I get creeped out by ghost stories, scary books, and haunting horror movies, but I can't keep away from them. I gotta tell you, I prefer reading spooky stories when it comes to giving myself the chills. These are the stories and books that always do it for me. Read 'em, listen to 'em, Google 'em – whatever you do, I bet you'll get a thrill!
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1. Bag of Bones by Stephen King
Get it at: barnesandnoble.com
Stephen King's the king of the horror genre (imho, anyway), but this book is actually a ghost story, and in addition to being creepy, it's honestly one of the most beautiful stories I've ever read.
2. The Shining by Stephen King
Get it at: barnesandnoble.com
Now, Bag of Bones is creepy, but not terrifying. The Shining is terrifying. All of these ghosts are malicious. They are bad, bad ghosts.
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3. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
Get it at: thriftbooks.com
Well, duh. Any of the stories in here will do the trick of terrifying you. You can read almost any story in nearly any volume of these tales and get a thrill. Got a fave?
4. The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe
Get it at: amazon.com
Classic spook. Poe was a master of horror, but the creep factor in this is off the charts.
5. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Get it at: amazon.com
Oh, Hill House – “and whatever walked there, walked alone.” Doesn't that give you the shivers? That's all it takes. The opening paragraph and that last line.
6. Ghost Story by Peter Straub
Get it at: amazon.com
Peter Straub is great at ghoulish. This probably seems a little obvious, but it is so worth the read. You'll want to be part of the Chowder Society, or form your own.
7. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
Get it at: amazon.com
Yeah, Daniel Radcliffe looked pretty hot in the movie, which was enough to spook me, but the book is something else. Books almost always are.
8. Ghost Stories of an Antiquary by M. R. James
Get it at: amazon.com
M. R. James is legendary and all of these stories are the kind that'll keep you up at night if you read 'em before bed.
9. The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson
Get it at: amazon.com
So, this is like something between a ghost story and a demon possession kind of story. There's been so much said about whether it's really true or not, but if you just go into it with suspended belief, it's creepy af.
10. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
Get it at: amazon.com
This book. It scared me so, so badly. Such a fantastic book, just not at night!
11. Hell House by Richard Matheson
Get it at: amazon.com
This is another classic. I mean, Stephen King himself described Hell House as the scariest novel about haunted houses ever. I totally agree with that.
12. Ligeia by Edgar Allan Poe
Get it at: amazon.com
I've got a thing for old Edgar Allan. “The Raven” is cool and all, but if you want something truly spooky, this one'll do it.
13. The Monkey's Paw by W. W. Jacobs
Get it at: amazon.com
This story is so good. It is so, so creepy. Even when I'm reading it, I want to cover my eyes when I get to the last knock at the door.
14. The Best of H. P. Lovecraft by H. P. Lovecraft
Get it at: amazon.com
This really is a best of collection. Lovecraft knew scary like nobody else.
15. The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
Get it at: amazon.com
Henry James wanted nobody to ever sleep again.
16. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
Get it at: amazon.com
I love any version of this story, to be honest, even animated Disney cartoons, but hearing it on audio book is maybe the best way to hear it. Try it, seriously.
17. Bewitched by Edith Wharton
Get it at: amazon.com
Edith Wharton's scary tales are as elegant as the rest of her prose. I think that elegance is why they're so creepy.
So, 'fess up. What scary stories always give you the creeps?
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