What’s the scariest book you’ve ever read?

In our year-long Bookworm Challenge, October is, of course, the month to get a taste of the horror genre. For your reading pleasure, we present a list that spans the barely-scary “cozy horror” to books you should read only during the daytime with all the lights on. We developed a ghost-rating system to make it simple.

Horror isn’t always horrifying – 👻

At the “barely scary” end, you’ll encounter books that probably won’t get your heart pounding much at all. Our staff have assembled books for adults in this category in their display on the second floor. Adults, head there first if scary is not your cup of tea. For kids, check out the books below that are more fun than spooky.

Any of the Scooby Doo books
Scooby-Doo books capture the beloved adventures of Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Inc. gang as they solve spooky mysteries with playful scares and humorous hijinks.

The Lima Bean Monster by Dan Yaccarino, illustrated by Adam McCauley
Sammy doesn’t want to eat his lima beans and dumps them in a vacant lot. This starts a neighborhood trend to put rejected vegetables in the hole and a terrible lima bean monster rises to terrorize the town.

I Do Not Eat Children by Marcus Cutler  
A monster claims he would never eat a child as the children playing around him suspiciously disappear one by one. A great read aloud, this silly and subversive picture book delivers poetic justice and giggles galore.

Maybe a little scarier? 👻👻

At our 2-ghost rating, you’ll find books that could be called delicously scary. They’re on the same level as that creaky noise in the attic that you tell yourself is “just the wind.”

The Goosebumps Series by R.L. Stine   
These books are spooky, kid-friendly horror stories that combine humor and chills, introducing young readers to haunted houses, creepy creatures, and supernatural scares. With twists, cliffhangers, and a playful approach to fear, Goosebumps has become a beloved gateway into the horror genre for generations.

Teachers from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler
It all started with The Teacher from the Black Lagoon book and expanded to a substitute, computer, art teacher, etc. all from the Black Lagoon. These stories center on the humorous and exaggerated fears children have about their school experiences.

The haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
A classic gothic horror novel that follows a group of people invited to stay in a supposedly haunted mansion to study its paranormal activity. As the characters experience increasingly unsettling phenomena, the line between reality and madness blurs, exploring themes of fear and isolation.

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
A supernatural thriller set in South Carolina in the ’90s about a women’s book club that must protect its suburban community from a mysterious stranger who turns out to be a real monster. Some readers say this book is barely scary, others are more disturbed by it. You decide.

Ready to be terrified? 👻👻👻 to 👻👻👻👻👻

At 3 ghosts and above, we have no recommendations for kids and rightly so. These heart-pounding tales can leave you clutching your blanket, wide-eyed and wondering why your cat keeps staring at the empty corner of the room. Psychological horror, tales of the supernatural and occult, dystopian terror, it’s all here. For those who want to be thoroughly scared, these are your books and authors.

The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell  
A Victorian horror novel that combines eerie atmosphere with psychological tension, following a widow who encounters strange, lifelike wooden figures at her late husband’s crumbling country estate. Blurring the line between reality and madness, the novel’s slow-burn suspense and unsettling imagery create a hauntingly immersive tale.

Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
A mind-bending, sci-fi horror novel about a mysterious, uninhabited zone known as Area X, where nature has taken over in strange and disturbing ways. The story follows a team of four women—a biologist, an anthropologist, a surveyor, and a psychologist—as they embark on a harrowing expedition to uncover its secrets, encountering eerie phenomena that challenge their understanding of reality.

Shiver: Selected Stories by Junji Ito (graphic novel)
Shiver is an offering of nine fresh nightmares for dedicated horror fans. An arm peppered with tiny holes dangles from a sick girl’s window… After an idol hangs herself, balloons bearing faces appear in the sky, some even featuring your own face… An amateur film crew hires an extremely individualistic fashion model and faces a real bloody ending…

Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
Two boys’ lives are changed forever when a sinister travelling carnival stops at their Illinois town. A dark and foreboding novel by Ray Bradbury that’s considered one of his best horror stories.

Need more? Here are masters of the genre for folks who like to be truly terrified

Stephen King
Enough said.

Joe Hill
The son of Stephen King has established himself as a master of modern horror with critically acclaimed works like NOS4A2 and Horns. Known for blending supernatural elements with deep emotional storytelling, Hill’s writing often explores the intersection of family, trauma, and terror.

Stephen Graham Jones
Blending Indigenous folklore with modern horror, Jones is the author of The Only Good Indians and My Heart is a Chainsaw. His stories can be brutal, raw, and relentless, with an underlying tension that doesn’t let up.

Josh Malerman
Best known for Bird Box, Malerman creates an atmosphere of tension and dread, where the unseen is often more terrifying than what’s visible. His stories play on the fear of the unknown, forcing characters (and readers) to face the horrors of sensory deprivation.

Paul Tremblay
Known for unsettling psychological horror, Tremblay’s The Cabin at the End of the World and A Head Full of Ghosts dive deep into paranoia, unreliable narration, and existential dread. His work often leaves readers questioning what’s real and what’s imagined.

Jonathan Maberry
Maberry writes a unique blend of horror that fuses supernatural elements with gritty, action-packed storytelling. His work often features relentless monsters—like zombies and vampires—while exploring the darker sides of humanity, resulting in horror that is both visceral and psychological.

Whew, that last list!

Take a breath, step back, and start your reading at a level of horror that makes sense for you. Whether you’re just here for a slight thrill or you’d rather be too scared to sleep for days, this list has you covered. Dive as deep as you like (or not) into the creepy, the unsettling, and the outright terrifying this month.