As a young girl, I used to read all the horror – John Saul and Stephen King were top of the list. But now, horror books and movies scare the daylights out of me. And as I was researching Annabelle for this book roundup, I watched the trailer, and OMG, it was frightening! If you like heart-stopping horror, then you’ll love these books we have curated for you. Here are seven books like Annabelle if you’re looking for a good horror story.

Suffer the Children by John Saul

I read this book when I was probably 13 or 14 years old and still remember the feelings of fear it evoked in me. In Port Arbello, a little girl dies at the hands of a guilty man so he throws himself into the sea which spurs a series of terrifying events. One hundred years later, children begin disappearing, and the evil is back in Port Arbello.

The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

I’m pretty sure everyone remembers either this book or the movie from way back when, and you can probably conjure up an image of 11-year-old Regan being possessed by the devil and climbing her bedroom walls. You might even remember her head spinning and some pea-soup-like vomit being spewed. Not familiar? Well now’s your chance to immerse yourself in one of the biggest horror stories of all time.

The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson

When the Lutz family moved into their home, they knew the history behind the doors. A young man had murdered his whole family in the rooms where they would now live. But, the house was beautiful and the price too good not to buy. Noted as a ‘true story,’ the Lutz family endures horror and nightmares beyond belief until they leave the house less than a month later. Check out The Amityville Horror and decide for yourself whether this story is true horror or something different.

The Real Amityville Horror: The True Story Behind The Brutal DeFeo Murders by Frances J. Armstrong

After you read The Amityville Horror, read the true story about Ronald “Butch” DeFeo Jr. and the murders that took place in his home. The Amityville Horror has gone down in history as pop culture and true crime, and the case continues to enthrall horror aficionados all these years later.

The Ravenous by Amy Lukavics

While Amy is a young adult author, her books are very horror-driven! Take, for instance, The Ravenous, a story about a family of sisters and a neglectful mother. The youngest daughter Rose dies, and her sisters are at a loss. When Rose is resurrected, the sisters realize she can only stay alive by eating human flesh. After their mother abandons the family, it’s up to the sisters to make sure they don’t lose Rose. And they will do anything to stay together. Anything.

If you’re new to Amy’s books and want more horror, check out The Women in the Walls, Daughters Unto Devils and Nightingale as well.

The Doll by J.C. Martin

When Joyce and her daughter visit the Island of the Dolls, a place in Mexico where old dolls are displayed in trees as decoration, the young girl becomes attached to one of the dolls. When her daughter’s personality starts to change, Joyce looks into the history of the doll and discovers something very sinister.

Carrie by Stephen King

Who are we kidding? If you want horror, read anything by this mastermind of horror fiction! But start off with Carrie, his debut book, which, by the way, he had tossed in the garbage only to have his wife dig it out and make him submit it to publishers. Good thing, or else the world would be without the horror of Stephen King. Carrie is about a high school girl who has a gift of being able to move things with her mind. After being bullied relentlessly by her classmates, she puts her ‘gift’ into actions that will have destructive consequences.

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