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Horror

In this section you will find over 3.861 exciting and thrilling books about Horror. At Tales we have all types of good Horror books for each individual to enjoy, whether you want some of the classics, new or children’s horror books. We all need a little scare in our lives, to learn how to deal with the real world and acknowledge the fact that it is indeed okay to be scared. Scary stories also teach kids that Monsters are terrifying, but at the same time they’ll have an understanding of scary situations, and learn how to cope with them. Take a chance and let the mystery begin here.
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  • Save 10%
    by Susan Dennard
    £8.99

    Discover this paranormal 90s-set mystery in a spooky small town hiding dark secrets which stretch back centuries - a perfect Halloween read for Stranger Things fans

  • by Lucy Strange
    £7.99

    Folk say the fog plays tricks - that it shapes itself into little hands and frightened faces that press at people's doors and windows, desperate to come inside. But Hugo is convinced the ghost he has seen at the window is no trick of the fog. The boy's hollow eyes are haunting him. What would happen if Hugo were to open the door, and let him in? Brace yourselves for a chilling, wintery ghost story ...

  • by Dan Smith
    £7.99

    In 1977, the Alpine Heights tower block where Kyle Dempsey and his sister Lauren live with their mum and stepdad becomes the site of a horrific infestation. Believing their stepdad, Connor, to have been killed in action in Northern Ireland, Kyle and Lauren are shocked to find him at home in their flat. But Connor is changed. Following a secret military experiment, he has been infected with some kind of alien life form, which is using him as a host to infect the other residents of the tower block with gruesome results.

  • by Louisa Glancy
    £8.99

    In the small countryside village of Ivy Hollow, Gemma expected boredom, not ghosts. But when she spots a spooky postman knocking on doors that never open, her curiosity ignites. Determined to unravel the mystery, Gemma delves into the village's eerie history, uncovering long-forgotten secrets and unfulfilled promises.

  • Save 22%
    by Philip Osbourne
    £13.99

    Diary of a Nerd stars Phil, a twelve-year old boy living in Manhattan, NY. He is a talented, self-professed nerd...an intellectual who enjoys spending his days with his friends, known as "The Geek Team". Phil likes a girl in his class named Loren, but he also knows that he could never compete with Ted, Loren's boyfriend. One night, while Phil is sleeping, Darth Vader appears to him like a vision in his dream, inviting him to use his strength to challenge the bullies and win the love of Loren. DIARY OF A NERD consists of two different diaries written by the same kid, collected in this set at a special price! One is the diary of a young genius, the other is a quest for love. Phil eats, lives, and breathes pop culture...his adventures are humorous and relatable...and have already gained him a cult following around the world!

  • Save 15%
    by Lorien Lawrence
    £10.99

    An action-packed, spine-tingling ghost story about twins with supernatural powers-perfect for fans of Five Nights At Freddy's and the Goosebumps seriesThirteen-year-old twins Gabby and Trent Manning are Connecticut's youngest paranormal investigators. They both inherited "the gift" from their grandparents, the Mannings, whose legendary ghost hunts inspired several books and movies. But after their untimely deaths years ago, the Mannings have nearly been forgotten. Armed with EMF machines, flashlights, and recording equipment, the twins' mom drags them all over New England in an attempt to bring their family back into the limelight. Never mind that Gabby is tired of being known as a Ghost Twin, and Trent finds most of their haunts to be pretty frightening. Their latest destination is just what their mom thinks they need to go viral: the abandoned Majestic Theater, the site of the Mannings' infamous failed exorcism. However, nothing about this investigation goes to plan. After a terrifying séance-gone-wrong on the stage, their mother goes missing in the building, and it's clear that a powerful demon is haunting the theater. Will the twins be able live up to their grandparents' legacy and vanquish the demon-before it's too late? Featuring articles, interviews, and other found media throughout, The Many Hauntings of the Manning Family is packed with scares that will leave readers sleeping with the lights on.

  • Save 10%
    by Jack Heath
    £8.99

    What a piece of work is a man . . .When the Ninth Doctor and Rose investigate a strange signal in a remote village in England, they get more than they bargained for.A scientist has taken it upon himself to create new life - imitating Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, a book that has sent shock waves around the country.But, much like his fictional counterpart, this doctor is playing god, and with forces beyond his understanding. As the Doctor and Rose attempt to put the brakes on the experiment, before it gets out of control, a sinister alien presence reveals itself . . .

  • Save 14%
  • by Helen Fairley
    £7.99

    When siblings Sam and Jude are forced to leave London for a quiet village in the countryside due to their mother's illness, they expect boredom and isolation. But the village isn't as peaceful as it seems...

