What is the scariest book you ever read?

[justprowlingaround]

I think mine is Salem's Lot by Stephen King.

[bookwik]

Yeah, Salem's Lot was pretty creepy -- definitely the scariest Stephen King book.

But for books that made me sleep with the lights on, I'd have to say Amityville Horror and The Exorcist. 

I was dumb enough to see the Amityville Horror movie after having the c**p scared out of me by the book -- and dumb enough to read The Exorcist after being scared spitless by the movie.

[justprowlingaround]

I agree! Those 2 were very scary and the Exorcist movie was the cause of some insomnia for awhile 🙂

[bookwik]

It's funny that with Salem's Lot I don't remember what it was about or any of the characters or anything else -- just that it was the scariest and that I loved the book.

One Stephen King book I didn't like was "It" -- I just didn't think it was a very good book and barely got through it.  However, I will never forget that clown that lived in the sewer -- Pennywise.  I think that was his scariest single character ever.  

[justprowlingaround]

Pennywise was scary and when I saw the clown it gave me nightmares.

King just has the ability to make you scared of your dog, car, kid, gypsies, clowns, and any antique shop in Maine.

[bookwik]

Gypsies!  I had forgotten about Thinner!  You're right, King can make the mundane nightmarish.  What a great ending Thinner had -- even though the whole idea of the heart-pie may have been a bit silly. 

I remember the plot of Cujo very well, and Pet Sematary, and only a handful of others, even though I read all of his books up through around Gerald's Game and Dolores Claiborne (1992-ish?) except for the Dark Tower stuff.  But they all had that "ordinary-turns-very-creepy" thing going, didn't they?

[manymassbargains]

I think mine is Salem's Lot by Stephen King.

Mine too!! I slept with the lights on for days.

[just_tonks]

No matter how scarry a book is, I'll ALWAYS finish it.  With one exception.  King's Pet Semetary.  I got about half way thru and could NOT finish is.  AND I literally had to force myself to finish Salem's Lot as well.  BUT I must say the the very scariest thng I've ever read was also Stephen King.  A short story called Apt Puple.  Absolutly terrifying.  So for me, King is the King.  LOL!

On another King not, has anyone read his "The Long Walk?"  That SO reminds me of The Hungar Games premise.

[bookwik]

I remember Apt Pupil! It was one of four short novels in his book "Different Seasons."  That was one of my favorite King books (and Pet Sematary was another).

Three of the stories in Different Seasons were made into movies -- Apt Pupil, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, and The Body, but they changed all three titles for the movie versions.

You all are making me take a stroll down memory lane with this Stephen King talk.  I used to get so excited whenever a new book of his came out.

[bookwik]

Sorry, just_tonks, almost forgot. I loved The Long Walk.  As I recall, that was one of the books originally released under the pseudonym "Richard Bachman".  It was about these teenage boys who are in this walking marathon and they aren't allowed to stop, even for a second.  Then one by one they start collapsing from exhaustion.  Is that like Hunger Games?

[just_tonks]

It was exactly like the hungar games, only more boys.  If they stopped for any reason they were shot.  Last one standing "won."

I read it when my two sons were the same age as the ones in the book and it really hit me hard.

[wisewolfbooks]

The Damnation Game by Clive Barker

The scariest King book I read was The Shining.

[bookbugg]

Just Tonks..

The Revelation by Bentley Little..I could NOT finish that one...scared me to death!! and I am like you..finish the book kind of person.

Little is hit or miss but he has some scary stuff out there too..

[tardinardi2010]

The scariest book I ever read was

"looking for Mr Goodbar"  it was a true story about a guy who would go to bars pick up girls and kill them.  That made me immediately stop my weekly bar behavior.  Excellent book

[sparkleplenty44]

Tommyknockers....