15 Best Horror Authors Y (2024)

Here are 15 of the best horror authors and their most well-known works.

Thebest-sellinghorror novels will send a shiver up your spine and leave you reeling for days, if not weeks, on end. Whether you’re looking for a classic ghost storyorreal-lifeserial killerscares, these 15horror storyauthors are a great option to keep you up at night and leave you rattled during the day. Browse our list of thebest booksin thehorror fiction niche and find where to get them on Amazon. And if horror is your thing, check out our spooky adjectives for your next story.

Contents

1.Stephen King
- Best Works
2.Bram Stoker
- Best Works
3.Shirley Jackson
- Best Works
4.Clive Barker
- Best Works
5.Dean Koontz
- Best Works
6.Anne Rice
- Best Works
7.Edgar Allan Poe
- Best Works
8.H.P. Lovecraft
- Best Works
9.Ramsey Campbell
- Best Works
10.Richard Matheson
- Best Works
11.Peter Straub
- Best Works
12.Ray Bradbury
- Best Works
13.Dan Simmons
- Best Works
14.Daphne Du Maurier
- Best Works
15.Jack Ketchum
- Best Works
Final Word on theBestHorrorAuthorsand Their Books
FAQ on the Best Horror Authors
- What do I need to look for in a greathorror writer?
- How do I choose ahorror novelto read?
- How scary is too scary?
- What authors from the 1800s inspired horror films?
- Who are the most famous Gothic horror authors?
- Who is the best-selling horror author?
Best Authors Reading List
Author

1.Stephen King

Stephen King is arguably one of the best horror writers on this list and one of the most popular among horror fans. His first professional sale was in 1967 for a short story published in Startling Mystery Stories. His debut novel Carrie was published in 1971, and King continues to publish short stories and horror books to this day over six decades later. King is a New York Times bestselling author and lives with his wife, sharing their time between Maine and Florida depending on the season.

Best Works

2.Bram Stoker

Bram Stokeris synonymous with vampires, having written the originalDracula.Originally named Abraham Stoker, this Irish gothic author lived between 1847 and 1912, when he died after suffering several strokes. In 1987, theBram StokerAwardwas established and has been awarded every year since 1988. PopularBram StokerAwardwinners include otherhorror authors on this list, likeDean Koontz,Neil Gaiman,Clive Barker, and more.

Best Works

3.Shirley Jackson

Born in 1916, American author Shirley Jacksonwrote horror books likeThe Haunting of Hill House,published in 1959, and We Have Always Lived in the Castle. The latter is regarded as one of the best ghost stories of all time. Sadly, Jackson passed away in 1965 before her work found mainstream success. Looking for more sci-fi novels to add to your reading list? Check out our round-up of the best authors, like Stephen King.

Best Works

The Haunting of Hill House,$11.99
The Letters ofShirley Jackson, $14.99
We Have Always Lived In the Castle, $12.99
Dark Tales, $5.99

4.Clive Barker

English man Clive Barkeris a well-known playwright, film director, and horror author. Clive Barker merges horror and high fantasy, refusing to abide by the traditional rules. His debut set of short stories, The Books of Blood, received high praise from Stephen King.

Several of his stories have been made into movies, including Hellraiser and Candyman. In addition, Barker received an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for his work on Gods and Monsters, a period drama published in 1998 about the last days in the life of another esteemed film director, James Whale.

Best Works

5.Dean Koontz

Dean Koontz is another popular New York Times bestselling author with some of the best horror novels and novellas under his belt. It’s hard to decide which book of his is the scariest; there are so many to choose from.

Whether you’re looking for a horror story about phantoms, ghosts, serial killers, or even horror novels with a bit of science fiction thrown in, Koontz is an ideal choice. Koontz’s horror books read quickly despite their intimidating volume, keeping readers on their toes and guessing about what may be coming next. You might be interested in exploring horror books, such as the best Michael Crichton books.

Best Works

The OtherEmily,$2.49
77 Shadow Street, $9.99
The Lost Soul of the City, $1.99
The Servants of Twilight, $7.99
The Night Window: A Jane Hawk Novel, $9.99

6.Anne Rice

Anne Rice is best known for her series The Vampire Chronicles, including the novel Interview With a Vampire. The first book in the series introduced us to Lestat and Louis, later played by Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in the movie of the same name. Since 2008, Rice has sold more than 80 million copies of her debut novel, which remains one of the best books about vampires in the entire horror genre. Sadly, she passed away in 2021.

