What is the best book of short scary stories?

One of the best books of short scary stories is 'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark' by Alvin Schwartz. It has a collection of truly spine - chilling tales that have been popular for generations.

Well, 'Night Shift' by Stephen King is a top contender for the best book of scary short stories. King is a master of horror, and this collection showcases his talent for creating terrifying scenarios. The stories range from the psychological horror of 'The Boogeyman' to the more supernatural horror in other tales. Each story has its own unique brand of fear, and King's ability to get into the minds of his characters and readers alike makes this book a must - read for horror fans.

One popular story could be about a haunted house. There might be strange noises at night, like creaking floors and whispering voices. The children in the story might go to explore the house out of curiosity and then encounter spooky apparitions. Another could be a story of a cursed object, like a doll that seems to move on its own and causes bad luck to whoever possesses it.

A good short scary story usually has a quick build - up of tension. Take 'The Hitchhiker'. The protagonist keeps seeing the same hitchhiker over and over again on a long drive, and the sense of dread builds up rapidly as he realizes something is very wrong. Also, they tend to have an unexpected ending. In 'The Gift of the Magi', the couple's selfless love is the opposite of a scary ending, but in a short scary story, like 'The Most Dangerous Game', the ending where the hunted becomes the hunter is very unexpected.

They usually build up tension effectively. Take 'The Lottery' for instance. At first, it seems like an ordinary small - town event, but as the story progresses and the true nature of the lottery is revealed, the tension just keeps mounting until the shocking end. And there is often a sense of inevitability in these stories. The characters seem powerless to escape their fates, like in many classic horror short stories where the doom is slowly closing in on the protagonists.

A great short scary story is 'The Monkey's Paw'. In this story, a family is given a monkey's paw that has the power to grant three wishes. However, each wish comes with a horrible, unforeseen consequence. Their first wish for money results in their son's death at work, which leads to a series of terrifying events as they struggle with the power of the paw.

A group of friends decided to camp in the woods. At night, they heard a loud growling. They were all terrified. One of them bravely got out of the tent with a flashlight. There, they saw a'strange beast'. It was actually a small dog with a very deep bark. The dog had wandered away from its owner's campsite nearby. The friends couldn't stop laughing at how scared they had been.

A young boy was home alone and heard the doorknob rattle. He was scared out of his wits thinking it was a burglar. But when he finally got the courage to peek, it was his own dog who had accidentally bumped into the door while chasing a ball. It's a simple yet effective short, funny, and scary story.

One of the really creepy ones is 'Harold'. The idea of a scarecrow that comes to life is just terrifying. It gives you this sense of dread as you imagine it moving around in the fields at night.

I think it's the element of mystery. When you don't know what's coming next and there's a sense of lurking danger, that makes a book with scary short stories truly compelling. Good pacing and a creepy atmosphere help too.