1960s

scariest books 1960

Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury (1962)

Does the idea of a traveling carnival freak you out? Perhaps it should. Teens Jim and Will explore the carnival that has just come to town, and meet the sinister Mr. Dark—who lures carnival-goers into serving him.

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The Collector, by John Fowles (1965)

A very disturbing and lonely man is obsessed with art student Miranda Grey. So obsessed that he decides to kidnap her. Loosely based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest, this one will rattle you.

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In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote (1966)

While it may be the only work of non-fiction on this list, Capote’s account of the 1959 Herbert Clutter family murders reads like a novel. This detailed and horrifying book is best read with the lights on.

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Want to read a summary of In Cold Blood? Download it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes.

Rosemary’s Baby, by Ira Levin (1967)

Though they were warned about their new residence’s disturbing history of witchcraft and murder, Guy and Rosemary are unfazed. Until, that is, they discover it to be true. This classic story of horror is a must-read for fans of the genre.

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1970s

scariest books 1970

The Exorcist, by William Peter Blatty (1971)

Inspired by a 1949 case of demonic possession, the highly disturbing tale follows the possession of a young girl and the exorcism performed by two priests in order to free her from the demon.

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Harvest Home, by Thomas Tryon (1973)

Adjusting to a new town can be rough. But it doesn’t help when the townspeople have frightening rituals that put your own family in danger.

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Requiem For a Dream, by Hubert Selby Jr. (1978)

Four New Yorkers try and pursue their dreams, but instead form crippling drug habits. It’s a scarily real tale of caution about the effects of drug abuse.

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1980s

scariest books 1980

Pet Sematary, by Stephen King (1983)

Sure, any of Stephen King’s novels could have made this list—but this one really renders us horrified. This chilling book involves death and reincarnation, revealing that once people come back from the dead they’re never quite the same…

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The Silence of the Lambs, by Thomas Harris (1988)

Cannibal serial killer Hannibal Lecter is one of the most frightening characters in the horror genre. And though he’s safely locked away in a mental institution during this book, we never quite feel safe from his grasp.

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Swan Song, by Robert R. McCammon (1987)

A devastating look at what could have happened if the United States and the Soviet Union were still at odds, and every other country destroyed each other, Swan Song is a terrifying post-apocalyptic novel.

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Dawn, by Octavia E. Butler (1987)

Another ‘what if’ novel, this book takes place after Earth is left uninhabitable by nuclear war. A few survivors are picked up by an alien race, the Oankali, and are conflicted between their loyalty to the human race and their desire to survive.

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1990s

scariest books 1990

American Psycho, by Bret Easton Ellis (1991)

Manhattan businessman and serial killer, Patrick Bateman, is an incredibly disturbing character. Try not to cringe as his killing become more and more graphic.

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Summer of Night, by Dan Simmons (1991)

As terrifying events begin to unfold in the Old Central School, including corpses coming to life, five pre-teens must defeat them before they destroy the town.

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The Cipher, by Kathe Koja (1991)

Nicholas and Nakota discover a strange black hole in their storage room floor. But regardless of if they want to see what’s down there or not … the frightening presence of something else might not give them the choice.

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2000s

scariest books 2000

House of Leaves, by Mark Z. Danielewski (2000)

This intriguing and freaky novel, told by many–somewhat unreliable–narrators is about a house whose internal dimensions seem to grow, while its exterior dimensions stay the same.

Buy it on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

We Need to Talk About Kevin, by Lionel Shriver (2003)

Written from the perspective of the killer’s mother, the book is about a fictional school massacre and coming to terms with the murders he committed. It’s frightening and heartbreaking all at the same time, especially in the wake of true events.

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The Ruins, by Scott Smith (2006)

Tourists in Mexico venture near a Mayan village, where things quickly go from bad to worse as members of their party are killed by poisonous, seemingly manipulative vines. It’ll make you think twice about your next vacation …

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Heart-Shaped Box, by Joe Hill (2007)

Judas is a collector of morbid memorabilia and thinks he’s hit the jackpot when he purchases a suit with an old man’s spirit attached to it. Little does he know, the old man is out for revenge … and will stop at nothing until Jude and those around him are dead.

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2010s

scariest books 2010

The Ritual, by Adam Nevill (2011)

Old college friends reunite for a hiking retreat through the Swedish Forests. But as they get lost they realize that something is intent on ensuring they never make it out alive in this really scary book.

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Penpal, by Dathan Auerbach (2012)

Haunted by the bizarre and tragic occurrences in his past, a man investigates in hopes of understanding what really happened. It’s impossible to forget and will leave you searching for answers of your own.

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Broken Monsters, by Lauren Beukes (2014)

A monster is on the loose, leaving disturbing crime scenes—like a boy and deer somehow fused together—in its wake. This suspenseful and chilling tale is truly gripping.

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The web’s creepiest and most mysterious content.

40 Scariest Books of the Last 200 Years

Because a truly scary story is timeless.