There's no better time to reach for a horror novel than autumn in Ireland the nights drawing in, the wind off the Liffey, and a holiday whose roots run all the way back to the Celtic festival of Samhain.

Whether you want a brand-new chiller to pre-order or a pre-loved classic to hunt down on a budget, we at Chapters Bookstore have pulled together ten of the best horror books to read in 2026. Five are fresh off the press, and second hand gems worth seeking out, dim the lights, and let's begin.

10 best horror books to read in 2026

Counting down from ten, here are the horror books we'd press into your hands this year a spine-tingling mix of the brand-new and the beautifully pre-loved, spanning our horror collection and our secondhand horror shelves.

1. Between Two Fires - Christopher Buehlman

A battle-worn knight and a fierce, otherworldly girl walk a plague-ravaged medieval France where angels and demons have gone to open war. As the Black Death empties the villages and something far older stirs beneath the ruin, the pair are drawn toward a reckoning that could damn or save what's left of the world. It's a road-trip through hell itself tender in the quiet moments, terrifying in the loud ones.

Why it's a good read - It's grim, gorgeous and genuinely frightening the medieval-horror epic driving BookTok wild, now with a foreword from Joe Hill. If you try only one new horror book this year, make it this one. 

2. The Buffalo Hunter Hunter - Stephen Graham Jones

Montana, 1912 a Lutheran priest transcribes the confession of a vampire who haunts the fields of the Blackfeet reservation. What begins as a chilling curiosity soon spirals into a century-spanning reckoning with slaughter, survival and revenge, as the vampire's story circles the real historical horror of the buffalo hunts told through nested diaries that pull you deeper with every page, it's as haunting in its history as it is in its bloodshed.

Why it's a good read - A slow-burning historical horror about grief, revenge and the sins of the frontier, from one of the most decorated living writers in the genre. Atmospheric and unforgettable.

3. Eat the Ones You Love - Sarah Maria Griffin

A woman washed up in a dying suburban shopping centre falls for a florist and for something rooted, patient and hungry in the flower shop. As her new life takes bloom, so does a slow, creeping dread that what's growing behind the counter has plans of its own.

Why it's a good read -  Lush, queer and unmistakably Irish body-horror you won't shake off home-grown horror at its finest. Sarah Maria Griffin turns a crumbling shopping centre into something mythic, blooming and quietly monstrous, and her prose is as seductive as the shop itself. If you love your horror strange, romantic and rooted in place, this one will get under your skin.

4. Witchcraft for Wayward Girls - Grady Hendrix

1970s Florida: pregnant teenagers packed off to a home for "wayward girls" get their hands on a paperback of very real spells. Powerless in a world that has written them off, they discover magic offers something no one else will give them control. But every spell has its price, and the deeper they go, the more they stand to lose.

Why it's a good read - Southern Gothic with genuine rage humming beneath the scares, from the master of horror-with-a-heart. Grady Hendrix wraps real anger about how society treats girls who step out of line inside a story that's tender, furious and genuinely creepy. It's a witchy coming-of-age tale with teeth, and one of his most affecting books yet.

5. Never Flinch - Stephen King

The brilliant Holly Gibney chases a killer on a revenge mission while a beloved activist is stalked across a lecture tour. One is settling a score for a wrong done years ago; the stalker won't stop until their target is silenced for good. As the two threads draw closer, Holly has to stay a step ahead of them both.

Why it's a good read - Two ticking clocks and one master storyteller no horror list is complete without the king of the genre, and this is his newest. King keeps the tension coiled tight while giving Holly Gibney room to shine as one of his most beloved characters. It's tense, propulsive and impossible to put down once the two storylines collide.

6. Jaws - Peter Benchley

Before the film, there was the novel leaner, nastier and full of small-town rot, as a great white shuts down a summer resort. Beyond the water, the town of Amity is rotting from the inside: money, corruption and secrets all circling like fins. The shark may be the monster you remember, but it's the people who'll surprise you.

Why it's a good read - A perfect creature-horror classic, and a bargain to catch pre-loved. Peter Benchley's original is tenser and darker than the blockbuster it spawned, with a slow dread that builds every time the water goes quiet. Read it before Halloween and you'll never look at the sea the same way again

7. Dracula: The Un-Dead - Dacre Stoker

The authorised sequel to Dracula, written by a direct descendant of Bram Stoker and endorsed by the Stoker family. Picking up twenty-five years after the original, it follows the surviving characters as old evils resurface and the Count's shadow falls across Europe once more. Part sequel, part origin story, it weaves in Stoker himself and the real history behind the novel. 

