Many people turn to TV or film to get their horror fix, but the creepiest stories can often be found in books. We don't just mean monsters such as vampires and witches; psychological horror is one of the spookiest sub-genres around, and authors like Stephen King are experts at creating horrifying works with seemingly ordinary settings.
In this article, we’ll be reviewing the best horror books to buy online in 2022 at Amazon, including eBooks that you can download straight to your Kindle. Our curated list of recommendations includes stories for kids, teens, young adults, and grown-ups, genre classics as well as new releases by female authors. Moreover, we have partnered with Literarian Benjamin Titmus for reviewing and fact-checking the article so that we can deliver you the best information.
Benjamin gained his MA in English Literature from Birmingham City University, where he was the editor for The Student Anthology. Though his main enjoyments are reading, writing, music and gaming, he has time for anything that tickles his fancy. Learn more about him and his blogs from here.
For those after a quick look, here is our Top 5:
For a more in-depth look at the comprehensive top 10 selection, make sure to read on to learn more about the different types of horror books available and understand how our ranking was determined.
This article's chosen EC site price listings are reflective of its publishing date.
Image | 1 ![]() Silvia Moreno-Garcia | 2 ![]() Lish McBride | 3 ![]() Shirley Jackson | 4 ![]() Stephen Graham Jones | 5 ![]() Mike Shel | 6 ![]() Joey Comeau | 7 ![]() Franz Kafka | 8 ![]() Cherie Priest | 9 ![]() Grady Hendrix | 10 ![]() Dan Simmons |
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Name | Mexican Gothic | Hold Me Closer, Necromancer | The Haunting of Hill House | The Only Good Indians | Aching God | One Bloody Thing After Another | The Trial | The Family Plot | Horrorstör | Song of Kali |
Features | Award-Winning, Slow-Burning and Atmospheric Masterpiece of Gothic Literature | Comedy, Fantasy, and Horror Genres Collide in This YA Novel | The House Is Alive and Haunting Its Guests: One of the Greatest Horror Stories of All Time | Violent, Eerie, Paranormal Events and a Whole Lot of Weirdness | The First Novel in a Gore-Filled Dark Fantasy Trilogy | Heartwarming, Hysterical, and Horrifying, Packed With Zombies and Ghosts | A Dystopian, Psychologically Harrowing Classic Filled With Paranoia | A Gothic, Atmospheric Novel Packed With Southern Spookiness From Successful Sci-FI Novelist | A Contemporary Take On a Haunted House Story, Combining Comedy and Creepiness to a Tee | Human Sacrifice, Cult Worship, and Kidnapping in This Notoriously Nasty Novel |
Price | £12.14 | £7.99 | £7.16 | £7.37 | £12.35 | £21.98 | £5.03 | £10.99 | £9.84 | £6.80 |
Sub-Genre | Dark fantasy | Comedy horror | Paranormal horror | Paranormal horror/psychological horror | Dark fantasy | Comedy horror | Psychological horror | Paranormal horror | Comedy horror | Dark fantasy |
First Published | 2020 | 2010 | 1959 | 2020 | 2018 | 2010 | 1925 | 2016 | 2014 | 1985 |
Formats | Hardback, eBook, audiobook | Hardback, paperback, eBook | Paperback, eBook | Paperback, eBook, audiobook | Paperback, eBook, audiobook | Paperback, eBook, audiobook | Paperback, eBook | Hardback, eBook, audiobook | Paperback, eBook, audiobook | Paperback, eBook, audiobook |
Pages | 320 | 368 | 256 | 368 | 604 | 165 | 208 | 366 | 256 | 288 |
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Psychological horror novels typically focus on the emotions and fears we all share as humans. While the story may begin in an ordinary setting, things soon take a sinister turn, and the protagonist finds themselves dealing with paranoia or disturbing thoughts.
This is what makes this sub-genre so scary - as the main character begins to doubt their own mind, the reader starts to feel unsettled too! There are no physical monsters or ghosts to be found here, just the horrors that are already lurking inside your head. The protagonist is usually a lonely fellow, someone portrayed as being on the fringes of society.
A host of characters can comfort us; we feel less lonely when there’s more happening. But when the protagonist suffers alone, we share that with them. Their own sense of insignificance rubs off on us and this creates excellent stories. Only question is, do you believe what’s happening, or is it all in your head?
Gertrude Barrows Bennet (sometimes known under her pseudonym Francis Stevens) is considered to be the writer who pioneered the dark fantasy sub-genre. If you’ve already read any of her nightmarish novels and enjoyed them, this category will likely be right up your street!
