Top 5 Underrated Horror Novels and Scary Stories

[@userxv]

Organic Chemistry: Structure and Function by Vollhardt

[@madrigalpencilwood]

Oh god... I failed organic chemistry twice

[@Ytnzy250]

Joke? 😄

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I love finding underhyped horror to recommend on my channel so I was super excited when your video showed up in my subfeed. I've been wanting to read more Japanese horror so I think I'll try to check out Revenge. I love your book focused videos!

[@AdamCesare]

You’ll love REVENGE!!

[@michaelwardle7633]

Bentley Little’s 2004 THE RESORT. Sure, it’s the kind of mass-market beach book you might grab without thinking, but man is it WEIRD. It’s a really strange mix of conventional (for the lack of a better word, “pedestrian”?) writing and Lynchian matter-of-fact perversion that would make Kubrick look twice. We’re given everything from a lord-of-the-flies volleyball game to a Lilliputian in the bathtub. It’s surrealism delivered in such a straightforward manner that it makes you feel a little queasy. Easily overlooked because it looks at first like any other spook book about a hotel.

[@AdamCesare]

I’ve got to get this!

[@stephennootens916]

I'm going to have to reread that one, because I kept thinking of The Shining, which I've read about three times, and kept comparing the novels. I liked the other two novels of his I had read which were The Academy and The Revelation.

[@toddnickerson9991]

Damn, that was my choice too.

[@CT-se8vn]

I’m gonna sound like a broken record to those who know me but the troop by nick cutter. Omg. Love that book so much.

[@AdamCesare]

Love all the Cutter books! Hope he does more soon.

[@kassit8833]

I loved it as well!

[@linearman0245]

@@AdamCesare The monster book called The Preserve is another good one, pretty short though.

[@1Inked4Heart3]

I just read it and I felt disappointed. I thought it was going to be one thing and it was the complete opposite.

[@Kaiju_Chaos]

I loved it. I need to pick it up and read it again, eventually. My tbr pile is huge atm

[@RolandDeschain1]

Under-rated: RAVEN by Charles L. Grant. The master of 'quiet horror' does his take on the classic TEN LITTLE INDIANS trope and delivers an incredibly atmospheric, intense thriller. Actually, many years ago I wrote a screenplay adaptation of this book, just to see if I could. And it's actually pretty damn good.

[@AdamCesare]

Grant, just generally, feels like he fits on the underrated list no matter how you slice it. And that's so cool about the script!

[@jacob_ian_decoursey_the_author]

What did you end up doing with the script?

[@RolandDeschain1]

@@jacob_ian_decoursey_the_author Nothing. I was just some goober writing for fun. I had a period in the mid 00's where I thought I could become a filmmaker and made a bunch of shorts, but that passed when I had to actually start paying bills and got a job.

[@RolandDeschain1]

@@AdamCesare Yeah, Charlie Grant was a writer that all other horror writers had immense respect for. He never reached the commercial heights of a lot of his contemporaries, but he was insanely prolific in his career and I have so much admiration for writers like that.

[@garethwalsh5626]

Love this book so much 💕

[@toddnickerson9991]

The Resort by Bentley Little - the horror starts small and builds and builds until the climax, which is just batshit bonkers. It's my favorite Little novel, and I've read a few now.

[@JohnnyRecently]

Love The Resort.

[@beezus99]

Wounds is so great. North American Lake Monsters is one of my all time favorite collections, and now this one is in the running. I also really loved Revenge, and have always meant to pick up more Ogawa by haven't yet. Things I read recently that I really liked were Rites of Extinction by Matt Serafini, and A Hawk in the Woods, by Carrie Laben. I'm getting ready to start planning the Halloween display for the library where I work and there is so much great recent stuff to add. I also just saw Sarah Langan has a new book out next year, I'm swooning!

[@AdamCesare]

I am so so so excited for new Langan! Finally!

[@remyscreepycorner5135]

I looooooved last days and was going to suggest everyone read it and was delighted to see it on your list!

[@Suzspence]

Thomas Ligotti’s Teatro Grottesco is without a doubt one of the most unique and unnerving anthologies I have ever read. This guy‘s brand of nihilistic horror is on par with the likes of H.P Lovecraft and yet as far as I know he’s all but unknown. Would highly recommend.

