Most Popular Horror Books of the 20th century

Discover popular Horror books from the 20th century, with reader ratings and new favorites to explore.

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Books in this list

The Sandman #2

The Sandman: The Doll's House

Neil Gaiman, Mike Dringenberg, Malcolm Jones III

Fantasy · Horror · Graphic Novels · Comics

1989

8.5/10 68 ratings

The Case of Charles Dexter Ward

H. P. Lovecraft

Fantasy · Horror · Science Fiction · Weird Fiction

1951

8.4/10 67 ratings

The Stand

Stephen King

Horror · Post-Apocalyptic

1978

8.4/10 98 ratings

It

Stephen King

Horror · British Fantasy Award

1986

8.5/10 111 ratings

The Green Mile

The Green Mile

Stephen King

Horror · Bram Stoker Award

1997

8.3/10 54 ratings

The Shining #1

The Shining

Stephen King

Horror

1977

8.3/10 164 ratings

Night Shift

Stephen King

Horror · Short Stories

1978

8.1/10 50 ratings

The Sandman #1

The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes

Neil Gaiman

Fantasy · Horror · Graphic Novels · Comics

1989

8.3/10 50 ratings

Watchers

Dean Koontz

Horror

1987

8.1/10 28 ratings

The Lurker at the Threshold

H. P. Lovecraft, August Derleth

Fantasy · Horror · Science Fiction · Weird Fiction

1945

7.9/10 33 ratings

Pet Sematary

Stephen King

Horror

1983

8.0/10 194 ratings

I Am Legend

Richard Matheson

Horror · Science Fiction · Vampires · Bram Stoker Award

1954

8.0/10 89 ratings

'Salem's Lot

Stephen King

Horror

1975

7.8/10 108 ratings

Summer of Night

Dan Simmons

Horror · Locus Award

1991

7.9/10 27 ratings

The Vampire Chronicles #2

The Vampire Lestat

Anne Rice

Horror · Vampires

1985

7.7/10 125 ratings

Needful Things

Stephen King

Horror

1991

7.6/10 56 ratings

We Have Always Lived in the Castle

Shirley Jackson

Horror

1962

7.7/10 27 ratings

Books of Blood #1

Books of Blood: Volume One

Clive Barker

Horror · Splatterpunk · Short Stories · World Fantasy Award

1984

7.8/10 41 ratings

Green Town

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Ray Bradbury

Fantasy · Horror

1962

7.6/10 38 ratings

Skeleton Crew

Stephen King

Horror · Locus Award · Short Stories

1985

7.6/10 44 ratings

Four Past Midnight

Stephen King

Horror · Bram Stoker Award · Short Stories

1990

7.7/10 43 ratings

Insomnia

Stephen King

Horror

1994

7.5/10 48 ratings

Misery

Stephen King

Horror · Psychological Horror · Bram Stoker Award · Movie · Mainstream

1987

7.6/10 112 ratings

Sherlock Holmes - The Original Stories #5

The Hound of the Baskervilles

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Horror · Cozy Mystery · Crime Fiction · Sherlock Holmes · Historical Fiction

1902

7.5/10 66 ratings

The Tommyknockers

Stephen King

Horror

1987

7.5/10 70 ratings

Different Seasons

Stephen King

Horror · Short Stories

1982

7.4/10 58 ratings

Nightmares and Dreamscapes

Stephen King

Horror · Short Stories

1993

7.4/10 47 ratings

The Vampire Chronicles #1

Interview with the Vampire

Anne Rice

Horror · Vampires

1976

7.4/10 180 ratings

The Dead Zone

Stephen King

Horror

1979

7.4/10 51 ratings

Song of Kali

Dan Simmons

Horror · Ancient Mythology · World Fantasy Award · Mythology

1985

7.2/10 47 ratings

Gerald's Game

Stephen King

Horror

1992

7.3/10 67 ratings

Lord of the Flies

William Golding

Horror · Mainstream

1954

7.2/10 200 ratings

The Vampire Chronicles #3

The Queen of the Damned

Anne Rice

Horror · Vampires

1988

7.2/10 98 ratings

Bag of Bones

Stephen King

Horror · Bram Stoker Award · British Fantasy Award · Locus Award

1998

7.3/10 64 ratings

Rose Madder

Stephen King

Horror

1995

7.3/10 52 ratings

The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath

H. P. Lovecraft

Fantasy · Horror · Science Fiction · Weird Fiction · Short Stories

1970

7.3/10 36 ratings