Best Works

TheVampire Chronicles,$8.99
BlackwoodFarm,$8.99

7.Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allen Poe is perhaps one of America’s most beloved poets and short story authors, having written classic works like The Raven and The Tell-Tale Heart. Poe lived between 1809 and 1849, with his death being just as mysterious as his life. A great deal of speculation surrounds his manner and cause of death, which is technically marked as “phrenitis,” a condition that caused brain inflammation and was often used in cases where the actual cause was unknown.

Best Works

The Raven,$0.00
The Tell-Tale Heart and Other Stories, $2.99
The Fall of the House of Usher, $0.99

8.H.P. Lovecraft

H.P. Lovecraftis an acclaimedshort storyauthor from Rhode Island, born in August of 1890 to parents Sarah Susan Phillips Lovecraft and Winfield Scott Lovecraft. H.P. showed an early interest in the English language, reciting poetry at just two years of age.

He began reading a year later at the age of three and writing his own work at around six. Lovecraft suffered from severe mental illness throughout his life and later supported himself through ghostwriting and revising work for other authors. He died in March of 1937 of intestinal cancer.

Best Works

The Call of Cthulhu,$3.99
At the Mountains of Madness,$7.89
The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, $3.99
H.P. LovecraftTales of Horror, $7.99

9.Ramsey Campbell

Ramsey Campbellis one of the most awarded authors in thehorror bookgenre. He has been awarded the World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement Award, the Living Legend Award of the International Horror Guild, the Lifetime Achievement Award of theHorror WritersAssociation, and the Grand Master Award of the World Horror Convention. Campbell is described by The Oxford Companion to English Literature as “the most respectedhorror writer” in all of Britain. He currently resides in Merseyside.

Best Works

The Darkest Part of the Woods
Born to Dark
The Searching Dead
Alone With The Horrors

10.Richard Matheson

Richard Mathesonis a popularscience fiction, horror, and fantasy author and screenwriter. Many of his books have been adapted for the big screen, some more than once, such asI Am Legend,most recently starring well-known actor Will Smith.

Matheson published his firstshort storyat just eight years old, inspired by the 1939 movieDracula. After serving during World War II, he attended the University of Missouri, where he earned his bachelor’s degree. Matheson died at age 87 in his Los Angeles home in 2013.

Best Works

11.Peter Straub

Peter Straubis a famous American poet and novelist with dozens ofhorror fictionbooks under his belt. Having co-writtenThe Talismanwith fellowhorror authorand close friendStephen King, Straub has left a significant mark on the genre.

His unique works have enjoyed literary success, winning theBram StokerAward, the International Horror Guild Award, and the World Fantasy Award. Straub enjoys spending time with his family in his Milwaukee brownstone in his spare time. They say the appledoesn’t fall far from the tree, and Straub’s adult children also found careers in writing and film.

Best Works

Koko (Blue Rose Trilogy Book 1),$8.99
Mystery (Blue Rose Trilogy Book 2), $2.99
The Throat (Blue Rose Trilogy Book 3), $8.99
Ghost Story, $9.99
Floating Dragon: A Thriller, $7.99

12.Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradburyis a cherished American author ofshort storiesand poetry. Born in Illinois in 1920, Bradbury spent his childhood in small towns, an aspect of his life that he would use to flavor his work throughout his lifetime.

He died in Los Angeles, California, in 2012 after a long career of successfully publishing more than 50 novels and over 400short stories. Bradbury isbest knownforFahrenheit 451, a dystopian novel named after the temperature at which books burn, depicting a future society where literature is illegal.

Best Works

Fahrenheit 451: A Novel,$12.99
The Martian Chronicles, $9.49
The Illustrated Man, $10.99
Dandelion Wine (Greentown Book 1), $15.99
Something Wicked This Way Comes (Greentown Book 2), $3.99

13.Dan Simmons

Dan Simmonsis an American writer ofhorror booksandscience fictionliterature. Hebegan his career by publishing his work in theTwilight Zone Magazine,winning first place. Simmons has since won the World Fantasy Award for his work onSong of Kali,the Locus Award for hisSeasons of Horrorseries,theBram StokerAward, and has been nominated for the British Fantasy Award. One facet that separates Simmons’ work from otherhorror authorsis that he often blends genres to create wholly unique worlds that transport readers somewhere else entirely.