  • by Adele Jones
    £9.99

  • by Cal Hampton
    £7.99

    After flunking a test, Mashiro encounters a mysterious girl who leaves behind a box of bizarre products, including a Memory Erase Button, tempting Mashiro to explore their potentially dangerous powers.

  • by Amy Goldsmith
    £9.99

    A teen girl's attempt to make amends with her former friendship group takes a sinister turn during a weekend getaway at an ancestral Irish estate in this atmospheric, literary horror from the author of Those We Drown.At the illustrious Greyscott's Academy, reputation is everything...For Meg the rules are simple: keep your head down, know your place, and stay invisible until graduation. That is, until the glamorous and intimidating Wren twins - Lottie and Sebastien - decide to take Meg under their gilded wings.But not all that glitters is gold.Following an incident at the Midsummer Ball, Meg finds herself suspended from school and shunned by Lottie, Sebastien and all their friends. Desperate to make amends, she accepts an unexpected invitation to an exclusive party at Wren Hall.But when one of the party-goers disappears and a violent storm traps the group inside the house, she realizes there's more to the Wren twins than meets the eye . . .

  • by Georgina Brown
    £6.99

    'To be, or not to be, that is the question ...'Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark. When a ghostly figure appears to the prince, he discovers the awful truth about his father's death. His quest for revenge leads him into a world of mayhem, madness and murder.

  • by Midori Sato
    £7.99

  • by S.J. Wills
    £7.99

    The curse is calling, the bitten unite . . . return to the Town of the Turned as things get DANGEROUS in the third book in the chilling, thrilling Bite Risk series.

  • Save 11%
    by Derek Landy
    £7.99

    The ninth book in the original, jaw-droppingly stupendous Skulduggery Pleasant series.Valkyrie. Darquesse. Stephanie. The world ain't big enough for the three of them. The end will come...

  • Save 20%
    by Soman Chainani
    £11.99

    Need your magical crime solved?Call the Witch Coven.

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    £6.99

    A mysterious guest at the Coach and Horses Inn disrupts the village of Iping. The stranger is wrapped up from head to toe, his bandaged face hidden from sight. Is he the victim of an accident? A criminal on the run? No one in the village comes close to guessing what is really hidden behind the bandages.

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    £6.99

    Emily St Aubert lived a happy childhood in her large home in La Vallee, France. But after tragically losing her parents, a strange sequence of events leads Emily to the mysterious Udolpho Castle. Here, she finds herself unfolding long lost family secrets - ones which threaten to trap Emily ...

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    £6.99

    Roderick Usher invites his childhood friend to his family home, the House of Usher. A bleak mansion of gloom standing lonely at the top of the hill. A history of family illness, a 'mysterious' lake and the loss of his twin sister all play a part in the desolation of Roderick. Will Roderick's friend help him accept his family's fate?

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    £6.99

    Jessop is sailing on the Mortzestus, a ship deemed by sailors to be cursed. He dismisses the stories as seafaring tales, but two weeks into the voyage strange things start happening. Sails go slack, ghostly figures appear, and accidents start to befall the crew. Jessop fears that evil spirits are at work, threatening to drag the boat and its crew to the bottom of the sea ...

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    £6.99

    Adapted and illustrated edition of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow at easy-to-read level for a new generation of readers aged 7+. Ichabod Crane moves to the haunted town of Sleepy Hollow and falls in love with Katrina Van Tassel. They bond over singing and ghost stories, especially the story about the Headless Horseman. But Katrina is being courted by the rich and handsome Brom Brunt, who warns Ichabod away from her. Ichabod refuses to be scared - until the terrifying Horseman appears and challenges him to a race he cannot win. About the Creepy Classics Children's Collection:An opera house haunted by a musical spirit and a castle whose owner sleeps in a coffin are just two of the places these ten spooky stories transport readers to. Based on the world's most famous gothic literature, they have been simplified and sanitised for a younger audience, with all the excitement and thrills of the originals.

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    £6.99

    Basil Hallward's latest portrait is the best he's ever painted. But when the portrait's subject, Dorian Gray, realises that he will never look as young and handsome again, he makes a terrible wish. From then on, Dorian becomes as ugly on the inside as he is beautiful on the outside. He lives his life never feeling bad about anything. Until one day his wrongdoings catch up with him.

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    £6.99

    Adapted and illustrated edition of The Phantom of the Opera at easy-to-read level for a new generation of readers aged 7+. Mr Poligny is retiring as manager of the Paris Opera House. Before he leaves, he tells his replacements how to please the phantom who has haunted the opera house for years. Despite the mysterious death of a stagehand, the new managers insist the phantom is just a ghost story and the ballerinas are scared of nothing. Meanwhile, a singer is visited by the Angel of Music; a being who is neither angel nor ghost ...About the Creepy Classics Children's Collection:An opera house haunted by a musical spirit and a castle whose owner sleeps in a coffin are just two of the places these ten spooky stories transport readers to. Based on the world's most famous gothic literature, they have been simplified and sanitised for a younger audience, with all the excitement and thrills of the originals.

