List of horror fiction writers

This is an incomplete list of notable writers in the horror fiction genre.

Some writers listed below have also written in other genres, especially fantasy and science fiction.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

A

• Linda Addison (born 1952, US)
• Robert Aickman (1914–1981, England)
• Gemma Amor (living, British)
• V. C. Andrews (1923–1986, US), also Cleo Virginia Andrews
• Leonid Andreyev (1871–1919, Russia)
• Johann August Apel (1771–1816, Germany)
• Hirohiko Araki (born 1960, Japan)
• Michael Arnzen (born 1967, US)
• Lady Cynthia Asquith (1887–1960, England)
• Joe Augustyn (living, US)
• Jonathan Aycliffe (1949–2022, N Ireland), pseudonym of Denis MacEoin

B

• J. G. Ballard (1930–2009, China/England)
• Nathan Ballingrud (born 1970, US)
• Leslie Esdaile Banks (1959–2011, US)
• René Barjavel (1911–1985, France)
• Clive Barker (born 1952, England)
• J. D. Barker (born 1971, US)
• Laird Barron (born 1970, US)
• Jeremy Bates (born 1978, Canada/US)
• Charles Beaumont (1929–1967, US)
• William Beckford (1760–1844, England)
• Edo van Belkom (born 1962, Canada)
• John Bellairs (1938–1991, US)
• A. C. Benson (1862–1925, England)
• E. F. Benson (1867–1940, England)
• Robert Hugh Benson (1871–1914, England)
• Ambrose Bierce (1842 – c. 1914, US)
• Charles Birkin (1907–1986, England)
• Jerome Bixby (1923–1998, US)
• John Blackburn (1923–1993, England)
• Leigh Blackmore (born 1959, Australia)
• Algernon Blackwood (1869–1951, England)
• Korban Blake (living, England)
• William Peter Blatty (1928–2017, US)
• Robert Bloch (1917–1994, US)
• Roy C. Booth (born 1965, US)
• Guy Boothby (1867–1905, Australia/England)
• Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986, Argentina/Switzerland)
• Bruce Boston (born 1943, US)
• Marjorie Bowen (1885–1952, England)
• Ray Bradbury (1920–2012, US)
• Walter Brandorff (1943–1996, Germany/Austria)
• Gary Brandner (1933–2013, US)
• Gary A. Braunbeck (born 1960, US)
• Joseph Payne Brennan (1918–1990, US)
• Poppy Z. Brite (born 1967, US)
• Jason V. Brock (born 1970, US)
• Kealan Patrick Burke (born 1976, Ireland)
• A. M. Burrage (1889–1956, England)

C

• P. D. Cacek (born 1951, US)
• Ramsey Campbell (born 1946, England)
• Peter Cannon (born 1951, US)
• C. J. Carter-Stephenson (born 1977, England)
• Abelardo Castillo (1935–2017, Argentina)
• Mort Castle (born 1946, US)
• Brian Catling (1948-2022, England)
• Hugh B. Cave (1910–2004, England/US)
• Robert W. Chambers (1865–1933, US)
• Fred Chappell (born 1936, US)
• Erckmann-Chatrian (Émile Erckmann (1822–1899) and Alexandre Chatrian, 1826–1890, France)
• Lincoln Child (born 1957, US)
• Richard Chizmar (born 1965, US)
• Autumn Christian (living, US)
• M. Christian (living, US)
• Michael Cisco (born 1970, US)
• Joseph A. Citro (living, US)
• Alan M. Clark (born 1957, US)
• Simon Clark (born 1958, England)
• Douglas Clegg (born 1958, US)
• Nancy A. Collins (born 1959, US)
• Brendan Connell (born 1970, US)
• David Conyers (born 1971, Australia)
• Caroline B. Cooney (born 1947, US)
• Basil Copper (1924–2013, England)
• Larry Correia (born 1977, US)
• Julio Cortázar (1914–1984, Argentina/France)
• Francis Marion Crawford (1854–1909, Italy/US)
• Linda Crockett (born 1943, Canada/US)
• Bithia Mary Croker (c. 1848/1849–1920, Ireland/England)
• Géza Csáth (1887–1919, Hungary)
• Chris Curry (born 1957, US)

