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What is the most chilling book you've ever read?

207 replies

Beatgrrl · 05/12/2019 14:50

At this time of year, I really love to snuggle up under a blanket, get all comfy and absolutely terrify myself with a great book and I could really use some recommendations. Which books have been absolutely bone-chillingly terrifying for you? Which have been the books that have left you too afraid to turn the lights out; too afraid to move? Which books have made you feel too scared to turn the page?

OP posts:
tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz · 06/12/2019 13:18

Station 11 ... a post apocalyptic one which tells the build up to the event and what happens after. Not scary chilling but, as is often the case with these books, the behaviour of people when there is no law and order is very unsettling. It's actually a really beautiful story especially the moments when main characters think back to what's been lost. One that has stayed with me for a long time.

Only ever yours by Louisa O'Neill is excellent, very disturbing. I felt a bit sick at the end.

tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz · 06/12/2019 13:19

Anyone else fantasising about closing the doors on the world over Christmas, seeing no one and just reading a shit tonne of books and drinking lovely wine?! Grin

Movinghouseatlast · 06/12/2019 13:20

A Fatal Inversion by Ruth Rendell writing as Barbara Vine. The last chapter made me scream out loud. Utterly chilling.

BernardsarenotalwaysSaints · 06/12/2019 13:21

Sorry Diane Setterfield (I’ve just checked my bookcase)

HowlsMovingBungalow · 06/12/2019 13:47

Agree re Kevin and Lovely Bones - they are books that never leave you.

Not into horror or gore but love historic 'mysterious' type novels.

The Essex Serpent - Sarah Perry
The Bedlam Stacks - Natasha Pulley

Both eery reads.

SinkGirl · 06/12/2019 14:02

I love some of Chuck Palahiuk’s earlier books - so different from anything else. I particularly love Diary, such a brilliant concept, chilling and gripping. Lullaby is also quite creepy. Survivor is my favourite.

Drabarni · 06/12/2019 14:56

The Rats In The wall. By HP Woodcraft.

Drabarni · 06/12/2019 14:57

Lovecraft, not woodcraft Grin

Deecaff · 06/12/2019 15:35

The most chilling book I've ever read was The Outcast by Sadie Jones. Not scary or terrifying but just a very dark, depressing book. I've read a few of the above mentioned scary/horror books and never find them that disturbing.

HowlsMovingBungalow · 06/12/2019 15:37

I've got The Outcast on my bookshelf yet to read @Deecaff - interesting! May put off starting for a bit.

schoolcook · 06/12/2019 16:03

Sleepyhead by Mark Billingham really spooked me.

dontalltalkatonce · 06/12/2019 16:12

Another vote for 'Last Days'.

Also 'The Last Days of Jack Sparks'.

Lots of others because I love this genre.

kitk · 06/12/2019 16:20

The Ice Twins by SK Tremayne

crosstalk · 06/12/2019 16:28

Another for M R James - eg Ghost Stories of an Antiquary. Short stories.

FlamingoAndJohn · 06/12/2019 18:23

Just hanging around for recommendations.

grannyjacob · 10/12/2019 05:06

The Cement Garden, Ian McEwan. The Passage Trilogy, Justin Cronin. The Stand and Cell, both Stephen King. I Am Legend, Richard Matheson.

Bluewavescrashing · 10/12/2019 05:08

The Other Hand

I made the mistake of reading it on holiday!

sashh · 10/12/2019 05:14

Fizbo

I thought it was just me who couldn't read books 'out of season', I once started a Rebus book, it was describing a cold, wet Edinburgh, but I was reading outside on a hot sunny day. I had to put it down and read a John Grisham, set in the southern US.

Agree re Kevin and Lovely Bones - they are books that never leave you.

Unfortunately in my case, I didn't think much of them.

Besidesthepoint · 10/12/2019 06:11

Never let me go

It's a very disturbing dystopian book that I lost sleep over. My friend thought that I was exagerrating so read it too and planned to call me afterwards to tell me to not be a wuss, instead he called me and told me he also felt too scared to go to sleep.

MiniGuinness · 10/12/2019 06:19

Perfume: The story of a murderer, by Patrick Süskind, I read it as a teenager and my skin still crawls over some of the descriptions.

imhereforcake · 10/12/2019 06:29

Perfect child by Lucinda Berry made me feel uncomfortable and haunted me for weeks

Celerysam · 10/12/2019 06:34

The Magpies, Mark Edwards. it still disturbs me now.

NotMyRealName123 · 10/12/2019 06:59

Surprised nobody has mentioned Richard Laymon yet? The best (worst?) I read of his was The Travelling Vampire Show double with a collection of short stories. The main book was great, not that chilling as such, but some of the short stories were seriously messed up.

The Beast House is good too

BelleSausage · 10/12/2019 07:08

Another vote for DARK MATTER.

It frightened me so much that I had to stop reading a couple of times!

Also, Woman in Black.

Stupiddriver1 · 10/12/2019 07:33

The Colony is quite scary.

Not supernatural but I couldn’t finish On The Road as I was so affected by it.