Designed to Feel by Peter Burchardt
Bestseller by Peter Burchardt
Designed to Feel
Why Evolution Built Your Emotions, and How to Make Them Work for You
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Best Horror Books

Horror is the literature of fear — not the cheap fear of a jump scare, but the sustained, atmospheric dread that a great horror novel can maintain for hundreds of pages, the uncanny sense that something is wrong with the world in ways that cannot be precisely named. Poe and Sheridan Le Fanu established the Gothic tradition; Lovecraft gave the 20th century its mythology of cosmic indifference; Stephen King brought horror back to the everyday and the psychological. Contemporary horror — from Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House to Carmen Maria Machado's In the Dream House — has become one of the most formally inventive of genres, exploring trauma, domesticity, and identity through the lens of the uncanny.

50 titles ranked · Scored across 40+ editorial sources
#1
Cover of Bird Box
horror

Bird Box

Josh Malerman· 2014
★Bram Stoker Award
Editorial Score55/100
#2
The Picture of Dorian Gray
literary-fiction

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde· 1890
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#3
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus
literary-fiction

Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus

Mary Shelley· 1818
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score55/100
#4
Анна Каренина
literary-fiction

Анна Каренина

Лев Толстой· 1876
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#5
The Mayor of Casterbridge
literary-fiction

The Mayor of Casterbridge

Thomas Hardy· 1800
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#6
The Jewel of Seven Stars
literary-fiction

The Jewel of Seven Stars

Bram Stoker· 1902
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#7
Cover of Herland
literary-fiction

Herland

Charlotte Perkins Gilman· 1915
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#8
Cover of Dracula's Guest and Other Weird Stories
literary-fiction

Dracula's Guest and Other Weird Stories

Bram Stoker· 1937
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#9
Cover of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
literary-fiction

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Robert Louis Stevenson· 1875
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score55/100
#10
The Vampyre
literary-fiction

The Vampyre

John William Polidori· 1819
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#11
Cover of The Gunslinger
literary-fiction

The Gunslinger

Stephen King· 1976
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#12
In the Midst of Life. Tales of Civilians
literary-fiction

In the Midst of Life. Tales of Civilians

Ambrose Bierce· 1891
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score55/100
#13
Rose Madder
literary-fiction

Rose Madder

Stephen King· 1995
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#14
The Works of Edgar Allan Poe in Five Volumes
literary-fiction

The Works of Edgar Allan Poe in Five Volumes

Edgar Allan Poe· 1903
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score55/100
#15
Tales of Mystery and Imagination [29 stories]
literary-fiction

Tales of Mystery and Imagination [29 stories]

Edgar Allan Poe· 1902
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score55/100
#16
Great American Short Stories
literary-fiction

Great American Short Stories

Wallace Stegner· 1957
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#17
Cover of Great Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe [21 stories, 34 poems]
literary-fiction

Great Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe [21 stories, 34 poems]

Edgar Allan Poe· 1940
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#18
Nouvelles histoires extraordinaires (Berenice / Black Cat / Cask of Amontillado / Colloquy of Monos and Una / Conversation of Eiros and Charmi / Devil in the Belfry / Fall of the House of Usher / Four Beasts in One / Hop-Frog / Imp of the Perverse / Island of the Fay / King Pest / Lionizing / Man of the Crowd / Masque of the Red Death / Oval Portrait / Pit and the Pendulum / Power of Words / Shadow / Silence / Some Words with a Mummy / Tell-Tale Heart / William Wilson)
literary-fiction

Nouvelles histoires extraordinaires (Berenice / Black Cat / Cask of Amontillado / Colloquy of Monos and Una / Conversation of Eiros and Charmi / Devil in the Belfry / Fall of the House of Usher / Four Beasts in One / Hop-Frog / Imp of the Perverse / Island of the Fay / King Pest / Lionizing / Man of the Crowd / Masque of the Red Death / Oval Portrait / Pit and the Pendulum / Power of Words / Shadow / Silence / Some Words with a Mummy / Tell-Tale Heart / William Wilson)

Edgar Allan Poe· 1857
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#19
Tales of Mystery and Imagination [46 stories]
literary-fiction

Tales of Mystery and Imagination [46 stories]

Edgar Allan Poe· 1908
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#20
Cover of The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe [67 stories, 52 poems, 4 essays]
literary-fiction

The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe [67 stories, 52 poems, 4 essays]

Edgar Allan Poe· 1938
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#21
Tales of Mystery and Imagination [22 stories]
literary-fiction

Tales of Mystery and Imagination [22 stories]

Edgar Allan Poe· 1985
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#22
Cover of Selected Writings of Edgar Allan Poe
literary-fiction

Selected Writings of Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe· 1967
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#23
Tales of Edgar Allan Poe
literary-fiction

Tales of Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe· 1944
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#24
Selected Tales
literary-fiction

Selected Tales

Edgar Allan Poe· 1967
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#25
Cover of Eaters of the Dead
science-fiction

Eaters of the Dead

Michael Crichton· 1976
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#26
Cover of House of Leaves
horror

House of Leaves

Mark Z. Danielewski· 2000
★Bram Stoker Award
Editorial Score50/100
#27
The Yellow Wallpaper
literary-fiction

The Yellow Wallpaper

Charlotte Perkins Gilman· 1892
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score50/100
#28
Cover of Carmilla
literary-fiction

Carmilla

Sheridan Le Fanu· 1871
Library Journal
Editorial Score50/100
#29
The Turn of the Screw
literary-fiction