Best Works

Hyperion (Hyperion Cantos, Book 1),$3.99
The Fall of Hyperion (Hyperion Cantos, Book 2), $5.99
Endymion (Hyperion Cantos, Book 3), $7.99
Rise of Endymion (Hyperion Cantos, Book 4), $8.99
Children of the Night: A Vampire Novel, $11.99

14.Daphne Du Maurier

Born in 1907, Daphne Du Maurieris the author of the esteemedhorror novelJamaica Inn, a thrilling mystery about a woman who moves in with her Aunt and Uncle to a home located in a dangerous part of town. Although Du Maurier is most well known for her romance novels, most of her writing has elements of horror and the paranormal woven in to create a multilayered work of fiction.Du Maurier, aka Lady Browning, passed away in 1989.

Looking for more? Check out these essays about Frankenstein.

Best Works

15.Jack Ketchum

Jack Ketchum(real name Dallas Meyr) is a popular American novelist with a penchant for writingbest-sellinghorror.Stephen Kinghas called Ketchum “thescariestguy in America.”Ketchum spent time as a lumber salesman, teacher, performer, and literary agent to make ends meet betweenpublishing novels.

Five of Ketchum’sbooks have been adapted to the big screen, and his workThe Crossingswas mentioned in a speech at the National Book Awards in 2003 byStephen King. Sadly, he died in 2018 after a long battle with cancer at the age of 71.You might also be interested in these articles about Frankenstein.

Best Works

If you fancy trying your hand at writing fiction, check out our list of the best books to help you along the way.

Final Word on theBestHorrorAuthorsand Their Books

Read one of these greathorror booksby some of the genre’s most well-known andbelovedwriters if you’re looking for a greatscare. Goodhorror authorswill be able to draw you into their original storylines and thrilling plots, regardless of which book orshort storyyou select. Social Media is a great place to connect with your favorite horror authors. Check out our post on the best authors to follow on Twitter.

FAQ on the Best Horror Authors

What do I need to look for in a greathorror writer?

The greatesthorror writersaren’t always the ones with the most published novels. Instead, seek authors that employ topics you enjoy, like romance orscience fictioncomponents. Book reviews are a great way to find out what other people have to say about the work but beware of potential spoilers.

How do I choose ahorror novelto read?

To begin with, you shouldn’t judge a book by what’s on the cover. So ignore recommendations, imagery, and even the title. Instead, skim through the first few chapters to see whether you enjoy the horror writer’s style and if you can immediately envision the characters, setting, and other key horror story elements.

How scary is too scary?

There’s no limit on thescariestofscares.Horror authorsare constantly pushing the boundaries of thought-provoking literature, delivering chills and thrills with every novel. Reading reviews can help you identify any potential triggers to avoid books with particular themes that may be especially upsetting.

What authors from the 1800s inspired horror films?

Horror isn’t a new phenomenon, with some of the classic books within the genre even going on to inspire some contemporary horror films. For instance, Frankenstein was first published in 1818 and there have been at least 20 movies made that were inspired by the story. Dracula (1897) is another iconic 1800s horror novel that has inspired its fair share of film adaptations.

Who are the most famous Gothic horror authors?

Bram Stoker is probably the most famous classic horror author. His masterpiece, Dracula, continues to inspire writers within this genre. There is even an annual festival dedicated to his work in Dublin each year.

Who is the best-selling horror author?

When discussing best-selling authors, it is difficult to look past Stephen King. It has been estimated that King has now sold over 350 million books. His work has also had countless television and film adaptations.

Best Authors Reading List

Best Historical Fiction Authors

Best Science Fiction Authors

Best American Authors

Best Self-Help Authors

Best Crime Thriller Authors

Best English Authors

Best Fantasy Authors

Best Children’s Books Authors

Best Romance Authors

Bryan Collins
Bryan Collins is the owner of Become a Writer Today. He's an author from Ireland who helps writers build authority and earn a living from their creative work. He's also a former Forbes columnist and his work has appeared in publicationslike Lifehacker and Fast Company.
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