By guest contributor Grace Anderson
There’s no denying that Stephen King reigns supreme when it comes to horror literature. With sixty five novels, two hundred short stories and ninety movie and television adaptations under his belt, Stephen King has been a powerhouse in the horror world for decades. However, there have been many valid criticisms rallied towards the iconic horror author. Many readers feel that his books have gotten stale over the years with repetitive plot points and character types mixed with regressive themes. Yet Stephen King’s books still dominate horror recommendation lists. Readers are hungry for something new.
Thankfully, there is a whole world of horror books that are not affiliated with the Stephen King brand. Compiled here is a comprehensive list of ten horror book recommendations for those who want to branch out from over-saturated books like IT and The Shining. From classic haunted house stories to urban legend inspired slashers, there’s something here to fit every mood and preference. So turn off the lights and settle into your favourite reading spot; your new favourite book is waiting.
Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky
Seven year old Christopher’s life is uprooted when he and his mother are forced to relocate to a small town in Pennsylvania to escape his abusive stepfather. After sneaking out of his bedroom and venturing into the nearby woods one night, Christopher befriends a supposedly friendly entity known only as “the Nice Man” that will end up consuming Christopher’s life and shaking the quiet town to its core.
The first attempt at horror by the author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Imaginary Friend is an insightful look at what it’s like to cope with trauma as a young child, as well as serving up scares that make it near impossible to pry your eyes from the page. Each character is written with care and compassion making the ending that much more devastating. This is one of those stories that linger in your mind long after you’ve closed the book.
My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix
Set in the late 1980s, this nostalgic horror follows inseparable best friends, Abby and Gretchen, as they navigate the trials of high school together After a drunken night of mischief, something changes in Gretchen. She starts acting strangely, becoming crueller, neglecting basic hygiene and becoming distant from even her closest friends. As the rest of their friend group start to turn on her, Abby is determined to save Gretchen from whatever evil force took over her body that night, even if it means battling one of the most powerful demons in Hell.
Any Grady Hendrix book could have easily made it on this list. With creative concepts and witty writing, all his novels are top tier. However, My Best Friend’s Exorcism is undeniably one of his best works. Putting a fresh, but nostalgic spin on the classic possession trope, this book manages to be equal parts horrifying and fun. Channelling the spirit of classic possession horror movies such as The Exorcist as well as cheesy 1980s horror, this witty, creepy book is perfect for fans of Stranger Things.
Daphne by Josh Mellerman
Anxious and unsure about her life after graduation. high school basketball player Kit Lamb is savouring her last summer before senior year. After a big game, her teammates recount a local urban legend about a murderous, seven-foot-tall undead woman known as Daphne .Kit becomes obsessed with the urban legend, questioning her sanity and seeing danger around every corner. As her teammates are mysteriousy being killed off one by one, Kit begins to grow paranoid that the mere thought of Daphne may summon her vengeance.
This urban legend inspired story invokes the feeling of telling ghost stories around a campfire with your high school friends. The spine chilling suspense that carries the story makes for an engrossing edge of your seat read. If you have a fascination with creepypasta and urban legends, Daphne is worth checking out.
The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher
After the passing of her grandmother, Mouse is tasked with cleaning out her remote family home. This proves to be a difficult undertaking, as her grandmother was an extreme hoarder. When Mouse discovers a journal of seemingly nonsensical ramblings in one of her grandmother’s piles of discarded rubble, she comes to the startling realization that she may not be alone in those woods.
The Twisted Ones is a lore-heavy folk horror that dances the line between horror and fantasy. The story borrows a lot from Celtic Fae mythology while still feeling entirely fresh and modern. The clever plot twists and rich narrative will make you eagerly anticipate the next twist, whilst the gothic southern setting puts a unique spin on the typical folk horror formula. If you like your horror steeped in myth and lore, this book is for you. And don’t worry, the dog doesn’t die.
The Haunting of Ashburn House by Darcy Coates
After the death of a distant relative, Adrienne inherits an isolated gothic mansion that has been rumoured for centuries to be haunted. Broke with nowhere else to go, Adrienne has no choice but to move into the infamous house. When Adriene discovers the house’s ominous secrets etched into the walls and hidden in the surrounding forest, she begins to suspect that something sinister may be lurking in the bowels of the house.
