Emma Keeling | Contributor
The seemingly endless COVID-filled summer is finally over and it’s Halloween season! What better way to get in the spooky mood than by reading a novel meant to give you chills, by one of the best-known horror authors? Stephen King has been a bestselling author since his first book Carrie was published in 1974 and continues to write and blow away his readers with his eerie stories. Below is a varied list of the spookiest Stephen King novels to fit every type of person at every type of spook level!
Carrie
Carrie is Stephen King’s first published novel and takes place in the small town of Chamberlain, Maine. Carrie is a young woman who is constantly ridiculed at school for her appearance and unusual religious habits forced on her by her mother, Margaret. She soon realizes she has a unique gift – telekinesis. After being asked to the prom, Carrie begins to feel accepted at her school, until a vicious prank is pulled against her and her date. She then uses her supernatural powers to cause unimaginable damage to Chamberlain and the people within it. Carrie is the definition of a horror classic and will keep you wanting more from Stephen King. A short read, it is perfect to jump start your Halloween spirit.
The Shining
Another one of King’s earlier novels, The Shining is the unsettling story of the Torrance family – Jack, Wendy, and their young son, Danny. The three stay at the Overlook Hotel when Jack gets the job as caretaker while the hotel is closed for the winter season. Thanks to the hotel’s chef, Dick Hallorann, who gives them a tour before he leaves the hotel, Danny realizes and understands he has special psychic abilities, known as “the shining.” After some time at the hotel, Danny starts seeing frightful images and ghosts and Jack develops an intense cabin fever that leads to violence and destruction. Although the story starts off as interesting and leisurely, it quickly turns into the must-read psychological thriller it’s praised for. Goosebumps and rapid heartbeat are a guarantee while reading The Shining – this novel is certainly not for the faint of heart.
Pet Semetary
Louis Creed, his wife Rachel, their two children, Ellie and Gage, and Ellie’s cat, Church, move from Chicago to Ludlow, Maine, when he is offered a job at the University of Maine’s health center. They all, especially Louis, become friendly with the neighbor, an elderly man named Jud. One evening, Jud takes Louis and the two children on a walk in the woods near their house that leads them to a neighborhood pet cemetery (spelled semetary on a sign). However, this is no typical cemetery – it sits on an ancient Indian burial site. Anything buried there comes back to life. Pet Semetary isn’t only suspenseful and frightening. Due to the deeply humanistic nature of the family, it gets downright disturbing at some parts. It is definitely deemed one of King’s more horrific novels for a reason!
The Outsider
It’s impossible to be in two places at once, right? When Terry Maitland, an English teacher and Little League coach, is arrested for the rape and murder of an 11-year-old boy, everyone in Flint City, Oklahoma is shocked. However, what should be an open-and-shut case due to forensic evidence like fingerprint and semen, is held back by an airtight alibi, including surveillance video of Terry during the time of the crime. This could be a major operation set up – or something else, something supernatural. Many people, including law enforcement, another potential victim, and a private investigator, go on to follow a trail of clues that will eventually lead them to the culprit…the Outsider. The Outsider isn’t a short read, but the well-developed characters and attention to the little details, a trademark characteristic of King, make this novel a roller-coaster of emotions and one you won’t want to put down.
The Mist
The Mist is the story of David Drayton, and his son, Billy, who go to the grocery one day after a severe thunderstorm, only to be stuck there when an earthquake leaves the town without power. Oh, and there’s an incredibly thick mist outside that leaves you blind to the world two feet in front of you. Some try to escape the store but are killed by something unknown to anyone. An older novella by Stephen King, The Mist is a quick and easy read that will certainly have you imagining a whole new world, with monsters at the control center. This book would be a good fit for anyone interested in seeing if the horror genre is right for them!
Emma Keeling is a third-year student at BGSU studying Marketing and Entrepreneurship. Her favorite genres of books include mystery and horror and her favorite author is Stephen King. She can usually be found curled up on the couch studying, reading, or watching movies. To easily contact Emma, email her at emmamk@bgsu.edu.
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