Halloween Must-Reads from Classics to Modern

A Reading List for Those Who Like Horror Novels

© Lisa Rufle

Oct 13, 2008

Tired of watching the same scary movie every Halloween? Why not grab a handful of candy and indulge in a scary novel this year. Here are some of the best horror novels from yesterday and today for readers who enjoy the scarier side of literature.

Classic Horror Novels

• Frankenstein (1818) by Mary Shelley. One of the most influential novels of the genre, Shelly wrote what has become the tome of horror novels when she was only 19. Frankenstein tells the tale of a "modern Prometheus" character, Victor, who discovers how to give life to inanimate objects. It doesn't take long for him to let his curiosity get the better of him, and Victor decides to create a living man from the body parts of the dead. Read this one and discover why it is the classic horror/science fiction novel.
• Dracula (1897) by Bram Stoker. The novel that all other vampire novels are guided by, Stoker's vision of Count Dracula continues to be the pinnacle of the vampire legacy. This epistolary novel introduces readers to the character of Van Helsing, as well as all the commonly held vampire superstitions (steak through the heart, decapitating, garlic, silver bullet).
• The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886) by Robert Louis Stevenson. The classic tale of duality, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide, has influenced a long line of literature since the time of the novella's publication. The eternal conflict between good and evil is examined through the character Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde and the two distinct personalities that he inhabits.

Modern Horror Novels

• The Shining (1977) by Stephen King. King's acclaimed masterpiece about a family who spends the winter as caretakers in an isolated Colorado resort. The son discovers he has supernatural talents, the hotel has the ability to manipulate those who reside inside and the husband's own demons begin to grow out of control. All these forces converge at the climax of one of the scariest novels written by King.
• The Haunting of Hill House (1959) by Shirley Jackson. Three strangers are invited to participate in a paranormal study conducted by a doctor in a gothic and supposedly haunted mansion. Strange things begin happening to the guests which makes for a truly scary read. Jackson may be best known for her short thriller, The Lottery, but The Haunting of Hill House remains one of the best haunted house stories ever written.
• Something Wicked This Way Comes (1962) by Ray Bradbury. A story about two teenage boys who happen upon a mysterious traveling carnival. Add to the mix the nostalgia of childhood and the ability to either go back to one's past or fast-forward to one's future and Bradbury has crafted a tale that is firmly planted on many best-of horror novel lists.

Must-Read Horror Anthologies

• The Essential Tales and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe by Edgar Allen Poe. This hefty anthology includes such well-known Poe short stories like "The Black Cat" and "The Tell-Tale Heart", in addition to poems like "The Raven" and "Annabel Lee". Perfect snippets of horror to read between trick-or-treating.
• October Dreams: A Celebration of Halloween by Various Authors, edited by Richard Chizmar and Robert Morrish. This is the perfect book for reading quick and scary tales. Included in this anthology are works by Dean Koontz, Poppy Z. Brite, Ramsey Campbell, Richard Laymon and a previously unpublished poem by Ray Bradbury. There is something for everyone in this perfect Halloween collection.

While classic horror novels were able to elicit fear in their readers by more psychological means, modern day horror writers needed to find a new way to draw in an audience, thus they relied on more graphic horror scenes for their tales. Either way, these books are sure to keep readers up all night.

Halloween reading list

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