THE 20 MOST DISTURBING BOOKS I'VE EVER READ

Wherein our hero Durfee counts down the 20 most disturbing books he has ever read. #TopTenLists #DisturbingBooks #BookTube

[@nikkivenable3700]

Brian, I could listen to you talk about books for hours...you are probably the most voracious reader of anyone that I follow on YT(and I follow a lot of people!). Because of you, I just purchased the Lonesome Dove series, 3 Ken Follett books, All the Light We Cannot See and a couple others that I can't remember right this minute. My local bookshop has been seeing me a lot lately! Thank you for the great recommendations.

[@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS]

COOL! and thanks so much for the kind words

[@annabanabanana]

I appreciate your reviews so much. I love that you review backlisted books instead of the new books. Keep it up. You're doing a fantastic job.

[@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS]

Thanks!!!

[@binglamb2176]

Perfume by Patrick Susskind. A man with a perfect sense of smell murders young women in 18th century France to distill their scent into the perfect perfume. Fascinating and creepy at the same time.

[@loudoesreviews]

Totally agree with the others that have mentioned - The Girl Next Door. That one really messed me up.

[@august3777]

The only book I could suggest that is pretty disturbing would be The Girl Next Door by Jack Katchum. After getting halfway through the book, I sat it down and questioned my choice of literature as well as my moral and humanity. It shook me up real bad.

[@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS]

Imma have to read that one

[@matthewkukowski5595]

Same thing happened to me! Halfway I asked why I was reading this and felt the need to take a shower and watch a goofy comedy

[@deadmike714]

This should be number one on the list. The scariest part is when you find out at the end that it's based on a true story. I recommend caution.

[@AlbertTheConjugator]

I've noticed today that the horror stories which make an impression aren't going for scares. The stories are very violating if you know what I mean. Just watch a Rob Zombie movie. It seems horror needs to be disturbing, because the audience is numb now. As Alice Cooper said when asked what it would take to scare an audience today. He said chop your arm off onstage, but you can only do that twice.

[@Pop_72]

Haven’t read most of these on this list but definitely agree on Gerald’s Game by King. My #1 didn’t make your list but ‘Blood Meridian or The Evening Redness in the West’ by Cormac McCarthy (author of No Country for Old Men) deeply disturbed me. I felt the full weight of the book for days and days after reading it. Even thinking of it now makes me feel *looking for the right word* …polluted.

[@alynam82]

This was an awesome list!! A few I've read, and whole-heartedly agree with you. A couple I've just added to my TBR while watching (searching Goodreads during the video). And a decent handful that I currently own, just waiting to read. A few honorable mentions for ya: 1 - Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door. Mr. Ketchum knows how to disturb, even Off Season had its moments. But the fact that Girl Next Door is based on true events... *shudder 2 - The Exorcist, I've read for my first time this past October, a classic for a reason 3 - Mister Slaughter in the Matthew Corbett series. I didn't think McCammon would go there... but he does. 4 - The Summer I Died, by Ryan C Thomas. This is the granddaddy of all that I've read disturbing. Torture porn is not usually my forte, but this was done well, was equally gross and intense.

[@writerguy911]

Just discovered this video and when you got to Scott Smith's A Simple Plan I cheered. That book was more disturbing than The Ruins (which was horrific in its own way). A fantastic list and I now have a ton more books on my list to read and review. Thank you!

[@miskatonic6576]

I loved seeing Urban Gothic as your number one pick. I was the publisher of this edition in limited and deluxe editions back prior to the paperback release. This book is an homage to another writer Edward Lee who I also published quite a lot of his disturbing works.

[@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS]

Cool!!! I just bought a collection of Brian Keene from Leisure books. Will be reviewing them all

[@nicholasjones3207]

Off season had way more effect for me in the disturbing stakes. Ed lee is great. Must see if he’s put out anything new and hope it’s better than white trash gothic

[@wheeljack0]

My no 1 is Endless Night by Richard Laymon. Just about to read it again as i am working my way through his books in order. Love to see an updated book shelf tour again soon as you have added a few more lol.

