5 Horror Books that Deserve a Cult Following

 

Credit to 5 Real World Benefits of Reading Books

I read some pretty random horror novels this time around. I did enjoy the stories immensely; these were some of the best I have read so far in 2026. And one of these books isn’t horror per say, but it was a great read nonetheless! This is one of those rare times where I decided to read random horror genres, and I was so happy with the selection of books I purchased from Barnes & Noble during my last visit. 

I wanted to do something different this time with the books. I normally go for disturbing horror or slasher horror. I wanted to pick the most random selection of horror novels, to give myself a different kind of reading experience. 

And one of these books happened to be The Godfather, that was a last-minute decision, because I heard this was one of the best books written of all time. (I had heard this bold statement from fans, and I said screw it, since I enjoyed the movie quite a bit, perhaps the book is just as great)!

Picture of 5 books.

5. Dear Debbie by Frieda McFadden

I’m so glad I finally read something original from this author. I felt that her books were all becoming the same for awhile. Twist after twist with messed up relationships, secret serial killer family members with a kind of a stupid twist at the end, it was getting old at some point. 

Then I heard that Frieda decided to go for a comedy route with a serial killer mother, and I was happy to hear this, because I knew that this would be the perfect genre for her to pull off! Debbie is a great mother and devoted wife, who is living a great life. However, once she realizes that certain people are threatening to harm her family in any way, she takes matters into her own hands by killing anyone who pisses her off. 

It’s pretty hilarious in some parts, and her backstory was so sad, once you realize why she became a serial killer in the first place. Her husband was also such an interesting character too, and his love for his wife was so wholesome. Her children felt so real as characters too, and you will be conflicted whether or not you want to be on the side of Debbie at times!

4. The Lost World by Michael Crichton 

I was so surprised by how different the sequel book was to the film! The novel version feels like almost a ‘what if’ story of Malcolm’s adventure on an island filled with dinosaurs, and it works so well! In the book version, we follow a small group of characters who travel to Site B, a mystery island that was kept secret from the public, once the original Jurassic Park failed miserably. 

Ian Malcolm from the first Jurassic Park story and movie, goes to the island with a small group of people, along with two kids who accidentally come along. They are trying to survive against the dinosaurs once again, while a secret group of evil assholes are going around collecting eggs to become rich. I’m not done with the book yet, but I think these dudes are most likely going to die. And they definitely have it coming after attempting to murder one of the main characters!

Oh, and I also like how more disgusting the sequel is compared to the first one. This book really does focus on the dinosaurs taking a piss or a shit. And one part was so disgusting…it involved the mating season of dinosaurs. I’ll leave it at that. 

3. The Running Man by Stephen King

This was one of King’s best books when he was writing under the pen name of Richard Bachman. This book starts off so strong, with the main character named Ben Richards, taking part in a deadly game that literally starts in the beginning of the book. Throughout the entire story, he is trying to avoid getting killed, as millions of people are watching him on camera, his experience being used as a TV show format to get views for the main host of the game show. 

It’s pretty messed up, and the book never holds back on the gore, multiple deaths, or the brutality of living in a dystopian society like this. It was so dreadful, and one part toward the end of the book made me gasp out loud, because I was not expecting that tragic twist. 

After I had finished reading the book, I was curious to know how the remake of the film did, because fans were not fond of the film one bit. I was in shock with how much was changed compared to the book, and instead of making it a dreadful tale, the main character was made into a heroic figure that was a total badass. 

It’s a shame they messed up on a great concept that could have worked out well if given to the right person who understood King’s material. At least we have the original film of The Running Man, that still works quite well for me, even though it’s super different from the book. 

2. When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy

Nat Cassidy is now becoming one of my favorite horror authors of all time. Dude knows how to write good horror, and he doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to his characters getting killed in the worst ways possible. We follow the story of a young woman named Jess, who finds herself looking after a little boy, who is being hunted by an actual werewolf.

And to make things worse, the boy also has magical powers, and is able to make anything come to life, by using his imagination, and it can be either a lovely memory or an awful experience that will get people killed. The ending was so disturbingly brilliant, and while the ending is open to interpretation, I think the author meant to give this story a dark horror ending. 

You will feel so conflicted with Jess and the little boy, not knowing who to feel sorry for in this kind of messed up situation. 

1. The Godfather by Mario Puzo

I was blown away by how masterfully written this story was. I felt like I was watching The Godfather for the first time, in a much different format, along with extra scenes that gave me a much better understanding of all of the characters. It left me feeling mixed with so many emotions, with whether or not I should feel bad for any of these characters. 

I know that the Godfather and his people weren’t considered your average ‘super evil mafia guys,’ but they were still involved in the mafia business. Every single character was so complicated in the best way, and I was so sad when some of these characters got killed off, even though I knew it was coming after watching the film. 

I was happy to get a whole other outlook on Michael’s character, who becomes the new Godfather after his father passes. I feel that I fully understand why Michael became evil, but I still don’t know if I should feel sorry for the guy or not. 

The Godfather is a masterpiece, and I can see why the novel has a major cult following!

I’m planning to do another 5-book review once I go visit the bookstore again!