A group of teenage victims lost in some forsaken getaway, darkness and fear closing in around them, all while a man in a mask wielding a sharp instrument of death stalks them around every corner. This is a near-perfect summary of the average slasher film, but as surprising as it might seem, there are many books that description as well.

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Masked menaces, dead camp counselors, abandoned locations, and death-curses are all part-and-parcel for a horde of horror novels if one knows where to look. For those looking to add some fright to their bookshelves, these titles will surely satisfy.

Tastes Like Candy By Ivy Tholen

Skull coming out of Cotton Candy on Tastes Like Candy

Right from the cover, this novel by Ivy Tholen has the makings of a cheesy '80s slasher, but that's kind of the idea. Essentially a slash-by-numbers book, Tastes Like Candy feels right at home with films like The Funhouse in terms of elements and set-up.

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A group of teenagers on a scavenger hunt through an abandoned theme park is a situation just asking for trouble, and a killer waiting in the darkness certainly doesn't help things out.

Kill River By Cameron Robique

Victims going down kill river

Similar to the previous entry, Cameron Robique's Kill River hits the nail squarely on the head when it comes to classic slashers in literary form. The book has been described as a tribute to such blood-soaked features as Friday the 13th, Halloween, and more, and it's easy to understand why.

A gang of friends exploring a creepy place they shouldn't, a masked menace picking them off, and this is only volume one. It's more than just a horror novel, but a love letter to the cinema that inspired it.

Christine By Stephen King

A close-up of the titular car in Christine on the poster

No horror reading list could ever be complete without at least one entry from the master of horror novels himself, Stephen King. And while it would have been easier to put Misery in this spot, Christine has a much higher body count.

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A '58 Plymouth Fury might not be the most conventional horror villain, but King changed the way readers looked at their cars forever. Those familiar with John Carpenter's film adaptation will definitely want to check the original novel for further suspense and gruesome details.

Under The Blade By Matt Serafini

Eyes looking from the cover of Under the Blade

This novel is one hockey mask away from being a Friday the 13th spin-off. Although the masked Cyrus is no Jason Voorhees, the final-girl themes of the novel could teach the Scream series a thing or two about horror heroines.

Melanie Holden's story follows a final girl in the aftermath of a masked man's massacre, putting a different perspective on the typical tropes. But Melanie learns that surviving a slaughter is only the beginning, and when darker secrets are revealed, her story turns out to be far from over.

And Then There Were None By Agatha Christie

Lights on in the manor from And Then There Were None

Although it's not a traditional slasher, Agatha Christie's most famous novel has the framework of a classic horror story. There's a gaggle of victims locked in an old house, each with a shadowy past and a killer lurking in their midst that slowly picks them off.

Known as the maven of murder mysteries, Christie creates a truly suspenseful display with this eerie entry. As characters begin to fall, the intensity rises with every twist and turn—definitely some top-tier material.

Island By Richard Laymon

Cover Art for Richard Laymon's Island

A family taking a day trip to a secluded island becomes suddenly stranded when their boat is sabotaged, and a killer starts slitting their throats one by one. How has this not been a setup for a John Carpenter film?

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It's a whodunnit, it's a horror novel, it's a race against survival, it's all this and more, and any slasher aficionados should keep their eyes on Richard Laymon because this is just one killer thriller in his collection of novels.

Chainsaw Confidential By Gunnar Hansen

Origianl Texas Chainsaw Massacre

So far, this list has featured books about slashers, but what about a book written by one? An honorable mention, to be sure, but how can a die-hard horror hound resist a testimonial by the man behind Leatherface, himself?

Chainsaw Confidential is Gunnar Hansen's autobiographical account of the entire production process of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and the man does not skip on the details. It's a first-hand description of one of the pivotal events in horror history, perfect for fans who love to learn about horror's roots.

Clown In A Cornfield By Adam Cesare

Cornstalks making the face of Frendo The Clown

Lon Chaney once said, "there's nothing funny about a clown after midnight," and Adam Cesare pushes this statement to the max with Clown in a Cornfield. While the cigar-smoking Frendo the Clown is a far cry away from Stephen King's Pennywise, the novel has plenty of gore and a twist that will have readers gripping the pages.

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The novel features a town full of dark secrets, a blood-soaked vengeance, and a clown that no one wants to run into; it's practically the slasher trifecta.

Psycho By Robert Bloch

Mother Bates stabs through the shower

Alfred Hitchcock's immortal classic will forever be a staple of the horror genre and cinema as a whole. Still, the original novel by Robert Bloch gives the reader a lot more insight into the world of Norman Bates that the film leaves up to the viewer's imagination. As the saying goes, don't judge a book by its movie.

The original Psycho is more like a crime-thriller, to be sure, but the general story is still as important to the genre as the film is to horror cinema. Simply put, give this one a read... after a shower, of course.

The Shining By Stephen King

The Shining Movie Book Changes

The film is one of the most discussed entries in the medium, considered by many to be the best horror film ever made. The book, on the other hand, is legions more terrifying by far. Why? Because readers get to live in the Overlook with Jack and the rest of the Torrence family.

By allowing the reader to linger, the book presents a more chilling treatment of Jack's breakdown. Pair that with the flock of evil spirits that haunt the hotel, creating the perfect horror experience.

NEXT: Get Out: Every Classic Horror Movie Easter Egg Explained