[@sjnmhn]

Try survivor by J F gonzalez😢

[@MichaelRomeoTalksBooks]

Another great list. The more I see if your content the more I'd love to get with you over a pot of coffee or a few beers and just jaw about books. The Lords Of Discipline was my favorite read of 2021 and I agree that it was disturbing. Three books that leapt to mind as I watched you talk about disturbing books were Hiroshima by John Hersey, The Man In My Basement by Walter Mosely, and A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. If I put together my list of disturbing books those 3 would be close to the top.

[@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS]

I read a lot of Walter Mosley i might have to pick up that book u mention

[@joelswo]

I'm reading The Lords of Discipline right now, thanks to your recommendation... and it is amazing! Yes, disturbing... but wow! What an incredible story. I'm a bit over halfway done and I'm having a hard time putting it down! Thanks Brian!

[@donovanchilton5817]

I'd add Blood Meridian to this list. Rough read.

[@jobuckley2999]

The Bible and Pet Cemetery. Both deeply disturbing. The Power of the Dog by Thomas Savage. A psychopath brother. A must read

[@reneedenigris]

I had to stop midway for Dean Koontz's Watcher. It Creep the F out of me!! Unable to read Koontz anymore.

[@KVP94Guitar]

Johnny Got His Gun is insanity. If you haven't already, see the movie as well. Basically a guy gets hits back a mortar shell in WW1 and loses all of his limbs, eyes, nose, mouth, ears, everything, yet he survives. It's absolutely crazy and so heartbreaking.

[@surpriseitsus9622]

Metallica, One?

[@KVP94Guitar]

@@surpriseitsus9622 yup!

[@harrymacdonald2672]

I'm gonna have to get round to these... I think one addition I would add is The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty somewhere between Silence of the Lambs and Cujo. It's like the film, just a bit more effed up. I'd read the revised 40th anniversary edition if you've never read it before.

[@Parasyte316]

One book that truly disturbed me was A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. This woman didn’t pull any punches and it’s the only book where I tell people to not go in blind.

[@marcweber8509]

I read Pet Sematary when I was twelve. Had a dark cloud hanging over me for quite some time :D

[@jamiegidley4887]

"find me a more disturbing book than urban gothic" challenge accepted give Tampa by Alyssa Nutting a try I felt like I needed a shower after that book

[@jarrodanderson2124]

Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood" is a book that cut me in half. There is nothing like it. The disturbing part is that there exists no evil monsters in real life, only human behavior.

[@DaveMoth]

Interesting list. There's a few on here I'll definitely check out. I'd recommend The Terror by Dan Simmons if you haven't already read it. Fantastic and super disturbing in places.

[@wadejohnston4305]

I really love your channel Brian. I hope I didn't upset you by saying my opinion regarding your openings. In the end it's your channel and you make video however the HELL you want brother.

[@moniqueyap9193]

Great list. Salem's Lot was my first horror book. I had to sneak it because my parents disapproved. How funny that is now.

[@tommo1208]

Can I recommended one more to you Brian pal, if you think you might get around to reading it. It's an 80s paperback, Chet Williamsons lowland rider. It's not an over popular book but I was honestly blown away. I thought it was fantastic. There is a scene in the first quarter that is quite disturbing, it's a house invasion and murder, and my god it gave me a good twang on the heart strings, I could feel his pain.

[@lumpik22]

Brian, you're my favourite booktuber and now I'm a little disappointed that there isn't "The Girl Next Door" by Jack Ketchum on your list. That's the most disturbing book ever. I would also highly recommend "The Dumb House" by John Burnside. I know I'm just random guy from Internet but... you have nothing to lose if you try my two recommendations. You're extremely fast reader and those two novels aren't too long.

[@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS]

I have never read The Girl next Door. But everyone here is recommending it so i must look into it

[@lumpik22]

@Maya Nightwolf The worst thing is that I loved that book. It was very sad from the first to the very last page. The writing style was great, I can say I wasn't able to put it down. This book was ugly and amazing at the same time

[@Michael_L_Morrison]

Added some books to my TBR. Thanks.

[@TheRavenheart67]

Richard Laymon? (Love your channel!)

