I want to do a book a week. Currently reading House of Leaves. Also, please no Stephen King suggestions (because I already plan to read all his works). I guess another way to approach this thread is: what's the scariest book you've ever read? Second new year's resolution? Write at least 2000 words of prose a day
Okay, if I can't suggest The Shining or Salem's Lot, I strongly suggest Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury.
Poe, of course, is an obvious choice for horror. W.W. Jacobs also has some short stories that are in the horror genre.
"Heart Shaped Box" by Joe Hill (incidentally, Stephen King's son) was one of the best books I read last year. In a lot of ways his writing style is a lot better than his father's.
ANYTHING by H.P. Lovecraft or Edgar Allen Poe. Frankenstein too, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Can't go wrong with Ryu Murakami. You won't find him in the horror section, but he writes the scariest fiction I've ever come across.
I hardily second The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; it's one of my favorite books. I just wish I could have read it without knowing the twist ending.
I know it's not a novel, but I suggest reading a book of M.R james' short stories. He really is the best old ghost storyteller around and they are scary. Also "the haunting of hill house" by shirley jackson. I always tried not to read this at night because the subtle hints of horror really freaked me out, it's a classic. While I haven't read this book yet, "falling angel" by William Hjortsberg seems to get frequently recommended. Good luck on your ambitious projects. I'd be very interested in the end to hear what you found to be the best of the best.
I recommend Monster Hunter International by Larry Correia. Fantastically fun read and an awesome example of how to keep your protaganists from being stupid or naive while keeping your monsters scary.
...but if you had to choose just one novel I'd recommend At the Mountains of Madness . And The Black Cat by Poe, even though it's a short story and not a novel, is a great horror story.
I'd pick either The Shadow out of Time or The Case of Charles Dexter Ward for Lovecraft myself, and for Poe, yeah The Black Cat is good, also consider: The Gold Bug and Murders in the Rue Mourge.
"A friend at midnight," Caroline B. Cooney, Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson, and FEVER by the same woman
Darren Shan Saga (Cirque du Freak) - Darren Shan Vampirates - Justin Somper The Demonta Series - Darren Shan
I would suggest The Road by Cormac McCarthy. It won't keep you up scared all night, but it will definitely make you paranoid.
the only author I've read in the last few years other than authors published by small press publishers is Graham Masterton (pretty sure that is right, don't have the book on me), the house that jack built. Which is a good book.
Triage. Not a novel but still a great read. It's a compilation of three short stories by Richard Laymon, Edward Lee, and Jack Ketchum. One of my favorite collections. Best, Whiskey
*Giant Grin* Zombies... this list is a list of online audiobooks that you can get right now. And even lissen to online. Zombie Chronicles: Escape http://www.podiobooks.com/title/the-zombie-chronicles-escape Infected (not really a zombie book. But awesome!) http://www.podiobooks.com/title/infected Contagious (Sequil to infected) http://www.podiobooks.com/title/contagious We're Alive (The best radiodrama i have ever lissend to) http://www.wayland.ws/Wayland_Productions/Were_Alive_-_Podcast/Were_Alive_-_Podcast.html HGWorld (Confusing to figure out wich episode it what. But i enjoyed it. RadioDrama) http://www.3015north.com/goodmorningsurvivors/ Not Online but at most libraries (but you might be able to find them online) World War Z http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_Z Zombie Survival Guide http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Zombie_Survival_Guide This is all i have for now.