Scariest Classic Horror Halloween Stories That Will Freak You Out

The following Halloween classic novels are recommended for advanced readers looking for quality pieces to thrill and terrify. Not only do these novels have insane main characters with their own peculiar personality traits, but they are also addictive page turners!

“If I cannot inspire love, I will cause fear!” — Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

Word for the wise, these stories will keep you up at night and have you personally placed in the mind of the medically insane. You will be disturbed if not terrified. With iconic monsters of Halloween that have driven films to reach cult level popularity, these stories will finally explain all the buzz behind them. 

1. Dracula by Bram Stoker

“I am all in a sea of wonders. I doubt; I fear; I think strange things, which I dare not confess to my own soul.” –Dracula

A tale of the famous caped maser of Haloween himself. Read how Jonathon Larker is tricked into meeting Transylvania’s Dracula: a man who looks like a walking corpse. He flies through the night as a bat or runs as a wolf, sucking the blood from others to stay alive. Quickly, we learn his new plan to seek the blood from those residing in England, such as Jonathon’s fiancée, Mina. 

2. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Inspired by a ghost writing competition among friends, Shelley writes the very first science fiction novel of all time, soon to reach longevity and annual popularity. To summarize, a scientist experiments with life itself and the repercussions of meddling with the dead. The story explores the idea of crossing the line with the natural way of things, and the question of who is truly the monster is its central theme.

3. Poor Things by Alasdair Gray

Well, if you enjoyed Frankenstein, try the female version. After a pregnant woman’s suicide, a scientist takes the brain of her unborn baby and exchanges it with her own. After coming alive a second time, she reacts to the world through an infant, toddler, teenager, and eventually an adult’s mind. This novel is not only disturbing but also an excellent social commentary. 

4. The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

“I heard a strange noise. It was… screaming. Some kind of screaming, like a child’s voice,” –The Silence of the Lambs

Halloween can be the time to enter a psycho’s mind. In this novel’s case, a sociopath with the urge to skin women’s bodies and create clothing. Additionally, join a fresh-on-the-force FBI agent and her journey to uncover the dark secrets of this sociopath through another: the famous Hannibal Lecter.

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5. The Shining by Stephan King

What’s Halloween without a story by Stephan King? The new groundskeeper for the winter shutdown at the Outlook hotel doesn’t come alone. His wife and specially gifted son, Danny, are coming along with Jack as he struggles with his past failures of alcohol induced violence in the most haunted establishment in the U.S.

6. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

An orphaned music-loving genius lives in the underground tunnels and lakes of the great French opera house, where he meets Christine Daaé, coaching her as he obsessively falls in love. However, she is under the illusion that he is the ghost of her dead father, as things take a deadly turn.

7. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

“I like to dissect girls. Did you know I’m utterly insane?” –American Psycho

American Psycho should be on your Halloween list this October. If you love individuals who lack empathy and have a taste for the most horrific crimes imaginable, strap in for this story about a wealthy New York City man obsessed with experimenting with each of his victims. Patrick Batman may be the most terrifying, realistic depiction of a modern sociopath ever written. But, be warned, you will leave this novel feeling deeply disturbed and suspicious of others you deem friends. 

8. Carrie by Stephen King

Ultimately, it is quite incredible to read this story and understand that this was Stephen King’s first horror novel. To describe the plot, a supernatural teenager discovers her true powers of telekinesis after getting severely bullied by kids at school and her abusive, religious mother. On prom night, classmates plan to make Carrie the prom queen and dump pig’s blood on her. Little do they know of her true strength and awaiting vengious. 

9. War of The Worlds by H.G. Wells

Originally, this story was read as a radio story. However, the knowledge that this was a fictional novel was not properly disclosed, and those tuning in actually thought the events were happening. Aliens and the world’s end is the best way to describe the page turner that is War of the Worlds. England is under deadly attack by Martians and their advanced weaponry. Quickly, things take a turn for the worse for the citizens whose panic drives this tale. 

10. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson 

If you ever wonder where the popular duo act originated, this novel is for you. On the short end, the story dives into the tale of a doctor who ingeniously created a way to separate his good side from his evil double, Mr. Hyde. At first, he enjoys this newfound freedom. In consequence, however, he realizes that his evil side wants to remain in control, despite his best efforts to fight him off.

Family-Friendly Stories

Halloween can be too R-rated for some audiences—specifically, children and families who are looking for a more tame experience.

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Here are recommendations to get you in the spirit of this chilling time of year without the effects of nightmares and sleeping with the lights on. So, read these with younger audiences or if you aren’t looking for extreme violence this Halloween.

1. Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

“Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast,” –Alice in Wonderland

You may be surprised by this Halloween recommendation. Notably, Carroll was definitely a heavy drug user. However, he utilized these intense side effects to write some of the most peculiar characters imaginable.

Halloween is all about the strange and unusual, and what’s better than the odd encounters Alice faces after following a rabbit down his hole into Wonderland? Additionally, enjoy poems and illustrations as you turn the pages!

2. Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Truly, most have seen or heard of this film. However, did you know it started as a book for children? Deeply creative and family-friendly, a young girl discovers a door in her new home to a world identical to her reality.

However, this one is dripping with color and almost too good to be true. All is perfect until she realizes her other mother doesn’t see her as a daughter, but rather, her next victim.

3. The Graveyard by Neil Gaiman

Another Gaiman novel enters the list, the perfect recommendation if you want a full night’s rest this Halloween while still feeling festive for this spooky season. Nobody Owens is raised by ghosts in a nearby graveyard after his parents are murdered one night. 

4. The Witches by Roald Dahl 

Not only are there beautiful illustrations on every other page, but Dahl truly reimagines what a witch looks like and wants. A young boy and his grandmother go to a Witch convention to stop them from changing more children into mice before it’s too late. 

Honorable Short Story Mentions

Additionally, it may seem daunting to read a long classic novel this Halloween. However, just like for everything, there is a solution. Below are some classic short stories to read this October. 

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1. The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft

Although there is always the crossroads of separating the artist from the art, Lovecraft is still an honorable mention for your next Halloween story. If you fear the ocean and creatures with multiple legs, give this a read. A short story inspired by the infamous Kraken, a ship at sea is under attack with no escape!

2. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

“There is nothing like the silence and loneliness of night to bring dark shadows over the brightest mind.” –The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

You know, the headless horseman is always a constant figure for Halloween. Tutor Ichabod Crane starts as a school teacher before giving singing lessons to a beautiful woman. An envious suitor of hers decides to take matters into his own hands by scaring Crane out of the town once and for all.

Final Shout Outs

Finally, the end has come for this spooky season. Halloween is the time for fear, mischief, ghoulish spirits, and, in the case of this author, their name recurring in unusual circumstances. Amity, with the meaning of friendship, can be seen in these next final shout-outs.

1. Jaws by Peter Benchley

Ever wonder where the deep-seated fear of sharks came from? Look no further, this novel is the answer. A small town in Long Island, the town of AMITY, has a shark problem as a massive great white starts eating its swimmers. Three men board a ship in pursuit of its death and to restore the town’s peace.

2. The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson

It’s in the name! Based on true experiences, a family moves into a house only to encounter paranormal activities that become progressively more violent and intrusive. 

Conclusion and Other Recommendations 

Have a spooky Halloween and check out these well-written thrillers and family-friendly peculiarities. What’s October without a little disruption and terror? If you are looking for more stories to read, check out more well-written fright fests on americanliterature.com.

If you are looking for more short stories to fly through, check out these suggestions on goodreads.com. 

Additionally, here are more horror stories that may not be centered around the typical Halloween atmosphere and monsters, but are just as creepy and uncomfortable. Find on thefeministbibliothecary. 

Or, maybe, you don’t care about popularity and just want a spooky read. Check out more Halloween stories that are a little more underground than those listed above on penguinrandomhouse.com.

Get reading and happy Halloween!