Some good ones are 'It' by Stephen King. The shape - shifting clown Pennywise that preys on children's fears is really spooky. 'Pet Sematary' is also quite scary. It plays on the theme of death and the consequences of trying to bring the dead back. Well, also 'Rosemary's Baby' by Ira Levin. The idea of a satanic cult having designs on an unborn baby is a very disturbing concept.
I'd say 'House of Leaves' is a great and scary novel. It has a really unique structure and a very eerie story about a house that defies the laws of physics. Then there's 'The Haunting of Hill House' by Shirley Jackson. The psychological horror in this book is top - notch. And 'The Woman in Black' by Susan Hill. The vengeful ghost of the woman in black is a classic horror element that makes this novel a very scary read.
Well, 'The Exorcist' is a very scary novel. The possession of a young girl and the battle against the demonic force is spine - chilling. Then there's 'House of Leaves' which plays with the format and the concept of a haunted house in a really disturbing way. Also, 'American Psycho' by Bret Easton Ellis is quite frightening as it delves into the mind of a deranged serial killer.
'Pet Sematary' by Stephen King is also extremely scary. It plays on the fear of death and the unknown. The idea of a burial ground that brings the dead back in a twisted way is deeply disturbing. The characters' experiences with the resurrected beings are filled with horror and dread.
Some of the well - known ones are 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker. It introduced the world to the iconic vampire Count Dracula. Another is 'Frankenstein' by Mary Shelley, which explores the horror of creating life unnaturally. And 'The Shining' by Stephen King, a story set in an isolated hotel filled with terrifying apparitions.
Well, 'The Stand' has its share of scary elements. The apocalyptic scenario and the battle between good and evil are really intense. However, if we talk about pure horror, 'Cujo' is up there. A rabid dog trapped with a mother and son in a car is a simple yet extremely terrifying concept. Also, 'The Dark Half' with its doppelganger theme, where the main character has to face his dark, murderous other self, is quite spooky.
One of the scariest crime novels is 'The Silence of the Lambs' by Thomas Harris. It features the brilliant and terrifying Hannibal Lecter. Another is 'Gone Girl' by Gillian Flynn, which has a complex and disturbing plot full of twists. And 'American Psycho' by Bret Easton Ellis is also very scary, with its exploration of a deranged mind in the context of a crime - filled world.
In my opinion, 'Pet Sematary' by Stephen King is very frightening. The concept of a burial ground that brings the dead back wrong is really creepy. 'The Silence of the Lambs' by Thomas Harris is also a great horror novel. Hannibal Lecter is one of the most terrifying characters ever created. And 'American Psycho' by Bret Easton Ellis, though it has elements of satire, the graphic and violent nature of Patrick Bateman's actions is quite horrifying.
One of the scariest graphic novels is 'The Walking Dead'. It shows a post - apocalyptic world filled with zombies. The constant threat of being eaten alive and the breakdown of society create a terrifying atmosphere. Another is 'Uzumaki' which revolves around a town obsessed with spirals. The strange and disturbing events that unfold due to this obsession are truly spine - chilling. And 'Hellblazer' also has its share of scares, with its dark magic and demonic entities that Constantine has to face.
Definitely '1984'. It's so scary because the idea of being constantly watched, even in your thoughts, is just bone - chilling. And the way the Party manipulates history and language to control people is mind - boggling. 'The Hunger Games' by Suzanne Collins is also a great example. The Capitol controls the districts through a cruel game where children fight to the death. It shows the extreme inequality and oppression. Then there's 'We' by Yevgeny Zamyatin. It was one of the first dystopian novels and influenced many others. It's set in a highly regimented society where individuality is completely suppressed.
Well, 'Saya no Uta' is extremely scary. It has a very disturbing and abnormal story. The themes it deals with are not for the faint - hearted. It really gets under your skin. Then there's 'Higurashi no Naku Koro ni'. This visual novel has a great deal of psychological horror. The small village setting seems normal at first but then all kinds of crazy and scary things start to happen. And 'Umineko no Naku Koro ni' also has its share of horror elements. It's a complex story full of mystery and some truly spooky moments.
The 'Ben Drowned' Creepypasta has elements of a strange experiment. It's about a haunted video game cartridge where a boy named Ben was seemingly trapped and transformed during an experiment within the game world. His presence then haunts the player who discovers the cartridge. There are also stories about genetic experiments that create mutant - like creatures that escape the lab and start terrorizing the nearby town. These stories are often filled with suspense as the characters try to figure out how to stop these unholy creations.