With the weather getting colder and the days getting darker, there’s never been a more perfect time to indulge in some scary stories. Winter break is just around the corner and it’s time to start thinking about what books to read during those cold days off. It’s human nature to seek out terrifying experiences, so here are some of the best horror stories to read this winter.
Horrorstör, by Grady Hendricks
Horrorstör, by Grady Hendricks, is a surreal horror story set in an IKEA-like department store called ORSK. The story follows an employee, Amy, her coworker, Ruth Anne, and her boss Basil, trying to get to the bottom of bizarre acts of vandalism occurring mysteriously at the store. The investigation quickly descends into madness as ghost hunting enters the equation and stranger occurrences than vandalism plague the employees. Each chapter beginning features a diagram of a piece of furniture featured in the store, each item becoming more and more twisted and tortuous as it adds a growing feeling of unease to the reading experience.
The Shining by Stephen King
The Shining is a classic horror novel by Stephen King that follows a family of three: husband, Jack, wife, Wendy, and five-year-old son, Danny. The family agrees to watch over an old hotel over the winter, isolated from society in the heavy mountain snow. As tension mounts Danny begins to experience ominous visions warning of danger and long-dead residents of the hotel start to wander the halls again. As Jack’s behavior starts to shift from strange to dangerous, the family starts to realize how far away they really are from anyone who can save them.
Ghost Stories of an Antiquary by M.R James
Ghost Stories of an Antiquary is a good book for readers who prefer stories in smaller sizes. This book, by M.R James, is the perfect set of horror short stories to keep you on the edge of your seat. The first story in the collection, Canon Alberic’s Scrap-Book, focuses on a tourist exploring an old cathedral. In his process of exploration, he comes into possession of a strange book whose illustrations are more than they seem. This story, and the rest in the book, are no less unsettling for their short length. This collection contains a wide variety of stories, featuring ghosts, witches, and other uncanny creatures beyond your comprehension.
So while you huddle up under a blanket this winter with your book of choice, you might want to leave the lights on. These haunting tales will leave you checking around every corner with chills down your spine.
