In the last 50 years, Stephen King has dominated the horror genre, both in books and films, but some may be wondering which of King’s tales are the scariest. Although King primarily writes horror, which is supposed to be terrifying, some of his writing is much scarier than others. Many audiences are probably desensitized to his most popular works, such as Carrie or The Enlightened, while their lesser-known stories could have a much greater impact. Furthermore, fear can be quite subjective. However, The following ten books are those that countless King fans have labeled as the scariest of everything.
King may be best known for his novels, but the author also wrote a significant number of short stories. King has between 60 and 70 novels to his credit, but has written more than 200 short stories, many of which have been published in his seven short story collections. Not only are King’s short stories special because they are not as well known, but they also include some truly disturbing tales. From haunted hotels to nightmarish monsters, King has a way of keeping his readers up at night in well under 100 pages with these short stories.
10
The Mangler
A washing machine gets possessed
Based on the title alone, it should come as no surprise that King’s 1978 story The Mangler, is one of the scariest. This story focuses on John Hunton, a police detective investigating a strange accident where a woman working in an industrial laundry was sucked into a machine called a Mangler. The only problem is that the accident should have been impossible. As more injuries and deaths begin to pile up, Hunton must find out what is wrong with the machine before more people lose their lives.
While a haunted machine might not seem very scary at first glance, the way King implements this idea is incredibly unsettling. The washing machine is not only killing its victims, but also destroying them in increasingly disturbing ways. Even victims who do not die are subject to horrific injuries that King does not shy away from in his writing. Ultimately, The Mangler is a murder mystery that spirals out of control, leaving readers feeling like they might have to throw out their washing machines.
9
1408
A Horribly Haunted Hotel Room
When it comes to haunted hotels, King’s most popular story is The Shining. However, he has another story about a haunted hotel, published in 1999, called 1408. In this story, a writer named Mike Enslin writes articles about haunted places. Due to this, Enslin visits what is considered the most haunted hotel room in America. Although he doubts the veracity of this haunting, he soon discovers that the room is far more disturbing than he could have ever imagined.
The scariest part1408 that’s how genuinely unexpected it is.
The scariest part1408 that’s how genuinely unexpected it is. When readers imagine a haunted hotel room, they might be expecting bloody walls or ghosts, but this story does something entirely different. 1408 creates an atmosphere of confusion that is completely confusing and slowly horrible. Just as Enslin’s doubts disappear, so do the readers. Ultimately, 1408 offers some visuals that will stay in readers’ memories for a long time.
8
Grandfather
A boy is scared of his grandmother
The horror genre often uses creepy old women as a source of scares, and King is clearly no different. In his 1984 short story, Grandfather, King follows a boy named George who stays with his sick grandmother for an afternoon. George begins to uncover repressed memories about Grandma that scare him, and soon forms a theory that she may be a witch with a horrible plan. George must escape their clutches before it is too late.
What really works for Grandfather it is its overwhelming tension. As readers learn more about Grandma, there is a growing sense that she is hiding a big secret that could be catastrophic for the young protagonist. Even worse are George’s interactions with Grandma, which is horrible just to look. However, the biggest scare of this story is its ending. Some horror stories have happy endings, but grandma’s will leave many with a sense of terrible dread.
7
The man in the black suit
A child meets a horrible man
For those who love monsters, The Man in the Black Suit It’s the perfect story to tell. Written in 1994, This King story follows a 9-year-old boy named Gary who goes fishing one day. He falls asleep and when he wakes up, he finds that a man in a black suit is looking after him. The man has pale skin, claws for fingers, and a mouth with sharp teeth. He reveals disturbing premonitions to Gary before trying to eat him. Gary must figure out how to escape this man and his warnings.
Based on the synopsis alone, The Man in the Black Suit It’s a chilling story. While possessions and ghosts can definitely be scary, real monsters are the stuff of nightmares. Furthermore, Gary’s encounter with the man in the black suit goes beyond a simple coincidental meeting. Gary continues to be haunted by what he saw and his fears end up infiltrating the reader also. It’s a story about death and what awaits us in the afterlife.
