I’ll admit that, as much as I love Halloween, I am not a massive fan of horror films; I like some classics but usually anything that makes me jump I just can’t watch. Instead, a spooky book is more my cup of tea! I love horror books and ghost stories, a chiller that can give you goose bumps, a thriller that can make you look around the room just in case. There is also the advantage of being able to put the book down when you’re just too scared. I’ve read some horror books that have truly frightened me, so much that I have stayed awake at night and they stay in my mind much longer than a horror film would. I’ve been having a think about some of my favourites and although they aren’t all ‘horror’ stories they all make the hairs on my arms stand on end. When I think about them I can remember the scary bits and what spooked me about them; there won’t be any spoilers but if you like a haunting book then give one of these a go.
1. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
This is a dark book; you get sucked into the world Ray Bradbury creates and it is one of the books that kept me awake at night. Carousels may never look the same again after reading this!
2. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
A classic horror that has been a favourite of mine since high school. The ideas in this story are still relevant today; it’s a chilling read.
3. Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman
A collection of short stories; every one I read I thought ‘that’s my favourite.’ He is such an amazing storyteller, any of his books are great but some of these stories are particularly spine-chilling! My favourites are Troll Bridge and The Price.
4. Sabriel by Garth Nix
This is the first book of a trilogy; a story about necromancy and magic. A fantasy book at heart but with a dark side and completely absorbing.
5. Chocky by John Wyndham
First of all, I’ll just say that all John Wyndham stories are frightening and brilliant. It’s not my favourite of his books but it is the one that scared me most. A mysterious tale of a child and his ‘imaginary’ friend.
6. The Eyes Of The Dragon by Stephen King
My parents always had Stephen King books in the house and I think this is one of his lesser known, more fantasy than horror but with some really creepy characters, It’s different from his usual tales but fascinating.
I would love to hear about any of your favourite wicked reads!