For those who are new to dark fantasy though, the simplest way to describe it is as a mash-up genre where two worlds collide, combining both fantasy and frights. So not only will you encounter dragons, elves, and other mystical beings, but there'll be a scary layer within the story too.
The horror can often be more visceral due to the creativity involved in fantasy writing. It’s quite curious, however, that at the same time as scaring the reader, the best dark-fantasy writers develop almost tangible worlds for us to explore. Their worlds contain death and evil, but there are also the evergreen glades, and mountains we so often associate with fantasy.
What exactly is the paranormal? The definition given by the Oxford Dictionary is anything that's "impossible to explain by known natural forces or science". While vampires or zombies are neither natural forces nor explainable by science, they’re unlikely to be found in paranormal books.
Instead, stories with paranormal plots tend to involve gruesome ghosts and demonic forces - think hauntings, unexplained noises in the middle of the night, and possessed objects. If supernatural spookiness appeals to you, this is undoubtedly the sub-genre to pick! The supernatural can also come from other worlds and parallel universes.
It can be two twins who communicate telepathically or a precocious child who occupies the souls of people at will. Paranormal can also be quite mundane. The word itself is made up of para and normal; para means close, besides, and normal, meaning a set standard.
So, something close to normal. That which appears in our daily lives could, in fact, be the source of inspiration for a paranormal fiction writer. Ask yourself, did you really leave your glasses on that side table?
Delve deeper into this spooky genre with our top 10 Halloween books.
Lastly, we have comedy horror. Comedy horror is a genre where writers like to put two completely different themes side by side. Think Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. The comedy is derived from the interaction between these two contrasting locales.
If you like getting stuck into all things creepy but need to come up for air from time to time, this sub-genre will do nicely! Rather than sitting through 300 pages of constant dread, this type of novel will feature moments of respite that punctuate the gloom with a welcome chuckle.
While this sub-genre is less revered in the literary world than in cinema, we think it's well worth checking out. Fans of films like Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland will be happy to know that there are plenty of novels that provide the same fun yet frightful experience!
The next decision you'll need to make is whether to opt for a classic or contemporary novel. The former will likely have a good reputation, having gained die-hard fans in the years since its release. However, older stories can be filled with clichés and may feel a little stagnant.
Contemporary horror novels, on the other hand, will keep you right up to date with the goings-on in the literary world, meaning you'll be the one telling all your friends what's worth checking out. Plus, the plot and references will probably be more relatable as well as being a breath of fresh air.
There are usually more people reading what's current. Even though a newer novel tends to be more relatable and easier to read, an older one will stimulate your mind and give you more to talk about with those who share similar interests. It's always best to read widely.
If you fancy a change, try an older novel and take your time reading it because it can take a few chapters to familiarise yourself with the difference in styles. There are plenty of great writers to uncover from beneath the mountains of books that have been written since.
Fan of graphic novels? Take a look at our top 10 horror graphic novels!
This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
£12.14
Sub-Genre | Dark fantasy |
---|---|
First Published | 2020 |
Formats | Hardback, eBook, audiobook |
Pages | 320 |
£7.99
Sub-Genre | Comedy horror |
---|---|
First Published | 2010 |
Formats | Hardback, paperback, eBook |
Pages | 368 |
£7.16
Sub-Genre | Paranormal horror |
---|---|
First Published | 1959 |
Formats | Paperback, eBook |
Pages | 256 |
£7.37
Sub-Genre | Paranormal horror/psychological horror |
---|---|
First Published | 2020 |
Formats | Paperback, eBook, audiobook |
Pages | 368 |
£12.35
Sub-Genre | Dark fantasy |
---|---|
First Published | 2018 |
Formats | Paperback, eBook, audiobook |
Pages | 604 |
£21.98
Sub-Genre | Comedy horror |
---|---|
First Published | 2010 |
Formats | Paperback, eBook, audiobook |
Pages | 165 |
£5.03
Sub-Genre | Psychological horror |
---|---|
First Published | 1925 |
Formats | Paperback, eBook |
Pages | 208 |
£10.99
Sub-Genre | Paranormal horror |
---|---|
First Published | 2016 |
Formats | Hardback, eBook, audiobook |
Pages | 366 |
£9.84
Sub-Genre | Comedy horror |
---|---|
First Published | 2014 |
Formats | Paperback, eBook, audiobook |
Pages | 256 |
£6.80
Sub-Genre | Dark fantasy |
---|---|
First Published | 1985 |
Formats | Paperback, eBook, audiobook |
Pages | 288 |
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