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Stephen King may have been the king of horror in the 80s, but most kids at that time remember Christopher Pike. The vivid covers conveyed cartoonish nightmares, but these weren’t adult books made accessible to kids. These were books with young adults experiencing life and all the horrors in it.
Christopher Pike's books weren't just stories that kept teens up at night. These narratives helped teens grapple with the world as it changed—both internally and externally.
And these books have endured. So much so, that Mike Flanagan brought one of them—The Midnight Club—to life in 2022.
Christopher Pike began his career writing horror stories for young adults, but throughout his career, he’s written over fifty novels spanning all audiences.
He writes slashers and campfire scares, but woven inside each tale is a contemplation on the meaning of life and death—and often, the question of what happens to our body and soul after we die.
Many horror readers of today first dipped their toes into those haunted waters thanks to a Christopher Pike novel, learning the beats of slashers, supernatural hauntings, and paranormal encounters. They’re fun, often iconic, and always a blast to read.
If you’ve been looking for a reason to revisit some of your favorites, or want to read a Pike novel for the first time, here are the nine of the most popular Christopher Pike novels to get you started.
Thirst No. 1: The Last Vampire
Alisa Perne is the last vampire. For five thousand years she’s been alone, living among and on the humans she’s surrounded by. And when she hunts, she’s always careful. Or so she thinks. Someone has been following her. Someone who wants her dead. Now, Alisa has to make a choice. Keep a promise made long ago. Or protect the mortal man she might be falling for.
Thirst No. 2: Phantom, Evil Thirst, and Creatures of Forever
All Alisa has wanted for centuries was to be human again. But now that she is, it’s not exactly what she expected. For one thing, she didn’t expect to be so vulnerable. And she really didn’t think about the consequences of having emotions again. But can she reconcile the weight of her past decisions and build a new identity? Or is she doomed to keep repeating her mistakes?
Thirst No. 3: The Eternal Dawn
Five thousand years as a vampire has been lonely for Alisa. A life of fighting for survival has led to isolation. She shouldn’t befriend a descendant from her human family. And she really shouldn’t bring Teri into her life. Just knowing Alisa puts Teri’s life at risk.
But when Alisa becomes tangled in a dangerous conspiracy, she does everything she can to protect Teri. When she discovers a deadly force more powerful than she’s ever encountered, she has to figure out who to trust and who to challenge. Before it’s too late.
Remember Me by Pike
Shari Cooper didn’t want to die. But it’s hard to recover from a fall four stories down. Everyone close to her believes it was an accident. Shari knows it was murder. The only problem is, she’s dead—and she isn’t sure who pushed her. To figure it out, she spies on her friends—even going so far as to invade their dreams.
That’s where she finds The Shadow, a thing more horrible than death. As terrifying as it is, The Shadow is the key to Shari’s death. And it might be the only thing to stop them from murdering again.
Red Queen
Jesse Ralle wants to know why her ex broke up with her. Except, maybe not on a road trip in a car with other people while they head to Vegas. But he quickly becomes the least of her problems when she meets a mesmerizing stranger named Russ. He teaches Jesse how to gamble, but even more enticing, he shows her another world—Witch World.
After seeing people do the impossible, Jesse fears she’s losing her mind. Is it possible that there are really witches? And that she might be one of them?
The Secret Path
The day Adam moves to Springville, he meets Sally. She tells him the town is really named Spookesville because of all the spooky things that happen there. Adam doesn’t believe any of the stories.
But she can prove it. There’s a Secret Path that will take them to other Spookesvilles—if they can find it.
Neither one of them expected the path to exist. Or for the dark doorway to appear. And when they cross to the other side, they find spiders, skeletons, and a witch who likes to make dolls—out of kids.
Chain Letter (Avon Flare Book)
Six years ago, Alison and her friends did the unthinkable. They thought they left their crime in the isolated California desert. Until she gets the letter. At first, she thinks it’s a sick joke. But one by one, the letter and the “Caretaker” find every one of them.
It demands they complete dangerous, impossible tasks or face violent consequences. None of them want to believe it’s real. But reality sets in when the accidents start and one of them dies.
The Midnight Club
If you’re a teenager with a terminal illness, odds are you’re sent to Rotterham Home, a hospice for young people. But just because the teens who check in won’t ever check out, doesn’t mean they’re done living.
Every night at midnight, a group meets to tell their stories. They call themselves the Midnight Club. Sometimes their stories are true. Sometimes they’re not.
One night, they make a pact: The first one to die will do whatever they can to contact the others beyond the grave. It’s all fun and games—until one of them dies.
The Season of Passage
Dr. Lauren Wagner had been part of the most exciting adventure of mankind: a manned expedition to Mars. She’s more than a celebrity. She’s respected, recognized, and celebrated around the world.
But Lauren lives in fear. Voices whisper to her, begging her to love them. And then there’s the group who went to Mars before her. The ones who went missing.
But are they dead? Or are they now something else?
Featured photo: Rosie Sun / Unsplash
