11 YA horror books from the ’90s that still need TV shows

Young adult horror books From the 1990s are some of the most well-known titles of the genre, but some still need to be adapted for television. There is a 2024 set of books about horror movies, which proves that there is a bias, and there are not very many TV show adaptations of the novels. Sadly, very few of the best horror TV shows of all time have a literary connection.

Many of the greatest horror authors of all time are best remembered for their work from the 90s. RL Stine and Christopher Pike are two incredible writers behind multiple notable book series, viz Goosebumps And The cheerleadersBoth of which are memorable reads for ’90s kids. Horror books are fascinating and haunt even those who are not easily frightened, and There are so many brilliant titles that deserve a TV show.

11

Gallows Hill by Lois Duncan (1997)

A modern day look at the witches of Salem

Lewis Duncan Gallows Hill May already have a 1998 TV movie, but it has yet to be recreated for TV. Gallows Hill is Duncan’s first novel after the murder of her daughter, and in many ways, the protagonist is inspired by the late Caitlin. The book follows the story of 17-year-old Sarah, a girl who pretends to be a fortune teller, only for her to actually start predicting the future.

When her classmates discover this, their responses are far from kind, and Sarah is branded a witch. There is a lot of potential for Gallows Hill Like a TV show. Duncan’s novel not only looks at historical events like the Salem Witch Trials, but it modernizes them. And represent them to fit the modern world.

Following the success of points like Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, WandaVisionAnd Agatha all alongThere is absolutely room in the market for an adaptation of Gallows Hill. Duncan’s works are already solid material for TV remakes, and even Amazon I know what you did last summer is now cancelled, Gallows Hill Could still be more successful.

10

Twins (Point Horror, #57) by Caroline B. Cooney (1994)

Not everything is identical between Mary Lee and Madrigal

TwinsA title of the Point horror Series by Caroline B. Cooney, doesn’t exactly use a new concept, but that doesn’t matter. The book tells A classic tale of good versus evil Through the point of view of two identical sisters: Mary Lee and Madrigal. While everything about the couple is symmetrical, Mary Lee learns that Madrigal is far from the same as her after they are separated. Twins is undoubtedly cheesy at times and a bit clichéd, but that works in its favour.

Movies like The parent trap are massively popular, and so with a horror twist, Twins Could be the same. A television show of Twins Has the opportunity to be a hit while still staying true to the source material. The idea of ​​identical siblings is creepy enough anyway, as titles like The Shining And Netflix Echoes Certificate. While the fear factor needs to be at the forefront of a Twins Adaptation, it could also be a great teen dramaSimilar to the likes of Wednesday Or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

9

Superstitions by RL Stine (1996)

The power of irrational fears

Believable is the first adult novel by RL Stine, who is best known for creating the Goosebumps book series. Believable is about a young woman named Sara, who begins to fear that her new husband is behind some recent brutal murders. However, in a strange twist of events, Sara learns that Liam has been corrupted by demons that pass through genetics.

Believable Is very true to its title, too, and Liam’s paranoia over mythical whispers and his illogical fears can create an incredibly eerie tone in a TV adaptation. The movie rights of Believable were already taken, but since Miramax’s purchase in 1995, there has been no release yet.

Despite this, the book is still worth adapting for the screen, and if anything, it’s likely to work much better than a TV show. After the recent surge in viewers tuning in Kevin knows himselfwhich shifts between two very different outlooks on one marriage, Believable Could easily use a similar format to highlight the most disturbing moments. Plus, RL Stine’s cameos in his TV shows and movies are always great.

8

Whispers of Death by Christopher Pike (1991)

The world is empty, but not safe

Mike Flanagan’s Netflix horror The Midnight Club is a brilliant adaptation of Christopher Pike’s book of the same name, and there are several other titles by the author that also deserve the TV treatment. While there are some differences between The Midnight Clubs book and TV show, it generally replicates Pike’s tone of voice sound. Whispers of death is one of Pike’s best standalone novelsAnd the nail-biting fictional universe it’s set in proves that.

The book follows teenagers Roxanne and Pepper, who return to their small town after a getaway to find everyone they know gone. The whole world has disappeared except for three other teens, and the group quickly realizes that there is a reason for it. They are all connected to the shocking suicide of a classmate, and so their isolation serves as a form of punishment.

The concept is an amazing basis for a TV show, and Whispers of death Has the opportunity to shine a light on social standards, bullying, and the inner workings of a teen’s mind. The late Betty Sue is also wild, and her funny writings about those who abuse her are extremely powerful.

7

Still Life by Andrew Neiderman (1993)

There is nothing scarier than not being able to see a threat

Also known as the ghostwriter for the late VC Andrews, Andrew Neiderman is a solid horror author. his book, Still lifeFocus on Jesse, A blind woman who claims that something is missing in the new village she is passing through. Jessie’s story is compelling, and she’s a character worth rooting for.

With each page her suspicions become more and more logical. Because Jessie has lost one of her main senses, it heightens the others, which builds tension. on the page, Jesse’s story makes each chapter even more eerie Because of how she has to describe what’s happening around her.

Although this is difficult to replicate on screen, it is not impossible. Movies like A quiet place And Bird Box Already proving that losing a feeling is an incredible basis for a horror story, but the backstory about how Jesse’s vision was taken can make it even more enthralling. Still life is relatively short, but could be a great miniseries to watch over a weekend if adapted for TV.

