Horror
Read Horror Classics in English
36 horror books at CEFR A2 to C2 — learn English by reading the stories worth reading. Select any word for an instant translation, listen to the narration read the page aloud, and save the vocabulary you meet. Pick your level and start with a free sample.
What are the best horror classics to read in English as a learner?
The best horror classics for English learners are the well-known titles you can read in the original — start with Melmoth the Wanderer, Vol. 4, Melmoth the Wanderer, Vol. 3 and Melmoth the Wanderer, Vol. 2. Each one is labelled with a CEFR level, any word you do not know is one selection away from a translation, and the narration reads the page aloud while it highlights the words.
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Level C1FantasyMelmoth the Wanderer, Vol. 4In a world where faith, madness, and family secrets intertwine, a mother meticulously crafts a letter revealing her daughter’s fragile mind and impending arranged marriage, setting…
Level C1FantasyMelmoth the Wanderer, Vol. 3Trapped in a shadowy chamber filled with ominous symbols, a young man faces a harrowing choice between faiths under his father's intense and desperate guidance—an intense struggle…
Level C1HorrorMelmoth the Wanderer, Vol. 2Trapped in a convent where every glance breeds suspicion, a desperate man weaves secret letters and hidden plans to escape a life of confinement and spiritual torment.
Level C1HorrorMelmoth the Wanderer, Vol. 1A young student journeys to care for his reclusive, morose uncle whose mysterious past and austere life cast a shadow over his inheritance and future.
Level B2FantasyLukundoo, and other storiesIn the depths of an untamed African forest, explorers encounter Etcham, a desperate messenger seeking help for his ailing chief, Ralph Stone—a man shrouded in mystery and marked by…
Level C2FantasyLe Corbeau = The RavenIn a midnight chamber haunted by sorrow for lost Lenore, a mysterious raven appears, its eerie presence stirring dreams and fears beyond mortal reckoning.
Level C1HorrorLa Grande BretecheAn isolated, crumbling manor near Vendôme harbors a chilling mystery hidden beneath its overgrown garden and shattered walls.
Level C1HorrorKnock, Knock, Knock and Other StoriesIn 1830s Petersburg, a young officer haunted by a mysterious destiny navigates the rigid world of military life and brooding comrades, where fate and fortune intertwine beneath a v…
Level C1MysteryJohn Silence, Physician ExtraordinaryA physician with extraordinary psychic abilities tackles baffling cases that defy ordinary medicine, exploring the mysterious forces behind unseen afflictions and the fragile bound…
Level C1MysteryGhost Stories of an Antiquary Part 2: More Ghost StoriesIn a sprawling old school near London, a new master with mysterious charm stirs unease among students as strange, ghostly happenings begin to unfold, challenging their notions of r…
Level C1FantasyFour Weird TalesA man caught between the mundane and a hidden realm where time and space blur uncovers ancient memories and secret forces shaping existence.
Level C1FantasyFar off thingsA celebrated literary figure recalls a transformative vision that transports him from a bustling London banquet to a quiet, mysterious country lane in Wales.
Level C1MysteryEdgar Huntly; or, Memoirs of a Sleep-WalkerIn the wild American frontier, a man haunted by the mysterious death of his friend embarks on a nocturnal journey filled with suspense and dark secrets, where sleepwalking and unta…
Level C1FantasyDracula's GuestOn Walpurgis Nacht, a traveler defies warnings and ventures down a forbidding road leading to an unholy village, where restless horses and eerie sounds hint at dark secrets lurking…
Level C1FantasyDoom of the House of DuryeaA young man reunites with his estranged father, only to confront a dark family curse and a haunting legacy of superstition and suspicion.
Level B2HorrorDon't Think About ItA young boy discovers a mysterious, growing hole in his closet harboring a sinister presence that terrifies his beloved toys.
Level C1HorrorDay and Night StoriesA man returns home after fifteen years determined to keep a youthful promise to reunite with a woman who waited for him—yet time and hardship have changed his heart and memories.
Level B2MysteryCurious, if True: Strange TalesAn orphaned child with noble ties is sent to live in a grand but lonely manor, guarded by a devoted nurse whose loyalty will unveil secrets hidden deep within the family’s past and…
Level C1FantasyClarimondeA young priest’s devout life is shattered when he glimpses a mysterious, radiant woman during his ordination, plunging him into a haunting dual existence between sacred duty and fo…
Level C1MysteryCarnacki, the Ghost FinderA seasoned investigator accepts a chilling case involving a haunted room where eerie door slams and torn bedclothes defy explanation.
Level C1FantasyCarmillaIn a remote Styrian castle surrounded by ancient forests and eerie ruins, a young woman recalls the strange and unsettling events that have haunted her solitary life—events that hi…
Level B2HorrorBlack magicIn a sunlit Flemish house filled with mysterious relics and shadows of decay, a solitary young man meticulously gilds a wooden devil, setting green glass eyes that seem to awaken s…
Level B2MysteryBlack hound of deathIn a shadowy Southern wilderness, a desperate man flees a monstrous killer whose savage attacks defy explanation, while a mysterious recluse hides secrets that may hold the key to…
Level C1FantasyBlack CanaanIn the shadowy swamps of Southern Canaan, ancient grudges and dark voodoo stir as a mysterious, enchanting quadroon woman appears, challenging loyalties and awakening perilous secr…
Level C1MysteryAuriol; or, The Elixir of LifeOn the cusp of a new century, a mysterious figure steals grisly trophies from London’s battlements, drawing the attention of Doctor Lamb, an enigmatic alchemist whose dark secrets…
Level C1MysteryAt the mountains of madnessA scientific expedition to Antarctica uncovers eerie fossils and ancient secrets beneath the ice, challenging conventional knowledge and warning of dangers best left undisturbed.
Level C1HorrorArthur Mervyn; Or, Memoirs of the Year 1793Amidst the terror of a devastating 1793 pestilence, a compassionate man wrestles with the perilous choice to shelter a fevered stranger, confronting the harrowing realities of sick…
Level C1HorrorAn Occurrence at Owl Creek BridgeA condemned man stands on a bridge, bound and facing imminent execution by hanging, yet his mind races with desperate plans for escape and the haunting ticking of his watch.
Level C1MysteryA Thin Ghost and OthersIn 1730, Dr.
Level C1HorrorDraculaLetters and journals trace a vampire's voyage from the Carpathians to London.
Level B2HorrorFrankensteinA young scientist builds a living being from death — and abandons what he makes.
Level C1HorrorThe King in YellowThe classic mystery novel by Robert W.
Level C1HorrorThe Monk: A RomanceThe classic horror novel by M.
Level C1GothicThe Picture of Dorian GrayA portrait ages while its beautiful owner does not — Wilde’s only novel.
Level B2HorrorThe String of Pearls; Or, The Barber of Fleet Street. A Domestic Romance.The classic mystery novel by Thomas Peckett Prest.
Level C2GothicThe Turn of the ScrewThe classic mystery novel by Henry James.