I'm a horror writer always on the lookout for scary books, so I was wondering, what are the scariest books you've ever read and what made them so scary?
This was a long time ago, but there was a moment that The Shining got to me. When the elevator was filled with party stuff magically. Maybe because it was late, maybe because the way the wife reacted, I don't know, but that one got in my head a little at the age of 17.
"You are the caretaker. You've always been the caretaker. I should know, I've always been here."
Definitely a classic, back when King was a horror writer and not delving into dark fantasy conflicts of good vs. evil. Yeah, those party favors on the elevator were pretty creepy. Lots of good stuff in that one: the fire hoses, the hedge animals. Redrum.
Salem's Lot is probably my favorite of his. I love little kid vampires.
That's the one that I was going to suggest. I couldn't sleep knowing Salem's Lot was in my house and had to keep it outside. The part where Danny Glicks eyes were open in the casket and the grounds keeper feel compelled to dig him up to shut them was very chilling.
You had to keep the book outside? Wow. That's something. Well, I just read A Head Full of Ghosts for the September book discussion and I really recommend it. Apparently Stephen King blogged about how it actually scared him.
I couldn't sleep knowing Salem's Lot was in my house and had to keep it outside."
Ha! That reminds me of the Friends episode where Joey read the Shining and had to put it in the freezer. (I'm showing my age here.)
I read Salem's Lot in junior high, and the little kid vampire was completely terrifying.
Ha! @ the Friends reference! I've always remembered that/those episodes, due to fond memories of Little Women. ANYway...
Recently, my wife and I read 'The Deep' by Nick Cutter, and we both thought it was pretty frightening. Reminiscent of early-ish Stephen King.
I personally enjoy 'The Troop' by Nick Cutter as well.
Other recent books that kept me a little awake:
the Joe Schreiber books 'Chasing the Dead', 'Eat the Dark' and especially 'No Doors No Windows'. Haven't read of his SW/YA stuff, but I'm sure it's good.
@Jimothy
This reminds me of when Joey had to put The Shining in the freezer.
Then, eventually, had to put Little Women in the freezer.
@Jeff - You are here! Yay!
House of Leaves creeped me out more than most books.As far as a recent book, Craig DiLouie's Suffer the Children was pretty terrifying as a parent.
The two that come to mind immediately are Song of Kali and A Head Full of Ghosts
I thought the one short story Nathanial Hawthorne was scary, mostly because of the social implications. I find social implications about our own culture more disturbing than ghosts or vampires. Such as the idea of women being locked in the pillory, just because they 'committed adultry.' Probably the flimsiest reason ever for locking someone in the 18th/19th centuries equivalent to drunk house cells.
Not sure how I feel about Arthur Gordan Pim by Poe though. Except the paragraphs wouldn't fit underneath an archway the size of a Gothic Cathedral.
Yes more interest is more in the gothic area, and less pure horror.
Bird Box - easily. Nothing gets me usually, but that book had me on edge.
The Witching Hour
But I'm a sissy.
Calling a book scary is a strange thing, but I'll do it for Salem's Lot. That book had the slow and suffocating creep of dread to it. Its sister story Jerusalem's Lot is a doozy for me as well.
Parts of A Head Full Of Ghosts got me badly.
I read Pet Sematary when I was a kid and the part about Louis seeing some floating, horned head laughing with a gibbering tongue. I had to put the book down for a while after that.
Heart-Shaped Box had some fine moments earlier on.
1408 gets my nerves jangling to a fever pitch in a way no full book has (or can, I'd guess). It's the only reading I get wary of doing around bedtime.
Man, I'm one of those "Stephen King's not really all that scary" guys but everything that's coming to mind is from him. Maybe it's because a good horror book is hard to find, or maybe I'm just a posturing hipster. I dunno. He's definitely had some fine moments.
Double post.
Oh man, I've been meaning to pick that up forever.
I better not discuss my alien abduction backstory.
Anyway, usually for me it's something you don't usually expect. I was watching the show Doug, and that very long trip through the road that had lots of wide open spaces really got to me. I stay inside so much cause I hate wide open spaces.