[@thebigjuggalobowski]

So bro, I don’t know if you knew this. I don’t think it was mentioned, but Last Days has a predecessor in the form of a short story called The Brotherhood of Mutilation. It is in the compendium The Weird by Ann and Jeff Vandermeer. It is an Awesome tome overall. But yea that story was messed up and when you were describing it I was so confused for a second when you called it a novel... and Last Days lol. There’s a couple stories that messed me up in that compendo dude it is good. Singing my Sister Down by Margo Larganon is the scariest thing I’ve ever read maybe. The God of Dark Laughter by Michael Chabon and Hogfoot Right and Bird-hands by Gary Kilworth are both amazing titles and stories. New to the channel but if you haven’t read that, treat yourself my dude.

[@AdamCesare]

I'm a huge fan of Chabon, but haven't read that story. And I have the Vandermeers' anthology loaded up on my kindle but never cracked it! Will have to now. Thanks for the recs and for checking out the video!

[@midnightcryptworx]

poppy z. brite - lost souls or wormwood (short stories). she definitely isnt for everyone but so underrated in my opinion

[@AdamCesare]

Great choice!

[@danamelton1738]

You have once again read my mind. Lol I have been searching for these exact videos for 2 days wanting to see new horror book and scary story videos I haven't watched yet because I'm really needing the fall/Halloween vibes. It's still in the high 90s in North Carolina but I'm going outside every morning hoping for that chilly fall weather. I read horror all year around but I have started my Halloween reads already because I ended up having 60 books I wanted to read in October so I of course had to start now. 😬 Also... yeah thanks alot for adding more to that pile lol. Really, I love these videos and have several of your books in my stack for the next 2 months. Thanks so much for this. I cant wait for more from you leading up to halloween. 🌘🏰⚡🎃🕷️🕸️💀🦇🧠👽🤡🎈👻☠️👾🖤📼🕯️📚

[@AdamCesare]

Glad I’m a mindreader, Dana! Have a great season!

[@crazynutreviews2647]

I'd say H.P. Lovecraft's Shadow over Innsmouth, At the Mountains of Madness, and the Dunwich Horror are all somewhat underrated

[@streetlove11]

Those are extremely well known what

[@spiritualanarchist8162]

Ermmm....Those are very well known classics by one of the most famous writers in the horro genre .... 😉

[@UziSuicide666]

Headhunter by Michael Slade. It's everything you want in a story, in the horror genre.

[@pandemonium274]

"The Woman In Black" by Susan Hill is one of the scariest horror/Ghost Stories I have read, and I read plenty of them. Get it, you will not regret it!!!

[@RolandDeschain1]

Susan Hill also wrote a terrific little novella called THE MAN IN THE PICTURE that I recommend highly.

[@pandemonium274]

@@RolandDeschain1 Thank you! I will look for it.

[@spookynoodles73]

I made a comment before, but it was for a different video lol! I have Hellhound! I think? Lol! Also, my favorite underrated horror novels are Fear by Ronald Kelly, Within the Woods by Tony Urban, and Die Tommy by Aron Beauregard :)

[@fconstraints]

Last Days is free on Amazon Kindle right now for Prime readers. You can add the audiobook for $4.

[@AdamCesare]

That is a deal and a half!

[@frugephoto2191]

It's really nice to hear good horror recommendations instead of the normal ya you find all over KZbin. I did find it slightly distracting that you were looking at the monitor instead of the lens but other than that this was a great video and I will be on the lookout for these books

[@acueto7]

Sea Trial by Frank De Felitta is pretty great! Can you recommend any books like The Thing, Alien or Stranded. I like that atmospheric bump in the night creature books. Not all gore, but all story and atmosphere to unnerve you. Great video!!

[@cb94z]

Great choices! I can't recommend WOUNDS enough, and both of the Greenhall novels are excellent as well. I haven't read the other 3 yet. As far as 2019 books go my recommendation is CARNIVOROUS LUNAR ACTIVITIES by Max Booth.

[@AdamCesare]

I have that but haven't gotten a chance to crack it open yet. I've read some of Booth's other work and really liked it. Nice guy, as well. He had me on one of his podcasts and it was a fun time.

