Warning: This article discusses topics of suicide and violence.
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The King of Horror, Stephen King, is the author behind many iconic stories, but there are plenty of terrifying books from other authors worth checking out. Stephen King’s books are hugely popular, and the author is especially known for his horror works, such as It, Carrie, and ‘Salem’s Lot. While he has also written titles in other genres, King is most prominent as a horror author. Over the years, he has introduced tropes and a style of literature that has changed the genre forever.
His works have been turned into several TV shows and movies, and there are many upcoming Stephen King adaptations being released over the next couple of years, too. King is a huge influence on any author who dabbles in horror, and he has crafted some of the genre’s most memorable stories throughout his career. However, for those who are looking for recommendations from other writers who are similar to King, these books are worth checking out.
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10 December Park (2014)
By Ronald Malfi
December Park by Ronald Malfi is a haunting tale about the disappearances and deaths of several local children in the small community of Harting Farms. While it initially seems like a typical murder mystery story, December Park has elements that are familiar to a King novel, especially through the main characters. Five teenagers take it upon themselves to get to the bottom of the enigmatic abductor known as the Piper, and there are some parallels between them and the Loser’s Club in It.
One thing about Malfi’s novel that differs slightly from King’s works, however, is that the horror side of things is subtler.
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December Park takes some time to unfold, but this adds to the overall eerie pacing of the book, too. Malfi’s depiction of Harting Farms and its underlying secrets makes December Park a perfect horror book to read in the fall, especially because its imagery is so chilling. One thing about Malfi’s novel that differs slightly from King’s works, however, is that the horror side of things is subtler. However, the Piper is still a frightful figure that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
9 Harvest Home (1973)
By Thomas Tryon
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Harvest Home is a fantastic folklore horror book by Thomas Tyron that is frequently compared to King’s ‘Salem’s Lot. In the disconnected village of Cornwall Combes, Ned and Beth Constantine find it hard to fit in with the residents of their new home. The titular festival, which occurs every seven years, dominates the area, but the strange process of picking the next Harvest Lord and Corn Maiden is far more harrowing than Ned could ever predict. King has offered constructive criticism about Harvest Home before, but he has also admitted that it’s a “true” and “honest book” (via NY Times).
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While not every book is perfect, nor can it compare to King, Harvest Home is still an enthralling read. The nerve-wracking and tense pacing of it, most notably Ned’s slow discovery about the truth of Cornwall Combes, is brilliant. The erratic violence and heart-thumping events that occur throughout share a similar tone to movies like Get Out and Midsommar. Considering Stephen King’s ‘Salem’s Lot remake has just been released, viewers and readers alike should definitely check out Harvest Home for a similarly captivating experience.
8 Fever House (2023)
By Keith Rosson
Keith Rosson’s Fever House is an intriguing horror book, and rather than being set in a dark and shadowy location, it primarily takes place in the bustling city of Oregon. Leg-breaking debt collector Hutch Holtz unexpectedly comes across a severed hand in the fridge of a client, but it is so much more than just a bloody limb. The hand has a mind of its own, a mind that is consumed with violence. Fever House’s narrative jumps between Holtz, the government agents who are after him, and the once-famous singer Katherine Moriarty and her son, Nick.
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As their stories start to interweave, Katherine, Nick, and Holtz attempt to evade capture by the government while also trying to keep humanity safe from the hand. Fever House creates a lot of paranoia, like many of King’s novels, because both the characters and readers are never quite sure what the bigger threat is – the deceitful agents or the paranormal hand. Stephen King recently praised Fever House on X and acknowledged its best qualities, specifically the story, pacing, and how scary it is. Fever House is undoubtedly a gripping read, and if King recommends it, it’s definitely worth reading.
7 Ghost Story (1979)
By Peter Straub
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Stephen King has collaborated with several authors over the years, and Peter Straub is one of the most notable. Ghost Story is one of Straub’s more well-known novels, which follows writer Don, who visits the town of Milburn after his uncle’s death. However, rather than being left with legal responsibilities and funeral planning, Don finds out that his uncle’s demise is connected to the mysterious Chowder Society and the tales its members share about ghosts. Straub absolutely knows how to build tension in a similar way to King, and this is proved in the opening pages of the book.
When readers first meet Don, he is traveling with a girl that he has supposedly kidnapped, only for the novel to jump back in time to his arrival in Milburn.
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While Ghost Story is, naturally, a story about ghosts, it’s also about the secrets and harrowing experiences of its characters. Straub has said that ‘Salem’s Lot inspires Ghost Story, and it’s easy to see the connections between the two (via Bloody Disgusting). However, Ghost Story’s narrative is distinct enough that it doesn’t feel like a King copy either, and it makes sense that their styles gel together so well.
6 Heart-Shaped Box (2007)
By Joe Hill
Heart-Shaped Box is the debut novel of Joe Hill. Interestingly, Hill’s real name is actually Joseph King, and he is Stephen King’s son. Heart-Shaped Box is a gritty horror novel about aging rock star Judas, who purchases an old suit online that possesses the spirit of its dead owner. This premise is fascinating and rather unique, which proves that Hill has inherited his father’s ability to come up with inventive storylines. Joe Hill’s 2024 horror movie picks also demonstrate that he understands the horror genre brilliantly.
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After discovering that the ghost is the stepfather of one of his late groupies, Florida, Judas suffers the consequences of the spirit’s violent tendencies. The ghost causes those around Judas to start killing themselves as an act of revenge for Florida’s own suicide. Heart-Shaped Box is a ghost story, but it’s also a psychological thriller, too. The novel delves into the blurred boundaries between reality and the afterlife, as well as demonic possession and the effects of a disturbing past, three factors that are a staple of Stephen King’s works.
