1. SAVAGE Richard Laymon (1993)

My favourite author writing about one of my favourite subjects - Jack the Ripper. This highly original tale follows its characters from foggy 1880s London to the sun-baked American West and uses a remarkable marriage of English dialect and American slang to create the novel’s unique voice. Full of wonderful characters and breathtaking scenery. Quite simply, a masterwork by the great writer.
 

2. THE SHINING Stephen King (1977)

I picked up an old ’78 battered paperback of this book when I was around twelve and it scared the living bejesus out of me. Still remains the creepiest, scariest and most atmospheric book I’ve ever read. Perfect pacing, great isolated setting and fascinating ideas about madness and the ghosts that haunt us all. King is an underrated writer, and this is a testament to his incredible skills as a master storyteller.
   

3. THE TALISMAN Stephen King (1984)

I’m not usually a big one for fantasy books, but this for some reason hooked me and captivated my young mind like few books have. Perhaps it’s because it’s grounded in reality and has such a simple, yet universally touching story - a young boy searches for the one thing that will save his dying mother - and catapults it into an epic journey of fantasy and horror. The Territories (the parallel world in which the main character must travel through in order to reach his journey’s purpose) was brilliantly and fully realised. Magical Storytelling.
   

4. AMERICAN PSYCHO Bret Easton Ellis (1991)

Highly controversial and savagely brilliant book by one of the best social commentators of modern culture. Story isn’t the main focus of Ellis’s books - it’s the interplay between the characters, the biting, true-to-life dialogue that gives us the insight into their world; whether it be the L.A. rich-kids in Less Than Zero, the glossy movie-style existence in Glamorama, or the yuppie ‘greed is good’ Wall Street denizens of American Psycho. Great character study and one of the funniest books I’ve ever read, as well as violent.
   

5. THE GIRL NEXT DOOR Jack Ketchum (1989)

Inspired by a true story, The Girl Next Door is a harrowing read. Set in 1950s Americana, Ketchum transforms suburbia into a veritable nightmare, a place where perky wives and wholesome kids are peeled away to reveal perverted kidnappers and ghastly torturers. It’s Leave It to Beaver as seen through the eyes of the Devil. You won’t be able to stop reading and once you realize that you’ve become a part of this world, it’ll be too late. Brilliant. Unforgiving. Unforgettable.
   

6. HELTER SKELTER Vincent Bugliosi with Curt Gentry (1974)

Right from the first line - “It was so quiet, one of the killers would later say, you could almost hear the sound of ice rattling in cocktail shakers in the homes way down the canyon,” this book had me both addicted and terrified. A fascinating account of the Manson atrocities and the subsequent trial, told from the very personal viewpoint by the prosecuting attorney, this is one of the very best true crime books and a must for even the passing dabbler in the genre.

   

7. LORD OF THE FLIES William Golding (1954)

A beautifully simple story, told with such wisdom and depth, William Golding’s classic allegory is a perfect example of economical writing, while still managing to create some wonderful characters and setting. One of the best things high school ever gave me.
   

8. FUNLAND Richard Laymon (1989)

Laymon was a master at mood and instantly identifiable characters, and Funland is the perfect showcase for both. Set in the Californian seaside town of Boleta Bay, this is gruesome fun all the way, and contains some of Laymon’s eeriest moments. But as the main setting is a boardwalk carnival, you’d expect nothing less. Clowns anyone? (shiver).
   

9. DELIVERANCE James Dickey (1970)

Poetry in the form of prose fiction, this is one of the most hypnotic books I’ve read. Dickey makes every word count in his tale of four businessmen who go on a river rafting trip in hillbilly country and run afoul of nasty mountain men and an unforgiving Mother Nature. Gripping, frightening and beautifully told.
   

10. PET SEMATARY Stephen King (1983)

Pet Sematary was not only the first adult horror novel I ever read, but also the first adult novel period. That alone makes it a significant book, but it also happens to be one of King’s darkest and most frightening. Louis Creed is the every-man caught up in some of the worst horrors imaginable. Moving and scary, this again shows just how fine a writer King can be, and he’s at his best when writing about our deepest fears.
   

11. BEAST HOUSE CHRONICLES Richard Laymon
(The Cellar, 1980; The Beast House, 1986; The Midnight Tour, 1998; Friday Night in Beast House, 2001)

Okay, so it’s four books, therefore not a true top 20, but - 1/ I think of them as one long series; and 2/ who really gives a shit, huh? It’s my list. While each book is unique (exhibiting Laymon’s growth and variance as a writer), they ultimately stand as one the great horror sagas in literature. All books, especially The Cellar are genuinely creepy, with Laymon’s typical knack for creating great mood and totally believable characters. Classics among modern horror fiction.
   

