The Most Terrifying Short Stories Ever Written

Short Tales Of Horror That Are Better Than Most Scary Movies You’ve Watched

Horror works most effectively in concentrated, intense bursts – which is why the short story has always been its great literary medium.

The horror short story flourished in great anthologies, often containing unforgettable works by forgotten writers, or by familiar writers straying into unfamiliar territory, as well as by established genre titans.

Here are more than 25 of the best – stories which have haunted me for years, which I can’t get out of my head.

Think of them as doors into secret gardens, haunted attics, or forbidden cellars. Go and search them out - if you dare.