Over the past 50 years,Stephen Kinghas dominated the horror genre, both in books and movies, but some may be wondering which of King’s short stories are the absolute scariest. ThoughKing writes mostly horror, which is supposed to be terrifying, some of his writings are much scarier than others. Many audiences are likely desensitized to his more popular works likeCarrieorThe Shining,while his lesser-known stories could pack a much greater punch. Plus, scariness can be fairly subjective. However,the following ten books are those that countless King fans have labeled the scariestof all.
King may be most recognizable for his novels, but the author has written a significant number of short stories as well.King has between 60 and 70 novelsunder his belt, but he has written more than 200 short stories, many of which have been published in his seven short story collections. Not only are King’s short stories special because they aren’t as well known, but they also include some truly disturbing tales.From haunted hotels to nightmarish monsters, King can keep his readers up at nightin well under 100 pages with these short stories.
10The Mangler
A Laundry Machine Becomes Possessed
Based on the title alone, it should be no surprise that King’s 1978 story,The Mangler,is one of his scariest. This story centers onJohn Hunton, a police detective investigating a freak accidentwhere a woman working at an industrial laundry was sucked into a machine called the Mangler. The only problem is, the accident should have been impossible. As more injuries and deaths start piling up, Hunton must figure out what is wrong with the machine before even more people lose their lives.
Though a haunted machine may not sound too scary at first glance, the way King deploys this idea is incredibly disturbing.The laundry machine is not just killing its victims, but tearing them apartin increasingly disturbing ways. Even the victims who do not die are subject to horrific injuries that King does not flinch away from in his writing. Ultimately,The Manglerisa murder mysterythat gets out of hand, leaving readers with the feeling that they may have to throw their washing machines away.
91408
A Horribly Haunted Hotel Room
When it comes to haunted hotels,King’s most popular story isThe Shining.Yet, he has another story about a haunted hotel, published in 1999, called1408.In this story, a writer named Mike Enslin writes articles about haunted places. Because of this,Enslin visits what is considered to be the most haunted hotel roomin America. Though he doubts the truth of this haunting, he soon discovers that the room is far more disturbing than he ever could have imagined.
The scariest part of1408is how genuinely unexpected it is.
The scariest part of1408is how genuinely unexpected it is. When readers imagine a haunted hotel room, they may be expecting bleeding walls or ghosts, but this story does something entirely different.1408creates an atmosphere of confusion that is completely confoundingand slowly horrifying. Just as Enslin’s doubts slide away, so do the readers. Ultimately,1408offers some visuals that will stick with readers for a long time.
8Gramma
A Young Boy Becomes Frightened Of His Grandmother
The horror genre often uses creepy old women as a source of scares, and King is clearly no different. In his 1984 short story,Gramma,King follows a young boy named George who is left with his ailing grandmotherfor an afternoon. George begins uncovering repressed memories about Gramma that scare him, and he soon forms a theory that she may be a witch with a horrific plan. George must escape her clutches before it is too late.
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What really works forGrammais its overwhelming tension. As readers learn more about Gramma, there is a mounting sense that she is hiding a massive secret that could be catastrophic for the young protagonist.Even worse are George’s interactions with Gramma, who is horrifyingjust to look upon. However, the biggest scare of this story is its ending. Some horror stories have happy endings, butGramma’swill leave many with a feeling of awful dread.
7The Man In The Black Suit
A Child Meets A Horrifying Man
For those who love monsters,The Man in the Black Suitis the perfect story to pick up. Written in 1994,this King tale follows a 9-year-old boy named Gary who goes fishingone day. He falls asleep, and when he wakes up he finds that a man in a black suit is watching over him. The man has pale skin, claws for fingers, and a mouth of sharp teeth. He reveals disturbing premonitions to Gary before trying to eat him. Gary has to figure out how to escape this man and his warnings.
Based on the synopsis alone,The Man in the Black Suitis a chilling story. While possessions and ghosts can definitely be scary, true monsters are the true stuff of nightmares. Plus, Gary’s encounter with the man in the black suit goes beyond just a coincidental run-in.Gary remains haunted by what he saw, and his fears end up seeping into the readeras well. It is a story about death and what waits for us in the great beyond.
6Gray Matter
A Group Of Men Discover A Shocking Secret
King may be the best of the best when it comes to horror, but his writings tend to bend genre as well. This is exactly what happens in 1973’sGray Matter.In this story,a group of men at a convenience store meet up with the son of a reclusive man in town. The young boy tells them that he is concerned about his father, who seems to be changing in strange ways. When the men go check on the recluse, they find something truly detestable.
