What are some of the best haunted house short stories?

The Amityville Horror is also a well - known haunted house story. The Lutz family claimed to experience all sorts of terrifying phenomena after moving into the house, like strange noises, slime oozing from the walls, and seeing apparitions. Their story was so disturbing that it became famous worldwide and inspired numerous movies.

One of the best is 'The Haunting of Hill House' by Shirley Jackson. It's a classic that creates a truly spooky atmosphere with its old, mysterious house and the strange happenings within. The psychological aspect of the story adds to the horror.

Well, mystery is a big theme. The haunted house always has secrets that the characters are trying to uncover. Take 'The Canterville Ghost', the family has to figure out why the ghost is there and what it wants. Fear is also a common theme. The characters experience intense fear in these haunted houses, like in 'The Shunned House' where the very presence of the house instills dread. And then there's the theme of decay, both physical, as in the crumbling mansions in stories like 'The Fall of the House of Usher', and moral decay that often seems to be associated with the haunted houses.

Yes. 'The Canterville Ghost' is a well - known haunted house short story. It's about an American family who moves into a British manor haunted by a ghost. It has a mix of humor and horror. There's also 'The Shunned House' by H.P. Lovecraft. It tells of a house with a dark and disturbing past and the terrors that lurk within its walls. 'A Rose for Emily' by William Faulkner also has elements of a haunted - like house as Emily's home holds many secrets and the story has a sense of mystery and the macabre.

Well, in haunted house fiction short stories, the setting is crucial. A haunted house might be isolated in a desolate area, adding to the sense of dread. These stories often play on our primal fears. For example, a character might hear strange noises at night, and as they explore, they discover dark secrets about the house's past, like a tragic event that left restless spirits.

These stories might also comment on human nature or society through the lens of the haunted house and related elements. The settings and symbols play crucial roles in conveying the intended messages.

One of the best is 'The Haunting of Hill House' by Shirley Jackson. It's a classic in the haunted house genre. The story creates a sense of unease and mystery as the characters experience strange occurrences in the old, spooky house. Another great one is 'House of Leaves' by Mark Z. Danielewski. It has a unique format that adds to the overall disorientation and horror of the haunted house concept. And 'Mexican Gothic' by Silvia Moreno - Garcia is also excellent. It combines elements of Mexican folklore with the haunted house trope, making for a truly terrifying read.

A great haunted house novel is 'Hell House' by Richard Matheson. It's filled with terrifying scenes and a sense of dread. The characters' experiences in the haunted house are vividly described, and Matheson does an excellent job of building suspense throughout the story.

Another great one is 'House of Leaves' by Mark Z. Danielewski. This novel plays with the layout of the text to add to the sense of unease and mystery, and the haunted house in it is filled with all sorts of strange and terrifying things. It's a complex and immersive read.

One common theme is the past haunting the present. In many stories, something bad happened in the house in the past, like a murder or a tragic accident, and the spirits or the energy of that event still lingers. Another theme is isolation. Haunted houses are often in remote locations, cut off from the outside world, which adds to the sense of fear.