12. THE CATCHER IN THE RYE J.D. Salinger (1951)

The ultimate outsider book, narrated by that legendary cynic Holden Caulfield, The Catcher in the Rye is scathingly funny and very honest. Simple story about a disenfranchised young man leaving his Prep School to go on a journey to discover just what the hell life really is all about. Full of memorable dialogue, this is probably the best first novel ever written.
   

13. BLOOD GAMES Richard Laymon (1992)

One of the very first Laymon books I ever read, this book holds a lot of memories for me. I’ve always love stories that take place in the wilderness - whether it be a mountain, camping in the woods, or at a summer camp, and Blood Games takes place at an old lodge in the middle of the woods, a perfect setting for five young women to get into all sorts of nasty trouble. Coupled with back stories of the friends previous adventures, this is vintage Laymon; scary, fun and unputdownable!
   

14. A WRITER’S TALE Richard Laymon (1998)

You can tell Laymon is a favourite, can’t you? This book, however, differs from all his other works - its non-fiction. Yep, that’s right; the great writer lays it all on the line in this brilliant autobiography/tips-on-writing book. Brutally honest and always fascinating, it not only gives the reader an insight into the mind of one of modern horror’s greatest writers, but a glimpse into the sordid world of publishing. A must for any aspiring writers, fans of Laymon, or anyone after a great read.
   

15. FIRST BLOOD David Morrell (1972)

Sensational story of one man’s fight against injustice. In John Rambo, Morrell has created a true anti-hero, a figure who represents the soul-crushing effect that the Vietnam War had on the men who fought and the devastating way in which they were treated upon returning home. Exciting, suspenseful and heartbreaking. Morrell captures the rugged mountain setting beautifully and writes with such ease that you can’t help but become totally engrossed in the story.
   

16. WHOEVER FIGHTS MONSTERS Robert Ressler and Tom Shachtman (1992)

Serial killers have always held such fascination with me, and what better way to delve into their minds than by reading what is arguably the best book written on the subject. Absolutely fascinating, this book goes into what makes a serial killer, the different types and how the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit assists police in catching them by way of profiling. Written primarily by the foremost expert in serial killers - ex FBI criminologist Ressler - it has an easy, every-man writing style that makes for an engrossing read.
   

17. THE BIGHEAD Ed Lee (1999)

Ed Lee has quickly become a favourite. He has such a ghastly sense of humour, and an acute ear for dialogue, his books are always entertaining and very well written. He is also one of modern horror’s leading practitioners in the sub-genre known as ‘splatter-punk,’ so most of his work is brutal, unflinching and tackles just about every taboo subject known to man (and a few no one except Lee knew about). This book, however, stands as perhaps his most extreme - a backwoods story of one mean, demented guy known as Bighead. But there are also some nice characters and interesting questions about the church and religion woven into the carnage. A must-read for anyone with a strong (make that iron-clad) stomach.

   

18. DRACULA Bram Stoker (1897)

Every respectable horror fan, or fan of literature period, should read Dracula. It’s not the best written book, but there is so much in it, so many ideas and a great cast of characters, that it’s well worth the time and you’ll never forget the experience. Fantastic Victoria-era literature.
 

19. IN COLD BLOOD Truman Capote (1865)

When I first eyed the tattered old paperback sitting on my dad’s bookshelf, I had no idea what the book was about. I was around twelve or thirteen, and hadn’t gotten heavily into true crime, so the only reason I picked it up was its cool-sounding title. Then the front cover, of the word ‘blood’ dented and bloody piqued my interest even more. There was no blurb or anything upon opening the book, so I still had no idea what it was about. What the hey, I thought. I’ll give it a go. I put it down a week later, stunned, amazed and utterly shaken. Rarely has a non-fiction book moved me so much. Written in the style of prose fiction, In Cold Blood is one of the most compelling accounts of a crime ever written.
   

20. OF MICE AND MEN John Steinbeck (1837)

Steinbeck was such a master at saying so much with so few words - much like Hemingway - only with more warmth. In this book, he captures the searing heat of the depression era American South with such ease and with so many unique characters, that by the end of this short novel, you’ll feel totally satisfied. Two of the great characters in all of literature - George and Lennie - help make this a poignant and brilliant story.