Embark on a journey into the Best Indian Horror Books!
Embark on a blood-curdling adventure into the Realm of Indian Horror!
The allure of the unknown, the thrill of danger, and the enigmatic mysteries that shroud our world never cease to captivate us. Within this realm lie countless entities, energies, and secrets beyond our perception, some of which are best left undisturbed.
Unveiling the darkness that occasionally resides within them can lead to dire consequences.
Every family, city, and tribe carries tales of the unknown, passed down through generations, all reinforcing a common truth—the existence of the paranormal, poised to devour anyone daring to cross its path.
Yet, our human nature harbors an insatiable curiosity, forever seeking answers to the enigma.
What better way to satiate this thirst than through the chilling pages of horror books?
Indian Horror boasts a dedicated following, rooted in a time-honored tradition of storytelling. Over centuries, we have honed our craft, perfecting the art of evoking bone-chilling terror.
In this article, we present to you the definitive list of 32 Best Indian Horror Books — a collection that will send shivers down your spine and haunt you long after the final page is turned.
So, what are you waiting for? Scroll down and experience bone-chilling tales from the rich folklore and supernatural realms of India with our handpicked selection of the Best Indian Horror Books.
32 Best Indian Horror Books
- 1. Ghosts in the Dark Silence by Anita Krishnan
- 2. Hauntings: Stories Based on Actual Paranormal Investigations by Abhirup Dhar with Indian Paranormal Society
- 3. The Haunting of Delhi City: Tales of the Supernatural by Jatin Bhasin and Suparna Chawla Bhasin
- 4. Pishacha: A Tale of Love Beyond Births by Neil D’Silva
- 5. The Darkness Around Us: Five Tales of Terror by Nag Mani
- 6. It Follows You by Keran Panthh Joshi
- 7. 7 Hours at Bhata Road by Ajinkya Bhasme
- 8. The Spirits Talk to Me: True Accounts of Paranormal Investigations by Sarbajeet Mohanty, Neil D’Silva
- 9. Ghosts of the Silent Hills: Stories Based on True Hauntings by Anita Krishan
- 10. Devi by Nag Mani
- 11. Dakhma by K. Hari Kumar
- 12. A Face in the Dark and Other Hauntings by Ruskin Bond
- 13. Afterlife: Ghost Stories from Goa by Jessica Faleiro
- 14. Twelve Paranormal Tales by Amitav Ganguly
- 15. Batshit by Kritika Kapoor
- 16. Darkness by Ratnakar Matkari
- 17. Right Behind You by Neil D’Silva
- 18. When the Devil Whispers by Ajinkya Bhasme
- 19. And the Roses Bled by Mehak Daleh
- 20. Scare Me if You Can by Sid Kapdi
- 21. India’s Most Haunted by K. Hari Kumar
- 22. Taranath Tantrik and Other Tales from the Supernatural by Bibhutibhushan
- 23. The Book of Indian Ghosts by Riksundar Banerjee
- 24. Haunted: Real Life Encounters with Ghosts by Jay Alani and Neil D’Silva
- 25. Ghosts in Our Backyard by Alisha Priti Kirpalani
- 26. Yakshini by Neil D’Silva
- 27. As Death Stared Back by Ajinkya Bhasme
- 28. Haunted Places of India by Riksundar Banerjee
- 29. The Disappearance of Tejas Sharma and Other Hauntings by Manish Mahajan
- 30. Massage by Arya Narrayan
- 31. The Shadow on the Wall by Ruskin Bond
- 32. Ghost Stories of Shimla Hills by Minakshi Chaudhary
1. Ghosts in the Dark Silence by Anita Krishnan
It is when the night is darkest when they come. It is only in the moment you are most vulnerable that they feed on you.
This book by one of India’s best-selling horror author Anita Krishnan showcases a collection of 5 short stories, all of which are based on true events.
While one talks about how the perfect dream house of a newly-wed couple becomes their biggest nightmare, another one speaks of naïve young people who fall into the trap of tantriks and black magic. All in all, one of our top picks in the Best Indian Horror Books category, the book provides a scary mix, all ready to spook you to your bones.
2. Hauntings: Stories Based on Actual Paranormal Investigations by Abhirup Dhar with Indian Paranormal Society
Abhirup Dhar’s prowess in the horror genre has earned him recognition as one of the industry’s finest writers.
In this collection, which he brings out in association with the Indian Paranormal Society, he narrates some of the most spine-chilling cases that the society has ever investigated.
These 12 curated stories bring you the best of Indian horror and take you on a ride like never before.