The Turn of the Screw

Henry James· 1898
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score50/100
#30
The Fall of the House of Usher
literary-fiction

The Fall of the House of Usher

Edgar Allan Poe· 1704
Library Journal
Editorial Score50/100
#31
Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque
literary-fiction

Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque

Edgar Allan Poe· 1840
Library Journal
Editorial Score50/100
#32
Carrie
literary-fiction

Carrie

Stephen King· 1974
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score50/100
#33
The Tell-Tale Heart
literary-fiction

The Tell-Tale Heart

Edgar Allan Poe· 1958
Library Journal
Editorial Score50/100
#34
Cover of Night Shift
literary-fiction

Night Shift

Stephen King· 1960
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score50/100
#35
Cover of The Eyes of the Dragon
literary-fiction

The Eyes of the Dragon

Stephen King· 1959
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score50/100
#36
Cover of Different Seasons
literary-fiction

Different Seasons

Stephen King· 1982
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score50/100
#37
Cover of Something Wicked This Way Comes
literary-fiction

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Ray Bradbury· 1962
Library Journal
Editorial Score50/100
#38
A thin ghost and others
literary-fiction

A thin ghost and others

Montague Rhodes James· 1919
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score50/100
#39
Cover of The Regulators
literary-fiction

The Regulators

Stephen King· 1996
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score50/100
#40
Cover of The Passage
literary-fiction

The Passage

Justin Cronin· 2010
Library Journal
Editorial Score50/100
#41
Selected English Short Stories (Nineteenth Century)
literary-fiction

Selected English Short Stories (Nineteenth Century)

Walker, Hugh· 1914
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score50/100
#42
The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales [15 stories]
literary-fiction

The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales [15 stories]

Edgar Allan Poe· 1960
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score50/100
#43
Future perfect
literary-fiction

Future perfect

H. Bruce Franklin· 1955
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score50/100
#44
Selections From Poe [6 stories, 35 poems]
literary-fiction

Selections From Poe [6 stories, 35 poems]

Edgar Allan Poe· 1907
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score50/100
#45
Cover of Ten Great Mysteries [10 stories, 5 poems]
literary-fiction

Ten Great Mysteries [10 stories, 5 poems]

Edgar Allan Poe· 1960
Library Journal
Editorial Score50/100
#46
Cover of Tales of Mystery and Terror (Black Cat / Descent into the Maelstrom / Fall of the House of Usher / Hop-Frog / Masque of the Red Death / MS. Found in a Bottle / Oblong Box / Oval Portrait / Pit and the Pendulum / Some Words With a Mummy / Sphinx / Tell-Tale Heart / William Wilson)
literary-fiction

Tales of Mystery and Terror (Black Cat / Descent into the Maelstrom / Fall of the House of Usher / Hop-Frog / Masque of the Red Death / MS. Found in a Bottle / Oblong Box / Oval Portrait / Pit and the Pendulum / Some Words With a Mummy / Sphinx / Tell-Tale Heart / William Wilson)

Edgar Allan Poe· 1967
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score50/100
#47
Cover of The Works of Edgar Allan Poe [68 stories, 31 poems]
literary-fiction

The Works of Edgar Allan Poe [68 stories, 31 poems]

Edgar Allan Poe· 1985
Library Journal
Editorial Score50/100
#48
Cover of Fiction
literary-fiction

Fiction

R. S. Gwynn· 1993
Library Journal
Editorial Score50/100
#49
Cover of The Complete Tales & Poems of Edgar Allan Poe [73 stories, 48 poems]
literary-fiction

The Complete Tales & Poems of Edgar Allan Poe [73 stories, 48 poems]

Edgar Allan Poe· 1985
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score50/100
#50
Cover of The Tell-Tale Heart and Other Writings
literary-fiction

The Tell-Tale Heart and Other Writings

Edgar Allan Poe· 1980
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score50/100
Happy Children
The Parenting Companion
Happy Children
What Evolution Actually Built Your Child’s Emotions For
Your child’s emotions are not the problem. They are the operating system.
Get It on Amazon →Paperback & Kindle

By Country

🇺🇳International3145🇺🇸United States474🇬🇧United Kingdom64🇮🇪Ireland23🇯🇵Japan18🇵🇱Poland10🌍India6🇩🇪Germany6🇪🇸Spain4🇮🇹Italy4🇫🇷France3🌍Sweden1🇲🇽Mexico1

Key Authors

Josh MalermanMary ShelleyThomas HardyBram StokerStephen KingMark Z. DanielewskiHenry JamesRay BradburyScott SmithCharles Dickens

Horror Books — FAQ

What are the best horror books of all time?

The top-ranked horror books include Bird Box, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus — all with high editorial consensus scores across major literary prizes and critic lists.

How are horror books ranked on 50 Best Books?

Rankings are based on aggregate editorial scores drawn from Nobel Prizes, Booker Awards, Pulitzer Prizes, and 40+ other critical sources. Each mention is weighted by prestige, recency, and scope.

Which countries produce the most acclaimed horror books?

International, United States, United Kingdom lead our rankings in horror, producing the most internationally recognised titles in the genre.

Who are the most acclaimed horror authors?

Key authors in horror include Josh Malerman, Mary Shelley, Thomas Hardy, whose works consistently appear across major prize lists and critic selections.

Are there horror books for beginners?

Yes — our rankings include books at every level. Look for titles with broad critical acclaim and accessible descriptions. Start with books scoring 70+ on our editorial scale.