[@inanimatecarbongod]

Love those Ken Greenhall books, particularly Hell Hound. Two of the best reissues Valancourt has put out (haven't yet picked up Childgrave, but I expect similarly positive results when I do).

[@AdamCesare]

I have *Childgrave* on my to-get list, too! Just started diving into their Paperbacks from Hell reissues and so far, so good.

[@anitacigarette]

Thanks for the book suggestions! Now to hit the bookstore/shop online! That last book reminds me of Tomie by Junji Ito.

[@AdamCesare]

Tomie rules!

[@andrewrobertson3894]

Same title, different author. Last Days by Adam Nevill. The old friends? Holy shit, man. It does fall off a little towards the end but the first 3/4 are fantastic. Great list, I haven't read any of these and am subbing because you obviously know your stuff. Edit: Facepalm ...I had no idea you were an author, I'll have to pick up *The First One You Expect.*

[@AdamCesare]

Yes! Love Nevill's work. Very scary stuff, I especially like his short fiction. And thank you for checking out First One. Hope you enjoy!

[@andrewrobertson3894]

@@AdamCesare Just thought of another couple that kind of crept into my brain and stayed there. Jonathan Aycliffe's (Daniel Easterman?) Naomi's Room and The Matrix were pretty scary, at least at the time of reading. Straub's Koko gave me the absolute shits too. I won't rattle off a list but it's been getting increasingly difficult to find horror fiction that scares me. I'll be keeping an eye out for Nevill's short material too. Cheers!

[@Campbrightmoon]

just came across your channel - I don't see as many channels talking about horror books so love this!

[@AdamCesare]

Thanks so much for finding me! Likewise, just checked out your channel. Very cool!

[@Campbrightmoon]

@@AdamCesare Thank you that means a lot since i'm just starting out!

[@anonymousbosch9265]

“Punk town” collection by Jeff Thomas but I’m not totally sure if it counts as horror but it’s so disconcerting that I had trouble finishing at least one of the stories “Movers” by Even James Clark was the best short novela length horror I’ve ever read

[@AdamCesare]

I have to check out PUNK TOWN, I don't think you're the first person to recommend it to me. And MOVERS sounds great!

[@andrewbrendan1579]

Anne River Siddons' "The House Next Door" published in 1974 is an outstanding novel about something strange going on with the house next door and its effect on people. Ms. Siddons is known for writing novels about upper-class Southerners but prior to that she wrote in a different genre. Stephen King said "The House Next Door" is one of the scariest books he ever read.---Maybe not underrated but perhaps under-known is "Dracula's Guest" by Bram Stoker". This was originally the first chapter of the novel "Dracula" but deleted so the book wouldn't be so long. "Dracula's Guest" works well as a stand-alone short story. If my memory is right Bram Stoker wrote a sequel to "Dracula" that is little-known. Maybe someone else knows more about this and can add a comment.

[@pandemonium274]

I just read "The House Next Door". Very good, indeed!!! The ending was quite remarkable!!! I didn't expect it. I especially liked the pace of the story, too. It wasn't rushed in telling the story.

[@andrewbrendan1579]

@@pandemonium274 I passed my copy of "The House Next Door" to my aunt. She said that when she read the ending she screamed!

[@stephennootens916]

While I can't say I'm a major fan of horror as others are, I do enjoy the genre when I'm in the right mood, and finding this channel has been a bit enlightening. It's only been in the last couple of years I've realized there are other authors other than Barker and King. My dad and brother always read Stephen King as far back as I can remember and my best friend in high school who was big fan of horror flicks love the Hellraiser series to the point that the only book I saw him read was Clive Barker's Cabal.

[@AdamCesare]

Your friend had great taste! CABAL is one of my favorites! (and much more successful than the film adaptation, imo, even though I have great affection for NIGHTBREED)

[@supahstrike77]

I needed this push to go buy "Last Days". Thanks! Underrated book: "Under the Skin" by Michel Faber

[@alexadunlop]

Under The Skin is amazing!

[@stevengibson2892]

Awesome Episode and List Sir. I Really enjoy The Illustrated Man By Ray Bradbury,Both Book and Movie.

[@AdamCesare]

Thank you so much, Steven!!

[@Ken-xq9py]

I was fortunate enough to have a high school english teacher who recommended this book to me and it remains one of my favorites to this day.

