1. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Though best known as the shambling, resurrected creature, the Frankenstein in the title actually refers to Dr. Frankenstein, the mad genius behind the monster. This tale warns against the folly of playing God, and makes for a good re-read, too. DOWNLOAD

2. House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne Hawthorne turned his cousin’s house in Salem, Massachusetts into the setting for a family haunted by the past. Bonus points as the house is now a museum, so you may visit it after reading the book. (Buy the maple tea, it is amazing.) Plus, Hawthorne inspired another master of horror: H.P. Lovecraft, who is up next. DOWNLOAD

3. The Shunned House by H.P. Lovecraft H.P. Lovecraft has a way of twisting words so they get into your subconscious. There is some confusion surrounding the copyright on many of his stories, but here’s a haunted house that will satisfy your cravings for the macabre. DOWNLOAD

4. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde While perhaps being best known as a comedic playwright, Oscar Wilde delivers a hair-raising tale about a young man who believes that beauty is the only thing worth anything in life, and the reaches he will go to in order to preserve his own. DOWNLOAD

5. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux Though most people are familiar with its more musical adaptation, the Phantom of the Opera spins a tale of murder and jealousy that belies the Phantom’s angelic voice. DOWNLOAD

6. Short stories by Edgar Allen Poe Edgar Allan Poe is perhaps the most influential writer in the horror genre. Though he lived a life of torment and died under mysterious circumstances, he was highly prolific. It would be impossible to recommend a single story for this list, so I give you a link where you can pick and choose which to read as the fancy suits you. DOWNLOAD

7. Dracula by Bram Stoker While not the original vampire story, Dracula has been a major influence on the creature’s modern interpretation. If you haven’t read this book, you are missing out. You’re never quite sure who’s winning. DOWNLOAD

8. The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells While H.G. Wells is generally considered a master of science fiction, he uses the then-new science of blood transfusions and vivisection to weave a terrifying tale of experimentation and what happens when the creator is no longer in the picture. DOWNLOAD

9. The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe This is a classic, one of the very first of the genre. It’s so classic, even Jane Austen used it as inspiration for Northanger Abbey (although, admittedly, to make fun of the genre, but still!). It’s got it all – old, crumbly castles, secret loves, and family members dropping like flies. DOWNLOAD

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson It’s something many of us have thought about — what if you could split yourself into good and evil components? Unfortunately for Dr. Jekyll, his experiments go, as they so often do, horribly awry. DOWNLOAD