by Julius Albert Custodio

Created on: November 09, 2009   Last Updated: November 17, 2009

Spooking myself has always been a hobby of mine. I've watched a lot of horror movies all my life but nothing scares me more than a well-written horror novel. And no, I'm not talking about books dealing with vampires who court teenage girls. I'm talking about the really heavy stuff, those books which can make your spine tingle after reading just a few pages. I've compiled a short list of the top ten scariest horror novels I've read and here they are in descending order:

10. The Wolfen by Whitley Strieber

I've always thought werewolves are the least horrifying ones among the supernatural monsters but this book quickly changed my opinion. Strieber's "The Wolfen" really took its toll on me and it made me stay up till the wee hours of the morning. I highly recommend this not just to werewolf fans but to fans of horror novels in general.

9. Nightmare House by Douglas Clegg

This book defines real terror. I literally jumped out of my seat in certain parts of this novel even if I still haven't reached its halfway point! It will really make you think that there's some figment of truth to the fictional Harrow House described in the book. This is truly a masterpiece by Clegg and for me, even if its just a prequel, it remains to be his best work.

8. Ghost Road Blues by Jonathan Maberry

Epic in scope and cleverly plotted, Maberry's "Ghost Road Blues" took me by surprise. I've bought a second-hand copy of this book from my friend and he told me that it will scare me witless. At first, I was a bit underwhelmed, but as the tension builds and the dead bodies pile up, I began fearing for my own life. I actually got attached with several characters here. This book is definitely scary in more ways than one.

7. Books of Blood by Clive Barker

If you like your horror novel gruesome and gory, then Clive Barker's "Books of Blood" is right up your alley. A hefty collection composed of several volumes, these stories will haunt your imagination and may even play tricks on your mind. This is not for the faint of heart, and I really mean it when I say that.

6. The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

Nothing is scarier than a horror book based on a true story. This classic tale of demonic possession (and the movie which made a household name out of Linda Blair) is still revered as the scariest novel of all time. After reading it several times, I felt that the horror actually wore down. It's still terrifying, yes, but it's certainly not the scariest novel ever.

5. Misery by Stephen King

I could've

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