9 best horror stories to read this Halloween and beyond

We’ve selected the tomes from across different eras, covering everything from traditional haunted houses to evil curses (iStock/The Independent)

Halloween is a time when people scare each other with tales of horror and the supernatural – from wandering spirits to soul-eating demons and everything in between, nearly every culture has some sort of story designed to spark fear.

After a year that’s arguably been scarier than any horror novel, the spookiest date on the calendar is now almost upon us, followed by All Souls Day and Dia de Los Muertos two days later, so now is the perfect time to pick up a book that will scare the living daylights out of you.

To help you out, we’ve reviewed some of the most chilling books to have come from the horror genre. Of course, our list is by no means exhaustive – there are thousands of excellent novels spanning all sorts of themes.

We’ve selected and tested the tomes from across different eras, covering everything from classic haunted houses to evil curses. We were particularly looking for books that instil fear, whether through characters or the ideas they explore. We also looked for plots that were pioneering for the genre.

You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.

Read more

Women’s Prize for Fiction: Read this year’s winning novel and the previous top titles

Banned Books Week: The previously censored novels you should read

9 best kids’ Halloween fancy dress costumes, from dragons to pumpkins