10 great atmospheric horror books in 10 minutes

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Books discussed:
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
House of Leaves by Mark Z Danielewski
Tell Me I'm Worthless by Alison Rumfitt
Blood on the Tracks by Shuzo Oshimi
The Terror by Dan Simmons
Cunning Folk by Adam Neville
Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z Brite
How the Dead Live by Derek Raymond
The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley
Sheep by Simon Maginn
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Music: Who's Afraid of Halloween by Alfred Grupstra from Pixabay

[@NurseKayP]

“The Summer People” by Shirley Jackson is a quick read and is definitely atmospheric. It is a short story without any of the more typical tropes in a lot of horror books. Shirley Jackson is one of my favorite authors and she was excellent at taking the more customary aspects of life and turning them into something insidious and frightening. The story is subtle and gradual.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

That is a really great story. I think on the whole I offer her short fiction to her novels

[@katjack2780]

I happened to be reading The Haunting of Hill House on a bus. I read through the passage of a night attack and the character being comforted. But then she came to herself and said "Whose hand was I holding?" I practically levitated out of my seat. The only other time I had such a physical reaction was from another classic, The Turn of the Screw. It was summer, the rest of my family were off somewhere and I was alone in the house. I was reading the book in the basement, where it was cooler. But when I came to the end, I was suddenly shivering and had to run up the stairs and outside to the sun and the heat.

[@adhdcartoon3338]

There are ten million videos like this about the same ten books. This was refreshing.

[@Ampad22]

Dan Simmons The Terror is probably the scariest book I have read so far. I read it years ago yet I can still remember how I felt reading it. Simmons did an excellent job of pulling the reader in to the cold, the fear, the utter hoplessness. Uggh I shudder thinking about. I might give it another read during this spooky season.

[@kevsplitterskull3209]

Yeah, that's a great read for a winter's night (or week, cause it's not exactly short)! The adaptation was excellent as well, it was so bleak and hopeless.

[@lyndaslittlelibrary]

I read this book during the Canadian winter, listening to icebreaker sounds through headphones because sleep was the enemy I guess? Very scary book, excellent read. I love the show as well.

[@MrJosh066717]

Reading it this month!

[@user-nf6ge1hw2e]

Let’s all agree, every horror head have read house of leaves.

[@geslinam9703]

@@user-nf6ge1hw2eI have not. And I’ve been reading horror since I was a kid. I picked it up a few times, paged thru it, at Barnes & Noble, and I don’t know…just something about the way it’s written, it doesn’t look interesting to me.

[@dwellerofthedark]

I lived in the French Quarter while working as a paramedic in New Orleans, Olly. I kept notes and journals on my various misadventures as you can imagine. So, yes, I agree the atmosphere and decadence is quite unique.

[@Harbottle64]

Glad you liked House of Leaves, Olly. I loved it and it's a personal favourite of mine. Not for all, I agree, but I found it imaginative and haunting. Loved it.

[@jorgesuarez7073]

Two novels I liked very much: Naomi's Room by Jonathan Aycliffe, and The Last Days by Adam Neville.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I need to read both of those!

[@mossynest]

Also ‘Ghost Story’ by Peter Straub

[@radiantchristina]

The Loney is one of my all time favorites. I read it twice back to back, something I rarely do with any books.

[@34tgroan]

I recommend Maynard’s House by Herman Raucher. A haunted cabin in the woods tale. The setting is Maine in the middle of winter.

[@emmal7510]

I'd recommend The Twisted Ones, by T. Kingfisher as an atmospheric horror book. A woman goes to clear out her late grandmother's isolated house and things slowly start getting stranger.

[@ciaran.vallely]

Every video you upload adds numerous books to my TBR. The Loney and Cunning Folk sounds perfect

[@CliffsDarkGems]

Great list Olly! I loved We Have Always Lived In The Castle and will give The Haunting of Hill House a re-read as a result. The Terror is my book of the year so far, just such an incredible read.That cover for Sheep is insane and sounds very atmospheric. I will definitely be reading more Poppy Z Brite this year.

[@codycummins4]

Thank you for the recommendations! Dan Simmons and his other books don’t get enough credit!

[@johnward5404]

Let’s be real… House of Leaves is the best book on this list and one of the best books ever. As far as atmosphere is concerned, I can’t imagine a more atmospheric book. The book itself IS the atmosphere… an incredible read that I recommend to anyone who likes a challenge. Within the novel are countless stories, thoughts, examinations, contradictions, challenges, conundrums, emotional roller coasters, scares, etc… it’s exceptionally haunting. Thanks as always OLLY!!!

[@ralphmarrone3130]

One of the best books I’ve read.

[@jackthereader]

How the Dead Live by Derek Raymond is a perfect choice. I love that book because it’s a great example of genre bending. It has the basic plot of a Golden Age mystery yet is so drenched in Gothic dread.

[@BookishChas]

Thank you for this Olly! I’ve been wanting to read some of Dan Simmons spooky stuff, and I’ve also been intrigued with House of Leaves. Cunning Folk was quite good.

[@stephennootens916]

I just finished Mexican Gothic not that long ago and thought the sense of place and decay was just amazing. It was one of those creepy nightmarish tales that feels perfect for the fall.

[@jackthereader]

Atmospheric is always my favourite type of horror.

[@katsnoveladventures1863]

What an awesome list, Olly! So many of these stories sound creepy good. I love stories with haunted house or abandoned places.

[@katherineeaster5799]

The Terror is a great book, been thinking about rereading, but I don't know if I have the time. The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell is also a good creepy, atmospheric book. And if anyone is looking for something more gothic than horror, Black Rainbow by Barbara Michaels is really good story. Some horrible things happen, but I wouldn't call it a horror novel.

[@bburns2478]

Michael McDowell's The Elementals (1981). I must have read this 10 times. So good.

[@BookBlather]

I was interested to see you include The Loney. I didn’t read it, but I read another book of his, Devil’s Day. I heard another BookTuber mention it, and I decided to give it a try, in part, because of all the accolades that The Loney got. I hated Devil’s Day. It was the book I brought on vacation with me, so I was actually so mad that I swore I would never read anything else by him 😂. Maybe I was too harsh. 😜

[@ahem88]

I DNFed House of Leaves, who knows, maybe I will pick up in the future. I am now reading IT by Stephen King, and similar to IT I can recommend Dan Simmons - Summer of night.

[@mahmoudoraby7222]

you're being really smart with your content management choices and types of content you do, always evolving to make content more attractive, keep up the good work👏👏

[@nicoleannecollet]

I no longer read horror novels, but The Terror sparked my interest and I loved it. It has a very interesting story and lots of research behind it. I highly recommend the miniseries The Terror as well.

[@StephenFletcher-vf9im]

I think Guy N Smith is the king of the horror genre. I read The Black Fedora in the mid nineties. Like a fool I lent it out and didn't get it back. You've got to read it, it concerns the Lichfield Gospels in the North of England. It is a short book and I read it in three days and I haven't forgotten it. Brilliant !!!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

That’s one of his I haven’t read yet

[@Fantumh]

I looked up the Terror and read the first few pages on amazon, and wow, the level of detail and the writing are just fantastic, and I read a long review and they confirmed what you said, that it's like you're living through the ordeal. And what a crazy story. I will have to make room to read this.

[@MichaelRomeoTalksBooks]

Great list. I'm adding some titles to my list. I know I've plugged it before but I want to suggest it again. For atmospheric horror you can't go wrong with The Other by Thomas Tryon.

[@nathalieleeds1117]

I LOVE this video! Would love to get more creepy recommendations from you Olly! Thanks as always! 😊

[@arilith504]

One of my colleagues from an old job wrote a book called Lonely Ballerina (David Williams), which I thought was a great creepy haunting story. It's set in an East Leeds terraced house and follows mainly the mum of the family who just moved in, as well as a past family and their tragedies. I don't really tend to go for ghost stories but I was surprisingly on edge through a lot of it. It's currently on kindle unlimited so definitely worth checking out if you have the time!

[@ellagoreyshorrorstories7524]

Thanks for the rec! Got it. :)

[@arilith504]

@@ellagoreyshorrorstories7524 Nice! I hope you like it :)

[@user-vr9dm9sb1v]

Lynne speaking here thanks just got it on Kindle Unlimited :)

[@arilith504]

@@user-vr9dm9sb1v Hi!! Yeah, it's Dave from the street rangers who wrote it! Hope you enjoy :D

[@deblawrence8341]

What a great list of atmospheric books! Some new ones I've never heard of before. Daphne du Maurier is also known for the creepy and gloomy atmosphere in her books, especially "Rebecca" and "Jamaica Inn".

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I still need to read Du Maurier!