6
Gray Matter
A group of men discover a shocking secret
King may be the best of the best when it comes to horror, but his writing also tends to distort the genre. This is exactly what happens in 1973 Gray Matter. In this story, a group of men in a convenience store encounter the son of a reclusive man in the city. The boy says he is worried about his father, who seems to be changing in strange ways. When the men go to check on the inmate, they find something truly detestable.
However Gray Matter It doesn’t delve completely into science fiction like other King stories, it definitely has a strange, grotesque flavor. Those who tend to be squeamish may want to sit out this story, as it gets into the heart of a disturbing transformation. However, that’s what really makes it so scary. The descriptions King writes in this story are hard to forget. More, This is one of King’s earliest writingspublished even before Carrie.
5
N.
A circle of stones haunts its visitors
Some of the scariest things are the ones that will never be understood. In King’s 2008 novel, N., this is definitely the case. N. follows a woman named Sheila who becomes worried after her brother commits suicideapparently due to one of his patients known as NN, who suffered from OCD and became obsessed with a circle of stones in the forest that he believed led to a terrifying monster. After N’s suicide, it appears that Sheila’s brother followed in his patient’s footsteps.
N. It may not have the gruesome violence of other King stories, but that doesn’t make it any less scary. In fact, it’s the realism of the story that often hooks readers. N’s OCD, for example, can seem all too real to those with mental health problems. Furthermore, N’s obsession with rocks is scary because it’s unclear what really lies beyond the “door”. Readers are forced to imagine this monster and his intentions, and sometimes imagination is even scarier than reality.
4
The Raft
Four teenagers are attacked by a mysterious substance
One of King’s most horrific stories is his 1982 article, The Raft. The tale continues four teenagers swimming to a wooden raft on a Pennsylvania lake before winter arrives. However, they soon detect an oily substance in the water that maliciously intends to kill them all. Thus, the teenagers are left with no hope of rescue or survival.
There’s one moment in particular related to a character’s hair that definitely makes The Raft a highlight in King’s catalogue.
The Raft It has almost everything you need in a horror story. There’s a strange monster, rising tensions, and truly vicious blood. However the premise of The Raft It’s nothing special, the story goes to several extremes make your characters suffer. Watching the creature’s attacks is genuinely sickening, especially as they escalate in increasingly horrific ways. There’s one moment in particular related to a character’s hair that definitely makes The Raft a highlight in King’s catalogue.
3
The bogeyman
A man recounts the tragic fate of his children
A story that gets to the heart of human fears is The bogeyman. Published in 1978, the story revolves around a man named Lester who arrives at his therapist’s office with a horrible story to tell. Lester tells how all three of his children were murdered by a horrible presence. Lester is convinced that the monster is tracking him and soon discovers that his hunch may be correct.
Although The bogeyman If you care about Lester’s story, it’s really the deaths of his children that make this story so devastating. In reality, this story gets to the root of all human fears. Countless people spent their childhood fearing the monster under the bed or in the closet. In this way, The bogeyman brings to life all the horror stories readers believed in as children.
2
Crouched end
A monster hides in a London neighborhood
Another story that is a favorite among King’s readers in Crouched end. Set in a real London neighborhood, the 1980 story centers on two police detectives who investigate a case of a woman who claims her husband was eaten by a monster in Crouch End. In fact, she tells a crazy story about the neighborhood becoming completely strange and strange. While one detective doubts these claims, the other isn’t so sure.
It’s the atmosphere of Crouched end this is really scary. Although other stories on this list have monsters, Crouched end doesn’t just create one scary villain, but a whole parallel world of horrors. The victim’s fear is completely palpable and, because of Crouch End’s true existence, penetrates readers long afterward. The idea of being sucked into an entirely new dimension is enough to give anyone goosebumps.
1
The tour
A family takes a terrible trip
Finally, what is often considered King’s scariest story is The tour. This 1981 story follows Mark, a man who lives in the distant future and is preparing to teleport with his children and wife. In this distant future world, the teleportation is known as the Ride, and Mark explains its history to his children. However, in a horrifying turn of events, Mark and his family’s excursion goes horribly wrong.
The tour It’s so scary because of the hypotheticals it increases. When Mark describes the Tour, it may seem like a convenient and exciting prospect. However, when readers learn about the deeper story, the task becomes much more daunting. This horror only increases at the end of the story, when readers realize what has happened. Ultimately, this is a Stephen King story that touches the heart in a disturbing way.