Best Horror Books for Reading

Looking for a great horror book to read? The following nine books could help you take care of any scary reading you need to do for fun. There are quite a few other books that can be added to the list, but these are the ones chosen to get you started on a reading list.

It By Stephen King

It could be a way to explain why so many people hate clowns. The things It does to the kids in this horror story can make clown lovers turn into clown haters much like those who have a fear of clowns.

Amityville Horror by Jay Anson

Amityville Horror is one of the scariest haunted house books to read for Halloween. Craziest thing of all it is based on a true story much like The Headless Horseman by Mayne Reid.

Just be aware of any house you are looking to buy. Most think to check out the structure including the wiring and plumbing, but do you think to check out the history of the house? The house in this story is the scene of a mass murder and comes to life when new owners take over the home.

The Omen David Seltzer

This book takes you through the life of a child who has demon qualities of his own. The priests believe the child that replaces a couple's dead baby is the Son of Satan. With all the terror Damien wreaks on those he feels are getting in his way, the path of death he leaves behind is more rabid than Norman Bates.

The Shining by Stephen King

While it may seem four of the nine books listed are about psychotic nut jobs, the greatest horror stories are the ones people recall the most. The Shining is just one of those books that will haunt you for days after reading it.

Night of the Living Dead by John Russo

No Halloween reading list would be complete without at least one zombie book. The Night of the Living Dead will take you through the night terrors of zombie attacks and how dumb people can be when they think running from the undead is a good idea.

Psycho by Robert Bloch

Norman Bates shows what can happen to a young boy who is tormented by the love loss of his mother. Norman kills him dear old mom and her boyfriend who she opened a motel with. When bates realizes he can't live without mommy dearest, he digs her and mummifies her. Leaving her to sit in a room in the house overlooking the motel, Bates operates the motel by himself without anyone ever knowing of the illness.

Norman's psycho mother voice drives him to kill even further when he kills a thief and a PI. The initial killings don't end with this book, more movies were made and Norman starts all again.

The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

After a priest is summoned to help excavate a demon out of a couple's daughter, he is given permission by the Georgetown Jesuit president to perform an exorcism on the girl. While performing the exorcism of the girl, the priest dies and his assistant gives his own life to save the couple's daughter.

While exorcisms aren't widely performed today, on rare occasion one may occur.

The Headless Horseman by Mayne Reid

Don't be confused by The Headless Horseman written by Mayne Reid and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washingting Irving. While the stories may seem similar in nature, the background of the two are as far from each other as any story can be.

This story is allegedly based on a true story that happened during the life of Creed Taylor and two of his pals of the era.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

When Ichabod Crane fights for the woman he loves, he is taunted by the ghost of a trooper who lost his head in battle. When Crane disappears, the love of his life is left to marry his nemesis, Abraham Van Brunt who is also known by the nickname of Brom Bones. While some were lead to believe the headless horseman was Crane. Others were lead to believe the horseman was Brom Bones. Anyway you look at, being taunted by a headless rider can be a rather chilling incident.