Everyone loves a good old fashioned haunted house story. Like most of Darcy Coates’ work, this book takes the classic haunted house premise to the next level. Each new discovery is unexpected and fun. As overdone as the haunted house trope has been, this book feels unexpectedly fresh and unique. If you want something to read by candlelight on a dark rainy night, this book is for you.
Below by Laurel Hightower
While travelling through the snowy West Virginia mountains, an unnamed protagonist’s car begins to have bizarre electrical problems, leaving her stranded. She is forced to put her trust in a strange truck driver in to get back to civilization. When the unnamed woman and her new truck driver companion find themselves trapped in a complex labyrinth of a cave system, she begins to uncover a series of disturbing truths and realises this stranger she trusted with her life may not be who he says he is.
This gory novel makes great use of the unique cave setting, packing it to the brim with monsters, ghosts, demons and other sinister entities. Each revelation is a gut punch, especially a certain plot point about what the truck driving stranger is really hauling. Along with the shocking twist at the end, this book will not disappoint.
The Last Days of Jack Sparks by Jason Arnopp
Despite being a stubborn sceptic, journalist Jack Sparks specializes in the occult. When he stumbles upon a viral video of an exorcism, he makes it his next project to debunk it. While traveling around Europe, Jack encounters many convincing supernatural involvements, but holds fast to his scepticism – that is, until a certain encounter leads to his downfall.
This book is written in a “found footage” format, the story being told through a compilation of emails, video transcripts and journal entries, making it reminiscent of movies such as the Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity. The protagonist is just unlikeable enough that you get a sick sense of pleasure from his inevitable death, as promised in the title, while still being engaged in the story. The vivid imagery and genuinely scary paranormal encounter makes the Last Days of Jack Sparks worth checking out.
Mind of Winter by Laura Kasischke
On Christmas morning, a vicious snowstorm confines Holly Judge and her fifteen year old adopted daughter Tatty to their home. As the snow piles up outside, Tatty’s behaviour becomes more and more uncharacteristically erratic, causing Holly to reflect on the day she brought Tatty home from Russia. She slowly comes to the horrifying realization that her daughter may not be who she thought she was.
Mind of Winter falls into the rare genre of Christmas horror, the holiday almost being an antagonist in and of itself. The slow-burn looming dread that carries the story creeps up on you. It goes deeper and deeper until the final blow of the reveal at the end. It makes you question if Holly is really experiencing these eerie changes to her daughter or if she has gone insane, making it a perfect use of the unreliable narrator trope. Mind of Winter is one of the best horror novels to read around the holidays.
Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage
Suzette had given up everything to be a stay at home mom. Her career, her dreams, all sacrificed to care for her seven year old daughter, Hanna. However, Hanna is not a normal child. Mute and disagreeable, Hanna is bent on making her mother’s life a living hell. From setting traps made of thumbtacks to cutting off Suzette’s hair while she sleeps, Hanna is out for blood. As her health worsens, Hanna is manipulating Suzette’s own husband against her. Suzette has no choice but to live in fear of what her psychopathic daughter will inflict on her next.
Children make great horror villains. There’s something deeply disturbing about an evil force that takes the form of something we typically see as innocent in need of protection. The section of the story written from Hanna’s perspective gives us a terrifying look at her inner thoughts and how deep her vicious hatred of her mother really goes. This book gives us a close view of the childhood of a psychopath, in the same vein as books such as We Need to Talk about Kevin. If you’re planning to have children someday, Baby Teeth might make you think twice.
Penpal by Dathan Auerbach
Penpal follows an unnamed man as he pieces together the fragments of his disturbing childhood. From his kindergarten years to the end of high school, a series of seemingly unrelated bizarre incidents and encounters start to come together, leading up to a horrifying conclusion that completely blindsides both the protagonist and the reader.
The less you know about the plot of this book the better. Originally posted online as a creepypasta, this book is dark and disturbing in a realistic and plausible way. No ghosts or demons are to be found here, just real world human monsters. Although this book is extremely engaging and well written, it is not for the faint of heart. Please look up the trigger warnings before picking up Penpal. However, if you can handle the subject matter, this masterpiece of a book is well worth the read.
Concluding Thoughts:
There’s no denying that readers are growing tired of the same few Stephen King books over and over, especially with the wide variety of horror novels out there. This list is just a sample of all the amazing underrated horror books out there. As they live in the shadows of huge, successful authors such as Stephen King, it’s often difficult for smaller horror authors to gain the attention and reader base they deserve. I hope at least one of the books on this list catches your interest and you find a new underrated novel to fall in love with. Happy reading.