[@kevinfinan4097]

Last Days sounds right up my alley. Also it's kindle unlimited at the moment, so major frugality points won there.

[@AdamCesare]

I think someone else said it might have been currently free to own outright? I haven't clicked over there to see yet, but either way: excellent!

[@kevinfinan4097]

@@AdamCesare I'm relatively new to kindle, so I'm not positive on the different options or availabilities. I can confirm its available for rent at the least (available for free if you pay 10 dollars a month for the service). I enjoyed what I was able to get to late last night and I'm very excited to finish it up today. Thanks for the recommendation!

[@alexcampos8014]

The Baxter movie adaptation is worth seeking, darkly humorous, very disturbing and gets under your skin

[@jennifer216]

Don’t remember subbing to you but I’m super glad I did! You’re amazing ❤️

[@AdamCesare]

I'm glad you did too, Jennifer! And thanks!

[@fatizzle716]

I’m new to your channel. Keep up the great work! Have you read Last Days by Adam Nevill?

[@AdamCesare]

Thanks so much. No, I’ve only read Adam Neville’s short work, is LAST DAYS the novel to start with, you think?

[@christopherradebaugh9425]

I was going to mention this one myself. This is my favorite book by Nevill although The Ritual is a close second, and it has a film adaptation on Netflix which is very good too).

[@nrdywrdy]

I loved The Murders of Molly Southbourne! As for a book I would recommend, it's not necessarily underrated, but it was marketed to fans of literary fiction and I think more horror fans should read it: SLADE HOUSE by David Mitchell.

[@debbiemann2752]

Spencer Borup I agree Slade House was fantastic.

[@escapedvivesectionist7011]

American Psycho- Brett Easton Ellis. Voodoo Dawn- John Russo The Inhuman Condition/Books of Blood vol 3- Clive Barker The Shining- Steve King Koko- Peter Straub Something Wicked this way Comes- Ray Bradbury The Exorcist- William Peter Blatty On another note, best of luck to you buddy! I'm certainly a fan. Keep it up.

[@AdamCesare]

Great picks and thank you so much for the kind words!!

[@stuffistole1225]

Nobody talks about John Douglas. Dude wrote 4 great horror books then disappeared off the face of the earth. My personal favorite are "The Late Show" and "Hard Shoulder".

[@AdamCesare]

I gotta look him up!

[@JohnnyRecently]

I've read over 800 horror novels. The most underrated horror novel that I've ever read is 1985's "The Retreat" by Jerrold Mundis

[@OneBrokenDove]

The Radleys by Matt Haig 😂 probably because it was put into the horror section at Chapters but in my opinion was miscategorized. Not at all scary, definately adult though it doesnt have a Rated R rating like King novels. Still really good but I think my 18 year old brain hadnt really noted on the fact that it was like Twilight in an adult novel format .

[@zachthewombat]

I dont think John Langan gets enough mentions. While most of his work is short stories he has also proven himself with longer form in The Fisherman.

[@AdamCesare]

Loved THE FISHERMAN! I think I'm even blurbed on the paperback? Which is weird?

[@manslaughter8159]

i really want to read some yoko ogawa i have been only reading japanese horror books

[@jostuff9131]

Any recommendations? Would love to read some Japanese Horror 😍

[@Crina-LudmilaCristeaAuthor]

The last book sounds great! Adding it to my to-read Goodreads shelf. Since you like horror, you might like my collection Whispers and Other Strange Stories (soon in audio as well).😊 Must check out your books as well.😉

[@samanthablackbird3780]

Yes...book lists are back. Break my shelves!

[@AdamCesare]

Bringing the pain!!!

[@RolandDeschain1]

My favourite straight-up thriller writer is a British woman named Mo Hayder. Her books are supremely disturbing and none more so than her masterpiece TOKYO, retitled in the US as THE DEVIL OF NANKING; a title I don't like since it kind of buries the lead. In it a somewhat unstable young woman named Grey travels to Japan in search of a mythic piece of film taken during the notoriously horrific Sino-Japanese war in 1937. Her journey takes her to the highest levels of the Yakuza to a humble professor who may have the key to what she wants, provided she can acquire something of great value for him. In terms of the 'unreliable narrator' it is masterfully controlled, and contains several scenes that still haunt me a decade after reading it. I give it my highest recommendation.