6

The Doll’s House by Bebe Faas Rice (1995)

Chucky isn’t the only doll to be suspicious

The doll house by Bebe Faas Rice is an interesting take on other horror stories about creepy children’s toys. Rice’s novel is told through the eyes of Susan Martin, who discovers a play set that resembles her own home exactly. The real doll’s house creates a serious danger for Susan and her familyAlmost like a voodoo doll, and the once fun coincidences become hysterically scary over time. Rice’s book is intriguing enough to warrant a TV adaptation, especially since dollhouses are already well-known in the horror genre.

The doll house in Hereditary Serves as a metaphor for the situation of the family rhyme, for example. Even TV shows like The Haunting of Hill House Can be compared because the red door controls the fate and safety of the cranes. The doll house is not a notable ’90s horror novel, but it is an underrated one. however, Rice’s other works show that her talents lie in writing understandable and unnerving content, such as these Class trip book series.

5

Christopher Pike’s Monster (1992)

No one can be trusted

Christopher Pike is one of the writers of the most popular YA book series of the 80s, The cheerleadersSo it’s no surprise that the author has so many great horror titles. 1992s Monster is another amazing piece of pike, which delves into The inner psyche of a teenager who decides to kill two classmates at a party. Mary Carlson is convinced that their humanity is gone, which leads to her best friend Angela investigating her claims.

Monster is one of Pike’s trippiest novels. The suspenseful consideration that Mary might be right is disturbing, but as the book progresses, readers consistently go back and forth on whether or not her sanity is intact. There are also many popular TV shows and movies about people who are possessed by demons or supernatural threats, which justifies Monster Get an adaptation, such as Jennifer’s body, Invasion of the body snatchersAnd even The Exorcist.

4

Beach Party by RL Stine (1990)

Summer loving is short

One of RL Stine’s best-known novels outside of Goosebumps is the 1990 release Beach party. The book follows Karen, whose recent breakup catches the attention of two young men, Jerry and Vince. However, Karen’s plans for a busy summer fall apart when she is forced to fend off multiple unexpected assassination attempts on her. Beach party Has a simple premise, but it also creates a deep and compelling mystery This is a perfect motivator for a TV show.

the message “Stay away from Jerry“is a critical reference throughout Beach partyAnd although it’s quite melodramatic, it works. Teen drama TV shows like Riverdale Already proving that cheesy and sometimes nonsensical stories surrounding a supernatural threat or a serial killer can still be well-received by audiences. however, Beach party and his spiritual successor, Beach HouseCould be a brilliant anthology TV show instead.

3

Camp Fear by Carol Ellis (1993)

You never know if your summer will be your last

Stock fear by Carol Ellis is a novel that feels like many of the most brutal slasher movies around. Ellis’ 1993 book Takes place in the idyllic camp SilverlakeAnd while all of its residents are afraid of something, the fear of the counselors is much more about. New addition, Rachel Owens discovers that a child once died in Silverlake, but a series of strange events draw attention back to the boy’s tragic death.

There are already multiple summer camp movies and TV shows, both funny and scary, and Stock fear is a perfect fit. Ellis’ standalone projects are completely underrated, which is surprising, considering that the author is also an integral part of other horror novel series such as The cheerleaders And Point horror. Stock fear is a classic and timeless story, but television lacks stories like this, Mainly because it is so prominent in movies.

2

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King (1999)

A Trippy Rescue Mission Story

Stephen King’s novel The girl who loved Tom Gordon It is not defined as a young adult book at all, but it is implicit. Trisha’s family hiking trip goes wrong when she injures herself while alone, and her sanity starts to slip away. Her rapid thoughts as she awaits rescue are very reflective of a 9-year-old girl: her crush on baseball player Tom Gordon, her father’s divorce, and The Little House on the PrairieFor example.

Trisha’s pneumonia-fueled delusions of beasts, angry wasps and baseball games are perfect potential scenes for a TV show of The girl who loved Tom Gordon. Her journey as she stumbles along, searching for some sort of protection, is engaging and easy to invest in.

However, the fact that it is unclear whether the threats chasing after Trisha are real or not makes the book even scarier. Stephen King’s adaptations are always amazing, and though The girl who loved Tom Gordon Movie is still anticipated, it may be easier for audiences to wait for a TV adaptation instead.

1

Thirteen: 13 Tales of Horror by 13 Masters of Horror (1991)

The combined efforts of multiple incredible horror authors, including RL Stine, Christopher Pike, & Caroline B. Cooney

Thirteen: 13 Tales of Horror by 13 Masters of Horror Explain exactly what the job is. This amazing book is written by 13 different authors, all of whom are titans of horror literature. Each section is a short story that covers all the nutritional storiesSuch as a teen investigating his girlfriend’s mysterious death, a creepy wax museum, the dangers of hypnotism, and a young girl becoming the target of a serial killer.

Each tale in this book is exciting, but they are also as unique as the one that comes before it. Considering how successful American Horror Story Is, one of the best anthology TV shows of the 2020s, Thirteen: 13 Tales of Horror by 13 Masters of Horror may follow a similar format.

Each story could potentially be an individual seasonAlthough some of them are shorter than others. Black mirror is another title that highlights that a disturbing and skin-crawling tale can make an impact in a singular episode, and every section of the book is worthy of the same.