D

• Roald Dahl (1916–1990, Wales/England)
• Les Daniels (1943–2011, US)
• Jason Dark (born 1945, Germany), pseudonym of Helmut Rellergerd
• L. P. Davies (1914–1988, England)
• Stephen Dedman (born 1959, Australia)
• Ted Dekker (born 1962, US)
• Marcelo Del Debbio (born 1974, Brazil)
• Guy Anthony De Marco (born 1963, US)
• Arinn Dembo (born 1970, US/Canada)
• August Derleth (1909–1971, US)
• Narayan Dharap (1925–2008, India)
• Philip K. Dick (1928–1982, US)
• Cherie Dimaline (born 1975, Metis Nation, Canada)
• Keith Donohue (born 1959, US)
• Tananarive Due (born 1966, US)
• Lord Dunsany (1878–1957, England/Ireland)
• Brian Lee Durfee (living, US)

E

• Harlan Ellison (1934–2018, US)
• Guy Endore (1901–1970, US)
• Andreas Eschbach (born 1959, Germany)
• Dennis Etchison (1943–2019, US)
• Benjamin Kane Ethridge (born 1977, US)
• C. M. Eddy, Jr. (1896–1967, US)
• Elizabeth Engstrom (born 1951, US)
• Walter Ernsting (1920–2005, Germany)
• Brian Evenson (born 1966, US)
• John Everson (born 1966, US)
• Hanns Heinz Ewers (1871–1943, Germany)

F

• JG Faherty (born 1961, US)
• Amber Fallon (born 1983, US)
• Henry Farrell (1920–2006, US)
• John Farris (born 1936, US)
• Robert Faulcon (1948–2009, England)
• Julian Osgood Field (1852–1925, US)
• Gemma Files (born 1968, Canada)
• Paul Finch (living, England)
• Hart D. Fisher (living, US)
• Sebastian Fitzek (born 1971, Germany)
• Robert Fleming (living, US)
• Jeffrey Ford (born 1955, US)
• Christopher Fowler (born 1953, England)
• Andrew Fox (living, US)
• Gary Frank (born 1969, England)
• Brian James Freeman (born 1979, US)
• Patrick Freivald (born 1976, US)
• Fran Friel (living, US)
• Gayleen Froese (born 1972, Canada)
• Polly Frost (living, US)

G

• Neil Gaiman (born 1960, England)
• Stephen Gallagher (born 1954, England)
• Mick Garris (born 1951, US)
• Ray Garton (born 1962, US)
• Elizabeth Gaskell (1810–1865, England)
• Stephen R. George (born 1959, Scotland/Canada)
• Greg F. Gifune (born 1963, US)
• Robert Murray Gilchrist (1867–1917, England)
• Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860–1935, US)
• Owl Goingback (born 1959, US)
• Christie Golden (born 1963, US)
• Christopher Golden (born 1967, US)
• Jennifer Anne Gordon (US)
• Ed Gorman ( 1941–2016, US)
• Stefan Grabiński (1887–1936, Poland)
• Nicholas Grabowsky (born 1966, US)
• Charles Gramlich (born 1958, US)
• Charles L. Grant (1942–2006, US)
• Mira Grant (born 1978, US)
• Rain Graves (born 1974, US)
• Peter Van Greenaway (1929–1988, England)
• Eric J. Guignard (born 1975, US)
• George Guthridge (born 1948, US)

H

• Mary Downing Hahn (born 1937, US)
• Alex Hall (born 1990, US)
• Laurell K. Hamilton (born 1963, US)
• Thomas Harris (born 1940, US)
• Kim Harrison (born 1966, US)
• L. P. Hartley (1895–1972, England)
• David G. Hartwell (1941–2016, US)
• W. F. Harvey (1885–1937, England)
• Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864, US)
• Ronald Chetwynd-Hayes (1919–2001, England)
• RR Haywood (born 1975, England)
• Lafcadio Hearn (小泉八雲, 1850–1904, Greece/Japan)
• Victor Heck (born 1967, US)
• James Herbert (1943–2013, England)
• Gyula Hernádi (1926–2005, Hungary)
• Joe Hill (born 1972, US)
• Glen Hirshberg (born 1966, US)
• Brian Hodge (born 1960, US)
• William Hope Hodgson (1877–1918, England/Belgium)
• E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776–1825, Germany)
• Diane Hoh (living, US)
• Nancy Holder (born 1953, US)
• Brian A. Hopkins (born 1960, US)
• Nalo Hopkinson (born 1960, Jamaica/Canada)
• Anthony Horowitz (born 1955, England)
• Ron Horsley (born 1977, US)
• Gerard Daniel Houarner (born 1955, US)
• Robert E. Howard (1906–1936, US)
• Del Howison (born 1953, US)
• Tanya Huff (born 1957, Canada)
• Charlie Huston (living, US)
• Shaun Hutson (born 1958, England)

