The 9 Best Horror Books to Read on Halloween

Great novels can introduce us to a lot of amazing things: passionate romances, unforgettable plot twists, or fantastical beasts that seem to come alive in our imagination. And for those readers who find an adrenaline rush, there are carefully crafted horror books that will keep us awake at night, chill us to the bone, and scare us beyond our nightmares.

9 PHOTOS

1. "It" by Stephen King.

This acclaimed horror book follows seven adults returning to their hometown to face an evil they first discovered as teenagers: a nameless, shape-shifting horror they call "It". If you read other Stephen King novels, Derry, Maine pops up over and over again, but it all started with It.

2. "Dead Lake" by Rachel Kane.

Gina was completely normal - an ordinary housewife with a husband and two children. But when a car accident exposed her husband's secret life as a serial killer, she moved with her children to a house on the lake, away from her husband's secrets and the stalkers who think she was part of it all. But when a body appears in the lake and threatening letters begin to arrive, Gina - now the prime suspect - must protect herself and her children from a killer who is torturing her family.

3. Hell House by Richard Matheson.

Stephen King called the book "the scariest haunted house novel ever written." Rolf Rudolf Deutsch is about to die, so he offers to pay a physicist and two mediums $100,000 each to learn what happens after death. The three go to Belasco's house, more commonly referred to as "House of Hell", for a one-night stand to find out how he got his nickname.

4. "Christmasland" by Joe Hill.

You will tremble with fear just reading the description of this book - and the story itself is even wilder than the summary allows. Victoria, a young girl with a talent for finding things, stumbles upon a bridge that could take her anywhere. She runs into Charlie Manx, who lures the children into a car that takes them to a terrifying playground called Christmasland. Victoria is the only child who managed to escape from the Land of Christmas. Years later, Charlie has not forgotten about her - and is ready to take revenge.

5. "Red Dragon" by Thomas Harris.

You may be more familiar with the second book in Hannibal Lecter's The Silence of the Lambs series, but if you want to read the whole story, you should start here. When families are attacked by a serial killer, the FBI turns to William Graham, one of the world's greatest profilers who has retired from the horrors he witnessed in the capture of Hannibal Lecter. To solve this case, William discovers that he must turn to Lector for help. The antagonist's brutal point of view is full of horror, demonstrating that the "nice guy" isn't always the hero.

6. "The Exorcist" by William Peter Blatty.

Adapted from one of the scariest films of all time, The Exorcist follows a mother and two priests as they fight to free the soul of a young girl ruled by an evil and cruel spirit. The deeper details of this novel make the already scary scenes even scarier. Even if you've already seen the movie, there's even more frightening information in the story that adds to the fear.

7. The Shining by Stephen King.

Jack Torrance wants to start over with a new job at the Overlook Hotel where he can reconnect with his family and work on writing in his spare time. As winter approaches, Jack's days at the hotel get weirder and weirder, and the only one who notices is Danny, Jack's unique five-year-old son. Filled with specific characters, this slow-paced, character-filled book doesn't draw you in - it only heightens the dread to a memorable conclusion.

8. Dracula by Bram Stoker.

Jack Torrance wants to start over with a new job at the Overlook Hotel where he can reconnect with his family and work on writing in his spare time. As winter approaches, Jack's days at the hotel get weirder and weirder, and the only one who notices is Danny, Jack's unique five-year-old son. Filled with specific characters, this slow-paced, character-filled book doesn't draw you in - it only heightens the dread to a memorable conclusion.

9. "Imaginary Friend" by Stephen Chbosky.

It is best to read with the lights on. "Imaginary Friend" is a gripping story in which a boy named Christopher goes missing in the city he and his mother have just fled to. Six days later, Christopher comes out of the woods with a voice in his head telling him to do one thing: build a treehouse in the woods for Christmas, or his mother and everyone in town will never be the same.