I have read all of the books by Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Jack Ketchum, Richard Laymon, etc. I have read many, many horror and ghost stories and in turn, they are not that frightening any more. I have been suggested to read The Haunting of hill house, and some others, which I did. I loved those. But what is the scariest book you have read that is not on my list?? I want something especially creepy!

Hello Amanda, I was getting ready to post my first question here and saw your query( I am preparing for surgery and will be in bed about 2 weeks and am looking for lots of books, since I don't watch the idiot tube.  I too am wondering who writes in the vein of Harris Thomas?  His books are horror but with just the right amount of humaness and charm and whatever that they are actually delicious reading.It doesn't appear you recieved any answers, but maybe you can answer my question. Which of the authors you have read comes closest to Harris?  With much appreciation, Mary

jonathan maberry is good  also brian keene

Ditto what Shaun says. Have you also tried Edward Lee? I recently finished a pretty neat trilogy that dealt with his version of hell and it was really interesting.

As for a book that is truly creepy and terrifying, I am still on the lookout for that one as well. It has been years since a book really really scared me.

Thanx to Shaun & Nicole!!  I will get these books and take to hospital with me.

Amanda, have you read J F Gonzalez?  I have only read one of his books " survivor".  It was very scary.  Not for the feint(sp?) of heart.  It has some pretty gross, hard core scenes.  I love Briane Keene books also, especially the rising, city of the dead, and dead sea.

James A. Moore is good too. The Serenity Falls trilogy was great!! And Ted Dekkers Red, White and Black was Brilliant!!!

Not scary, just good reading!

Christa:)

I agree, Brian Keene, Graham Masterton, Bentley Little

Good, but not terrifying - Tamara Thorne, Sephera Giron, Sarah Rayne, Lincoln Child, Ruby Jean Jensen, Clare McNally, Richie Tankersley Cusick, Bryan Smith, T.M. Wright, Rick Hautala, Patrick Gates, Noel Hynd, John Saul, Simon Clark, Sarah Pinborough

I loved Hell House by Richard Mattheson and Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill, both ghost stories with a seriously creepy edge.

One of my favorites is Robert Dunbar's The Pines.  It's about the Jersey Devil wrecking havoc in the Jersey Pinelands.  There is a sequel just published called The Shore and I have just ordered it through Ebay.  I'll be happy if it is just half as scary as The Pines.

Douglas Clegg has some pretty interesting stuff out there. I liked Afterlife. I don't think Robert McCammon was mentioned. If ya can find it, read Boy's Life. It's awesome. Tim Lebbon and Tom Picirrilli are a couple other authors I like, as well as Bentley Little.

I have all of Robert McCammon books..my favorite..you have to read is Swan Song! I just recieved my first Bentley Little book through PBS..will read it soon

I'm going to second Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill. Joe Hill is Stephen King's son. I loved his book and son def takes after father. Very scary.

Heart Shaped Box is really good.  Hell House was better.  I just read Meg by Steve Alten, not a ghost story but definitely scary.  I too am in the same boat, I want a book that is so scary that I can't sleep.

after years and years of reading scary stories none scare me either. I just finished reading Uninvited: The Union Screaming House. Its supposed to be true but I don't really know. It was pretty creepy stuff.

Survivor was very scary.  Part of it(a small part- but really scary to think it can really happen)actually happened to the author.  The road rage/police scenario.  Also that book afraid was really good.  Author is jack somebody I think.  bryan smith and wrath james white are also good.

Its rare that I find a book that really scare me (I mentioned this to someone and they suggested Whispers by Koontz which I have on order).  But personally I would say "Heart Shaped Box" by Joe Hill.

Some of the most horrifying books I've read have been by Brian Lumley, Robert Bloch and A. Merritt. But Fritz Leiber's Our Lady of Darkness, though short, is way long on creepy. This is one author who should have written more horror. All of his other works that I have seen were fantasy. If he has any other works of horror out there, I want to know about them so I can get them for myself.

Fritz Lieber also has Conjure Wife as horror.

No one has mentioned Clive Barker, he's horror/fantasy and his books tend to the long - 500+ pages.  I saw a blurb once from Stephen King saying Barker scares him!  Also Peter Straub, an oldy but goody.

Cheers, Margaret

Clive Barker is a good one. Damnation Game is my favorite from him. Look at the early stuff because he is much more about fantasy later in his career. Also i have found alot of books going through past awards and nominies for the bram stoker award on the horror writers assosiation website.