10 Scariest Stephen King Novels

So much of King's work deals in taking that which might in everyday life be innocuous, non-threatening, or even dear to our hearts - and then spinning it on its head to make it an object of terror.

This is most certainly the case with Cujo, King's 1981 novel which sees man's best friend become a family's worst enemy, in a heightened yet eerily believable fashion.

Initially a beloved family-owned St. Bernard with a friendly nature, things turn south for Cujo and his owners the Cambers when the dog is bitten by a rabid bat. Driven mad, the diseased pet becomes violent, killing his family then heading out in the direction of nearby neighbours the Trentons.

Given that it both shows a family dog turn feral, and that it features a young child coming under threat, Cujo is bound to touch a nerve with many readers - and the titular antagonist will inevitably come to mind any time reports of a fatal dog attack make the news.