[@cherryllambdin8863]

Loved your list! I just finished Gone to see the Riverman by Christopher Triana. I saw it recommended in another disturbing book vid. But It was excellent, twisted and totally engrossing, highly recommend!

[@sjnmhn]

Try survivor by J F gonzalez😢

[@jamessmithfitness309]

I highly recommend reading The Groomer by Jon Athan, now that you have read The Girl Next Door. You mentioned books on this list that have predatory plots. The Groomer is my most disturbing book. Jon Athan is not very well known because he is a independent writer. I was horrified when I read The Groomer. My heart was racing several times when reading. I think you should add The Groomer to your cart, if you want something that I guarantee will take your number one spot for disturbing books.

[@AllenFreemanMediaGuru]

I’m planning to read all of these. I have read Cujo, Silence of the Lambs, and A Simple Plan which I’m always recommending to everyone. Making a list of your other books mentioned here!

[@angelwalker979]

Great list! I've read about half of those and agree 💯 with your choices! Salems Lot was my first King too! And Geralds game, omg! I think those of us women who've read it find it worse than even you do lol. A Simple Plan was brilliant. A shame he never wrote more books. xx

[@MrBasHolland]

Loved ur reviews thanks for the ideas! 👌🏽👌🏽🧟💀💀

[@stevebolahan6335]

I was waiting for "Coming in at #22..."

[@goz-goz-goz]

The book that disturbed me the most. You could say it was like a monster poking its clawed middle finger into my thoughts for months was stranglehold by Jack Ketchum. Its one messed up read.

[@DAGDRUM53]

Immediately after hearing the horror you felt reading Urban Gothic, I listened to three more booktuber reviews and then bought it on eBay for under five bucks. Thanks, Durf!

[@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS]

Ya i have actually been looking into buying some of Keene's other novels now too

[@thecosmicprime]

Tender is the Flesh by Augustina Bazterrica was really disturbing and Cows by Matthew Stoke which I have yet to finish ( I literally almost puked) was the most disturbing thing ever on the face of this planet.

[@Darkfacts2080]

came here to add The Power of the Dog but you already have it in the list. I would also add the other two in the trilogy: The Cartel and The Border. I'm an avid horror reader and no horror novel has disturbed me more than these books, which are in the crime genre. I had nightmares while reading them, something no horror novel has ever done. i would also like to add Survivor by J.F Gonzalez and Jack Ketchum's cannibal trilogy: Off Season, Offspring, and The Woman.

[@sherribugd3799]

Most disturbing books I have read are both nonfiction- Ordinary Men, and The Rape of Nanking.

[@TheHistoryShelf]

OMG, yes, Flyboys also was extremely disturbing to me. Haunted my damn dreams, it was so horrific.

[@fangs1972]

When you held up "Gone Girl," I yelled, "Yes!" A very toxic read! Also, "Hannibal" by Thomas Harris was disturbing.

[@stews9]

The Hot Zone by Richard Preston. Nonfiction that'll scare you worse than anything. The Last Gasp by Fred Hoyle, apocalyptic science fiction that leaves us with no hope whatsoever. The Takers and the Keepers by Ivan Pope, about the worst possible aspects of human trafficking. To recommend a few genuinely disturbing books.

[@lizc.214]

Those books definitely sound disturbing! I have some of them, but never got around to reading them..I will at some point. The books I have read that to me were disturbing (but nowhere near Geek Love or Urban Gothic, as far as I remember) are: 1. The Troop by Nick Cutter 2. The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler 3. Here and Gone by Haylen Beck And they're disturbing for different reasons.

[@sarawhitfield5415]

great list wonder if you've ever read Blood Meridian or anything by Cormac MaCcarthy

[@obvv7714]

‘The Grape of Nanking’(with no G) is definitely the most disturbing book I’ve ever read. It’s non fiction and genuinely stomach churning. It goes into detail about the Japanese invasion of china.

[@hilfychanur6102]

The most disturbing book I've read is The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum

[@Michael_L_Morrison]

Me too. I just read that last month. Very disturbing.