ThoughGray Matterdoesn’t completely delve into sci-fi like other King stories, it definitely has a flavor of the alien and grotesque. Those who tend to be squeamish may want to sit out this story, as it gets into the nitty-gritty of a disturbing transformation. However, this is really what makes it so scary. The descriptions King writes in this story are hard to forget. Plus,this is one of King’s earliest writings, published even beforeCarrie.
5N.
A Circle Of Rocks Haunts Its Visitors
Some of the scariest things are those that will never be understood. In King’s 2008 novella,N.,this is most definitely the case.N.follows a woman named Sheila who is concerned after her brother commits suicide, seemingly due to one of his patients known as N. N suffered from OCD and had become obsessed with a circle of rocks in the forest that he believed led to a terrifying monster. After N’s suicide, it seems that Sheila’s brother followed in his patient’s footsteps.
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N.may lack the gruesome violence of other King stories, but that doesn’t make it any less haunting. In fact, it is the realism within the story that often sticks with readers. N’s OCD, for instance, can feel way too real for those who have mental issues. Furthermore,N’s obsession with the rocks is chilling because it is unclear what truly lies beyondthe “doorway.” Readers are forced to imagine this monster and its intentions, and sometimes, the imagination is even scarier than reality.
4The Raft
Four Teens Are Attacked By A Mysterious Substance
One of King’s most horrifying stories is his 1982 piece,The Raft.The tale followsfour teenagers who swim out to a wooden raft on a Pennsylvania lakebefore the arrival of winter. However, they soon spot an oily substance in the water that intends to maliciously kill all of them. Thus, the teens are stuck with no hope of rescue, or survival.
There is one moment in particular having to do with a character’s hair that definitely makesThe Rafta stand out among King’s catalog.
The Rafthas just about everything you could need from a horror story. There’s a strange monster, rising tensions, and some truly vicious gore. Thoughthe premise ofThe Raftisn’t anything special, the story goes to various extremesto make its characters suffer. Watching the creature’s attacks is genuinely sickening, especially as they intensify in increasingly awful ways. There is one moment in particular having to do with a character’s hair that definitely makesThe Rafta stand out among King’s catalog.
3The Boogeyman
A Man Recounts His Childrens' Tragic Fates
A story that gets to the core of human fears isThe Boogeyman.Published in 1978, the story revolves around a man named Lester who arrives at his therapist’s office with a horrifying story to tell.Lester recounts how all three of his children have been murderedby a horrifying presence. Lester is convinced the monster is tracking him down, and soon enough, he discovers that his hunch may be correct.
The Boogeymanwas adapted into a feature film in 2023.
AlthoughThe Boogeymandials in on the story of Lester, it is really his childrens' deaths that make this story so devastating. In reality, this story gets to the root of all human fears. Countless people spent their childhoods fearing the monster under their bed or in their closet. In this way,The Boogeymanbrings to life all the horror stories that readers believed in as children.
2Crouch End
A Monster Hides In A London Neighborhood
Another story that is a favorite among King readers inCrouch End.Set in a real London neighborhood, the 1980 story centers on two police detectives who are investigating a case ofa woman who claims her husband was eaten by a monster in Crouch End. In fact, she offers up a wild story about the neighborhood becoming completely alien and strange. Though one detective doubts these claims, the other is not so sure.
It is the atmosphere ofCrouch Endthat is truly terrifying. While other stories on this list have monsters,Crouch Enddoes not just create a scary villain, but an entire parallel world of horrors. The fear of the victim is completely palpable, and because of Crouch End’s true existence, it seeps into its readers for a long time afterward. The idea of being sucked into an entirely new dimension is enough to give anyone the creeps.
1The Jaunt
A Family Takes A Terrifying Trip
Finally, what is often considered to be King’s scariest story isThe Jaunt.This 1981 story followsMark, a man living in the distant future who is preparing to teleport with his children and wife. In this distant future world, teleportation is known as the Jaunt, and Mark explains its history to his children. However, in a horrifying turn of events, Mark and his family’s Jaunt goes terribly wrong.
The Jauntis so scary because of the hypotheticalsit raises. When Mark describes the Jaunt, it may seem like a convenient and exciting prospect. However, when readers learn about the deeper history, it becomes a much scarier endeavor. This horror only increases by the end of the story, when readers realize what has happened. Ultimately, this is aStephen Kingstory that pulls on heartstrings in a disturbing way.
