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Quick answer: If you loved Penpal, read Dathan Auerbach's Penpal, then Josh Malerman's Bird Box, then Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves, and Nick Cutter's The Troop and Joe Hill's Heart-Shaped Box, Horns and NOS4A2. All are creepy horror told in an unsettling voice.
Dathan Auerbach's Penpal began as an online horror story and grew into a novel about childhood memories that turn sinister. These picks share its slow dread.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penpal | Dathan Auerbach | Adult | slow-burn horror |
| Bird Box | Josh Malerman | Adult | readers who like suspense |
| House of Leaves | Mark Z. Danielewski | Adult | adventurous readers |
| The Troop | Nick Cutter | Adult | readers who like body horror |
| Heart-Shaped Box | Joe Hill | Adult | modern ghost stories |
| Horns | Joe Hill | Adult | horror comedy |
| The Shining | Stephen King | Adult | readers who like ghosts |
| Pet Sematary | Stephen King | Adult | readers who want pure dread |
| The Haunting of Hill House | Shirley Jackson | Adult | parents who want a classic |
| Coraline | Neil Gaiman | 8-12 | readers who like gothic fantasy |
| The Graveyard Book | Neil Gaiman | 9-13 | readers who like ghosts with heart |
| Anna Dressed in Blood | Kendare Blake | 14+ | readers who like horror romance |
| The Ritual | Adam Nevill | Adult | forest horror |
| NOS4A2 | Joe Hill | Adult | modern monster |
| The Fireman | Joe Hill | Adult | spore plague |
1. Penpal by Dathan Auerbach
A man looks back on strange events from his childhood, and the pieces slowly form a disturbing picture. Began as an online horror story.
Best for: slow-burn horror.
2. 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.
3. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
A house is bigger on the inside than the outside, and a text about it drives readers mad. Experimental and dense.
Best for: adventurous readers.
4. The Troop by Nick Cutter
Scouts on an island face a horrifying parasite. Brutal and terrifying.
Best for: readers who like body horror.
5. 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.
6. Horns by Joe Hill
A man wakes up with horns and learns what people really think. A dark comic horror with a dash of mystery.
Best for: horror comedy.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Coraline finds a door to a world where her other mother has button eyes. Eerie but loving, and a modern classic.
Best for: readers who like gothic fantasy.
11. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Bod grows up in a graveyard raised by ghosts after his family is killed. Winner of the Newbery Medal.
Best for: readers who like ghosts with heart.
12. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Cas, a ghost hunter, meets Anna, a murderous ghost. Creepy and romantic.
Best for: readers who like horror romance.
13. The Ritual by Adam Nevill
Four friends hiking in Sweden are stalked by something ancient in the forest. Dark and atmospheric.
Best for: forest horror.
14. NOS4A2 by Joe Hill
A woman fights a man who steals children in a ghostly car. Inventive and dark.
Best for: modern monster.
15. The Fireman by Joe Hill
A nurse tries to survive a spreading burning disease. Long and gripping.
Best for: spore plague.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Penpal: 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 Penpal. 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 quiet dread, read Bird Box or House of Leaves. For supernatural chills, try Heart-Shaped Box or The Shining. For stranger horror, pick The Troop or Horns.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Penpal?
Dathan Auerbach.
Is it a true story?
No, it is a work of fiction that began online.
Is it scary?
Yes, it is slow and unsettling.
Which book here is best for spore plague?
Try The Fireman by Joe Hill, which suits readers looking for spore plague.
Which book here is best for modern monster?
Try NOS4A2 by Joe Hill, which suits readers looking for modern monster.
Which book here is best for forest horror?
Try The Ritual by Adam Nevill, which suits readers looking for forest horror.
Which book here is best for readers who like horror romance?
Try Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake, which suits readers looking for readers who like horror romance.
Which book here is best for readers who like ghosts with heart?
Try The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, which suits readers looking for readers who like ghosts with heart.