[@jasperburchfield2028]

Your description of Urban Gothic made me laugh so hard. Thanks for reading it so I don't have to.

[@MrCaptainZach]

Thank you for introducing me to The Dirt, I wasn't even a big Motley Crue fan before. Well now I am. I devoured that book in like two days.

[@kevdawg55]

ive found so far winter moon to be koontz most horror-novel of his so far (and ive read 40 of em). those creepy montana scenes were spooky!

[@arjunpaudel709]

Disturbing books : 20 20. Salem's lot - stephen king 19. Night chills - dean koontz 18. The lords of discipline - pat conroy 17.the Neon ram - james lee burke 16. The dirt - motley criie 15. A simple plan - scott smith 14. The power of the dog - Don winslow 13. Savage continent 12. Jo nesbo - cockroaches 11. Gone girl 10. Cujo - stephen king 09. Peter straub - ghost story 08. Dennis lehane - gone baby gone 07. The stranger beside me - ann rule 06. The silence of the lamps 05. Fly Boys - james bradley 04. Books of blood 03. Gerald's game 02. Geek love - katherine dune 1st - urban gothic - brian keene

[@TheEternalElir]

After reading the comments, and constantly seeing The Girl Next Door cited as the most disturbing book ever, I looked it up and NOPE. That's too much bruh.

[@AllenFreemanMediaGuru]

You had me at Vegetable Lasagna! 😑

[@tommo1208]

Is one of you favourites the damnation game set post ww2 Poland? I've not read it I do own it n it's at the top of my barker pile... I have a recommendation, odd man out by James Newman it is very disturbing. It shows how bullying can get so out of hand when kids or teenagers are left to their own devices. Kind of like lord of the flies i guess. It was like youre was forced to sit and watch what is unfolding. I wanted to help I wanted to stop it I just had to keep reading man ... very short only just over 100 pages

[@peterthompson972]

Maybe “There’s something about Kevin” should be on a scary book list

[@ChrisJClegg]

I watched a friend reading Gerald’s Game shortly after it came out. The only time I have ever seen anyone turn green. I had read the book already and knew exactly the section he was reading.

[@royblckbrn]

How many books do you have?

[@hughminor9369]

The most disturbing book I ever read is "All the President's Men". I read it in the 1970's, couldn't sleep for two weeks.

[@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS]

Good choice

[@therelief9129]

You sold me on Flyboys

[@hotsake7819]

The most consistingly distrubing books I've ever read are by Andrew Vachss including his Batman novel.

[@wadejohnston4305]

I'm about 25% into ghost story just finished the party flashback. It's very very good and gets under your skin

[@MarthaMcClard-ii5nf]

Salem’s Lot was my first Stephen King book too. I was hooked.

[@glockensig]

I think my entire top 20 would all be history books.....easily!

[@shelliingle571]

That's mess up. I did read this book called "Too Far". I found that book is very disturbing. I even thought Cuckoo Song and The Book of Lost were messed,but I enjoyed them. My least favorite books are Dark Moon and Demon in Silver that I found them are very disturbing.

[@michaeltatangelo3649]

Haven't had such a real full long laugh like that since I was a kid

[@debbiemcnamara7059]

The stranger beside me! Scary.

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

Oh man… I’m going to have to read Urban Gothic now.

[@2010mhkhan]

Song of kali by Dan Simmons

[@kevinogracia1615]

"Blood Meridian" by Cormac McCarthy is brutal. As is "All Quiet On The Western Front." "Naked Lunch," too. Nothing like getting an appendectomy with a rusty sardine can. And Ann Rules (RIP.) Peace on earth.

[@wadejohnston4305]

Just bought that "justified if it was super brutal" book. LOVE ME SOME JUSTIFIED.

[@shawnlinnehan7349]

Blood Meridian, by the greatest American author McCarthy. When I was pretty young, I read Something Wicked This Way Comes and it really freaked me out. I need to reread it as an adult and try to remember what was so disturbing to me.

