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Quick answer: If you loved It Stephen King, read Stephen King's The Shining, Pet Sematary and Cujo, then Nick Cutter's The Troop, then Josh Malerman's Bird Box, and Joe Hill's Heart-Shaped Box and NOS4A2 and Justin Cronin's The Passage. All are big, scary horror.
Stephen King's 1986 novel It follows a group of friends who face a monster in Derry. These picks share its horror and friendship.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Shining | Stephen King | Adult | readers who like ghosts |
| Pet Sematary | Stephen King | Adult | readers who want pure dread |
| Cujo | Stephen King | Adult | trapped survival |
| Misery | Stephen King | Adult | obsession and fear |
| The Troop | Nick Cutter | Adult | readers who like body horror |
| Bird Box | Josh Malerman | Adult | readers who like suspense |
| Heart-Shaped Box | Joe Hill | Adult | modern ghost stories |
| NOS4A2 | Joe Hill | Adult | modern monster |
| The Passage | Justin Cronin | Adult | readers who want a big story |
| Something Wicked This Way Comes | Ray Bradbury | 12+ | older kids and teens |
| Summer of Night | Dan Simmons | Adult | readers who like small-town horror |
| Interview with the Vampire | Anne Rice | Adult | readers who want the beginning |
| The Haunting of Hill House | Shirley Jackson | Adult | parents who want a classic |
| The Stand | Stephen King | Adult | readers who like epics |
| Rosemary's Baby | Ira Levin | Adult | readers who like psychological horror |
1. The Shining by Stephen King
Jack Torrance and his family are caretakers of a haunted hotel. A masterpiece of slow fear.
Best for: readers who like ghosts.
2. Pet Sematary by Stephen King
Louis Creed buries his daughter's cat in an ancient burial ground. Dark and heartbreaking.
Best for: readers who want pure dread.
3. Cujo by Stephen King
A rabid St. Bernard traps a mother and son in a car. Short, tense and heartbreaking.
Best for: trapped survival.
4. Misery by Stephen King
A novelist is rescued from a car crash by his number one fan, who will not let him leave. A claustrophobic thriller.
Best for: obsession and fear.
5. The Troop by Nick Cutter
Scouts on an island face a horrifying parasite. Brutal and terrifying.
Best for: readers who like body horror.
6. Bird Box by Josh Malerman
Malorie tries to lead her children down a river blindfolded because seeing is dangerous. Tense and original.
Best for: readers who like suspense.
7. Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
An aging rock star buys a ghost online and is haunted by it. Fast, scary and by King's son.
Best for: modern ghost stories.
8. NOS4A2 by Joe Hill
A woman fights a man who steals children in a ghostly car. Inventive and dark.
Best for: modern monster.
9. The Passage by Justin Cronin
A government experiment creates vampire-like creatures, and a girl named Amy changes the world. A huge, sweeping apocalypse.
Best for: readers who want a big story.
10. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
A mysterious carnival arrives in town, and two boys face the sinister Mr. Dark. Lyrical and creepy, for older readers.
Best for: older kids and teens.
11. Summer of Night by Dan Simmons
In 1960 in Elm Haven, Illinois, a group of boys faces an ancient evil. A long, atmospheric read set in a small Midwestern town.
Best for: readers who like small-town horror.
12. Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice
Louis tells a reporter his story of becoming a vampire with Lestat. The first book in the series, and the one that changed vampire fiction.
Best for: readers who want the beginning.
13. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Four people stay in a house with a bad reputation. A masterpiece of ghostly dread for adults.
Best for: parents who want a classic.
14. The Stand by Stephen King
A superflu wipes out most of humanity, and survivors choose sides. Huge and gripping.
Best for: readers who like epics.
15. Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin
Rosemary suspects her neighbors want her baby for a dark purpose. Short and paranoid.
Best for: readers who like psychological horror.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with It Stephen King: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to It Stephen King. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most.
How to Choose
For King, read Pet Sematary or The Shining. For friends facing horror, try The Troop. For classics, pick Interview with the Vampire.
Related: Which Stephen King Book Should You Read First? · Top 10 Best-Selling Stephen King Books That Terrified Millions
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote It?
Stephen King, in 1986.
Is there a film?
Yes, in 1990 (TV) and 2017.
Is it long?
Yes, over 1,000 pages.
Which book here is best for readers who like psychological horror?
Try Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin, which suits readers looking for readers who like psychological horror.
Which book here is best for readers who like epics?
Try The Stand by Stephen King, which suits readers looking for readers who like epics.
Which book here is best for parents who want a classic?
Try The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, which suits readers looking for parents who want a classic.