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The 100 Scariest Horror Novels of All Time

Compiling a Top 100 list isn't easy. I'm bound to offend some and win over others. That's the nature of the beast, I suppose. Whether you agree with this list or not, you should be able to track down a few new treasures you've been missing out on, and you've got time to line up some reading material for Halloween. Anticipate loads of familiar names to fill this one up (a few are featured multiple times), but don't be shocked if you stumble upon some fresh names as well. Check it out, from vintage classic to modern masterpiece, novella to full-length novel, these are the greatest 100 horror books on the market!
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A Cold Season (Alison Littlewood)
A Cold Season
1
Alison Littlewood
The Light at the End (John Skipp & Craig Spector)
The Light at the End
2
John Skipp & Craig Spector
The Elementals (Michael Mcdowell)
The Elementals
3
Michael Mcdowell
Nightwhere (John Everson)
Nightwhere
4
John Everson
Swamp Monster Massacre (Hunter Shea)
Swamp Monster Massacre
5
Hunter Shea
Edge of Dark Water (Joe R. Lansdale)
Edge of Dark Water
6
Joe R. Lansdale
The Totem (David Morrell)
The Totem
7
David Morrell
Let's Go Play at the Adams
Let's Go Play at the Adams
8
By Reasons of Insanity (Shane Stevens)
By Reasons of Insanity
9
Shane Stevens
Evangeline (E. A. Gottschalk)
Evangeline
10
E. A. Gottschalk
Lightning (Dean Koontz)
Lightning
11
Dean Koontz
Haunted (Chuck Palahniuk)
Haunted
12
Chuck Palahniuk
The Turn of the Screw (Henry James)
The Turn of the Screw
13
Henry James
Naomi's Room, by Jonathan Aycliffe
Naomi's Room, by Jonathan Aycliffe
14
The Least of My Scars (Stephen Graham Jones)
The Least of My Scars
15
Stephen Graham Jones
Dawn (Octavia Butler)
Dawn
16
Octavia Butler
The Picture of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde)
The Picture of Dorian Gray
17
Oscar Wilde
The Cipher
The Cipher
18
Incarnate, by Ramsey Campbell
Incarnate, by Ramsey Campbell
19
The Resort (Bentley Little)
The Resort
20
Bentley Little
They Thirst (Robert R. McCammon)
They Thirst
21
Robert R. McCammon
We Need to Talk About Kevin (Lionel Shriver)
We Need to Talk About Kevin
22
Lionel Shriver
House of Leaves (Mark Z. Danielewski)
House of Leaves
23
Mark Z. Danielewski
Coraline (Neil Gaiman)
Coraline
24
Neil Gaiman
The Collector (John Fowles)
The Collector
25
John Fowles
Invasion
Invasion
26
Dweller (Jeff Strand)
Dweller
27
Jeff Strand
Bethany's Sin (Robert R. McCammon)
Bethany's Sin
28
Robert R. McCammon
The Montauk Monster (Hunter Shea)
The Montauk Monster
29
Hunter Shea
The Association (Bentley Little)
The Association
30
Bentley Little
Mouth Sewn Shut (Greg Slap)
Mouth Sewn Shut
31
Greg Slap
Coldheart Canyon
Coldheart Canyon
32
Needful Things (Stephen King)
Needful Things
33
Stephen King
Heart-Shaped Box (Joe Hill)
Heart-Shaped Box
34
Joe Hill
The Keep (F. Paul Wilson)
The Keep
35
F. Paul Wilson
The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales (Jacob & Wilhelm Grimm)
The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales
36
Jacob & Wilhelm Grimm
The Bighead (Edward Lee)
The Bighead
37
Edward Lee
Swan Song (Robert McCammon)
Swan Song
38
Robert McCammon
Night in the Lonesome October (Richard Laymon)
Night in the Lonesome October
39
Richard Laymon
The Face That Must Die (Campbell)
The Face That Must Die
40
Campbell
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