Who doesn’t love reading a good thriller once in a while, loaded with suspense and scary bits? Don’t read them when you’re home alone at night, though — suddenly every little creak the house makes or whisper of the wind will sound maniacal, which is, I think, exactly what the king of suspense and horror himself, Stephen King, wants! If you love suspense, and being scared silly, but haven’t read any of King’s books, what are you waiting for? Here’s my list of the 7 scariest Stephen King novels, all of which are guaranteed to frighten you!
Price: $8.99 at amazon.com
This is my all-time favorite Stephen King novel, scary as hell, with a cast that you’ll never forget. In one half, they’re pre-teen outcasts who band together to fight the evil that’s killing local children. In the other half, they’re adults who’ve all forgotten what they did, and how. The villain is entirely credible — I hate clowns!
Price: $8.99 at amazon.com
So epic! This book is amazing, and on such a grand scale! What would happen if a deadly virus wiped out 99% of the world’s inhabitants? Here’s what Stephen King thinks, and it’s gruesome in parts, starkly honest, and completely frightening.
Price: $10.88 at amazon.com
Sure, the movie was scary and gory, but the book is even better! The hotel is haunted, or is it possessed? A family is snowed in to care for the hotel all winter long, but then things start to go terribly wrong… but where do you go? What do you do? The scene on the playground before snow falls, with the animal topiaries, is the best! So scary!
Price: $7.99 at amazon.com
This book is set in medieval times, with a villain that’s familiar, since he’s also appeared in the Dark tower series and in The Stand. The story-telling is marvelous and so descriptive… you’ll root for the good guys, and will be on the edge of your seat from the suspense!
Price: $7.99 at amazon.com
Peter Straub is a fantastically scary writer on his own, but to pair him with Stephen King takes his talent to the next level. This book is fantastic, set in two worlds with a boy who can somehow travel between them, trying to find the cure for his ailing mother. It’s brilliant!
Price: $7.99 each at amazon.com
As if the first book wasn’t terrifying enough, Stephen King decided to extend this series to seven, all with the same cast of characters: Jake, a young boy, Eddie, an ex-drug addict, Susanna, a woman in a wheelchair, and Roland, the Gunslinger who brings them all together for their quest. Every book in the series is haunting and gorgeous, but oh-so-scary!
Price: $7.19 (Kindle edition) at amazon.com
Long before Team Edward and Team Jacob and any of the “Twilight” series, there were horribly frightening vampires… none of whom sparkled, that’s for sure! The pair of vampires in this story are wicked, scary, evil, and of course, from New England.
So turn on all the lights, grab your favorite snack, and read one (or maybe two!) of these incredibly scary and suspenseful Stephen King novels! Have you read any of these? Which of them do you like best? Or is there another Stephen King book you think is scarier? Please let me know!