What's the scariest book you've read?

Cycle of the Warewolf by Stephen King, illustrations by Berni Wrightson.

Looks like a beguiling children's book and then it bites you in the bottom.

After reading this I stopped reading horror as I now have an unholy dread of werewolves which I sort of know ARE NOT REAL!

The Shining. When I was 13. REDRUM REDRUM REDDDRUMMM!

Scary.

JoyceDivision - I think the Little Stranger had a growing sense of unease that really bothered me, every time something odd happened it then got followed by something mundane and back to normal life, which kind of lulls you into a false sense of security.

Then by the ending it wasn't the sense of a big twist, or shocking ending, just a slow reveal of something that was there all along. It really left me disturbed and upset, though a bit cheated that there (SPOILER) wasn't a 'ghost' as such.

House of Leaves I'm never going to read - I read a synopsis on Wikipedia and that was enough for me!

Island of Dr Moreau. Read it quite young and scared me do much. Books read when young might be a factor.

I found The Stand gripping as opposed to scary, but then everyone gets scared by different things. Salem's Lot is the Stephen King book that scared me the most, which is weird because that kind of film doesn't freak me out at all, really - I enjoy the jumps and jolts and shocks, but my mind doesn't dwell on things the way it does with proper ghost stories.

The Orphanage traumatised me, big time. No way am I ever going to watch that again. Not because it was scary, but just because it was so fucking horrible and tragic.

lightening by Dean Koontz

I was convinced someone was in the house, becuase it was lightening when i was reading the book. I went downstairs with a vase......just to check it out!!!!

pet semetary by Stephen King. i read it twice as a teen and couldn't finish it the second time. i cant read scary stuff now.

Pet Sematary by Stephen King. I read The Woman In Black twice and I've still yet to understand why people consider it scary

Glittermud
MrsUnderwood
And
Nobodys

We are all right. House of Leaves is the scariest book and we are the winners of the thread. Even the layout is unsettling

Glitter mud
MrsUnderwood
And

Curlyclaz13
I still remember Non Omnis Moriar from Prophecy. Scared me so much!

The House of Leaves is scarier than anything else. Fact.

Oh no, can't believe people weren't scared by the stand! I got through most of the first part, it was when the demon type thing started appearing that it just got too much and I had to stop reading. I've read much worse books (I think) but I can't believe the effect it had on me!

Bolshy, ah, thanks for the update re her books. I found the ones I read upsetting and just unneccesary!

Ringu the film scared the living crap out of me, puppet! Especially as I had a TV at the time (in my bedroom) that would randomly turn itself on. Had to unplug it from the wall

Mo Hayder has definitely got a lot less gruesome joycedivision, I agree that her early books (particularly Birdman and Tokyo) were over the top to the point of being misogynistic. Her work has really matured, however, and I've enjoyed the last couple of jack caffrey books*

*disclaimer- I'm a bit morbid and love a trashy crime thriller.

The Ring. I read it whilst coming down with flu and having house guests. They arrived home from the theatre to find me passed out on sofa, book open on chest and I screamed a lot when they woke me up

Re The Little Stranger - I love the book, and her stuff in general, but I think I have missed bits / not read it properly because I didn't really find ita creepy / scary book, but get the feeling I should have?

Mo Hayder - I really really really hate her stuff - sorry, as I can see there are lots of fans on here, I love creepy / scary books and films, but I read about 3 and they all just piled on shock tactics and trying to be as shocking and horrifying with bad taste - the troll man who hides in the house, the man who was forced to attack his own child when the troll man couldn't, the elderly army general (?) withe the SPOILER SO WON'T DETAIL !! to live forever, the girl who met up but it was a trick and she was kidnapped and in the house tied to the board.... horrible, just nasty, horrible ott grim stuff..

Sorry. Rant over

Salem's Lot. I read it as a student. I wouldn't read it if I was in the house alone (in fact, I wouldn't read it alone in my room, I would go into my flatmate's room) and I wouldn't read it after dark.

Woman in Black film terrifying. Even thinking about it makes my hair stand on end!

Oof, I forgot to include Wolf Creek in my scariest films. I had to leave the auditorium a couple of times with that one.

Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes. Got me hooked on thrillers

Loved "The Stand" but was terrified by "Pet Cemetary", both Stephen King.
Was scared witless by "The Little Stranger" by Sarah Waters, which MIL lent me on holiday a few years ago.

Some good recommendations here, will have to look out for them for my Kindle.

Oooh, snotandbothered I loved House of Leaves but it properly unsettled me for weeks after reading.

Any Adam Nevill is fantastic. The Audible version of The Little Stranger is giving me a very scary commute at the moment. Also, Robert Aickman short stories are terrifying, my favourite is probably The Same Dog.