

Nov 10, 2014 08:31AM

Checked for duplicates: 3 books removed.

reply | flag

message 45: by Paul (new)

Nov 10, 2014 09:01AM

The list title explicitly asks for horror novels. I have removed all short story and novella collections from the top 300 titles, including multiple titles by Stephen King, H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, Clive Barker, etc. It would be a help if these were not re-added.

reply | flag

message 46: by Paul (new)

Dec 28, 2014 07:16AM

Checked for duplicates: 24 books removed.

reply | flag

message 47: by Alex (new)

Jan 21, 2015 03:43AM