If you thought ‘The Exorcism’ was scary, wait till you have read the book. Like they say about all movie adaptations, it doesn’t get better, or in this case, more ‘horrific’ than the book. Book lovers who have grown up on Edger Allen Poe would know the thrill that comes from reading through the suspense of a scary story.

Here is a list of five horror books that are scarier than the movies:

‘The Shining’ by Stephen King: A book that cemented Stephen King’s position as a thriller writer, ‘The Shinning’ is scary enough to have forced Joey ‘FRIENDS’ Tribianni to lock it inside the freezer! The novel follows the story of Danny Torrance, who possesses abilities that let him see horrific past events in the hotel he was staying in with his family. The horrors of the hotel unfold one night when his father, a recovering alcoholic, loses his sanity exposing both Danny and his mother to the dangers of the place.

‘The Exorcist’ by William Peter Blatty: This one is more popular for its movie adaptation. However, not many know that the film was not just based on the novel written by Blatty, but inspired by a true story of demonic possession that Blatty had come across. The novel tells the story of 12-year-old Regan MacNeil, who is possessed by a demonic entity and goes through a series of disturbing and aggressive psychological changes. To her rescue comes two priests who begin one of the toughest exorcisms of their lives on the little girl.

‘The haunted’ by Chuck Palahniuk: Palahniuk’s 2005 book is actually a series of short stories entwined to a main narrative. The book has been at the centre of many controversies because of its grotesque exploration of disease, murder and sexual identity, including getting a teacher suspended for asking a student to read one of its stories ‘Guts’ in the class. The Haunted does not just explore ‘the scary’ but the horrors of the mind.

‘The Terror’ by Dan Simmons: On cover, The Terror is a fantasy tale about a lost expedition to the Artic, but as you get further into the story, what unfolds is a thrilling tale of disappearing crew member and cannibalism. But that is not all. There is also an unknown monster stalking them in the freezing Artic landscape. If you are looking to get scared, it does doesn’t get more horrific than The Terror.

‘Books of Blood’ by Clive Barker: The series that made Stephen King hail Clive Barker as “the future of horror” Books of Blood is the ultimate chilling companion. The story starts with a psychic researcher who employs a quack medium to investigate a haunted house. Horror fans can rejoice as there are six volumes of the Books of Blood, each following the narrative of the first story.