I love to read a book that sends chills down my spine at any time of the year but especially around Halloween. Below are fifteen books that will make you stop reading and look over your shoulder, make you want the lights on, and possibly give you nightmares.
The name of the book before a slight description of it is a link to my review on that book. The exception to this is the link to Softly and Tenderly. That link is to the very first part of the book. I didn’t write a review on this one simply because I’m the author. You can read reviews of my book on its Amazon page.
And at the bottom of this article are Amazon links for each of the books in case you decide to buy one or more of them.
Baby Teeth – If you want to make a book truly scary, an evil child will send chills up the readers’ spines. In Baby Teeth, Zoje Stage has created a little girl that will give you nightmares.
Charnel House – Do you believe in the supernatural abilities of the Indians and the power they have against demonic forces? What happens when a demon invades the modern world? Is the power of a shaman enough to stop him? This story is not for the faint of heart or those who are easily scared.
Dark Corners: Twelve Tales of Terror – Clowns, the devil, being buried alive, being the last man on earth. Do any of those things scare you? Fans of horror fiction, get ready for some truly horrifying tales.
Embrace the Darkness and Other Short Stories – The haunting stories in Embrace the Darkness and Other Short Stories delve deep into dreams and nightmares, witchcraft, paganism, and death.
Jar of Hearts – The actions of the characters in Jar of Hearts will thrill and horrify you, yet you will want to know more.
This book is full of suspense that won’t stop or even take a break. Almost on every page, some dark and horrible secret comes to life. Some of them you might have expected; most of them you won’t have had a clue were coming.
Little Darlings – Little Darlings is a terrifying story that will haunt your thoughts long after you finish it. The original Grimm’s fairy tales are not sweet and innocent; they are bloody, violent, and scary. Folktales that have been told for hundreds of years can be the same. What if they were true? What if the horrible things that happened in them could actually happen to you?
Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook – Have you ever wondered about the story behind Captain Hook? When I finished this book, all I could say was, “Wow!” If you’re used to thinking that Peter Pan was a good boy, this story might give you a bit of a shock. This dark and bloody book is not one you want to share with your children.
Meat – How much do you know about the new grocery store that appeared down the block from you one day? You see all kinds of people go in, but you have never seen one come back out. Have you ever wondered where they all went?
My Cold Kentucky Home – Could a land be so haunted that the residents of any houses or apartments built on that land are doomed? We’ve all heard about the possessed house in Amityville, but are you ready for the horrors of Hubertson?
My Daughter, My Assassin – All of us long for our child to be special and to be great at what they choose to do in life. But does this wish hold true even if your only daughter is a natural killer? What if she begins to show her talent as an assassin at a really young age?
Softly and Tenderly – “Mom died in her sleep last night.” Those are terrifying words for a child to wake up to. The death of Lori’s mom is the beginning of one of the strangest and most frightening times in her life. Death is not a pretty thing, especially not when the funeral is to be at the Lights Out Chapel and Crematorium.
As if the death of her mother wasn’t enough, young Lori experiences terrifying visions after losing her. Were they real or imagined? Years later, after another death in the family, the visions return, more horrifying than before. This time, there is no doubt they are real.
The Doll-Master and Other Tales of Terror – In this haunting collection of tales, a young boy becomes obsessed with dolls after his cousin dies from leukemia. A teenage girl’s job of housesitting turns into a time of terror. A wife is convinced that her husband wants to kill her. And little children are mysteriously disappearing.
The Halloween Children – Something eerie is going on at Stillbrook Apartments where Harris is the maintenance man. The bizarre and disturbing residents, screaming birds, strange noises and odors, an eerie abandoned unit—these all add up to make a chilling and oppressive atmosphere. I’m so glad that I don’t live there.
The Marriage Pact – The Marriage Pact is a thriller, but the deeper you get into the book, the more of a horror story it becomes. When you imagine you and your own spouse trapped in the exact situation that Alice and Jake are, it becomes terrifying.
Tunnels and Other Short Stories – These creepy stories have possession, serial killers, revenge, betrayal, ghosts, and a terrifying creature of the night.
Just staring at the cover of this book for very long could prove to be unsettling. I would recommend listening to or reading these stories during the daylight hours, not as you’re about to fall asleep, especially if you’re prone to nightmares.
Amazon Links:
Dark Corners: Twelve Tales of Terror
Embrace the Darkness and Other Short Stories
Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook
