10 great horror books to try if you're new to the genre!

[@bennyhill5004]

Ira Levin is a genius. Rosemary's Baby is so well written. To add that amount of suspense and fear without revealing any actual horror until the end is not easy. Son of Rosemary is brilliant too.

[@JB-nr7iy]

I agree with everything you just wrote, but I had no idea there was a "son of rosemary" gonna check it out! Thanks

[@bennyhill5004]

@@JB-nr7iy It's fantastic.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yeah Levin is great.

[@ellagoreyshorrorstories7524]

Stop reading when they're in the elevator, and Son of Rosemary is perfect. Ahem. I HATED the ending. HATE HATE HATED it. Ira Levin should have stopped in the damn elevator... So frustrating because it was excellent up to that point. And Guy is a gaslighting a$$hole, what a job they did on poor Rosemary.

[@keninmaine1690]

I just came across your channel a couple weeks ago, and I'm so glad I did. While I am by no means a new horror fan, this list introduced me to some books which I've added to my TBR list. And in a timely coincidence, I was able to find a used copy of Thin Air this evening at our local music/book store. I look forward to starting it soon!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Fantastic! Really glad you're enjoying the channel and hope you like Thin Air. Thanks for commenting (and sorry it has taken me so long to reply!)

[@brianpratt3224]

People don't always know Max Brooks is the son of Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft

[@KitsuneCool]

I didn’t know that! 🤯

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I meant to mention that in the video and forgot, it's a really fun fact

[@DuckRon626]

Or, care.

[@brianpratt3224]

@@DuckRon626 Ok Boomer

[@fabiwilliams4644]

Thankyou. You're the first person I've come across to present horror stories by female authors

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video! I always try and talk about books by a variety of authors

[@patlockwood6207]

Just found your channel. I plan on ordering all . I am in Costa Rica and it is quite a journey to get the books down here but your reads seem to be worth it. It takes about 3 weeks to get the books so, I will be chomping at the bit. Thanks so much.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thanks Pat! Hope you manage to get all the books okay and thank you so much for watching and commenting

[@johnnythepillpopper1974]

I recommend Salems Lot by SKING. That was my first horror book and the rest is history

[@CriminOllyBlog]

That is an absolute classic!

[@ShannonsChannel]

Good choices. I still need to get a copy of psycho and read that.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

You do!

[@jewellparker8813]

Subscribing to your channel today. This was a great first time video for me - I've been itching to try reading horror but wouldn't have known where to start. Loved the Rosemary's Baby movie, so I'm looking forward to reading it; will also be checking into the others mentioned.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thank you for subscribing! Really glad you enjoyed the video. Happy horror reading!

[@AliceandtheGiantBookshelf]

I like the sound of both Thin Air and From Below. I like suspenseful ghost stories. The Fisherman sounds super creepy. I still haven’t got to Lovecraft. Shirley Jackson is great, and We Have Always Lived in the Castle is so strange! I’ve never read Psycho but it’s a brilliant film. Too many books here I want to look out for!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I think you’d really like Thin Air.

[@Rose_19911]

thanks mate, really enjoy your videos… i’m just trying to get more into reading, finding it challenging but i’m gonna try & keep working at it!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

That's brilliant! Good luck - hope you find some great stuff to read

[@karopi]

Roald Dahl is one of my favorite authors. He actually wrote first his adult short fiction. His stories also appear in Alfred Hitchcock presents that was a TV show very similar to the tales of the unexpected. I got all his short stories and is one of the few authors that I buy his books in physical format.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Ah yes, I remember Alfred Hitchcock presents! Great show and perfect for Dahl's style. I think he wrote the screenplay for one of the Bond films as well

[@jacko859]

Awesome video. Never heard of The Fisherman, I'll add that to my ever-growing list!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@KitsuneCool]

This is a fantastic list! I guess I’m reading The Fisherman; I keep hearing about it, you’ve convinced me to finally pick it up. Great video!!

[@bcp4596]

Its an amazing novel. Far and away my favorite horror novel from the past 15 years at least.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

It's well worth reading. Hope you enjoy it!

[@Lydioski]

Thank you for this fantastic presentation and for the list of books. I like stories that happens in boats. I think I will start with "From Bellow". But I wrote all the books you talked about. My list of books becomes huge with you! Thanks!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Really glad you’re enjoying the channel so much Lydia!

[@rickcroucher]

Ira Levin's first book A KISS BEFORE DYING is also a fantastic book. It was his first and it held me on the edge of my seat as I read it. I just picked up the Kindle edition of THE FISHERMAN. Thanks for the heads up.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Think you'll enjoy The Fisherman. I can't remember if I have read A Kiss Before Dying or not...might have to seek out a copy!

[@interestedobserver1853]

I would recommend a book from 1974 by Ramond Rudorff who wrote a few good books, but the one that stands out is titled (House of the Brandersons.) It is excellent, atmospheric, creepy, stays with you long after you have finished it. I believe it would make a very good film.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I've not heard of that one. I'll check it out. Thank you!

[@interestedobserver1853]

@@CriminOllyBlog Your are certainly welcome! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

[@jenniferlovesbooks]

I agree about Ira Levin, I have really enjoyed his books that I have read, especially Rosemary's Baby.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yeah I need to reread his stuff because from what I remember it's pretty much all great

[@jadedpaladin6685]

Great list! I would also add Rusted Hearts by S.I Almanza

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Not read that one, thanks for the recommendation!

[@trashcangoblin420]

Thanks for the fisherman recommendation - not quite as scary as I was hoping, but did have me scrabbling to turn each page. Devoured it in a day or two.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Glad you enjoyed it! And sorry it took me so long to reply

[@lynnlovesyou887]

Great list, Olly!! Excellent presentation, too! I love Psycho - both the movie and the book! Love Rosemary's Baby, especially the book. However, one of the scariest books I've ever read was a true crime book called Fatal Vision. It literally kept me awake some nights after reading it!! Keep up the brilliant work, buddy! ♥️♥️

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thanks, Lynn. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@lynnlovesyou887]

You're welcome, my friend! I hope you had a happy Halloween 🎃

[@Lydioski]

Fatal Vision looks very scary book! I like true crime stories, but not often please. I will read Fatal Vision because it seems very well written,

[@ashurmom2969]

I absolutely loved We Have Always Lived The Castle, haunting!!! I also love early Peter Straub, particularly Ghost Story, his other early works are great! Ira Levin holds a place on my list, thanks for highlighting these great authors!! Also want to give a shout out to short stories “ the room in the tower” and “the yellow wallpaper “ for gripping reads, thanks for encouraging people to read!!!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Peter Straub is great, I need to read more of his books as have only read a few. I've yet to read The Yellow Wallpaper but really need to!

[@jamieserrano827]

Ollie, I am a total horror hound from movies to anthology stories to novels love it

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Fantastic, same here!

[@CestKevvie]

From Below sounds up my alley! Ooh yes I love Roald Dahl's short story Lamb to the Slaughter, I should pick up one of his collections! I read Ring Shout earlier this year and loved it!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Dahl is really great and Lamb to the Slaughter is a classic. From Below is a lot of fun

[@randiechapman6075]

Ring Shout was amazzzinnngg. I wish his books were longer but they never feel like they're leaving anything out. It's really good. Thanks so much for this video!

[@Tokayd13]

I'm very interested in reading Ring Shout, and just finished The Fisherman, which I found scary but not toooooooo scary. Maybe I have more of a taste (and nerve) for horror than I thought!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@BigDog366]

I've just discovered your channel tonight! Fantastic. Have you read Michelle Paver's Dark Matter? My favourite horror story ever. So deftly written.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thank you! And yes I have. A great book!

[@lesliepowell-mccarty7067]

I am currently reading Rosemary's Baby. I love the movie but had never read the book. So far, the book and the movie are identical.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Hope you're enjoying it. I agree that the movie is really great1

[@georgebennett1242]

You're so right about Ira Levin. One of the best imo - I've read all his work. I've been reading horror for a number of years and haven't read many of these at all! More for the long list.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yeah he’s really good. I need to reread the ones I haven’t read for a while

[@georgebennett1242]

@@CriminOllyBlog Would love to hear some reviews on the channel! But I know you have a lot on your plate haha

[@christiestephen1312]

I picked up From Below on a whim and really enjoyed it.

[@sharonginger2997]

Thank you for that I love my horror and I don’t know about Roald dahl in adults books

[@CriminOllyBlog]

He's well worth reading, really creepy!

[@hannahblackwellbooks]

I need to read more darcy Coates!! I think a great intro to horror might be When the Reckoning Comes just because it shows all of the commentary horror can bring to the table, and while it’s very scary, it’s also so moving.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yeah me too re Coates. I'll have to try When the Reckoning Comes!

[@JediJuniper92]

Like usual, titles I’ve never heard of and plan to get to asap. Another great video and list. Thanks!! 😊😊

[@CriminOllyBlog]

My pleasure! Glad you found it useful Chloe

[@cathrussell2426]

I've made a note of Thin Air, I loved Paver's Dark Matter and have Wakenhyrst on my tbr pile. Also interested in From Below, not heard of Darcy Coates, and The Fisherman. Thanks for the recs! I tend more towards Victorian and Edwardian ghost & wierd stories in my horror/supernatural reading but one modern horror writer I do love is John Connolly, big fan of his Charlie Parker books.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thanks Cath! I think you’ll enjoy Thin Air if you liked Dark Matter. It has a very similar vibe. I read the first few Charlie Parker books years ago. It’s a series I’m keen to get back into. Thanks for watching!

[@Liveforfilms]

The Fisherman is excellent and Devolution was a great horror thriller. Also lots of books I've not heard of on this list, so thank you. I'm relatively new to your channel but loving your insight and reviews.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thank you so much! Really glad you're enjoying the channel!

[@garysscaryfaeries3046]

William W Johnstones Devils Heart series is a good jump off point into horror. Inferno by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournel , great take on Dantes Inferno, it is one of my all time favourite books. Lucifers Hammer by the same authors s fantastic as well.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I think I read Lucifers Hammer years ago

[@billruttenberg]

Great selection of books. I don’t read a lot from this genre but you gave me some books to think about trying. Thanks for sharing.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thanks Bill - glad you enjoyed it

[@billruttenberg]

@@CriminOllyBlog Well Olly, I downloaded Psycho because of your list. I hope to start it soon. Thanks for the recommendation. I have seen the movie and I would never have thought of the book.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

@@billruttenberg hope you enjoy it!

[@im1ru122]

THANK YOU for the recommendation of 'Ring Shout' - sounds like my kind of thing and I have just ordered a copy. ... A recommendation for you: 'Ill Will' (Shirley Jackson Award Nominee, 2017) by Dan Chaon. You may find his work of interest. I've read everything by him (inc. his latest, 'Sleepwalk') and he's among my favorite contemporary writers.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thank you! I hadn’t heard of Chaon but will check him out. Hope you enjoy Ring Shout!

[@im1ru122]

@@CriminOllyBlog I read 'Ring Shout' yesterday (it's a quick-enough read). Alas, I didn't love it. I tend to think that fantasy (as presented in 'RS') works better on-screen than on the page (i.e., descriptions of the battle sequences). However - as you pointed out - it's a worthwhile read for its take on black history and, esp., its exploration of the nature of hatred. Still, it also felt a bit thin (at 180 pp.) to me and a bit formulaic in structure and characterization of its evil creatures. I noted an influence of both Lovecraft and Toni Morrison. But another plus is it nudged me out of my reading comfort zone in a way.

[@tonygriego6382]

Great video as always, and a Happy Halloween to you sir.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thank you Tony! Same to you (belatedly!)

[@Markusousa]

Thanks for this video for a newcomer in books in general like myself, do you have any video also for beginnets for criminal books? Thank you.

[@ering2467]

Absolutely loved Ring Shout. It would make a really great movie.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

It would! Or a TV show - I think you could run with the concept for quite a while

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Excellent list! Glad the see The Fisherman here.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

It's such a great book

[@cindi79]

I really enjoyed Devolution.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

It was a fun ride!

[@TheHammy1987]

Ha, thank you for including The Fisherman! I would also recommend A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay, I found it creepy but not outright scary and have recommended it to many a horror-newbie. Another one I absolutely LOVED was The Fervor by Alma Katsu, although that might not be the best pick for "first horror novel ever"...maybe a good one for the second horror book someone wants to read :D

[@amyyoung2804]

Agree..anything by Paul Tremblay is gonna do the job

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I’m ashamed to say I haven’t read any Paul Tremblay yet. I’ll try to remedy that next month as I have 3 of his books! Not read the Katsu book but I did like her book on the Donner party (which I now can’t remember the name of!)

[@markwebb1040]

I recommended A Head Full Of Ghost to Olly just the other day. Great minds, and all that!

[@choochoochooseyou]

Looking forward to some of these suggestions. Thank you, Olly. Have you made a video on the best psychological thrillers? I can't be doing with vampire or zombie movies and books. Much prefer the deep-seated fears.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I will have a think about this and see what I can come up with!

[@cashlives7693]

Just a suggestion you could make the books list link to amazon or other book sites as an affiliate, makes it easy for people who like the recs and puts a few quid in the pocket

[@CriminOllyBlog]

That's a good idea. I do it with all my individual review videos but hadn't thought about it for the top 10s

[@paulaj7860]

Since I found this channel, I’ve compiled such a long list of books that I want to read that I’m almost paralyzed. I don’t know where to start! I’ve been a horror fan since I was a teenager, so coming up on 40 years. I love a scary ghost story. For me the best classic is Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. It has my favorite literary quote, which is completely unrelated to horror: “Excellent friend! how sincerely did you love me and seek to elevate me to your ways.” Love the punctuation, everything about it. Now what book to read?!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thanks Paula! And apologies for the paralysis! I'm going to be rereading Frankenstein soon

[@paulaj7860]

@@CriminOllyBlog It’s a masterpiece. I recommend the movie Gods and Monsters as a book/movie paring with it. So well done.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

@@paulaj7860 I've heard great things about that

[@michaelsbooinbooks]

I was happy to see Devolution mentioned. I loved that one! Great recs.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Really fun book! Thanks Michael!

[@theramblingreviewer5150]

Excellent video! And several that I've not read. On Shirley Jackson, have you read her short story, The Summer People? It's included in Jeff and Ann Vandermeer's anthology: The Weird. Also, I love Devolution. Really excited to see any future books Max Brooks writes. Hoping he continues to use his knowledge of war gaming and strategy to think on horror ideas.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yes, have read The Summer People although it's a due a reread (along with her other short stories) as has been a while. Agree re Brooks, his output seems to be painfully slow!

[@theramblingreviewer5150]

@@CriminOllyBlog I need to read some more of her stuff, but I really loved The Summer People.

[@tobiasschumacher8602]

Thanks to you, Sir, I'll be reading "Poking Holes" tonight. It arrived today and I'm looking forward to a cozy, creepy and disturbing Halloween evening.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@tobiasschumacher8602]

@@CriminOllyBlog I really do!

[@sghettinona]

Thank you. Any Phycological Thriller recommendations?

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I'll give it some thought!

[@NOopulence]

The fisherman is fantastic. Good choice!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Completely agree!

[@NOopulence]

@@CriminOllyBlog I recommend the novella ‘sefira’ from ‘sefira and other betrayals’ if you liked this langan book. Its not in the same lovecraftian style but i enjoyed it

[@theoatmilkman3128]

These recommendations sound really good I'm going to check them out

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Hope you enjoy them!

[@chrisgomes5048]

Wonderful recommendations! I really liked Ring Shout and am making an effort to read more Lovecraftian fiction that's centered around the people he casually dismissed as inferior to him. If people like Ring Shout I recommend The Ballad of Black Tom (by Victor Lavelle (sp?)) next. I LOVE LOVE LOVE The Fisherman. I think John Langan is the reigning champion of contemporary horror (with his good friend Laird Barron a close second). He's an incredible story teller and I really hope he writesmore novels (but am happy tohave his short story collections). I've never read Ira Levin, but have probably seen all of his movie adaptations. I'll need to xorrect that soon. Once again, fantastic list! Happy Halloween!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I really liked The Ballad of Black Tom! Have you read the other books that Tor published in a similar vein (modern authors tackling HPL)? I liked The Dream Quest of Vellit Bo a lot. Haven’t read Laird Barron, I’ll need to check him out.

[@chrisgomes5048]

I'll definitely checkout The Dream Quest of Bo Vellit. I think the only others I've read from Tor are Caitlin Kiernan's Agent's of Dreamland trilogy (which I really enjoyed - very dark and apocalyptic). As fa far as Laird Barron goes, I'd look for The Imago Sequence or Occultation (his first two collections). Thank you for your recommendations.

[@M-J]

As always, your video has remind me of some books I have on my back burner and a few new picks to be on the lookout for. Spooky season is just that autumnal feel that matches the books perfectly. Spooky books are EVERGREEN. ☺️ - 📚MJ

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thanks MJ - agree about the evergreen part!

[@lindseywarren44]

Hullo, Ollie! Enjoyed this list. Have read most of them and I will keep an eye out for the rest. Have you read anything by Joe Hill? You likely know he is Stephen King's son. If you've spoken about him in a prior vid, pls forgive. I'm new to you and working my way through. I ADORED 20th Century Ghosts by him. I absolutely loved all of the stories. I haven't been that excited to read a new author as I was when I got this book. Pop Art is, in the words of the reviewer, just transcendent. Button Boy was so beyond horrible that I had to read it twice. SO good and creepy! Hill also wrote the novel Heart Shaped Box which I also adore. It is very well done and really scary. Didn't care much for NOS4R2 tho...I just couldn't get into it and I didn't enjoy his one about the fireman - name escapes me at this writing. But the short story collection is simply splendid and not to be missed IMHOP. Thank you once again! Love and Bless xo

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Hi Lindsey! I don't think I've really talked about Hill on the channel (I've certainly not reviewed him) but I have read NOS4A2 and The Fireman, both of which I liked but didn't love. I have copies Horns, Heart Shaped Box and Strange Weather waiting to be read!

[@DDB168]

Hmmm interesting selection. I might try the bigfoot on the rampage book.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

It's a lot of fun!

[@BookwormAdventureGirl]

Love Roald Dahl but never realized he wrote horror. I need to read more Shirley Jackson too. 😊💙

[@CriminOllyBlog]

His horror is definitely worth reading!

[@sharonginger2997]

And I reading Kerri maniscalco book I love her books and reading hunting prince Dracula it a good book

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I haven't read her - will have to check her out!

[@gspendlove]

In the very early '80s, I was a preteen kid and had an affinity for YA novels. Norma Fox Mazer, Wilson Rawls, John R. Powers. There was one I found called _Your Secret Admirer_ by an author named Carl Laymon. It wasn't horror, but there were some spooky elements to it. And later on when I was a teenager and discovered I absolutely loved horror novels, of course I ran into Richard Laymon's books. And I always wondered if Carl Laymon and Richard Laymon were the same person or related or what, because _YSA_ made references to horror movies (the kids in it go to see a horror double feature and the father of one of them talks about _NOTLD_ ). One character even mentions a movie called---get this---_Beast House._ It never occurred to me to do research to find out (kids have better things to do with their time than research), and I just sort of forgot the whole thing. Years later, with the advent of the internet, when answers to any question were just a few clicks away, I remembered my little curiosity and poked around. Sure enough, _YSA_ was written by Richard Laymon, using his middle name. It was his first or second book. It was nice to get that answer. I felt like the guy who was suspicious of Richard Bachman's writing style and tracked down the copyright forms proving he was Stephen King. Ha! Now I don't know how interesting this little story is but you've got it in your head so you're stuck with it.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

That's really interesting! I love the fact that you read that Laymon YA book as a kid.

[@duanespurlock5879]

SO! On your recommendation, I finally read WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE. This is a very creepy story, and it's masterfully told. It merges weird family stuff with the bizarre communal social vibe and . . . surprising twist . . . a slant on the scapegoat/sin-eater trope when [SPOILERS] the baskets of food start showing up on the porch. A really intriguing book that, honestly, I find more interesting for how it's constructed than in the reading. I'll probably not reread this tale, but I'm glad I've read it. Finally.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Brilliant! Glad you enjoyed it

[@jeeperspeepers8323]

Just read "The Rats" on your recommendation. What a great read. Thanks.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@lindas5964]

Appreciate this list as I prefer “creepy” and psychological horror to the more gory stuff. I found “The Willows” by Algernon Blackwood to be white creepy but not sure I would put it on a list of “introduction to horror”. Just throwing that out there.

[@markwebb1040]

I guess there's something wrong with me. I've watched Rosemary's Baby a couple times and even read the book. I also read Son of Rosemary. I honestly gave it the old college try. No one can say I didn't give the story a chance. But I hated it. Having said that, I loved Levin's book The Boys From Brazil. It was engrossing like few things I've read and was much better than the movie (and I really enjoyed the movie). I plan to read The Stepford Wives eventually before seeing that movie. Just had to throw that out there.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Sorry you didn't like Rosemary - Stepford Wives is a fun read!

[@tomhagen8167]

Olly, I'm a relatively recent subscriber of yours and want to thank you for recommendations and content! I've added many books that you've mentioned to my TBR list. I just finished Psycho and really enjoyed it. I'm currently working my way through Clive Barker's Books of Blood and enjoying most of them, although his writing style is a bit graphic for me at times! One book that you recommended a couple weeks back was Chasm by Stephen Laws. After your video I think everyone snatched them up as I can't find this novel anywhere unless it's exorbitantly priced. None of my local libraries stock it either. I'll just have to be patient I guess. I'm not sure if you've read any of the Pendergast series by Preston and Child, but I really enjoy them and would classify them as Pseudoscience-thriller detective novels. I've been looking for a comparable series but haven't had much successes thus far. Thanks for your great videos!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Hi Tom, thank you! Really glad you're enjoying the channel! There's a new revised edition of Chasm which I haven't read yet but which is Laws' preferred edition. Hope you manage to track down a copy soon. I've read the first couple of Pendergast books and enjoyed them. I haven't read them, but I think the Joe Ledger books by Jonathan Mayberry are kind of similar. Did I receive something in the post from you yesterday?

[@tomhagen8167]

@@CriminOllyBlog Thank you for the new series recommendation, I will definitely check that out. I believe I know which version of Chasm you're referring to, I think it has a grayish cover. It was on Amazon a couple weeks ago but sold out quickly. Truth be told, I'm primarily an audiobook listener as I find that allows me to "read" during times that wouldn't normally allow for that, such as commuting, while at work occasionally and doing yard work, etc. As for sending you something by mail, that must have been someone else. Thanks Olly, and I highly suggest continuing the Pendergast series if you enjoyed the first couple books. The books, to me, get really good starting with the 3rd or 4th book. Take care.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

@@tomhagen8167 Ah, yeah sadly I think that it's unlikely Chasm will get a audiobook. I'll look out for more of the Pendergast books!

[@maxwashingtonmusic7000]

I’m gonna check out The Fisherman! Sounds great. Cool Dahl books. I love his writing. I’ll look for that TV show. Royal Jelly is a great story. Wow Psycho is a short book! I love all 4 Psycho movies. Great vid! Happy Halloween 👍📖📕📘🎃🎃🎃🎃

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yeah Royal Jelly is a great one! Bloch also wrote a Psycho 2 book which is completely different from the movie. Hope you enjoy The Fisherman. Cheers, Max!

[@Priscilla_Bettis]

Good list. I would have included Hell House, but I know it wasn't one you liked. Or Ratman's Notebooks by Stephen Gilbert.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Oooh, I don't know that one. Will have to look it up. Thanks Priscilla!

[@jessievr8111]

How about Joe Hill's 'Heart shaped box' - that is the only ghost story that has ever scared me. I also found it quite original and convincing.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I've actually not read that one yet, although I do have a copy

[@jessievr8111]

@@CriminOllyBlog Do give it a go, looking forward to reading what you thought of it.

[@bcp4596]

Langan also has a knack for shorter work. I've loved everyone one of his collections, and most are fairly accessible. The Wide Carnivorous Sky is my favorite.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I've not tried those! Will have to have a look. Thank you

[@stephnefourie7213]

I know we said no Stephen King 😅 but Full Dark No Stars was a fantastic re-introduction to horror for me as it was a compilation of short stories instead of a big read

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yeah, short stories are great for that!

[@pninnan]

In my opinion, king’s short stories are far better than his novels

[@lindas144hobbies]

I want to dive into the scary genre and I want books that are freakishly scary. Yeah, I want to really feel it. I remeber reading a few when I was young but never revisited these types of books.

[@BookishChas]

Olly thank you so much for these recommendations. I’m relatively new to horror, and some of these sound like good options for me. Roald Dahl sounds really good, and I’ve never read anything from him.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thank you! Dahl is really great. Hope you enjoy whatever you pick

[@lewiscarty5517]

I have loved horror for a while, since I became an adult in my early 20's, but knew about James Herbert and Stephen King from when I was younger, but my Dad would never let me read their stories as a child, but I gave them a chance as an adult, and I also have read The Woman In Black by Susan Hill as my first horror story, but my first James Herbert book I read was Once in 2017, and also Haunted as well, and still have other Herbert books to read, too, but one book I loved reading was Fluke and I find that book as a great start for Herbert if you are not into his other horror stories yet, and they are all brilliant too.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Fluke is a really interesting book, very different from a lot of Herbert's work

[@warrenpope749]

You would really enjoy "The Ax" by Donald E. Westlake. It's the scariest book I've ever read. Check it out!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I'll have to try that!

[@SynsBookNook]

I don’t think it’s too late in the month, heck you could post this in June and I think it’s still a great topic. From a getting views and statistics point of view, yeah maybe spooky season is a better time to post. Just put the Fisherman on hold at the library, I’ve wanted to read that for a while. 🎣

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Aha! I think you’ll love the Fisherman! Can’t wait to hear your views on it. Thanks, Syn!

[@scubasteves3214]

What’s everyone’s scariest book of all time???

[@davebrzeski]

Believe it, or not, I first discovered Dahl through his adult short stories. I remember being disappointed every time I saw a book by him, only to find out it was a children's book. 😆

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Ha ha ha that's brilliant

[@adriennelee26]

The Fisherman is so good and deserves more recognition. One of the scariest stories I've read is also by John Langan, Lost in the Dark, which is in a Halloween story collection called Haunted Nights edited by Ellen Datlow (if you're looking for recommendations for next Halloween anyway!). I just added How the Dead Live to my TBR.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Datlow is a really great editor. I loved her recent Shirley Jackson themed anthology. I’ll have to check that one out. Thanks for watching!

[@adriennelee26]

@@CriminOllyBlog Yes, she really is. That Jackson anthology was one of the best books I read in 2022.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

@@adriennelee26 same!

[@dimebag5884]

How would you go about trying to get a copy of The Fisherman? I’ve looked everywhere I can think of and my best option so far is 2-5 weeks shipping to the UK from America…

[@dimebag5884]

Edit, after checking every online retailer and library I could think of I finally found it at Blackwells.

[@ChrisLimey]

@@dimebag5884 there’s also a copy on eBay. £13.23 new

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Ah fantastic! Hope you enjoy it!

[@Mi-yc3oy]

❤ John Langan. I’ve read THE FISHERMAN several times already. So much depth. 🥃 And, thanks. 🎃 I feel reassured about the Roald Dahl books. I have a several of them-FEAR, MADNESS, CRUELTY- but have yet to read them. 😅

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Oh you definitely need to read the Dahl books! They're so good!

[@suzannegagne8692]

Thin air is really good. Not scary but good story.

