Celebrate the spooky season with these terrifying paperbacks this Halloween!
Welcome, mere mortal, as we edge closer to the frightful day known as Halloween. And what better way to celebrate All Hallows’ Eve than with a horror novel? One that curdles your nervous system and splatters terrible thoughts and imagery within your mind.
They are much scarier than horror movies because of how evil they are on our imagination. Not just for the ghastly imagery floating up from the page, but also for the shocking revelations – the awful thoughts that stir tension and make your heart race. Where you look up from the book in exasperation, wondering if you really did just read that. Ha! Try doing that when watching a film!
With all that being said, we’re thrilled to bring you the 10 best horror novels for your Halloween fix this year. These are best read on howling, stormy nights with a few candles flickering nearby – that is provided you have a heart of steel!
Read at your own risk…
The greatest terror is the unknown, and no writer has captured that fear as well as H.P. Lovecraft in his short story The Call of Cthulhu. Delving into the worlds of the occult and interstellar, this short story details an investigation into a New Orleans death cult looking to bring about the return of the monster Cthulhu. Blending cosmic horror with an atmosphere of creeping dread, Lovecraft taps into primal fears of ancient, powerful beings lurking just beyond human comprehension, making it the perfect read this Halloween.
Image via Booktopia.The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft
Image via Booktopia.
Dracula by Bram Stoker
One cannot write a list of the best horror novels without mentioning Bram Stoker’s Dracula. This spine-chilling masterpiece has haunted readers for over a century and has become the epitome of horror. The story tells the tale of Englishman Jonathan Harker visiting the Transylvania to help Count Dracula, only to discover a dark secret that will embroil him in a fight for survival. This novel isn’t just a book; it’s a thrilling ride through gothic castles, eerie landscapes, and the dark corners of the human psyche. In fact, Stoker’s bloodthirsty vampire has sunk its fangs into popular culture, inspiring countless movies, shows, and nightmares.
The inspiration for one of the best horror movies of all time, The Exorcist is a twisted tale that plunges you into the demonic world of priests, possessions, and plenty of gore. When a young girl is possessed by a malevolent spirit, it is up to a team of priests to battling the forces of darkness in a desperate fight for her soul. Blatty’s vivid descriptions and relentless suspense make this a nightmarish journey that will have you sleeping with the lights on!
Image via Booktopia.The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
Known as the father of gothic horror, Edgar Allen Poe has an immense literary legacy that few can match. And no work captures his unique flavour like The Fall of the House of Usher. A collection of Poe’s best short stories, this gothic gem oozes with eerie atmosphere and creeping dread. Beyond the titular House of Usher, this collection features chilling classics such as The Pit and the Pendulum and The Tell-Tale Heart will leave you with goosebumps and a sense of unease that lingers long after you close the book.
Image via Booktopia.The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allen Poe
For a masterclass in psychological horror, make sure to open the page on The Haunting of Hill House. Written by Shirley Jackson, this 1959 gothic horror novel will make you question every creak and shadow in your own home. Follow a group of strangers as they explore the sinister Hill House, where the line between reality and the supernatural blurs. Jackson’s eerie storytelling and the house’s malevolent presence create a spooky experience that will keep you on edge from start to finish. 
Image via Angus and RobertsonThe Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Since it was first published in 1976, Anne Rice has shocked readers with one of the best horror books of all time, Interview with the Vampire. This darkly enchanting tale breathes new life into the vampire mythos by focusing on the life of Louis de Pointe de Lac as he recounts his centuries-long existence to a report. Rice’s lush, atmospheric writing and the complex emotions of her characters make this a hauntingly beautiful read that will captivate and chill you in equal measure. 
Image via BooktopiaInterview with the Vampire by Anne Rice
Image via Booktopia
IT by Stephen King
Even if you watched the movie, Stephen King’s horror novel IT is more than the films. In the small town of Derry, Maine, an evil creature lurks in the shadows, and only the children can sense its presence. Pennywise, that’s its name. In the storm drains, in the sewers, under bridges, this evil creature preys, morphing into the shape of every nightmare, each one’s deepest fear. Sometimes IT reaches up, seizing, tearing, killing. Can the Losers Club, a tight group of outcast children-turned-adults, face their deepest fears? Can they take a stand against the evil creature and survive?
Arguably Daphne du Maurier’s crowning achievement, Rebecca is a horror masterpiece that’ll leave readers on the edge of their seats! Step into the eerie, fog-drenched world of Manderley, where the ghostly presence of Rebecca lingers in every shadowy corner. The sinister Mrs. Danvers, with her creepy obsession, adds to the hair-raising tension. Du Maurier’s knack for weaving suspense and gothic horror makes “Rebecca” a deliciously spooky read that haunts your thoughts long after you’ve turned the last page.
Image via Angus and RobertsonRebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Image via Booktopia
Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin
Nursing a baby in the womb is one thing, doing so with crazy neighbours is horrifying to say the least. Rosemary Woodhouse and her struggling actor-husband move into an old New York City apartment with an ominous reputation and only elderly residents. Two neighbours soon come nosing around to welcome them, but Rosemary has reservations about their eccentricity. And when her husband lands a Broadway role, Rosemary falls pregnant, with her neighbours taking a keen interest in her welfare. Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin is true horror and a must-read this Halloween.
Image via Booktopia
The Shining by Stephen King
Yes, we’ve already got a Stephen King book on this list, but he’s not called the master of horror for nothing. The Shining is a hair-raising journey into the heart of madness and the supernatural. King’s masterful storytelling plunges you into the unravelling mind of Jack Torrance, a writer turned caretaker of the Overlook Hotel whose descent into insanity is as chilling as the icy Colorado winter outside. The novel’s eerie atmosphere, combined with its exploration of isolation and the supernatural, makes it a terrifying classic.
Needing something more terrifying this Halloween? Scare yourself silly with the 10 Best Horror Movies to Stream Now on Netflix. Or for something easy to flick through, these 10 Best Short Story Collections are a must read in 2024.
