Quintessential Horror Relics - Personal Curriculum
Inspired by reading Paperbacks from Hell (by Grady Hendrix), I wanted to broaden the horror novels under my belt. I might have grown up reading King and a little Koontz, but there are so many fascinating titles that predate those greats. Feel free to suggest older horror books and why they'd make a great addition to this list in the comments.
created by kathytrithardt
last updated October, 2025
Comments
I can highly recommend the exorcist!! i read it this month for book club and i personally found it outstanding. but be warned it is a slow build up
Good to know! I obviously watched the film in my teens but never got around to actually reading it.
Read The Exorcist at age 13. Scared the living shit out of me. Downstairs in a half finished basement, alone in the house, and I couldnât turn off the lights as I made my way upstairs to my bedroom. đ
I remember watching the movie at a slumber party and being the only one laughing and not actively terrified at some of the worst bits. I was that kid. The 1990 version of IT was my favourite movie when I was 4.
Funny. By the time I saw the The Exorcist I didnât find it terribly scary. Same with The Shining. Book was scarier.
Peter Benchleyâs Jaws? Read that as a young one and that first scene. Heart in my throat!
Good call! Another one where I grew up watching the movie but didn't get around to the book.
I could get away with reading the books where my parents wouldnât let me watch the movie. They had no idea. I was reading horror long before I ever read romance. đ Also read Steven Kingâs The Stand. The first half of that book was pretty creepy, too.
Thereâs also The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin, and Peter Straubâs, Ghost Story. I saw the original TSW and read the book after. Both were creepy. The 1975 movie version was better than the 2004 one (IMHO đ).
Admittedly I have only seen the 2004 version of The Stepford Wives, but I have actually read Ghost Story by Peter Straub!
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