[@sjnmhn]

Try survivor by J F gonzalez😢

[@wadejohnston4305]

Dude THANK YOU. All I could find when searching disturbing books lists it was all the and I Ean no malice when I say this was the channels more geared towards a female list. Not what I was looking for so I thought fuck it jll re read dragons if autumn tight but let me watch a review on this retro book. Well your video on that topic(loved it by the way) led me here!

[@Patrick.__]

The most disturbing books I have read are probably Blood Meridian, The Girl Next Door, and Gravity's Rainbow. Urban Gothic has my attention.

[@Pop_72]

Blood Meridian = my #1 most disturbing.

[@epiphoney]

Samuel R. Delany - Hogg. It disturbs me to even mention it.

[@drewe9163]

The most disturbing book I've read is Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk. It's a collection of short stories spaced out by an overarching story about authors going on a writer's retreat to write their magnum opus. The stories range from disturbing funny to disturbing disgusting. Chuck Palahniuk has done live readings of the short story Guts where people have fainted.

[@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS]

ya i have read parts of that

[@debbiemcnamara7059]

Silence Of The Lambs.

[@micheledion2000]

Never Let Me Go...really disturbing...

[@lisac1619]

Underground Railroad & The Nickel Boys, both by Colson Whitehead; Anything by Joyce Carol Oates (especially Daddy Love which I refuse to think about); American Psycho.

[@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS]

Daddy Love sounds like it could be horrid

[@user-sx5lv9rw3f]

Please read Tokyo from Mo Hayder please if you don ' t

[@thenewfiepirate8027]

wait, you're a fan of thirteen floor too? I met him at a convention a few years back!

[@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS]

i liked the shirt yes

[@franciscoramirez3682]

Huh. So I haven’t heard, let alone read Geek Love. I will now though. That being said, my name on steam is vegetable lasagna but that is a Seinfeld reference.

[@kimberlydaughton8765]

Read Sopaths, by Piers Anthony. It was so disturbing is mad me I'll. Piers is usually a fantasy writer, but if this is his fantasy, he needs to be locked up!

[@dancegregorydance6933]

American Psycho is the most disturbing book I’ve read. It starts out a satire comedy book. By the last 100 pages of the book it becomes non stop violence, one after the other. Every act more disturbing than the last.

[@Comdev11]

Worst for me was the book called PIG. That book should have never been written.

[@donaldmartineau8176]

#2Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

[@mattvanvalkenburg3959]

The Dirt was amazing

[@johanslabbert2551]

Blood Meridian by Cormac Mccarthy.

[@slimm774]

Berserk isn't a book but its one of the most disturbing thing I've read.

[@SINW]

If Urban Gothic is more messed up than The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum, I really don't want to read it. I can't imagine it being worse than that.

[@Sunnyvalereject24]

Salems Lot was the first scary movie i ever saw

[@stevenckendall]

Agree with Cujo....first Stephen King where I'm like OMG. Other Stephen King's are good...but yeah..

[@Jonpat]

Avoid Ketchum Brian! He'll corrupt your sweet innocence.

[@lchauk9518]

the most disturbing thing about this is list is how much of it is nonfiction

[@edcollante]

Edward Lee's "The Pig and the House". It's so disgusting, disturbing and vile...I laughed my lungs out.

[@randamnlee6259]

I’ve only read Ghouls by him. And that was in my early teens. I didn’t think it could get worse 😅😅

[@edcollante]

@@randamnlee6259 That's supposedly one of his "tame" books, hey. You want to try "The Bighead". Fun for the whole family.

[@Cremling_1996]

Lord of the flies is the most disturbing IMO

[@flanny5419]

If URBAN GOTHIC beats GEEK LOVE I have to read it!

[@calista3371]

Gerald's Game is the scariest book I've ever read before. I agree with that. It's terrifying.

[@coleton7048]

A bit late to this video, but I have a challenge for you, Brian. I dare you to read Dead Inside by Chandler Morrison and review it on the channel. I DARE you. It's the most fucked up thing I've ever read, and you reviewing it would be absolute gold. 😂

[@virgilflowers9846]

Have you read Ohio by Stephen Markley? Highly recommended

[@keithdogg]

I found We Need To Talk About Kevin chilling

[@trishbovell9042]

Me too and I loved it