The best horror books
A short guide to the horror worth your evenings: who each book is for and what to know before you buy. Written by the booktheque team.
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Quick picks
1. The Shining
Stephen King · 1977 · Best haunted-place horror
A family snowed into a mountain hotel for the winter. King spends a long time making you care about them, which is why the second half hurts. It differs from the film in ways that matter, so read it even if you know the movie.
2. Hell House
Richard Matheson · 1971 · Best for a single sitting
Four researchers spend a week in the “Mount Everest of haunted houses”. Short, tight, and mean.
3. The Haunting of Hill House
Shirley Jackson · 1959 · Best quiet horror
The standard for horror that is never quite explained. Short, beautifully written, and for readers who prefer dread that creeps.
4. Mexican Gothic
Silvia Moreno-Garcia · 2020 · Best recent gothic
A glamorous house, a sick cousin and something wrong in the walls. Strong atmosphere and a fresh setting for the genre.