5 Something Wicked This Way Comes (1962)
By Ray Bradbury
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Something Wicked This Way Comes is a legendary title in horror literature, and even though it is from before King’s debut, the novel’s atmosphere is very similar to the King of Horror’s style. Ray Bradbury’s dark fantasy book focuses on 13-year-olds William and Jim, who encounter a demented carnival in their hometown that leaves them rife with trauma. The shadowy carnival leader, Mr. Dark, is comparable to some of Stephen King’s best villains, and his unhinged, violent behavior makes him a terrifying figure.
Something Wicked This Way Comes
unexpectedly has a somewhat happy ending, but the fact that Jim is brought back from the brink of death at the very last second still strikes fear into readers’.
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Something Wicked This Way Comes is trippy and jarring. Many of the events that happen throughout the book are incredibly unsettling, like when Dark turns himself into a child in the climax. Something Wicked This Way Comes unexpectedly has a somewhat happy ending, but the fact that Jim is brought back from the brink of death at the very last second still strikes fear into readers’. King has never explicitly stated that the book inspired him, but based on his comments after Bradbury’s death, he definitely has an appreciation of his work (via Stephen King).
4 The Haunting Of Hill House (1959)
By Shirley Jackson
Stephen King refers to Shirley Jackson’s 1959 novel, The Haunting of Hill House, as a “nearly perfect… haunted-house tale as [he has] ever read” on the cover of certain editions. At a glance, Jackson’s horror book is about a haunted house, but on a deeper level, it’s really about the group of researchers who study the ghost inhabitants. The supernatural investigators are consumed by the paranormal events occurring in Hill House, and the past of the titular location and the backstories of the characters quickly start to connect.
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Like King, there are several adaptations of Shirley Jackson’s books. Those who haven’t read her works are more likely to be aware of Netflix’s TV series The Haunting of Hill House, for example. Even Stephen King himself has adapted Shirley Jackson’s most iconic story before, under the name Rose Red. King has famously stated that Jackson’s projects are a great influence on his pieces. The author is undoubtedly one of the most prominent names in horror literature, so it makes sense that King is so vocal about her writing.
3 Black River Orchard (2023)
By Chuck Wendig
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Comic writer Chuck Wendig is also a notable horror author, and Black River Orchard is a great suggestion for those who love King. Black River Orchard focuses on the town of Harrow, which is engulfed by dark magic produced by the apples that start suddenly growing in the local orchard. Wendig’s novel replicates one of King’s most famous tropes beautifully. The idea of a great evil taking over a small community is prominent in several of King’s books, such as Needful Things, for example.
Wendig has recently said that King’s influence on his childhood plays a part in his own work (via The Horn Book). Black River Orchard is a great example of the similarities in their writing style, too. Both authors are prone to creating narratives with several complex characters whose stories eventually connect and compelling plots that leave readers guessing until the very last chapter. Considering Wendig’s experience in writing comic books, his most recent project strictly of the written word is impressively memorable.
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2 The Shining Girls (2013)
By Lauren Beukes
Lauren Beukes’ The Shining Girls and its TV adaptation are technically labeled as science fiction, but its August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel from the British Fantasy Society proves otherwise.The Shining Girls follows Harper Curtis, a time-traveling serial killer who jumps across the decades with the plan of murdering the titular group of women. The main elements of horror come from Beukes’ depiction of Curtis, and her graphic portrayal of the slimy killer often causes readers to shiver. Despite the main focus on time travel, The Shining Girls leans into the thriller side of things rather than sci-fi.
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Although there isn’t really much of a supernatural threat like readers would expect from a King novel, The Shining Girls doesn’t need one. The ending is considered a tad anti-climactic, too, but it doesn’t necessarily impact the overall journey of the book either. While The Shining Girls initially doesn’t have many parallels to King, it can be compared to Under the Dome , as both stories use a narrative that establishes humans as the real monsters. Time can change, and readers never truly know whether Curtis’ motivation is his or the influence of the house that introduces him to his victims.
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1 Lord Of The Flies (1954)
By William Golding
Lord of the Flies by William Golding is an iconic piece of literature that some readers will remember from school. Even decades after its release, Stephen King is still talking about Lord of the Flies and how it impacted his teenage years (via The Guardian). Lord of the Flies ’ plot is rather twisted, much like King’s It or The Long Walk , and focuses on a group of boys who crash on a desert island. Their fear and paranoia over the imaginary Beast grows increasingly worse over time, resulting in a number of them dying in graphically violent ways.
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Lord of the Flies is a great study of the effects of psychological torture and isolation, and the disturbing events of the book are far scarier than any real paranormal or supernatural threat. The fact that it’s unclear whether there really is a monster or not until the end makes for fantastic pacing, and the decline in the boys’ psyches the longer they are stuck on the island is hugely unsettling. The similarities between it and Stephen King’s works are very apparent, and it’ll be interesting to see the author’s opinions on the upcoming Lord of the Flies movie.
Source: NY Times, Bloody Disgusting, Stephen King, The Horn Book, The Guardian
Stephen King
Discover the latest news and filmography for Stephen King, known for Creepshow and Sleepwalkers.
Birthdate September 21, 1947 Birthplace Portland, Maine, USA Height 6 feet 4 inches Notable Projects The Shawshank Redemption , The Shining Professions Author , Screenwriter , Producer , Director , Actor