From haunted high-rise buildings to small-town hauntings to scary & twisty doppelgangers, this 200+ page book is a must-read for all horror enthusiasts.
3. The Haunting of Delhi City: Tales of the Supernatural by Jatin Bhasin and Suparna Chawla Bhasin
From a place that is known as much for its crowds, and hustle and bustle as it is known for its haunted places, comes The Haunting of Delhi City: Tales of the Supernatural, another comfortably paced 200+ pages read that speaks of Delhi’s dark underbelly.
From city hotspots to secluded areas, from the neatly laid boulevards of Connaught Place to the sprawling acres of Lutyens Delhi, from the dusty by-lines of Mehrauli to the archaic-looking monuments of Hauz Khas, something dark and dangerous is always lurking just behind the shadows.
There is a haunted story waiting to be discovered at every nook and corner of the city that never sleeps.
4. Pishacha: A Tale of Love Beyond Births by Neil D’Silva
When it comes to Best Indian Horror Books, this book is a modern-day classic. It narrates the tragic but blood-curdling story of a young man doomed to live as a demon. He is cursed to survive by eating human flesh and living his days in agony, and yet he also has a heart that beats.
He cannot help but pine for his lost love; the one whom he loved dearly in his previous birth. So, when after the wait of a torturous century, his lover is reborn in a rich family in Mumbai, he pines for her again.
But is it that simple? To reunite with her is to be human again, and to be human again is to turn against holy men and witch-mothers, it is to turn against his very nature.
5. The Darkness Around Us: Five Tales of Terror by Nag Mani
A short read, just over 100 pages, this book is a collection of five terrifying tales that will shake you to your very core and will make you question every notion of the supernatural whether good or bad.
While Pitra talks of a newlywed bride’s encounter with a sparrow that sits in the garden waiting and watching in the dead of the night, Daayan is the story of Asharbh who doesn’t believe in the woman who steals away lone kids.
The Date is about a dating app which makes sure that you match with someone you would DIE for, & The Darkness Around Us is about a village whose people are scared of crossing the bridge over the river and rightly so, while The Silence of the Pines is about a man returning to his village only to understand that what he came for is long gone.
6. It Follows You by Keran Panthh Joshi
It Follows You brings to you your worst-ever nightmare. An evil, that refuses to leave you, no matter what. An evil that follows you wherever you go.
True, this evil comes in different forms – a curse, an evil eye, a spell, a demon… but it waits for when you are at your most vulnerable, ready to strike, and ready to petrify you with its macabre darkness.
The book is a collection of 12 fast-paced stories that take you to different places from small towns to big cities and combine elements of adventure, mystery, and nerve-racking horror.
7. 7 Hours at Bhata Road by Ajinkya Bhasme
A short read of under 100 pages, the book follows the story of a small village called Bhata, now abandoned for obvious reasons.
Centuries ago, the people of Bhata performed an occult dark ritual to cheat hell. The consequence of this was a prophecy that foretold that hell shall take birth on its very soil before spreading into the whole world.
Because of the prophecy and its resulting evil fallouts, the road to Bhata lies closed during the night hours for anyone who wanders there never comes back.
A witch haunts the joint, begging weary unsuspecting travellers to drop her home, and all men die, all children drown, and the women go blind.
It is on this dreaded and godforsaken place, that a heavily 8-month pregnant woman and her family drive in the night, compelled by the road and the horror itself to take that route. But now, no matter what, they cannot escape.
This book is a must-read addition to your collection of Best Indian Horror Books.
8. The Spirits Talk to Me: True Accounts of Paranormal Investigations by Sarbajeet Mohanty, Neil D’Silva
Venturing into realms beyond the ordinary, Sarbajeet Mohanty, a Paranormal Investigator and the visionary behind the Parapsychology and Investigations Research Society, leads a life far from mundane.
His extraordinary job unravels perplexing enigmas, ranging from alluring forests ensnaring unsuspecting souls to a Mumbai film studio harbouring otherworldly secrets.
Even in an old dilapidated factory, where machines turn sinister, or upon a haunted riverbank replaying ancient scenes of war and bloodshed from the time of Kalinga, Mohanty has encountered the most mystifying and vivid phenomena throughout his career.
Teaming up with Neil D’Silva, one of India’s revered horror writers, he unveils ten bone-chilling tales from across the nation, guaranteed to send shivers down our spines.
9. Ghosts of the Silent Hills: Stories Based on True Hauntings by Anita Krishan
The hills are haunted. There is something sinister that lurks in every corner. Make no mistakes for the beautiful tranquil greenery can fool anyone and you are no different.
