Horror
Read Horror Classics in English
99 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 Three More John Silence Stories, Three John Silence Stories and Things near & far. 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 C1HorrorThe Garden of SurvivalA man confesses a haunting experience that blurs the line between physical desire and spiritual connection, sparked by the melancholy singing of a mysterious woman whose beauty and…
Level C1FantasyThe Fall of the House of UsherA visitor arrives at the eerie House of Usher, summoned by a childhood friend plagued by mysterious illness and mental torment.
Level C1MysteryThe Evil GuestIn the gloomy estate of Gray Forest, a proud but impoverished nobleman broods over lost status and bitter resentments, while a captivating French governess stirs hidden passions an…
Level C1MysteryThe Dunwich horrorIn a remote Massachusetts village shrouded in decay and ancient dread, eerie stone circles and dark legends hint at sinister forces lurking beyond the natural world.
Level C1FantasyThe Doors of DeathA dying man confronts the mystery of death and the nature of heaven while reflecting on his family’s dark past and the unsettling possibility of being buried alive.
Level C1HorrorThe Doom of the GriffithsA family curse cast by the legendary Welsh chieftain Owain Glendwr dooms the Griffiths to a tragic fate spanning generations.
Level C1MysteryThe Damned Thing: 1898, From "In the Midst of Life"In a remote wilderness cabin, a coroner and locals gather around a mysterious death as a visiting writer prepares to testify about the strange, possibly supernatural circumstances…
Level C1MysteryThe DamnedA weary writer and his sister consider a month-long stay at a lonely widow’s sprawling Sussex mansion, where strange beliefs and unsettling influences threaten to disturb their liv…
Level C1HorrorThe Castle of OtrantoIn a haunted ancient castle, mysterious supernatural events unfold, including the appearance of a giant armored hand, plunging noble families into terror and dark secrets.
Level C1MysteryThe Cask of AmontilladoBeneath the carnival's revelry, a wine connoisseur is lured into the eerie Montresor catacombs by a friend whose chilling promise of rare Amontillado hides a deadly secret.
Level C1Science FictionThe Boats of the "Glen Carrig": Being an account of their Adventures in the Strange places of the Earth, after the foundering of the good ship Glen Carrig through striking upon a hidden rock in the unknown seas to the Southward; as told by John Winterstraw, Gent., to his son James Winterstraw, in the year 1757, and by him committed very properly and legibly to manuscriptStranded in lifeboats after their shipwreck, survivors navigate a desolate, silent land filled with strange, unsettling vegetation and eerie sounds that hint at mysterious dangers…
Level C1MysteryThe Beetle: A MysteryA desperate man, denied shelter in a cold world, confronts harsh rejection and hidden cruelty as he seeks refuge in London's grim casual wards—uncovering a mystery where appearance…
Level C1MysteryThe Beckoning Hand, and Other StoriesAt the Ambiguities Theatre, a casual meeting sparks a mysterious tale filled with intrigue and unexpected connections.
Level C1HorrorTales of the uneasyAn independent woman navigates London's high society with charm and calculated flirtations, resisting love and marriage despite mounting pressures.
Level C1FantasyTales of the Wonder Club, Volume IIIA secretive club of eccentric members gathers for tales spun from mysterious curiosities and strange encounters, blending fantasy with wit and intrigue.
Level C1FantasyTales of the Wonder Club, Volume IIn a secluded English inn, a secretive club of distinguished gentlemen gathers annually to share marvelous tales, shunning business and politics for stories that spark the imaginat…
Level C1MysteryTales of terrorA trusted doctor recounts a chilling tale of friendship, love, and a haunting tragedy tied to a brilliant engineer and his beautiful bride amid the unrest of 1857.
Level C1MysteryTales of Terror and MysteryA daring aeronaut’s blood-stained notebook reveals a terrifying secret lurking in the heights above England, challenging the limits of science and sanity as he confronts an unimagi…
Level C1HorrorStudies in love and in terrorA proud mayor’s wife gazes from a cliff above a secretive submarine cove, torn between patriotic pride and a haunting personal sacrifice.
Level C1MysteryRound the Fire StoriesDive into a chilling collection where the grotesque and mysterious unfold by the fireside, centered around Lionel Dacre's eerie Parisian house filled with occult lore and dark expe…
Level C1MysteryPresent at a Hanging and Other Ghost StoriesWhen a mysterious peddler vanishes after visiting a suspicious old man’s isolated farm, a local minister encounters an eerie apparition that leads to a chilling discovery beneath a…
Level C1HorrorPortrait of a Man with Red Hair: A Romantic MacabreA restless soul drifts between reality and haunting visions on a summer journey, where ancient books and eerie encounters hint at secrets lurking just beyond the ordinary.
Level C1HorrorPausanias, the Spartan; The Haunted and the Haunters: An Unfinished Historical RomanceAmid the turbulent aftermath of the battle of Plataea, a Spartan regent rises to unparalleled power and influence across Greece, concealing a dark conspiracy that could reshape his…
Level C1HorrorNorthanger AbbeyA plain and unremarkable girl, Catherine Morland’s life takes a turn as she grows into society’s expectations, craving excitement beyond her quiet upbringing.
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 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 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 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 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.