Who were the popular authors of 80's horror novels?

One popular author was Henry James, with his work 'The Beast in the Jungle' which had a unique take on psychological horror. Stephen Vincent Benét was also well - known for 'The Devil and Daniel Webster' that combined horror and folklore. Fritz Leiber was recognized for his horror novel 'Conjure Wife' which explored witchcraft themes.

M. R. James was also quite well - known. His ghost stories were very popular during the 1920s. His tales were often set in old, English institutions like universities and churches. He had a way of building suspense slowly, and his ghosts were not always the typical, transparent apparitions. For example, in 'Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad', the entity that haunts the protagonist is very menacing and not fully explained, leaving a lot to the reader's imagination.

Stephen King was a very notable author in the 70s horror scene. He wrote 'Carrie' during this time. William Peter Blatty with 'The Exorcist' is also well - known. Ira Levin, the author of 'Rosemary's Baby' is another one. His work was quite influential in the horror genre during the 70s.

Mary Shelley was a famous author of 1800s horror novels. She wrote 'Frankenstein'. Bram Stoker was another, known for 'Dracula'. And Robert Louis Stevenson, who penned 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'.

H. P. Lovecraft was also a key figure. His works like 'The Call of Cthulhu' were filled with unique horror elements. He introduced the concept of cosmic horror, where the horror comes from the vastness and incomprehensibility of the universe. His writing style and themes were quite different from the traditional horror of that time.

There was also Georgette Heyer. She was well - loved for her regency - era romance novels. Her detailed descriptions of the period's society and the romantic relationships within it made her books highly popular in the 50s and still are read today by many romance enthusiasts.

One popular author was Samuel Richardson. His novels like 'Pamela' were quite well - known. 'Pamela' told the story of a young maid and her relationship with her master, exploring themes of love, virtue, and social class.

One popular author was Aphra Behn. She wrote some works that had elements of romance within them.

One popular author of 1940s spy novels was Eric Ambler. His works were known for their realistic portrayal of espionage.

One of the well - known authors was Lynd Ward. His works were quite prominent during that time. He was known for his unique visual storytelling approach.