10 Scariest Stephen King Novels

1. Pet Sematary

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As much as we might extol the virtues of ghosts and monsters and large-scale apocalyptic devastation, when we get right down to it there are few things more terrifying - and more painfully inevitable - than the loss of those closest to us.

1983's Pet Sematary gets closer to the bone on this than arguably anything else King has ever written. The author himself has called it his most frightening work, and for many readers, particularly those with children, it can be a very difficult read.

The book follows the Creed family as they move into their new home (in Maine, naturally) which is not only situated close to a cemetery where local children bury their pets, but also directly overlooks a stretch of road where speeding trucks frequently pass by.

Befriending new neighbour Jed, Louis Creed soon learns that beyond the pet cemetery (and its misspelt sign) is an ancient burial ground which brings those buried there back to life - but not quite the same.

After resurrecting their recently deceased cat, Louis comes to face every parent's worst nightmare when a truck hits his son - and things only get worse when Louis chooses to bring him back.

Stephen King doesn't get much darker and bleaker than this.

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Ben Bussey hasn't written a bio just yet, but if they had... it would appear here.