Why are you reading books? To learn something interesting, to abandon the gray reality or to tickle your nerves? Or, perhaps, plunge into the abyss of horror, despair and pain, as is the case with the most terrifying books in the world?
We do not mean exclusively stories about eviscerating helpless maidens or churning entrails for the sadistic pleasure of lighthearted sociopaths. After all, there are other stories, for example, psychological thrillers that cause goosebumps, dystopian novels, or books that describe the emptiness and decay of being, making the most inveterate cynic cry.
Sit back and we'll tell you which horror books you shouldn't read before bed. Or worth it if you want to stay up all night.
All these works can be found in best online libraries of Runetthat we have selected for you.
10. "Hammer of the Witches", Heinrich Kramer and Jacob Sprenger
Published in 1487, Malleus Maleficarum was a bestseller for 200 years, second only to the Bible.
It was a comprehensive guide to the search, interrogation, torture and execution of witches in the midst of the "witch hunt" in Europe.
Malleus elevates witchcraft to heresy and encourages secular courts to use inquisitorial practices to eradicate witches. Recommended procedures include torture and deception in order to effectively obtain confessions and the death penalty as the only reliable remedy against evil witchcraft.
In fact, Hammer of the Witches was an excellent guide for judging innocent people and making sure they died in unimaginable fear.
9. "The Shining" by Stephen King
The horror king created many masterpieces that prevented people from sleeping peacefully at night. However, The Shining became one of his best books.
The idea of being stuck in a haunted hotel far from civilization when someone in your family goes crazy was taken by King to a whole new level.
And it was the success of this novel, published in 1977, that established King on the podium as the best writer in the horror genre.
8. "The Exorcist" by William Peter Blatty
The reason The Exorcist has turned into one of the scariest movies of all time is because it was one of the scariest romances of all time. It is written in such an atmosphere that Stephen King himself would envy it.
For people with a developed imagination, "The Exorcist" will become a rather creepy read, because the book is about an innocent child who is possessed by an evil spirit. Together with the main character, the readers will find out who took possession of the girl's body, reveal the secret of one family and take part in the murder investigation.
7. "Coraline" by Neil Gaiman
This book contains perhaps the most terrifying idea of all time: about “your second mother,” who is waiting very close, in another world.And shows you what happens when brilliant science fiction writer Neil Gaiman takes on a children's book.
Bright and memorable characters, especially the smart and brave girl Coraline, a dark and gloomy atmosphere, an intriguing plot - all this makes the book terribly interesting.
I suggest that you do not give Coraline to your children if you want them not to scream in terror in their sleep. Or at least wait until they are old enough to deal with this psychological nightmare.
6. The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
Did you think Jonathan Demme's Oscar-winning adaptation was scary? Get ready for a real scare. The sociopath, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, is even more terrifying in the pages of this book when he plays excruciating and addictive mind games with FBI intern Clarissa Starling.
However, she cannot get out of this game, because only Hannibal knows the name of the serial killer Buffalo Bill, who rips the skin from his victims.
5. "Midwich Cuckoos" by John Wyndham
Alien invasion? Nothing wrong; we can fight evil aliens with any weapon we have at our disposal. But what if the aliens turn out to be our own children?
Hyperintelligent children with golden eyes, communicating through telepathy, are ranked among the greatest and most terrifying villains of all time in this novel.
4. "The Price of Dislike" by Lionel Shriver
This romance is scary for any parent, anyone considering parenting, or anyone who knows teenagers.
“The Price of Dislike” shows how a child can become a stranger who can do terrible things even if the mother is doing it right.
3. American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis
The protagonist's fall into insanity, his outspoken description of the bloody murders he seems to enjoy, and his glorification of consumer culture all go hand in hand in one of the scariest books of all time.
In addition to being a shocking and intimidating piece, American Psycho is filled with musical references to the 80s and hilarious streams of consciousness.
2. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Due to a plane crash, a group of schoolchildren find themselves on a desert island. At first, the children celebrate their newfound freedom, but eventually find themselves embroiled in a terrifying and brutal war, which they themselves waged.
This is one of the darkest books in literary history because of its idea: no matter how "civilized" we think we are, it doesn't take long to unleash the inner beast.
1. "It" by Stephen King
Yes, this is another Stephen King novel worthy to top the list of the world's scariest horror books. It tells about a phobia that is very old and very relevant - clowns.
Pennywise, the killer clown lives in the sewers of the small town of Derry, Maine, and preys on children. A group of teenagers team up to kill him. But how are they going to win the creepiest monster in the world? Read on and find out.