“Sometimes human places, create inhuman monsters.”
Whether it’s the Kubrick adaptation or the OG King novel, The Shining remains one of the most eerie horror stories ever written. Everything from the unsettling arrangement of the Overlook Hotel, the mysteries behind the hotel’s eccentric guests to Jack Torrence’s gradual descent into madness has made Stephen King’s 1977 work a true classic. Which is why we’ve decided to pay homage to it with a list of the best readalikes for those looking for books that match its disturbing vibes. So, if you’re in the mood for more ghostly visions, clairvoyant children, haunted houses and those bone-chilling tunes, join us at What We Reading for the best horror books like The Shining!
Charnel House – Graham Masterton
Kicking off our list of the most terrifying books like The Shining is Charnel House, released one year after The Shining’s first publishing. Graham Masterton is renowned as one of the best haunted house horror writers, and his 1978 story is up there with his very best works. The story begins with Seymour Willis arriving at the San Francisco Department of Sanitation and the office of John Hyatt with a strange complaint: his house is breathing.
Initially, Hyatt dismisses this claim as being too ludicrous to be true. However, upon inspection, it is revealed Willis’ house isn’t just breathing, it is possessed by a shrieking and sinister demon from Native American folklore. With the demon attempting to burst through the walls and set itself upon the people of San Fran, all that stands in its way are Willis, Hyatt and a Native American shaman.
Pet Semetary – Stephen King
Another one of the most famous Stephen King books, Pet Semetary follows the Creed family as they move into a beautiful old house in rural Maine. On the surface, it all looks too good to be true: a successful husband, beautiful wife, inquisitive little daughter and adorable infant son. But, nestled in the dark woods surrounding their home is an old pet cemetery that holds an incredible power to bring things back to life, though not quite as they were.
Whilst the pacing of the two books is different, there are a lot of similarities between Pet Semetary and The Shining that make it a solid follow-up for any King fans. Similar to The Shining, Pet Semetary is a story of a haunted setting with its themes of grief, loss, guilt and the nature of evil.
House Of Leaves – Mark Z. Danielweksi
A young family move into a small home on Ash Tree Lane where they discover something is strange about their new abode: it’s bigger on the inside than the outside. Neither Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Will Navidson nor his companion Karen Green were prepared to face the consequences of this impossibility. Not until their two little children wander off and their voices begin to echo back a different story. One involving a terrible creature lurking in an ever-expanding abyss behind a locked door, and a terrible growl which would soon tear through the walls and consume all of their dreams.
Blurring the lines between dark fantasy, horror and mystery, Mark Z. Danielweksi’s House of Leaves is a 2000 book that is perfect for anyone who loved the creepy vibes of the Overlook Hotel in The Shining.
A Head Full Of Ghosts – Paul Tremblay
A Head Full of Ghosts is a 2015 horror book by Paul Tremblay. Nominated for Best Horror in the Goodreads Choice Awards, it follows the Barretts, a normal suburban New England family, as their fourteen-year-old daughter, Marjorie, begins to exhibit signs of acute schizophrenia.
To her parent’s dismay, doctors are unable to halt Majorie’s symptoms and their once-stable home soon descends into a house of horrors. With nowhere else to turn, they enlist the help of a Catholic priest. Father Wanderly suggests an exorcism and also contacts a production company to film proceedings as the family has been out of work for over a year and needs the money. However, what this viral reality show ends up capturing is something far more dangerous and far more sinister than any of them could have bargained for.
From Away: A Novel – Phoef Sutton
After a fatal car accident, the only remaining members of the Kehoe family are Sammy, his sister, Charlotte, and her four-year-old daughter, Maggie. Looking for some peace and healing, they travel to the family home on Fox Island, a familiar yet isolated setting that allows them to begin rebuilding their lives and rekindle past relationships.
But the Kehoe siblings also have a mysterious and unexplained ability that allows them to see ghosts. Unfortunately for them, not all ghosts are friendly, and some of the spirits returning to Fox Island are set to make it a very dangerous place to be. With clairvoyant siblings, a creepy isolated setting and ghosts from the past, it should be clear why Phoef Sutton’s From Away has made it onto our list of the best books like The Shining!
House Of Bells – Chaz Brenchley
When she is offered an undercover assignment by newspaper editor (and her former lover) Tony Fledgwood, seasoned socialite Grace Harley jumps at the opportunity to escape London and the government scandal she has found herself embroiled in. The assignment is an investigation into an old hippie commune that settled in D’Esperance, an army hospital from the Second World War.
As Grace makes her way into the commune, she begins to uncover the secrets of the group and the grizzly fate of the last journalist sent to capture their story. But it’s not long before a series of strange and violent incidents begin to point to history repeating itself, putting Grace on the same path as her predecessor. With a creepy setting and a slow-burning psychological vibe, Chaz Brenchley’s House of Bells is a tense horror read perfect for any fan of The Shining.
Maynard’s House – Herman Raucher
Austin Fletcher is a disturbed young veteran of the Vietnam War. He inherits a small house deep in the woods from his comrade Maynard Whittier, who was killed in action by a wayward mortar shell. Tucked away in the furthest reaches of north Maine’s icy forests, this house is plagued by an array of strange forces.
Surrounded by the claustrophobic interiors and neverending frozen wasteland around him, the house begins to assert itself until Austin isn’t able to tell what is in his mind and what is real anymore. And, just when he’s prepared to put the house behind him, a blizzard arrives and signals the start of the real haunting. Similar to The Shining, Herman Raucher’s Maynard’s House makes a character out of its building setting and delivers a pulsating story of a protagonist slowly slipping into madness.
Check Out Our Guide On How To Start A Horror Story
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
