Escape Into the Scariest Books of All Time, If You Dare

'Tis the season for major scares. As Halloween approaches, gather 'round for scary stories—in all their forms. Whether you're looking for a haunting short story to tell in the dark or picks for a spooky movie marathon, we've got you covered. But if it's sustained terror you're looking for, nothing compares to a horror novel. Below, we've gathered a few of the best horror books of all time, from new releases like Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic to Stephen King classics (which we limited to two).

Within the pages of these scary books, get ready for appearances from ghosts, vampires, witches, and one-of-a-kind supernatural creatures, like Pennywise the Dancing Clown in IT. Of course, not all horror stories are magical. Thrillers like You by Carolyn Kepnes, are terrifying because they're grounded in human evil, not fantasy. Horror novels by Black authors like Tananarive Due and Victor LaValle blend genre and the reality of race in the U.S., much like the HBO show Lovecraft Country.

As if you're entering a haunted house, you never know what you'll find within the pages of these books.