[@svenk5221]

I love creepy, mystious Horror but I despite sexual violence. i wish books had trigger warnings for them. Sometimes you don´t see it coming and than I stop reading even tho I am half through the book.

[@duanespurlock5879]

Derek Raymond's crime novels are really amazing and unsettling. Excellent stuff, but one must gird his loins before delving into that noirish world.

[@Aslowfade]

We have always lived in the castle is a very unsettling book. Not Classic horror but really gets to you.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yeah it's great

[@joshramirez7]

Definitely will read Thin Air, love horror in cold places, and can't say no to a bigfoot horror novel.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Hope you enjoy it! Paver did another kind of similar book called Dark Matter which is great too

[@arlem525]

Ira Levin's sequel Son of Rosemary starts out interesting but the ending really shits the bed.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

LOL I haven't read that one

[@troytradup]

We Have Always Lived in the Castle -- yeah, baby! 🎃 Ira Levin's thriller, A Kiss Before Dying, is also pretty spectacular and seems much less known than his horror.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I can't remember if I've read that one or not!

[@troytradup]

@@CriminOllyBlog It's definitely within your wheelhouse.

[@chimneydriptray2439]

Just read … Don’t Play Games With The Builder…. Best horror book I’ve read up there with the …..HIll House Haunting by Shelley Jackson .

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thanks for the recommendation

[@eriebeverly]

Diverse list of books. I hate recommending horror to non-horror readers because it always requires "The Exorcist" interrogation. Scary or not? Some people just don't find the supernatural or "other" stuff scary at all. It's all a bit silly to them. Your left trying to come up with thrillers tinged with horror. I really liked Devolution too. It made me regret donating so many old DVDs to Goodwill.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Ha! Yes I loved the discussion of old Bigfoot movies in Devolution

[@iamatoaster2693]

I must add Hell House and Stir of Echoes by the late Richard Matheson. Don't watch the films. Read the books.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I didn't love Hell House, but I do think he's a great writer

[@nonowannabe]

13

[@benja6902]

I found The Fisherman to be creepy as well.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yeah it really gets under your skin

[@rachelstrahan2486]

👍 Good idea. 🎃 🙂

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thanks Rachel

[@JohnVKaravitis]

You should extend your viewers the courtesy of A LIST. Understand? Thin Air - Michelle Paver From Below - Darcy Coates The Fisherman - John Langan Fear/Trickery/other short stories - Roald Dahl We've Always Lived in a Castle/other short stories like "The Lottery" - Shirley Jackson Ring Shout - P. Djeli Clark Psycho - Robert Bloch Rosemary's baby - Ira Levin Devolution - Max Brooks Woman Eating - Claire Kohda How the Dead Live - Derek Raymond

[@jontattum1476]

I don't understand what you're trying to say

[@gerarddonohoe5806]

I was expecting both you & Steve Donoghue to join with Michael k Vaughn & dress up and talk in terrible Australian accents..😂😂😂.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

😂😂😂

[@vincesierra555]

In regards to Ring Shout, when you say "fantastic commentary on race relations in the USA," do you mean it's preachy and political? Sorta like it was written by someone with left leaning views? Or is it organic to the story?

[@CriminOllyBlog]

No, I wouldn’t have said it was preachy at all.

[@wendyvilla2904]

💚🖤

[@rye6386]

👏

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Hello!

[@steveexotic1825]

Devolution is easily the worst book I've ever read and I'm genuinely shocked someone would recommend it. It's like a bad satire, but the author forgot to include the jokes.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Wow you need to read more bad books if that’s the worst! But each to their own, I really liked it.

[@Kerunou]

A good, modern gateway drug is from the master himself, Stephen King. That book being REVIVAL. Revival is interesting in that it completely flies by, it’s easy to get lost in the lives of the characters and the events they go through. As far as horror is concerned, the story is chiefly inspired by vintage pulp horror of yesteryear and lovecraft, so he’s drawing on two really immense sources for literary horror as we know it now.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yeah I really like Revival. I wanted to make this a King-free list though as you see him talked about so much