This collection of spine-chilling creepy stories is inspired by cases of true hauntings in remote hills, forests, and mountains.
A little over 200 pages, the book has everything that one can imagine – a lonely damsel in distress looking to enchant men, evil spirits lying in wait inside deserted and abandoned lodges, and the many people who die in accidents whose spirits now await your arrival.
10. Devi by Nag Mani
The book is set in a small distant village in the middle of nowhere. The ruins of an ancient temple where no one worships anymore. Those who pass by it are warned to bow their head, walk away, and never go inside. Not at any cost.
Not even if they are lured in, for the Devi is known to lure unsuspecting people and grant wishes. But she should always be promised something in return.
When Aditi, married to a guy ten years her senior and trying to adjust to a patriarchal society, moves to the remote village of Ufrail in Bihar, best known for its blood-curdling history, she has no idea of what lies ahead.
She has no idea of the horrendous past that taints the very life of the village people. But when she hears about the temple and the wish-granting Devi, she gives in to the lure.
11. Dakhma by K. Hari Kumar
Fast-paced and racy, with elements of psychological thriller woven in with an intricate layer of horror, this 250+ page book narrates the story of a newlywed couple – Varun and Anahita.
They begin this new chapter of their life by moving into a new apartment in the Malabar Hill area but nothing goes as planned. Soon, a supernatural presence who appears after dark leaves
Anahita, scared and terrified, but in search of answers, she stumbles upon an old widow Parizaad. Parizaad was also haunted by something dark, something that had links to Dakhma, a tower of silence.
But as Anahita jumps from one clue to another, she discovers a terrible secret that will forever change the fate of many lives.
12. A Face in the Dark and Other Hauntings by Ruskin Bond
From the pen of India’s favourite author, this collection of short horror stories is a must-have addition to your spooky library. It combines some of the author’s most famous tales of the haunted.
From the classic timeless masterpiece ‘A Face in the Dark’ to the frightening ‘Night of the Millennium’ this book caters to creatures all and sundry – witches, jinns, and ghosts.
![A Face in the Dark and Other Hauntings: Collected Stories of the Supernatural [Paperback] Ruskin Bond](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51363U-klLL._SL500_.jpg)
13. Afterlife: Ghost Stories from Goa by Jessica Faleiro
This book is woven around the Fonseca family who after a long time have come together to celebrate a special occasion – the 75th birthday of Savio Fonseca.
It is the night before the big day and after having a hearty meal, the family has bunched together when the power goes off and everyone has to sit in the dark. Seeing the perfect atmosphere for a ghostly conversation, each member of the family begins narrating a tale of a haunting from within the family.
There are eight tales in total and each tale has a connection to the history of the family, in the end culminating in the revealing of a secret that had been carefully guarded until now.
14. Twelve Paranormal Tales by Amitav Ganguly
Just a little over 100 pages, this collection of 12 haunted short stories is sure to give you a spine-chilling experience.
From a bizarre episode of ventriloquism to a dead mother spooking the son of her living daughter and her deceased lover, from a dead man whose face superimposes itself on its torturer, to a living man’s yearning for a pretty ghost, these tales provide both – variety and chills.
15. Batshit by Kritika Kapoor
Batshit is not your usual tale of horror and that’s because this is a protagonist like no other. Our main character Pia Bhandari is a twenty-something girl, a resident of the posh localities of South Delhi.
From the outset, she has a perfect life, but no one, absolutely no one has any clue what goes on inside that head of hers – not her sister, not her mother, not her boyfriend, and not even her psychiatrist.
But Pia is haunted.
Haunted by a yellow-eyed demon who follows her everywhere. Now the monster is fighting hard to take complete control, to completely ruin everything in her life and leave a sinister mark on the lives of those it touches.
16. Darkness by Ratnakar Matkari
Originally written in Marathi and skilfully translated into English by Vikrant Pande, Darkness is a collection of many short horror stories that artistically retain their rustic Marathi vibe.
From a young boy who can predict anyone’s death date, to a young child’s weird invisible friend, to a ghost who keeps on experiencing the moments of his death, this collection of tales will serve you horror, folklore, and thrill in equal doses.
17. Right Behind You by Neil D’Silva
Right Behind You is a collection of 13 short horror stories that aim to spook your nights and chill your evenings.
Bringing to you an assortment of paranormal experiences and tales – from noir horror to urban myths to local legends to camp night tales to hauntings that happen online, this book will not just entertain you but also leave you wanting more.