Why it's a good read - A fitting continuation from the family of a Dublin-born legend, carrying real weight for anyone who loves the original. Dacre Stoker draws on Bram's own notes and cut material to expand the mythology from the inside, giving Dracula fans something both faithful and fresh. A must for gothic completists and a neat piece of Irish literary heritage to boot.

8. Damnable Tales: A Folk Horror Anthology - ed. Richard Wells

Wicked witches, bad fairies and the restless dead, gathered across a century of folk horror and beautifully illustrated throughout. This anthology collects the eerie short fiction that inspired the folk-horror revival, from cursed fields and pagan rites to the strange things that stir at the turn of the year. Each tale is paired with its own striking linocut illustration, making it as lovely to hold as it is unsettling to read.

Why it's a good read - Samhain in the air, there's no more fitting companion for a dark evening. It's a perfect dip-in, dip-out collection for the season read one chilling tale by candlelight, then leave the rest for the nights to come. Equal parts gorgeous object and genuine fright, it's a treat for folk-horror devotees and newcomers alike.

9. Twiggy Woman - Oein DeBhairduin

A collection of ghost stories from an award-winning author, rooted in the oral tradition of the Irish Traveller community. Oein DeBhairduin gathers tales passed down by firelight of spirits, omens and the thin places where the living and the dead brush close. Spare, lyrical and quietly haunting, each story carries the weight of a culture's memory alongside its chills.

Why it's a good read - Eerie, tender and drawn from this island's own shadowlore a quietly special find. It's a rare chance to read Irish horror straight from a living oral tradition, rather than the usual gothic canon. Perfect for anyone who wants their Samhain reading rooted in real Irish folklore, and a beautiful gift for a ghost-story lover.

10. Life Expectancy - Dean Koontz

A gentle pastry chef is handed five ominous dates by his dying grandfather five days that will bring terror to his door. As each date arrives, Jimmy Tock's ordinary life is upended by chaos, danger and a sinister, unforgettable villain. Part thriller, part dark comedy, it's a rollercoaster that keeps you guessing what the next terrible day will bring.

Why it's a good read - Big-hearted, twisty dark suspense from a modern master, and easy on the wallet secondhand. Dean Koontz balances genuine scares with warmth and humour, so it never tips into bleakness perfect if you like your horror with heart. A brilliant page-turner to round off the countdown, and a steal when you catch it pre-loved.

Which horror book should I read first?

If you're not sure where to begin, start with the book everyone's talking about: Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman the epic that's driven the horror revival on BookTok and the strongest all-rounder on this list. Prefer a classic? Jaws or Stephen King's Never Flinch are safe bets. After something home-grown for the season? Reach for Sarah Maria Griffin's Eat the Ones You Love or Oein DeBhairduin's Twiggy Woman. Whichever way your nerves lean, there's a chilling first read here waiting for you.

Whatever scare you're searching for, you'll find it at Chapters Bookstore shop the full horror collection and secondhand horror shelves in-store on Parnell Street or online today.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What horror books are coming out in 2026?

Big 2026 horror releases include Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones and Stephen King's Never Flinch, alongside recent standouts like Sarah Maria Griffin's Eat the Ones You Love and Grady Hendrix's Witchcraft for Wayward Girls all available at Chapters Bookstore.

2. What is the scariest horror book?

It's personal, but for pure dread Between Two Fires (medieval, apocalyptic and relentless) and The Buffalo Hunter Hunter (a slow-burn historical vampire horror) are among the most frightening reads on our shelves this year.

3. What is the most popular horror book right now?

Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman is one of the most talked-about horror novels of the moment, driven by a huge BookTok following, with Grady Hendrix and Stephen Graham Jones close behind.

4. Who is the best horror author to read?

Stephen King remains the reigning king of the genre, but modern favourites like Grady Hendrix, Stephen Graham Jones, Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Ireland's own Sarah Maria Griffin are all essential reading.

5. What are good horror books for beginners?

Start with accessible, story-driven titles rather than extreme ones Jaws by Peter Benchley, Stephen King's Never Flinch and Dean Koontz's Life Expectancy all deliver strong scares with plenty of pace and heart.

6. Where can I buy horror books in Ireland?

Chapters Bookstore stocks a huge range of new and secondhand horror shop the horror collection online for nationwide delivery, use free click & collect, or visit us on Parnell Street, Dublin.