[@michaelhaggett1016]

The Terror is up next after The Worm and His Kings (Hailey Piper). I read Carrion Comfort earlier this year and it was very good, although the most disturbing of his books so far has been Song of Kali.

[@jhonni13]

awesome list! i added cunning folk to my kindle and a few others to my tbr

[@edlewisnoctreviews]

Love The Haunting of Hill House. How the Dead Live sounds interesting. And I've heard lots of good things about Exquisite Corpse.

[@jennystout8600]

Just started Tell Me I'm Worthless and it's great so far. And The Terror is one of my all-time faves!

[@RovingReader]

I LOVED this list! I think I'm getting into horror, but don't have the words yet to specify the type of horror I like or 100% tell the difference between like thriller and horror all the time...

[@sideshow00]

Wow including manga in a book list ? This man has taste. Subbed

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thank you! There are a few dedicated manga reviews on the channel as well

[@KodaMeansFriend]

Omg Sheep! What a great weird book. The adaptation differs from the novel but is equally good. It's called The Dark and stars Maria Bello and Sean Bean. It's a very hard novel to find!

[@jpbeef55]

House of leaves is a bit of work to get into due to the odd writing style. However, it is absolutely worth the time put in. Great book!!!

[@M-J]

Oh gosh, HOL again?!? “many people find frustrating” = MJ 😂😂😂 Tell Me I’m Worthless is amazing! 👏🏻👏🏻Nice list!

[@typicalbooks]

Atmospheric is right! Such a great list and perfect mood setting for October I'd say. Just finished a rereading of Exquisite Corpse so it is top of mind, and really is transportative! Maybe to a version of a place no one wants to go, haha, but very atmospheric for sure.

[@nathanfoung2347]

Great list Olly.

[@the_eerie_faerie_tales]

oh my goodness how did I miss this! Gets out notebook 📝 I really need to read House of Leaves soon. Also The Terror sounds great too, reminds me a bit of The Wager. Been wanting to read Adam Nevill, in particular The Ritual. Speaking of creepy manga, have you heard of or read PTSD Radio? I haven't read it yet but it's on my radar. Oh wow I read Exquisite Corpse maybe 20 years ago. I read a lot of their work back then. Been wanting to re-read Lost Souls.

[@Tetsujin-28]

I'm reading Earthlings by Sayaka Murata. I'm enjoying the story , but it is a bit much. Nice to see your mention of Blood on The Tracks and manga in particular. The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley. Local library has the book so I'll put a hold on it or just grab it when the weather gets cooler here.

[@matthewhockey3473]

Excellent. I never hear anybody talking about Derek Raymond these days.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

He really was exceptional

[@ginabeena6757]

Adam Neville is the creepiest author I've ever read. His books have a way of getting under your skin and staying there. Last Days was so intense I can't even reread it. No One Gets Out Alive was so anxiety provoking I couldn't watch the movie. He's like a wizard of making you feel uncomfortable!

[@gingerbibliophile]

These sound like a good time. I like a little horror now and then, but definitely as we move towards my favorite time of year. I’ve been meaning to try Haunting of Hill House since I saw a preview on Netflix. I may finally have to jump in to it!

[@ellagoreyshorrorstories7524]

The Netflix series is a really great show about a family dealing with grief, but it's only tangentially related to the book. I'd suggest reading the book first, then watching the show as a show separate from the book. I loved the show but didn't like the book, just my opinion.

[@gingerbibliophile]

@@ellagoreyshorrorstories7524 good to know! Thanks 😊

[@joebo7777]

Mark Morris Toady. Late 80s horror/dark fantasy set in off season Blackpool is really good and as you say the reader gets a different perspective on the glitzy summer season seaside town. Read Dan Simmons The Terror a few years ago and throughly enjoyed it. Again the atmosphere is so well realised you can almost feel the artic chill in the air as you read it.

[@anotherbibliophilereads]

Cunning Folk is on my TRB for this month.

[@paulflint6254]

Frightober is here! Great list of books 🖤

[@drstrangefreak]

I've just ordered House of Leaves and waiting for it to arrive. I mostly read on my kindle, but this is something I want to experience as a paperback book. Can't wait. Also, Cunning Folk was quite a good read.

[@nunyabidness4220]

Keep your expectations low. House of Leaves is okay, but not nearly as good as the hype. Expect less and you'll enjoy it more.

[@drstrangefreak]

@@nunyabidness4220 Thanks for the warning, will try to.

