best known horror short stories

They also use elements of the unknown. In 'The Monkey's Paw', we don't really know what the paw can do until it starts to act. The mystery and unpredictability draw the reader in. These stories are short enough to build tension quickly and keep it high until the end, like in 'The Lottery' where the sense of unease grows steadily until the shocking climax.

One of the best known horror short stories is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's a chilling tale of a man's descent into madness as he is haunted by the sound of his victim's still - beating heart.

Stephen King has written some excellent horror short fictions. His short story 'The Mist' is really good. Richard Matheson is also well - known in this area. His work 'I Am Legend' was a great short story before it became a famous movie. And then there's Ambrose Bierce. His stories like 'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge' have a unique blend of horror and the unexpected that make them stand out.

Well, 'The Necklace' by Guy de Maupassant is quite famous. It's about a woman who borrows a diamond necklace for a ball, loses it, and then spends years in poverty trying to replace it, only to find out in the end that the original necklace was a fake. 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe is another well - known short story. It's a psychological thriller where the narrator's guilt over murdering an old man is driven to madness by the sound he imagines is the old man's heart still beating. Then there's 'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge' by Ambrose Bierce, which has a very unexpected ending.

One well - known publisher is Cemetery Dance Publications. They have a great reputation for publishing high - quality short horror stories. Another is Dark Regions Press which often features works by both established and emerging horror writers. Also, Samhain Publishing (although it has ceased operations, it had a large catalogue of short horror works in the past).

Edgar Allan Poe is very well - known. His stories like 'The Fall of the House of Usher' are filled with horror elements and suspense. His use of dark settings, unreliable narrators and macabre themes made him a pioneer in the genre.

A famous one is 'The Masque of the Red Death' by Edgar Allan Poe. It tells of a prince who tries to avoid a deadly plague by hiding in his abbey with his noble friends, but death still finds them. It has a very eerie and foreboding atmosphere.

Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most well - known authors of horror short stories. His works like 'The Fall of the House of Usher' and 'The Masque of the Red Death' are filled with dark and eerie atmospheres. Another is H.P. Lovecraft. His stories often involve cosmic horror, such as 'The Call of Cthulhu' where the very existence of ancient and powerful entities beyond human comprehension is explored. Shirley Jackson is also notable. Her story 'The Lottery' has a unique and disturbing take on a small - town tradition that turns out to be horrifying.

H.P. Lovecraft is a big name in cosmic horror short stories. His unique brand of horror, with its focus on the vastness and indifference of the cosmos, has influenced many. Ambrose Bierce also wrote some stories that could be considered in the realm of cosmic horror. His tales often had a sense of the macabre and the unknown. Additionally, Robert E. Howard, best known for his Conan stories, also dabbled in cosmic horror in some of his works, creating a sense of dread and the ineffable.

Shirley Jackson is another notable author. Her story 'The Lottery' is a great example. It creates horror through a disturbing and unexpected twist. It shows how ordinary people can be involved in cruel and inhumane practices, which is a different kind of horror from the supernatural but equally effective.