[@AdamCesare]

Whoa. Sounds brutal.

[@andrewrobertson3894]

She's very good. I loved Tokyo and Pig Island.

[@michaelwardle7633]

Also, Adam, what are your thoughts on the the Paperbacks from Hell re-issue series? I just ordered “wave 1” and am anticipating a fun time.

[@AdamCesare]

I’ve been agonizing over getting the paperbacks or saving my poor back when moving time comes and getting the ebooks. Either way I’m def getting THE TRIBE and the Bigfoot one (something SPIRIT, I think?).

[@haydengilbert6317]

Great job sir! I always wanted to pick up that Evenson book bc I thought it might include a werewolf haha Cannot wait to read Clown in a Cornfield

[@AdamCesare]

No werewolves in LAST DAYS. But plenty of clowns in CLOWN! 🤡

[@davidlarramore1990]

If you can find it, ABOMINATION by Michael C. Norton. He only wrote 2 books to my knowledge and I can find absolutely no information on him as an author. But what an amazing book! I believe it was a Leisure imprint horror novel back when I first ran into as a new book. To this day, I have never ran into anyone who has read this and that is a shame. Talk about underrated.

[@AdamCesare]

Ah, late 80s Leisure was the best vintage. I'm familiar with BLIZZARD, from its cover only. Valancourt Books has been doing a lot to get these authors/books back in print. Hopefully they'll get around to Mr. Norton's work at some point. Thank you for the suggestion!

[@dianes.3718]

I can't think of any horror novels I've read that I'd consider underrated. Maybe "Watchers" by Koontz.

[@AdamCesare]

My dad *loves* that book! I've had it on my shelf for close to twenty years!

[@dianes.3718]

@@AdamCesare You really should read it. It's Koontz's best in my opinion. And it has a dog in it who plays a major role,

[@kristineabraham6227]

The only book available to check out at the library is Clown In A Cornfield - Ebook or Audio?

[@grasspatch1167]

Everyone has to read Necroscope

[@andrewrobertson3894]

Good call. Awesome series.

[@AikiraBeats]

So how are you able to figure out what the clones are and how are they able to kill the clones without killing herself

[@kristineabraham6227]

Last Days is not available in libraries. Is there another resource to use that may accept free loan to read?

[@ellingtonl277]

I just read The Visible Filth because of this and really enjoyed it. This may be a video of its own, but could you recommend a book that pairs well with Kill List?

[@AdamCesare]

Hmmm. One of my favorite movies. Have you read any Laird Barron? If you like that kind of folk horror (though most of Barron’s work verges over into the “cosmic”, I think he’s still a good suggestion here).

[@ellingtonl277]

@@AdamCesareThank you so much! It's very interesting that you said that because I considered including in my previous comment that the closest I've gotten was Blood Standard, and that wasn't even strictly horror. I will definitely check out more of his work.

[@AdamCesare]

Blood Standard’s great bit that and its sequel def aren’t horror. I’d start with his first anthology (THE IMAGO SEQUENCE) and if you like it read them in order.

[@ellingtonl277]

@@AdamCesare I wouldn't consider Blood Standard horror, but it and Kill List are from a similar dark pool of noir and thematically remind me of each other in that it's the last gamble of a rudderless and violent man that teams up with an incredibly loyal veteran friend to take down people conspiring to hurt kids. After Blood Standard I'm down for anything Barron has to offer, and just bought The Imago Sequence. Thank you for the recommendation!

[@tnbbc]

I'm late to this video but Come Closer by Sara Gran; Suffer the Children by Craig DeLouie; Suckers by Z Rider

[@AdamCesare]

Haven't read SUCKERS! Will have to check it out!

[@matthalaboo6694]

Anything by Robert McCammon

[@makesomebacon]

Any suggestions for detective noir horror? I read the first Dresden files and sandman slim and loved both. They both tilt a little more towards fantasy then horror tho which is cool, just curious whats out there.

[@ShraderRThomas]

Baxter is a really twisted, fucked up film. I haven’t read the book, but the movie is definitely worth the watch.

[@AdamCesare]

God. I wonder if there’s a French Blu or something...

