The 25 Greatest Horror Books Of All Time
This is one of the 759 lists we use to generate our main The Greatest Books list.
About this list
Forbes, 25 Books
Horror is a genre that elicits strong reactions—it can be thrilling for some and unsettling for others. This curated list celebrates the best horror books that have shaped the genre and left a lasting impact on readers. Featuring timeless classics like Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Bram Stoker's Dracula, and Stephen King's The Shining, these novels have set the standard for horror storytelling. They've not only sent chills down our spines but also influenced how horror narratives are crafted and perceived. Whether you're a long-time fan or new to horror, this selection offers some of the most compelling and influential reads in the genre.
This list was originally published in 2024 and was added to this site almost 2 years ago.
| Rank | Book | Authors | Year | Country | Language | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 | The Shining | Stephen King | 1977 | American | English | |
| 39 | Frankenstein | Mary Shelley | 1818 | British | English | |
| 981 | It | Stephen King | 1986 | American | English | |
| 17152 | The Strangler | William Landay | 2007 | American | English | |
| 2060 | Ghost Story | Peter Straub | 1979 | American | English | |
| 53 | Dracula | Bram Stoker | 1897 | British | English | |
| 4933 | The Terror | Dan Simmons | 2007 | American | English | |
| 3147 | Carrion Comfort | Dan Simmons | 1989 | American | English | |
| 14985 | The House Across The Lake | Riley Sager | 2022 | American | English | |
| 1338 | Something Wicked This Way Comes | Ray Bradbury | 1962 | American | English | |
| 9251 | White Is For Witching | Helen Oyeyemi | 2009 | British | English | |
| 4655 | Coraline | Neil Gaiman | 2002 | British | English | |
| 7698 | The Ruins | Scott Smith | 2006 | American | English | |
| 8430 | Those Across The River | Christopher Buehlman | 2011 | American | English | |
| 17152 | Roald Dahl’s Book Of Ghost Stories | Roald Dahl | 1983 | British | English | |
| 49 | Beloved | Toni Morrison | 1987 | American | English | |
| 17152 | Doing Harm | Kelly Parsons | 2014 | American | English | |
| 14232 | The Only Good Indians | Stephen Graham Jones | 2020 | American | English | |
| 17152 | Road Of Bones | Christopher Golden | 2022 | American | English | |
| 17152 | Nothing But Blackened Teeth | Cassandra Khaw | 2021 | Malaysian | English | |
| 17152 | The Night Eaters | Marjorie Liu | 2022 | Unknown | English | |
| 7847 | The Case Against Satan | Ray Russell | 1962 | American | English | |
| 5113 | Let The Right One In | John Ajvide Lindqvist | 2004 | Swedish | Swedish | |
| 215 | The Haunting of Hill House | Shirley Jackson | 1959 | American | English | |
| 861 | We Have Always Lived in the Castle | Shirley Jackson | 1962 | American | English |