I

• Stephen M. Irwin (born 1966, Australia)

J

• Shirley Jackson (1916–1965, US)
• Charlee Jacob (1952–2019, US)
• W. W. Jacobs (1863–1943, England)
• Carl Jacobi (1908–1997, US)
• Henry James (1843–1916, US/England)
• L. Dean James (1947–2018, US)
• M. R. James (1862–1936, England)
• Trent Jamieson (living, Australia)
• Ruby Jean Jensen (1927–2010, US)
• K. W. Jeter (born 1950, US)
• Robert Barbour Johnson (1907–1987, US)
• Stephen Graham Jones (born 1972, US)
• Stephen Jones (born 1953, England)

K

• Franz Kafka (1883–1924, Austrian E/Austria)
• James Kahn (born 1947, US)
• Jeanne Kalogridis (born 1954, US)
• Brian Keene (born 1967, US)
• Ronald Kelly (born 1959, US)
• Rick Kennett (born 1956, Australia)
• Jasper Kent (born 1968, England)
• Jack Ketchum (1946–2018, US)
• Jenny Kiefer (living, US)
• Caitlín R. Kiernan (born 1964, Ireland/US)
• Stephen King (born 1947, US)
• Russell Kirk (1918–1994, US)
• T. E. D. Klein (born 1947, US)
• Kathe Koja (born 1960, US)
• Dean R. Koontz (born 1945, US)
• M. F. Korn (living, US)
• Alfred Kubin (1877–1959, Austrian E/Austria)
• Henry Kuttner (1915–1958, US)

L

• Marc Laidlaw (born 1960, US)
• John Langan (born 1969, US)
• Sarah Langan (born 1974, US)
• Roberta Lannes (born 1948, US)
• Joe R. Lansdale (born 1951, US)
• Victor LaValle (born 1972, US)
• Margery Lawrence (1889–1969, England)
• Richard Laymon (1947–2001, US)
• Deborah LeBlanc (living, US)
• Tim Lebbon (born 1969, England/Wales)
• Edward Lee (born 1957, US)
• Tanith Lee (1947–2015, England)
• Vernon Lee (1856–1935, France/Italy)
• J. Sheridan Le Fanu (1814–1873, Ireland)
• Fritz Leiber (1910–1992, US)
• Ira Levin (1929–2007, US)
• Edward Levy (living, US)
• Matthew Lewis (1775–1818, England)
• Thomas Ligotti (born 1953, US)
• John Ajvide Lindqvist (born 1968, Sweden)
• Bentley Little (born 1960, US)
• John R. Little (born 1955, Canada)
• Martin Livings (born 1970, Australia)
• Frank Belknap Long (1901–1994, US)
• László L. Lőrincz (born 1939, Hungary)
• H. P. Lovecraft (1890–1937, US)
• Tim Lucas (born 1956, US)
• Brian Lumley (born 1937, England)

M

• Jonathan Maberry (born 1958, US)
• Arthur Machen (1863–1947, Wales)
• Ronald Malfi (born 1977, US)
• Nick Mamatas (born 1972, US)
• H. A. Manhood (1904–1991, England)
• Walter de la Mare (1873–1956, England)
• Richard Marsh (1857–1915, England)
• George R. R. Martin (born 1948, US)
• Brandon Massey (born 1973, US)
• Elizabeth Massie (born 1953, US)
• Graham Masterton (born 1946, Scotland/England)
• Richard Matheson (1926–2013, US)
• Richard Christian Matheson (born 1953, US)
• Charles Maturin (1782–1824, Ireland)
• Daphne du Maurier (1907–1989, England)
• Brett McBean (born 1978, Australia)
• F. M. Mayor (1872–1932, England)
• Robert McCammon (born 1952, US)
• Angel Leigh McCoy (born 1962, US)
• Michael McDowell (1950–1999, US)
• Brian McNaughton (1935-2004, US)
• Carlton Mellick III (born 1977, US)
• A. Merritt (1884–1943, US)
• John Metcalfe (1891–1965, England)
• Gustav Meyrink (1868–1932, Austrian E/Austria)
• China Miéville (born 1972, England)
• Rex Miller (1939–2004, US)
• Susie Moloney (born 1962, Canada)
• Joseph M. Monks (born 1967, US)
• David Moody (born 1970, England)
• James A. Moore (born 1965, US)
• Michael Moorcock (born 1939, England)
• Silvia Moreno-Garcia (born 1981, Mexico)
• A. R. Morlan (1958-2016)
• David Morrell (born 1943, Canada/US)
• W. C. Morrow (1854–1923, US)
• Lisa Morton (born 1958, US)
• Gary Myers (born 1952, US)

