Just a question about horror fiction, in book form. 
My own favorite is likely 'The Recluse of Bayswater', which is part of a loosely tied collection of fiction by Arthur Machen. It has a very powerful ending, and perhaps it is worth noting that it was clearly the basis for Stephen King's work 'Gray Matter' (Machen's story is also often titled as 'White Powder').
'The Monkey's paw' is another interesting work, although i don't like the third and final part. The first two are more free-flowing, in my view.
De Maupassant wrote a number of horror tales, although he was clearly focused on the element of his own impending madness (he later died in a mental asylum, in a very horrible state). 'The Horla' is one of the larger ones of his, also mentioned by Lovecraft in his treatise on horror literature.
E.T.A. Hoffmann's works about automata are worth noting as well. 'The Sandman' in particular, despite its somewhat old-fashioned form of narrative, is a very potent piece.
Poe and Lovecraft are other notable writers in this genre. The Tell-tale heart and The music of Erich Zahn are my favorite works by them, respectively
My own favorite is likely 'The Recluse of Bayswater', which is part of a loosely tied collection of fiction by Arthur Machen. It has a very powerful ending, and perhaps it is worth noting that it was clearly the basis for Stephen King's work 'Gray Matter' (Machen's story is also often titled as 'White Powder').
'The Monkey's paw' is another interesting work, although i don't like the third and final part. The first two are more free-flowing, in my view.
De Maupassant wrote a number of horror tales, although he was clearly focused on the element of his own impending madness (he later died in a mental asylum, in a very horrible state). 'The Horla' is one of the larger ones of his, also mentioned by Lovecraft in his treatise on horror literature.
E.T.A. Hoffmann's works about automata are worth noting as well. 'The Sandman' in particular, despite its somewhat old-fashioned form of narrative, is a very potent piece.
Poe and Lovecraft are other notable writers in this genre. The Tell-tale heart and The music of Erich Zahn are my favorite works by them, respectively