[@mcmohitchauhan21]

So glad I found your channel. Horror 👌👌 Subscribed.

[@boweryboy]

Ramsey Campbell's The Overnight. His writing style doesn't seem to be appreciated all that much by the general readership in the States and everyone I loaned this book to hated it and stopped reading a quarter of the way in. I dunno if they got that it was also a satire on corporate box stores (in this case, the likes of Borders / Barnes and Noble). Western readers don't seem to care for his tendency to build his horror quietly and suggestively. But he never takes his readers' intelligence for granted and I always feel respected when I read him. The Overnight for me? It was a disquieting (and funny) slow burn that explodes into a maelstrom of supernatural fury in the last 100 pages. Those last 100 pages are among some of the most terrifying I have ever read and there are setpieces that to this day, haunt me. I will likely never get on an elevator again without thinking about one of them and this book in particular.

[@AdamCesare]

I haven't read The Overnight but I've read and greatly enjoyed a couple of Campbell's novels, a few years back. I think is short fiction is stellar (even got to hear him read at a con, once). Will for sure check out The Overnight, after this endorsement.

[@NocturnalLibrarian]

Good job 👏🏾👍🏾🤙🏾

[@KOLDBLU3ST33L]

Dean Koontz: Dragon Tears

[@capricous]

The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht.

[@pearcegreatesteverleftback03]

Prime Evil by Judith Kelman is a very good read, not to everyone’s taste but I’d certainly recommend it 😎😁👍🏻

[@danielphillips97]

Horror Stories: Classic Tales from Hoffmann to Hodgson (Oxford World's Classics)

[@chrisandromeda8159]

Can someone point me in a direction to learn how to write creatively, i desperately want to write horror novels but it seems like a daunting task

[@jamesburke3413]

Another Adam Cesare / Black T-Shirt Channel video! Let's party!

[@rattybabby]

I love your videos Adam! :)

[@AdamCesare]

Thanks so much, Justin!

[@TonjiaAtomic]

I love the movie Baxter. I think they play with dark humor in it so not sure how true to the book it is.

[@dudezillasf]

Under-appreciated horror books: "The Boss in the Wall" by Avram Davidson with Grania Davis - a supremely creepy novella with a folk(lore)-horror theme, told in an epistolary format. Unfinished by the author, completed by his wife after his death. Excellent - but, sort of hard to find, now. It can be pricey online. & "Knock Knock" by S.P. Miskowsi - This very well-written supernatural suspense novel is part of a series called The Skillute Cycle, named after the fictional small town in Oregon where the story begins. There are also 3 excellent novellas and a companion novel in the series - all worth reading.

[@AdamCesare]

These sound great!

[@kellyalves756]

Avram Davidson was a brilliant writer. Look up his short story “ Selectra Six-Ten”

[@remyscreepycorner5135]

I just couldn't get into wounds at all, the writing is excellent, but the stories never felt like they become something cohesive.

[@michaelmoore4022]

Subbed. Great taste!

[@AdamCesare]

Thanks so much, Michael!

[@pippavanel4170]

Good job! :D

[@Mr.N3cro]

Ambrose Bierce stories.

[@ASIF_M1934]

Hi Adam, have u read any Graham Master ton?

[@connielewis3623]

The Shuddering by Ania Ahlborn

[@JLchevz]

is it just me or are voices REALLY quiet on all youtube videos? I have to max out my speakers

[@Joaquim.Oliveira]

Tortures of the Damned , by Hunter Shea .

[@AdamCesare]

Shea's a good guy! Really liked his MONTAUK MONSTER.

[@randomretropie893]

Bigfoot Beach by Kristopher Rufty is a good underrated horror novel. Look it up.

[@AdamCesare]

Krist is a good friend! We even wrote a book together (JACKPOT).

[@tristan-zr8fo]

No offense to my current English teacher, but I really wish Adam was my teacher :(

[@AdamCesare]

Very cool of you to say but, for real: be nice to your current English teacher!

[@roshondaschmitt7826]

The Fisherman

[@synthzz9178]

I know Evenson and I loved his collection called "a collapse of horses"...a mutilation cult? Stop right there I'm buying "Last days" immediately!

[@yadukrishnan5991]

Stephen King and joe hill are the most hyped author