[@jamiegrecco752]

Love the list Olly, I thought The Shining had great atmosphere, as did Stinger by Robert McCammon. Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones also nailed it, in my opinion.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thanks! I really need to read Mongrels

[@caitygarvs]

Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer creeped me out with its atmosphere. Would recommend that one too.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I've heard great things about that

[@matthewscully2475]

Interesting list, cheers. I read No One Goes Alone by Erik Larson a few months ago and thought that was great. A group of paranormal investigators go to a remote island where there have been unexplained deaths and disappearances. It's a bi of a standard set up but the book does some really interesting things with it. Larson is quite a respected journalist and this is his first novel. I'd say he hit the ground running.

[@GentleReader01]

One for the pile: A Short Stay In Hell, by Stephen Peck. In the first few pages, the narrator dies and learns there’s one true religion, not his, with no eternal punishment. His assigned task is to find the book with his life story, in a library with books that have every possible combination of a particular format of characters, lines, and pages. It turns out that this library has to be many light-years on a side to hold them all. Time passes, the search continues… it’s amazingly chilly and laden with dread. Sheep sounds intriguing. Added to my list.

[@jennisrandom42]

Poppy Z Brite is my favorite author but I could barely make it through Exquisite Corpse. Parts of it still stick with me and I read it 20 years ago. I tried with House of Leaves, but ended up DNFing.

[@nunyabizness6595]

Harlan Ellison has said that Dan Simmons is one of the great writers, singling out Song of Kali in particular. High praise given Ellison's writing.😮😮😮

[@richiearkarich]

Hey Olly that's a great list. I'll check out HOW THE DEAD LIVE. In the meantime I'll request you to check out THE AUCTIONEER by Joan Samson, and maybe do a review? It's not a Halloween themed book, but I am sure you will like it. It's heart wrenching.

[@eriebeverly]

Great suggestions. I shouldn't like Andrew Michael Hurley as much as I do because his writing style should drive me up the wall. I've liked all of his books and the movie version of Starve Acre is coming out soon at least in the UK.

[@rocsimmons8535]

Thank you 😊

[@CriminOllyBlog]

You're welcome 😊

[@Alicia-606]

I’m finally going to get to the terror this winter ❄️

[@nunyabidness4220]

Haunting of Hill House is 10/10. One of the best ever. Great book, must be read and re-read. Same for We Have Always Lived in The Castle House of Leaves is around 4/10. I don't understand why people like this book so much. The experimental nature of how it's made is great and impressive, but the story itself is a huge meh. There's just not enough there. Nothing much happens and what does happen is bland... and borrowed from Haunting of Hill House (the odd geometry came from there). I like the experimental nature of the book's structure, I just don't think much was really done with it. It's a book that's coasting on its rep. The Terror is around 8/10. It starts to meander in the second half but it's still really good. Cunning Folk is another 8/10. It's not my favorite Nevill (both The Ritual and End of Days are essential), but it's still solid. Almost all Nevill is a must-read, except for The Reddening, which is so bad I can hardly believe it's one of his books. But, everybody's due a dud or two. Exquisite Corpse is hardcore... it's been decades since I read it but I'd probably give it a 9/10. Not for the faint of heart, for certain. Haven't read the others, I'll have to look into those. I have The Loney but haven't read it yet. It sounds like the kind of thing Ramsey Campbell does. A few books I'd add: Penpal by Dathan Auerbach -- there's some INCREDIBLY creepy stuff in that book, and a weird atmosphere to the whole thing. Between Two Fires - Christopher Buehlman. It goes astray eventually but there's more than enough good in it to recommend it. The Other and Harvest Home - Thomas Tryon. Both very creepy. The House Next Door by Anne Rivers Siddons. This should be a classic. The Search for Joseph Tully by William H. Hallihan -- if you want atmosphere, it's here. It's a slow burn and I didn't like it much the first time I read it (I was a young gorehound) but a second read left me thinking it's woefully unsung and deserves more attention. Southern Gods - John Hornor Jacobs - really creepy. Brian Keene had a heart attack and was still tweeting about how great this book was from the emergency room, as if he wanted promoting it to be his possible last act on Earth, so... yeah! Night Film by Marisha Pessl -- good, creepy exploration of some sinister stuff, although it's not strictly horror. The Elementals - Michael McDowell. There aren't many books creepier than this one. Essential. Grin of the Dark - Ramsey Campbell. Usually Campbell's novels aren't that great (although his short stories are magnificent). This is an exception... it really works. The Ceremonies - T. E. D. Klein. A whole horror literature course in novel form, and a masterpiece. It sucks that Klein didn't write more, but if you gotta be a one-hit-wonder, wow, what a hit.

