I was a scaredy cat as a kid. The Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland had me convinced I was going to die and the scene in The Goonies when they put Chunk’s hand in the blender still has me scarred to this day. I thought horror, then, wasn’t for me and, as such, I avoided that descriptor like the plague. Over the years, my friends dragged me to a few horror movies that I wasn’t a fan of (Paranormal Activity, Dead Silence, and The Skeleton Key) so I was firmly convinced I was right. I did not like horror. But, then, I watched It Follows and Coherence and Hush and I liked them. A lot. I started exploring the horror genre more, finding the subsets that worked for me. I wasn’t into the slashers or the paranormal-y ones, but I liked the murder-y/house invasions, the science fiction-y off-kilter scares, the weird I-don’t-know-what’s-going-on ones. That’s the thing about horror: you have to find what works for you. So, I’ve compiled a few horror books for beginners in different sub-genres for you to try out. If you try one and it doesn’t vibe with you, try something different. Just because you don’t like one type of horror doesn’t mean you won’t like another. There are scares out there for everyone if you stick with it long enough. None of these should be freezer-books scary (try these if that’s what you’re after), so you can dip your toe into the genre and see if it leaves you wanting more.
Classics
I bet your Sophomore English teacher didn’t tell you the horror genre was alive and well back in the day. If you like reading the Jane Austens and the Mary Shelleys, try these to get you started!
Thrillers
Thrillers are still a large sub-category, but if you’re looking for serial-killer, house-invasion, murder-without-too-much-gore, try one of these!
Slashers
In the vein of Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Friday the 13th, the literary horror genre is rife with slashers. You want gore and blood? You got it!
Weird
This is, in my opinion, where horror shines. The weird, off-kilter, and unexplainable. The I-have-no-idea-what-just-happened-but-I-loved-it. The atmospheric and odd, often with no satisfying ending so the story festers and festers in your head.
Paranormal
Werewolves, vampires, and ghosts! Here are a few paranormal horror books for beginners if that’s your taste. I hope at least one of these horror books for beginners gave you the goosebumps you’re craving! Did one of these leave you wanting more? Try these 2020 releases, these folk horror novels, or these small town terrors.