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    £6.99

    Gabriel Utterson has known Dr Jekyll for many years. Suddenly, the doctor begins acting strangely. First, he makes preparations in case he dies or disappears, then he gets involved with a strange man called Mr Hyde. All Gabriel knows is that Mr Hyde is a bad man, and for some reason his good friend is protecting him. But why? That's the strangest part of all ...

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    £6.99

    Castle Dracula is shrouded with mystery. The building is maze-like, the owner only appears in the dead of night and during the day sleeps deep underground in the cold! Jonathan is desperate to return to England, but first he must escape from the castle - and pray that Count Dracula doesn't follow.

  • Save 11%
    by Liselle Sambury
    £7.99

    THE TAKING OF JAKE LIVINGSTON meets ACE OF SPADES in this gripping new psychological thriller from Liselle Sambury, author of DELICIOUS MONSTERS! When a gruesome murder rocks Sunny's private school, with her own brother as the main suspect, Sunny takes it upon herself to discover the real killer—and uncovers a slew of dark family secrets in the process.

  • Save 15%
    by Max Brallier
    £8.49

    The first book in the New York Times bestselling series with over ten million copies in print!'Terrifyingly fun! Max Brallier's The Last Kids on Earth delivers big thrills and even bigger laughs.' Jeff Kinney, author of Diary of a Wimpy KidNow an award-winning Netflix show!

  • by Terry Deary
    £7.99

    Have you ever read a book that can save your life before? Of course you haven't! That makes this the most brilliant book in the world. Learn what happens to these wicked children so it doesn't happen to you.Don't stand there in the bookshop reading this. Make sure you BUY it! And buy a copy for all of your friends. Save their lives too.Caution. The stories are so sad you may find the tears trickling down your legs. No one ever died of that. (At least I haven't heard of it.) But have a packet of tissues handy to mop up the tears and read on. Learn and live. (Maybe). Good luck.

  • Save 11%
    by Denise Brown
    £7.99

The Horror Genre
Horror is a cultural genre that is meant to scare, shock and repulse its audience. An important thing to remember about this type of genre is that it elicits a dreadful sense in the reader through frightening and terrifying themes, situations and descriptive images. When we read a horror book, everything is important, such as the storyline, characters and the whole atmosphere. It is meant to provoke and shock the reader with its exploration of the unknown. The depreciating value that horror has, will help us understand why something is indeed scary. Look at it this way, once you see the monster come into the light, and you see it for what it truly is, it will help you to be less afraid. This genre also has several sub-genres, some of them consist of; Gothic, Science fiction, Survival, Occult, Dark fantasy, Paranormal, etc. Each has its own distinct characteristics. 

Classic Horror books
If we think about some of the popular classic horror books, the first author that will pop up is most likely the gothic writer Edgar Allan Poe. The gothic novel is a subgenre under horror that specifically has a focus on death, originated in the 18th century and is mastered by him. In the 19th and 20th century the horror writers focused on something completely different, such as tales involving occult ideas, and the popular books Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and Dracula by Bram Stoker came into the picture and still kept their relevance today. Frankenstein is a classic story about a scientist who accidentally creates a monster when his experiment goes horribly wrong. And Dracula is a gothic novel about a vampyre who has a desire to spread the undead curse to as many mortal humans as possible. These two popular stories are well known worldwide and they will never lose their relevance, no matter how old they get. That is the magic of being a classic.  

New Horror books
As for the newer horror books, 2019-2021 had been some epic years for horror fiction. It is an ever-evolving genre and so many new voices blossomed. Most of the popular horror stories today involve crime writing, especially serial killers, slashers, and the ghost of the past. Something about newly written gothic stories that take place in the Victorian-era is so thrilling to read about, here we find books like the Stalking Jack the Ripper series by Kerri Maniscalo. The author incorporates themes of equality and social justice which takes the mystery of the infamous murderer to a whole new level. The main character Audrey Rose, eschews polite society for the very scandalous pastime of learning burgeoning science of forensic medicine. While she spends her time being captivated by science, there’s a serial killer on the loose. There’s nothing more thrilling and entertaining than reading about an inspiring heroine who solves mystery crimes. 
Children’s horror books are also important to address. Here we find Nightmares by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller, where the younger audience can explore dark territory but at the same time be comforted. It is a book that’ll reassure you how to overcome the power of fear. The main character Charlie’s and his friends’ adventure in the Netherworld is harrowing, because they’re in constant danger, but together they try to face their fears and conquer their nightmares. 

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