N

• Joseph Nassise (born 1968, US)
• Yvonne Navarro (born 1957, US)
• Adam Nevill (born 1969, England)
• Kim Newman (born 1959, England)
• Scott Nicholson (born 1963, US)
• William F. Nolan (1928–2021, US)
• Ingrid Noll (born 1935, Germany)

O

• Joyce Carol Oates (born 1938, US)
• Weston Ochse (born 1965, US)
• Elliott O'Donnell (1872–1965, England)
• Gene O'Neill (born 1938, US)
• Nuzo Onoh (born 1962, living England, UK)
• Michael Oliveri (living, US)
• Oliver Onions (1873–1961, England/Wales)
• Otsuichi (乙一, born 1978, Japan)
• Julya Oui (living, Malaysia)

P

J. H. E. Partington: Ambrose Bierce (painting)

• Barry Pain (1864–1928, England)
• Chuck Palahniuk (born 1962, US)
• Eliza Parsons (1739–1811, England)
• Norman Partridge (born 1958, US)
• James Patterson (born 1947, US)
• Mervyn Peake (1911–1968, China/England)
• John Pelan (1957–2021, US)
• Frank E. Peretti (born 1951, Canada/US)
• András Petőcz (born 1959, Hungary)
• Thomas Piccirilli (1965–2015, US)
• Sarah Pinborough (born 1972, England)
• Christopher Pike (born 1955, US)
• Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849, US)
• Thomas Peckett Prest (c. 1810 – c. 1859, England)
• Douglas Preston (born 1956, US)
• Cherie Priest (born 1975, US)
• W. H. Pugmire (1951–2019, US)

Q

• Horacio Quiroga (1878–1937, Uruguay)

R

• Ann Radcliffe (1764–1823, England)
• Gary Raisor (living, US)
• Herman Raucher (born 1928, US)
• Jean Ray (1887–1964, Belgium)
• Jenő Rejtő (1905–1943, Hungary)
• Loren Rhoads (born 1963, US)
• Anne Rice (1941–2021, US)
• Jeff Rice (1944–2015, US)
• Charlotte Riddell (1832–1906, Ireland/England)
• Tod Robbins (1888–1949, US)
• Ormond Robbins (1910–1984, US)
• Wayne Robbins (1914–1958, US)
• Regina Maria Roche (1764–1845, Ireland/England)
• Alan Rodgers (1959–2014, US)
• Don Roff (born 1966, US)
• Ian Rogers (born 1976, Canada)
• L. T. C. Rolt (1910–1974, England)
• Ray Russell (1924–1999, US)
• Joanna Russ (1937–2011, US)
• John Russo (born 1939, US)
• Alan Ryan (1943–2011, US)
• R. R. Ryan (1882–1950, England)
• James Malcolm Rymer (1814–1888, England)

