Why do you read books? To learn something interesting, to escape from the gray reality or to tickle your nerves? Or perhaps to plunge into the abyss of horror, despair and pain, as in the case of the scariest books in the world?
We don't mean just stories about gutting helpless maidens or churning up entrails for the sadistic pleasure of carefree sociopaths. There are other stories, too, like creepy psychological thrillers, dystopian novels, or books that describe the emptiness and decay of existence to the point where even the most hardened cynic can weep.
Sit back and we'll tell you which horror books you shouldn't read before bed. Or should, if you want to stay up all night.
All these works can be found in the best online libraries of the Runet, which we have selected for you.
10. "The Hammer of Witches" by Heinrich Kramer and Jacob Sprenger
Published in 1487, the treatise entitled Malleus Maleficarum was a bestseller for 200 years, second only to the Bible.
It was a detailed guide to finding, interrogating, torturing and executing witches during the height of the witch hunts in Europe.
Malleus elevates witchcraft to the status of heresy and recommends that secular courts use inquisitorial practices to root out witches. Recommended procedures include torture and deception to effectively extract confessions and capital punishment as the only sure remedy against evil witchcraft.
In essence, the Malleus Maleficarum was an excellent guide to condemning innocent people and making sure they died in unimaginable fear.
9. The Shining by Stephen King
The King of Horror created many masterpieces that kept people awake at night. However, The Shining was one of his best books.
The idea of being stuck in a haunted hotel far from civilization when someone in your family goes crazy was taken to a whole new level by King.
And it was the success of this novel, published in 1977, that established King as the best writer in the horror genre.
8. The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
The reason The Exorcist became one of the scariest movies of all time is because it was one of the scariest novels of all time. It's written with an atmosphere that would make Stephen King jealous.
For those with a developed imagination, "The Exorcist" will be quite a scary read, because the book is about an innocent child who is possessed by an evil spirit. Together with the main character, readers will have to find out who took possession of the girl's body, uncover the secret of one family and take part in the investigation of a murder.
7. Coraline, Neil Gaiman
This book contains perhaps the most terrifying idea of all time: that of "your other mother" waiting just around the corner, in another world. And it shows you what happens when brilliant science fiction writer Neil Gaiman decides to write a children's book.
Bright and memorable characters, especially the smart and brave girl Coraline, a dark and gloomy atmosphere, an intriguing plot - all this makes the book terribly interesting.
I suggest you don't give Coraline to your children if you want to keep them from screaming in their sleep. Or at least wait until they're old enough to handle this psychological nightmare.
6. The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
Thought Jonathan Demme's Oscar-winning adaptation was scary? Get ready for some serious scares. Sociopath Dr. Hannibal Lecter is even more terrifying in the pages of this book as he plays torturous and thrilling mind games with FBI trainee Clarice Starling.
However, she cannot get out of this game, because only Hannibal knows the name of the serial killer Buffalo Bill, who tears the skin off his victims.
5. The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham
Alien invasion? No big deal; we can fight evil aliens with any weapon we have. But what if the aliens are our own children?
Hyper-intelligent children with golden eyes who communicate via telepathy are among the greatest and most feared villains of all time in this novel.
4. "The Price of Not Loving," Lionel Shriver
This novel is terrifying for any parent, anyone considering becoming a parent, or anyone who knows teenagers.
"The Price of Hate" shows how a child can turn into a stranger capable of doing terrible things, even if the mother does everything right.
3. "American Psycho" by Bret Easton Ellis
The protagonist's descent into madness, the frank descriptions of the bloody murders he seems to enjoy, and his glorification of consumer culture all come together in one of the scariest books of all time.
Besides being shocking and terrifying, American Psycho is filled with 80s musical references and hilarious streams of consciousness.
2. "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding
A plane crash leaves a group of schoolchildren stranded on a deserted island. At first, the children celebrate their newfound freedom, but eventually find themselves drawn into a horrific and brutal war of their own making.
It's one of the darkest books in the history of literature because of its message: no matter how "civilized" we think we are, it doesn't take long for the beast within to be unleashed.
1. "It" by Stephen King
Yes, this is another Stephen King novel that deserves to top the list of the scariest horror books in the world. It tells about a phobia that is very old and very relevant - clowns.
Pennywise, a killer clown, haunts the sewers of the small town of Derry, Maine, and preys on children. A group of teenagers band together to kill him. But how are they going to defeat the most terrifying monster in the world? Read on to find out.
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