18. When the Devil Whispers by Ajinkya Bhasme
From the master of horror comes another hauntingly nerve-racking read inspired by true incidents that changed the very history of the Indian judiciary system.
The devil lives with us and she follows us everywhere, seeing everything, knowing everything, and sometimes whispering things in our ears. But when she does that, she ought to be obeyed.
Shalini, a woman caught up in a strange kidnapping, knows that death might just be her only escape. If not that, at least she knows that it certainly won’t be the worst thing to happen.
Inspired by a case that shocked the whole nation – when in a country like India, two women were given a death sentence for the first time, this book will make you question everything you know while shocking and petrifying you to no end.
19. And the Roses Bled by Mehak Daleh
It is a pretty normal day for sisters Nina and Alisha. A few moments ago, they were happily enjoying their swing time in the Rose Garden but now all of a sudden Nina is gone and their help is looking around, hysterically searching for her.
Alas! Nina is never to be found again but the bond which the two sisters shared remains unbroken even after Nina’s death.
Alisha often sees her wandering around the house but is she here to console her sister or is she pointing to clues to solve the case of her vanishing?
There will be no solution, at least not until the next six years, which is when another ghost reaches out to Alisha.
20. Scare Me if You Can by Sid Kapdi
What happens when spooking others becomes a competition between talented narrators?
In a remote resort in Mahabaleshwar, a best-selling author is conducting an advanced writer’s course in the genre of writing horror.
As the workshop draws near its end, the nine authors cum participants are much inspired and influenced by the chilly vibe of the resort and their spine-chilling experiences.
On the final day, they all agree to a horror storytelling competition with everyone’s aim driven at who can scare the most. As the narrators begin their tales, they take the reader on a frightening ride with every tale rising in the eerie quotient and taking us to different cities of India.
21. India’s Most Haunted by K. Hari Kumar
All of 340 pages, this book is a collection of many short tales all of which are inspired by some of India’s most haunted places including Jammu and Kashmir’s Khooni Nala, Rajasthan’s Bhangarh Fort, Malabar Hill’s Tower of Silence, Delhi’s Sanjay Van, and many more.
22. Taranath Tantrik and Other Tales from the Supernatural by Bibhutibhushan
Originally written in Bengali by the illustrious storyteller Bibhutibhushan and masterfully translated into English by the talented Devolina Mookerjee, these stories range from short to medium-length tales of the supernatural.
The collection consists of nine stories that revolve around things that are otherworldly, unnatural, and occult and that take us through a wide variety of themes from seances, acts of revenge, desires that bypass the human world, curses, necromancy, spiritual powers, ghosts, and even goddesses.
23. The Book of Indian Ghosts by Riksundar Banerjee
In India, just like the food and language, even ghosts change with every community, every state, and even every tribe.
While the Tamils have the deadly and vicious Muni Pei, the Bengalis have their Mechho Bhoots who tend to love fish, and who can forget the famous chudails of North India who stalk the neighbourhood vicinities in the hunt for their next victims?
While some of these ghosts live near water bodies, some of them like the sound of busy neighbourhoods, some feed on innocent men, and some even protect you from unwanted forces. So, who are all these different creatures, and what mysteries and legends they are shrouded in?
Riksundar Banerjee brings to you a well-researched account of Indian ghosts and their legends, mysteries, tales, beliefs, superstitions, and experiences.
24. Haunted: Real Life Encounters with Ghosts by Jay Alani and Neil D’Silva
In this book, India’s master horror storyteller Neil D’Silva partners with Jay Alani, a famed paranormal investigator to bring to the readers ten of India’s most haunted places.
Many people flock to these places in search of experiences but they always have more questions than answers when they come back, that is if they come back.
This list of spookiest places includes a well-known public fair where exorcisms are carried out in the open, mines where 20 thousand unlucky souls got trapped and died, a fort that fell into abandonment because of a wicked curse, a village whose very essence is black magic, and a town that was mysteriously deserted over the course of a single night.
25. Ghosts in Our Backyard by Alisha Priti Kirpalani
The Ramsays are famously known as India’s first horror family. After all, they do get the credit for bringing chudails, ghouls, and ghosts to the Indian masses through the medium of their films and series.
But very few people are aware that horror was not just in their production sets and in their art, it had seeped into the very fabric of their life. Their real experiences of the supernatural are as chilly as their sets and their stories.
Now, Alisha Kirpalani, the granddaughter of the famous FU Ramsay brings to us stories of real hauntings that the family had experienced and that have been passed on from generation to generation.