S

• Saki (1870–1916, pseudonym of H. H. Munro, England)
• Joan Samson (1937 - 1976), USA
• Al Sarrantonio (born 1952, US)
• Andrzej Sarwa (born 1953, Poland)
• John Saul (born 1942, US)
• William Schoell (born 1958, US)
• David J. Schow (born 1955, Germany/US)
• Bruno Schulz (1892–1942, Poland)
• Darrell Schweitzer (born 1952, US)
• M. R. Sellars (born 1962, US)
• Darren Shan (born 1972, England/Ireland)
• Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797–1851, England)
• Michael Shea (1946–2014, US)
• John Shirley (born 1953, US)
• Anne Rivers Siddons (1936-2019, US)
• Sigma (1849–1925, US)
• Dan Simmons (born 1948, US)
• May Sinclair (1863–1946, England)
• John Skipp (born 1957, US)
• Michael Slade (born 1947, Canada)
• Clark Ashton Smith (1893–1961, US)
• Guy N. Smith (1939–2020, UK)
• Lucy A. Snyder (born 1971, US)
• S. P. Somtow (born 1952, Thailand)
• William Browning Spencer (born 1946, US)
• Robin Spriggs (born 1974, US)
• Anna Starobinets (born 1978, Russia)
• Bryce J. Stevens (born 1957, N Zealand/Australia)
• Francis Stevens (1884–1948, US)
• R. L. Stine (born 1943, US)
• Bram Stoker (1847–1912, Ireland/England)
• Sam Stone (living, England)
• Simon Strantzas (born 1972, Canada)
• Peter Straub (1943-2022, US)
• Whitley Strieber (born 1945, US)
• Karl Hans Strobl (1877–1946, Austrian E/Czechoslovakia)
• Joel A. Sutherland (born 1980, Canada)
• E. G. Swain (1861–1938, England)
• Robert Swindells (born 1939, US)
• Koji Suzuki (鈴木光司, born 1957, Japan)
• Mitzi Szereto (living, England)

T

• Karen E. Taylor (living, US)
• Lucy Taylor (born 1950, US)
• Melanie Tem (1949–2015, US)
• Steve Rasnic Tem (born 1950, US)
• Thomas Tessier (born 1947, US)
• Rosemary Timperley (1920–1988, England)
• Jeffrey Thomas (born 1957, US)
• Richard Thomas (born 1967, US)
• Christine Campbell Thomson (1897–1985, England)
• Tamara Thorne (born 1957, US)
• Paul G. Tremblay (born 1971, US)
• Tom Tryon (1926–1991, US)
• Lisa Tuttle (born 1952, US)

V

• Jeff VanderMeer (born 1968, US)
• Jane de La Vaudère (1857–1908, France)

W

• Tim Waggoner (born 1964, US)
• Karl Edward Wagner (1945–1994, US)
• Kaaron Warren (living, Australia)
• H. Russell Wakefield (1888–1964, England)
• Horace Walpole (1717–1797, England)
• Elizabeth Walter (1927–2006, England)
• Ron Weighell (1950–2020, England)
• Robert Weinberg (1946–2016, US)
• David Wellington (born 1971, US)
• Manly Wade Wellman (1903–1986, US)
• Edith Wharton (1862–1937, US)
• Dennis Wheatley (1897–1977, England)
• Henry S. Whitehead (1882–1932, US)
• Les Whitten (1928–2017, US)
• Don Webb (born 1960, US)
• Dan Wells (born 1977, US)
• H. G. Wells (1866–1946, England)
• Sidney Williams (born 1962, US)
• Chet Williamson (born 1948, US)
• J. N. Williamson (1932–2005, US), also Julian Shock
• Colin Wilson (1931–2013, England)
• David Niall Wilson (born 1959, US)
• F. Paul Wilson (born 1946, US)
• Gahan Wilson (1930–2019, US)
• Douglas E. Winter (born 1950, US)
• Donald A. Wollheim (1914–1990, US)
• Bari Wood (born 1935, US)
• Rocky Wood (1959–2014, New Zealand/Australia)
• Douglas E. Wright (born 1955, Canada)
• T. M. Wright (1947–2015, US)

Y

• Chelsea Quinn Yarbro (born 1942, US)

Z

• Alexander Zelenyj (living, Canada)
• Péter Zsoldos (1930–1997, Hungary)

See also

Subgenres:

• Body horror
• Cthulhu Mythos
• Dark fantasy
• Erotic horror
• Fantastique
• Ghost story
• Lovecraftian horror
• Psychological horror
• Splatterpunk
• Vampire fiction
• Werewolf fiction
• Weird fiction

Author lists:

• List of fantasy authors
• List of Clarion South Writers Workshop Instructors
• List of Clarion West Writers Workshop Alumni
• List of Clarion West Writers Workshop Instructors
• List of Clarion Writers Workshop Alumni
• List of Clarion Writers Workshop Instructors
• List of notable 20th-century writers
• List of science fiction authors
• Lists of writers

External links

• Horror Authors at Curlie
• Horror Writers Association