[@barrymoore4470]

Thomas Tryon's 'Harvest Home' is a particular favorite of mine. An early example of what has come to be termed "folk horror", and still doubtlessly one of the best.

[@alanaspinall7147]

Hay u have the lady bird Dracula, i loved that book as a kid😊

[@davidhatred7275]

i liked "leviathan" by rosie andrews, a spooky tale of witchcraft in 1600's norfolk. an old fav is "the fog" by james herbert, i read it as a kid and have wanted to turn it into a film ever since

[@Themrjoliveira]

I want to read The Terror but I’m such a slow reader . It’ll take me into Halloween 2024 to finish it 😂

[@christinelagueux8155]

Do you have a book review or blog of House of Leaves?

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I do! How to read House of Leaves by Mark Z Danielewski - spoiler free review and discussion kzbin.info/www/bejne/qF61nJufhcetecU

[@TheAtlanteanArchive]

I prefer older horror literature because it usually emphasizes atmosphere. I'm not into what I call 'splatter-lit": stuff written to shock or disgust the reader.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yeah I agree for the most part

[@mildredalayon7095]

Your descriptions of these books scared the crap out of me. I don't think I can read them...though I want to .

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Sorry about that! They are all pretty spooky

[@mildredalayon7095]

@CriminOllyBlog That's OK. I've always been Chicken Little at heart, with the sky perpetually falling on me.

[@kruxxme5372]

I used to own those exact copies of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde / Dracula on the top right of the screen when I was a nipper! Ladybird I think? Might have had a copy of Hound of the Baskervilles by the same publisher too.

[@aaronsaunders6974]

2 best on this list cunning folk sheep

[@j.pearce3981]

the atmosphere in the loney was great i just couldn't find it to be that scary. ending fell flat for me.

[@jackwalter5970]

Years later, I'm still trying to get into House of Leaves. I can't read any book that takes place in below zero Arctic weather (don't laugh). The Shining is pure atmosphere.

[@ricardoguzman7518]

Is How The Dead Live a standalone story?

[@ironjade]

It's one of the Factory series but you don't need to have read any of the others to appreciate it. Derek Raymond's best stand alone novel is Not Till the Red Fog Rises which is set in the same milieu but doesn't use any of the regular characters.

[@wendyvilla2904]

🖤💚

[@PickelsMcPherson]

📚📚 🧟🎃🧛☠️⚰️🌚👽👺👻 thank u for Bringing the creepy

[@rye6386]

Comment added 🦍

[@npcunniffe]

I would add Witch Bottle and You Are Invited to this list.

[@terrywilliams7827]

Infected. Scott Sigier

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I'll have to look that up

[@terrywilliams7827]

@@CriminOllyBlog a series of 3 books, infected, contagious, pandemic. I have read them all aleast 3 times. They're great

[@Gadoxplayer]

[@DDB168]

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[@CriminOllyBlog]

Spooky

[@arcticflower7223]

I was thinking "if he says Hill House I am going to be so-" and then he friggin' said it! NO!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

😂

[@genemcn3579]

Just finished that Derek Raymond novel last month! Oh, that series is soooo bleak.

[@peterpuleo2904]

"Haunting of Hill House" is very famous and frequently recommended, but not by me. I thought it was slow and I completely lost interest about half way through.

[@ironjade]

House of Leaves would have been a great book if the author hadn't been so gung-ho to show everyone how clever and well read he is. Surrounding what is admittedly a terrific story with pretentious waffle and typographical gimmicks just makes it hard work.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Whilst I do kind of agree, I also think that without all the gimmicks the book wouldn't be nearly so well known

[@jessiemayfield6749]

House of leaves was annoying because the family wouldn’t just leave or invite people to your the amazing home.

[@tyghe_bright]

Very interested in Tell Me I'm Worthless. As a trans man, I try to support trans authors in general... but stories that deal with anger in interesting ways are something I enjoy. It's rare that it's more than just an excuse for violence.

[@JK-sh8rc]

Thank you for not mentioning a single Stephen King book!

[@ITCamefromthePage]

House of LEAVE it at home and pick up a King book or something.