If you enjoy reading books by Edgar Allan Poe then you might also like the following authors:
H.P. Lovecraft was an American author known mostly for horror fiction. If you’ve enjoyed Edgar Allan Poe’s dark atmosphere and unusual plots, Lovecraft’s work could appeal to you. One of his best-known stories is “The Call of Cthulhu.”
This book tells the story of an ancient, strange creature called Cthulhu that lies hidden beneath the sea. People who accidentally learn about Cthulhu begin to have terrible dreams and slowly realize the scale of the horror involved.
Lovecraft makes his stories vivid and memorable through unsettling scenes and powerful images.
Nathaniel Hawthorne is well known for stories that explore dark themes and human emotions. If you enjoy Edgar Allan Poe, you might also appreciate Hawthorne’s style.
One good book to start with is “The Scarlet Letter.” It follows a woman named Hester Prynne who is shunned by her community because of a forbidden relationship.
Hawthorne creates a vivid sense of guilt and mystery, and he shows how people’s hidden secrets can change their lives.
Mary Shelley is best known for her novel “Frankenstein,” a haunting tale that explores the dangers of ambition and the blurred line between life and death.
In the story, Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist, brings a creature to life using unconventional methods, only to realize he’s created something he cannot control. The creature, shunned by society and desperate for connection, begins to turn against its creator.
The book has a dark atmosphere and themes of isolation, revenge, and morality, which might appeal to fans of Edgar Allan Poe. Shelley’s writing captures the eerie mood of Gothic literature, and the questions it raises about human nature are unforgettable.
Bram Stoker was an Irish author best known for his Gothic horror stories. His most famous work, “Dracula,” follows the journey of Jonathan Harker, a solicitor who travels to Transylvania to help Count Dracula purchase property in England.
What begins as a professional visit turns sinister as Harker discovers the Count’s eerie nature and unnatural habits. The story unfolds through diary entries, letters, and newspaper clippings, creating an intimate and suspenseful atmosphere.
Dracula’s arrival in England brings danger to those who cross his path, especially Mina Harker, as the group of characters work to uncover his true identity and put an end to his reign of terror.
Fans of Edgar Allan Poe would appreciate Stoker’s knack for dread and lingering unease.
Ambrose Bierce was a writer known for his dark and eerie storytelling. His work often explores themes of death, fear, and the unknown, similar to Edgar Allan Poe’s style. One of his most famous stories is “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.”
The story begins with a man about to be hanged during the Civil War. It tricks the reader with vivid scenes of escape, only to end with a haunting and unforgettable twist. Bierce draws readers into moments that feel alive but are marked by shadows and suspense.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman was an American author who often explored themes of psychology and society. Her story, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” is about a woman who is confined to a room by her husband as treatment for her mental health.
She becomes obsessed with the wallpaper in her room, which seems to come alive the longer she looks at it. The story dives into isolation and the way it affects the mind. Fans of Edgar Allan Poe may enjoy her haunting and intense way of capturing descent into madness.
Wilkie Collins was a 19th-century writer known for weaving mystery and suspense into his stories. If you enjoy Edgar Allan Poe, you might like Collins’ “The Woman in White.” It begins with a man meeting a mysterious woman dressed entirely in white on a lonely road.
From there, a tale unfolds involving deception, hidden identities, and a sinister plot surrounding a stately home. The atmosphere is eerie, and the twists feel unexpected, keeping you curious about what happens next.
Algernon Blackwood was a master storyteller known for his eerie tales that often explore the supernatural and the mysterious forces of nature. If you like the atmospheric suspense of Edgar Allan Poe, you might enjoy Blackwood’s “The Willows.”
In this story, two friends travel down the remote Danube River and stop to camp on a small, desolate island surrounded by ominous willow trees. Strange events unsettle them, and they begin to sense they are not alone.
The tale builds an uneasy tension through its vivid landscapes, strange noises, and the growing fear of something unseen but undeniably present. It’s a haunting experience that stays with you.
M.R. James was a master of the ghost story, known for creating eerie and atmospheric tales that leave an unforgettable chill. His collection “Ghost Stories of an Antiquary” is a perfect example of his knack for blending the mundane with the supernatural.
One standout story, “Oh, Whistle, and I’ll Come to You, My Lad,” follows a professor on a seaside holiday who discovers an ancient whistle buried in the sand. After he blows it, strange and terrifying events begin to unfold in the quiet, empty surroundings.
James builds the fear slowly, letting the ordinary turn sinister in unexpected ways. Fans of Edgar Allan Poe’s dark, suspenseful style will feel right at home here.
Sheridan Le Fanu was an Irish writer known for creating dark, atmospheric tales filled with mystery and dread. His book “Carmilla” is a classic Gothic vampire story that predates “Dracula” by 25 years.
It tells the story of Laura, a young woman living in an isolated castle, who becomes close to a strange and beautiful guest named Carmilla. The bond between them grows unsettling, as Carmilla’s behavior becomes more odd, and a series of sinister events unfolds.
The sense of isolation and growing danger captures a beautifully eerie mood, perfect for fans of Edgar Allan Poe’s work.
Henry James had a gift for crafting stories filled with quiet tension and psychological depth. In his novella “The Turn of the Screw,” a young governess takes a job caring for two seemingly perfect children at a remote country estate.
Things take a dark turn when she begins to see ghostly figures on the grounds and grows convinced the children are hiding something sinister. The story is full of eerie moments and keeps you questioning what’s real and what’s imagined.
If you’ve enjoyed the unsettling atmosphere of Edgar Allan Poe’s stories, you might find this one intriguing too.
Elizabeth Gaskell wrote stories that often explored the darker sides of human nature and society. Her book “Lois the Witch” is a chilling tale based on the Salem witch trials.
It tells the story of Lois Barclay, a young Englishwoman who moves to New England after losing her family. She finds herself in a hostile and oppressive community fueled by fear and paranoia. The story shows how suspicion and hysteria can destroy lives.
Fans of Edgar Allan Poe might appreciate the tense atmosphere and the way it reveals the unsettling depths of human cruelty.
Robert W. Chambers was a writer known for weaving eerie and mysterious tales. One of his most famous works is “The King in Yellow,” a collection of short stories connected by a forbidden play that drives readers insane.
The book begins with stories set in a world tinged with madness, where characters struggle against unseen forces and the shadow of the enigmatic King in Yellow looms. The stories mix unsettling moments with strange beauty, creating an atmosphere that feels dark and dreamlike.
Fans of Poe might enjoy the sense of creeping dread and the way Chambers leaves unsettling questions unanswered.
Lord Dunsany was an Irish writer known for his rich imagination and for creating vivid, dreamlike worlds. One of his standout works is “The King of Elfland’s Daughter.”
The story starts when the people of Erl ask their lord to bring enchantment to their land, leading him to send his son, Alveric, to find and marry the daughter of the King of Elfland.
Alveric ventures into the otherworldly realm of Elfland, where nature itself feels strange and unearthly. The tale weaves together the clash of mortal desires with the timeless beauty and sorrow of magic.
If you enjoy eerie, atmospheric stories with poetic language, this might be a book you’ll enjoy.
Thomas Ligotti is an author known for his atmospheric and unsettling horror stories. His writing often explores themes of dread and the fragility of reality. In his collection “The Shadow at the Bottom of the World,” Ligotti crafts tales that feel otherworldly and deeply eerie.
One story features a small town where residents discover a dark, rotting presence in their fields—something that seems alive and impossible to understand.
For readers who admire Edgar Allan Poe’s sense of terror and fascination with the unknown, Ligotti’s work offers a similar kind of haunting experience.