Books
Bookworms know that after a long week, there are few things better than checking out of the real world and checking into the world of a novel. If you want to forget about your troubles this weekend by diving into someone else's, try one of these classic horror novels you can finish in a single sitting. They are just long enough to pull you in, but short enough where you won't spend the whole weekend quivering in fear.
There are few forms of escapism more effective than horror novels. There is just something about their hair-raising suspense, their terrifying (and often unseen antagonists), and their shocking plot twists that completely distract readers from whatever is happening around them. The only problem? A lot of the best horror novels are usually long — really, really long. Take for example Stephen King's beloved The Shining, which spans a whopping 688 pages, or his creepy yet beloved It, which exceeds 1,100 pages. Even Bram Stoker's famous vampire novel Dracula clocks in at 512, but fear not, there are plenty of shorter classic horror books that won't take an entire month to get through.
Ready to scare yourself silly this weekend? Then pick up one of these five classic horror novels that are short enough to finish in a single sitting.
'Rosemary's Baby' by Ira Levin
Paperback Page Count: 256
In this frightening tale, a struggling young married couple, Rosemary and Guy, moves into a New York City apartment building with a troubling history that includes witchcraft and murder. When Rosemary becomes pregnant, she fears her eccentric neighbors have it out for her and her baby. The only problem is, no one seems to see the truth but Rosemary, who will stop at nothing to save her unborn child. A modern classic, Rosemary's Baby is so terrifying, it just might make you think twice about having kids, lest they turn out to be the spawn of Satan himself.
'The Birds and Other Stories' by Daphne Du Maurier
Paperback Page Count: 256
In this diabolical tale, a war veteran turned part-time farm hand is tormented by massive flocks of vicious birds who attack not only he and his family, but all of Britain. The original short story that inspired Alfred Hitchcock's horror masterpiece by the same name, "The Birds" is Daphne Du Maurier at her best.
'The Turn of the Screw' by Henry James
Paperback Page Count: 272
One of the most famous, not to mention most haunting, ghost stories of all time, The Turn of the Screw follows a nameless governess as she sets off to the country to take care of two orphans, Miles and Flora. Once she arrives, however, the young woman can't help but think there is something evil lurking in the house, something that won't seem to leave the children alone. Although the Penguin Classics paperback clocks in at nearly 300 pages, the actually story is less than 100. In other words, it's perfect for busy horror fans who want to read but don't have the time to commit to a Stephen King-length novel.
'Frankenstein' by Mary Shelley
Paperback Page Count: 288
Largely considered to be the first work of science fiction, Mary Shelley's classic Frankenstein is also a superb work of horror. An unsettling gothic tale about a distraught young doctor and his search for the cure to death, it's should be required reading for fans of both classic novels and horror stories.
'The Haunting of Hill House' by Shirley Jackson
Paperback Page Count: 288
If you're a horror fan who hasn't yet read this Shirley Jackson classic, what exactly have you been doing with yourself? This chilling paranormal novel that follows four individuals who venture into an ominous estate with a sordid history, each one in search of something different.
