"Horror is one of the most straighforward genres to define and understand on a very basic level. The goal of Horror fiction is to produce fear in readers, sometimes through psychology, sometimes through gory details, and its appeal occurs on a very deep emotional level. It contains a monster of some type, and supernatural elements figure prominently."... "What is important is the feeling of foreboding that permeates the novels, the sense of unease as we await the unexpected. Horror novels, then, are stories of nightmares come to life, complete with monsters of various descriptions; and, as in all our nightmares, surprise is a crucial element. We never know exactly when the terror will invade our lives… .
From The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction. 3rd edition by Joyce Saricks. Chicago, ILL: American Library Association, 2009
Apocalypse - The Stand by Stephen King
Cosmic Horror - The Best of H.P. Lovecraft by H.P. Lovecraft
Dark Fantasy - The Darkest Part of the Woods by Ramsey Campbell
Demonic Possession/Invasion - The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
Ghosts - The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Haunted Houses - The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Monsters - The Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Psychological Horror/Serial Killer - The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
Splatterpunk - The Books of Blood by Clive Barker
Vampires - Dracula by Bram Stoker
Witchcraft - The Witching Hour by Anne Rice
Zombies - The Rising by Brian Keene