From the ghost visitor of Lamington House, which was the old home of the Ramsays, to Shyam Ramsay’s eerie encounter with the woman on the highway, to the unexplained and creepy knocking that Tanuja Ramsay experienced in every house that she lived, these stories of real hauntings will chill you to the bone.
Surely, a must-add gem to the non-fiction section of your Best Indian Horror Books shelf.
26. Yakshini by Neil D’Silva
In Yakshini, Neil D’Silva narrates the tale of two entities who come together in a stunning earthly form.
Meenakshi was conceived when a celestial Yakshini who was to be punished because of her mistake gets embroiled with the destiny of the seventh child of a Maharashtrian couple.
When this child turns fifteen years of age, she morphs into a beautiful maiden whose beauty can only be described as celestial. But when the lecherous eyes of men taint her mind, it awakens the Yakshini deep asleep inside of her.
When that happens, she is propelled into a devious world of passion and violence, one that threatens everything, and puts even her husband’s life in grave danger.
A different kind of story that combines horror and mythology to bring us a tale that is both unique and unforgettable, this book should certainly find a place in any Best Indian Horror Books collection.
27. As Death Stared Back by Ajinkya Bhasme
In this spine-chilling novel, the author combines elements of a psychological thriller with horror to bring to us a tale that is nerve-racing and bone-chilling.
Sanjana, a mother sees a gruesome nightmare of her husband killing their son and figures out that the husband had the same nightmare.
Ten years later, her now-dead husband comes back and though he knows everything that Punit did, and behaves like him, Sanjana deep down knows that this new person is not her Punit.
Slowly and steadily, pieces of evidence of his death also start disappearing and Sanjana now has to save her son from this imposter before her own sanity and their lives are at risk.
28. Haunted Places of India by Riksundar Banerjee
In this book, the author researches and studies some of India’s most haunted places that are infamous for their tragic events, vengeful spirits, malevolent spirits, and evil ghouls.
Out of the many such places included in the book major ones include a portal in Hahim that transports one to the unknown, the gruesome Khooni Nala, the deserted village of Kuldhara in Rajasthan, the dangerous highway NH-33, and many others.
29. The Disappearance of Tejas Sharma and Other Hauntings by Manish Mahajan
One of the shortest reads in this list of Best Indian Horror Books, with just about 70 pages, this book is a collection of 12 short stories that take you through the length and breadth of India.
Whether it is an eerie tale of a haunted peepal tree in Rajasthan or the account of a ghost station in West Bengal, or the mysterious old well in the middle of a deserted island, these tales of horror are short but definitely spooky.
30. Massage by Arya Narrayan
This book is a little different from the rest, in the sense, that this book though written by an Indian author transports the reader to the country of Thailand.
A young couple Prasong Songchon and Rutna Songchon work in the capital city of Bangkok, trying to make ends meet with their meagre salaries. One day when the wife complains of back pain, the husband books a special massage session for her at the Paradise Thai Massage Parlour.
It is after this session that things start going wrong and both Rutna and Parsong are haunted by supernatural forces that disrupt the very fabric of their lives.
31. The Shadow on the Wall by Ruskin Bond
Yet another short story collection from India’s favourite author, this book of under 200 pages includes 21 short horror stories that are enough to give you both variety and chills.
From classics like, ‘A Face in the Dark’, ‘Susanna’s Seven Husbands’, ‘The Shadow on the Wall’, and ‘The Chakrata Cat’ to many recent additions, these tales give a distinct flavour of the times of the Raj and the haunted atmospheric vibes of the Himalayan hills.
32. Ghost Stories of Shimla Hills by Minakshi Chaudhary
When talking about the Best Indian Horror Books, how can one forget the many haunted places that dot this diverse country? This book is for those who are familiar with Shimla, or those who wish to go there. Just a little over 100 pages, it provides eerie and hair-raising accounts of the world of the supernatural in and around the hills of Shimla.
The book includes the experiences of many residents as well as tourists who have witnessed the multitude of ghosts, chudails, and spirits that haunt the area, many of them going back to the days of the British Raj.
So here is our definite must-read list of Best Indian Horror Books including a healthy dose of both fiction as well as accounts that are written through lived experiences.
We invite you to immerse yourself in these chilling tales, exploring the dark corners of our collective imagination. From supernatural encounters to bone-chilling hauntings, these books will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Did we miss any spine-tingling gems in this compilation?
Share your recommendations about Best Indian Horror Books in the comments below, and let’s keep the horror conversation alive!