List of the Top 40 Horror Short Stories from 1800-1849

Below is a rundown of what I believe to be the Top 40 scary short stories from 1800 to 1849. You will notice some familiar names and some that may be new. The Top 12 were recently published in my new book: The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology. They include story backgrounds, annotations and photos of the author. I am also please to announced that for the first time the book is now available as a Kindle ebook for only $4.99. Just click The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849 Kindle ebook to be taken to the page. Enjoy and for those of you in the United States, Happy Thanksgiving!

40.     1839 Running the Gauntlet by Anonymous

39.     1823 The Mutiny by William Harrison Ainsworth

38.     1836 The Wedding Knell by Nathaniel Hawthorne

37.     1842 Ben Blower's Story; or How to Relish a Julep by Charles Feno Hoffman

36.     1827 The Bohemian by Anonymous

35.     1831 Singular Passage in the Life of the Late Henry Harris, Doctor in Divinity by Richard Harris Barham

34.     1830 Confessions of a Reformed Ribbonman by William Carleton

33.     1820 The Field of Terror by Baron Friedrich Heinrich Karl De la Motte Fouquâe

32.     1837 Cousin Mattie by James Hogg

31.     1844 Rappaccini’s Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

30.     1821  The Man in the Bell by William Maginn

29.     1836 The Legend of the Bell Rock by Captain Frederick Marryat

28.     1849 Hop-Frog by Edgar Allan Poe

27.     1832 Gabriel Lindsay by William Mudford

26.     1835 The Fiery Vault by Reithra

25.     1837 The Involuntary Experimentalist by Samuel Ferguson

24.     1831 The Lonely Man of the Ocean by Anonymous

23.     1843 Ko-rea-ran-neh-neh; or, The Flying Head by Charles Feno Hoffman

22.     1846 The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe

21.     1837 Dr. Heidegger's Experiment by Nathaniel Hawthorne

20.     1823 A Scots Mummy by James Hogg

19.     1835 The Story of the Greek Slave by Captain Frederick Marryat

18.     1843 The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe

17.     1834 The Singular Trial of Francis Ormiston by George Sloane

16.     1842 The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe

15.     1827 Le Revenant by Henry Thomson

14.     1841 A Descent into the Maelstrom by Edgar Allan Poe

13.     1830 The Elixir of Life by Honore de Balzac

12.     1836 The Old Man’s Tale About the Queer Client by Charles Dickens
11.     1817 The Deserted House by E.T. A. Hoffmann
10.     1836 The Minister’s Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne
9.       1843 The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe
8.       1828 The Severed Hand by Wilhelm Hauff
7.       1826 The Lighthouse by George Soane
6.       1842 The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allan Poe
5.       1829 El Verdugo (The Executioner) by Honoré de Balzac
4.       1832 The Thunder-Struck and the Boxer by Samuel Warren
3.       1845 The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar by Edgar Allan Poe
2.       1832 The Mysterious Mansion by Honoré de Balzac
1.       1839 The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe

Review of The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology

The Midwest Book Review has posted a review of The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-8149: A Classic Horror Anthology. Here is what the 5 star review said:

"Horror is a young genre as far as literature goes, and it has gone far in its short life. "The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology" compiles some of the best early work by the fathers of modern horror such as Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Dickens, among other names. These stories branch from the traditional fiction of the time into something a bit more sinister. "The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849" is a top to bottom pick for anyone who appreciates where the best of horror came from." 

Reveal for the #1 Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849

The reveal is finally here for the best horror short story of 1800-1849. I pick Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" for the number one spot. This fantastic horror tale is one of the best for the entire century, let alone the first half. You can read my thoughts and background information on it in The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology. In a future post I will list all of the Top 40 horror short stories again just in case you missed them the first time. Enjoy!

Website: www.AndrewBarger.com 

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Author of the Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849 is Edgar Allan Poe

The last notch in the wrung of my countdown for the Top 40 horror short stories from 1800-1849 is finally here. To little surprise, Edgar Allan Poe, who has appeared numerous times on this countdown, weighs in at the number one spot. Tomorrow I will reveal his classic horror tale that got him there. From there I will post the list of all 40 stories if you missed them during the countdown.

Website: www.AndrewBarger.com

   

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Price Drop for The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849 Book

I though those of you who have been following my countdown of the Top 40 horror short stories for the first half of the nineteenth century would like to know that there has been a price drop on The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology to $13.98 at most online booksellers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble. So, if the book has been sitting in your virtual shopping cart, now is the time to pull the trigger. Have a great weekend! 

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Reveal for the 2nd Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849

For the second best short horror story of 1800-1849 I choose "The Mysterious Mansion" by Honore de Balzac (1799-1850). This horrific story of "entrapment" rises far above Edgar Allan Poe's best tale of a similar nature, "The Cask of Amontillado." You can read the story along with my annotations and story background in The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology.

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Author of the 2nd Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849 is Honoré de Balzac

Frenchman, Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850), has already appeared a number of times in my countdown of the Top 40 horror short stories for the first half of the nineteenth century. Most recently he appeared in the 5th spot with "The Executioner." In my next post I will reveal the classic horror tale that lofted him into 2nd place on the countdown. 

Website: www.AndrewBarger.com

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Reveal for the 3rd Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849

I am down to the Final Three in my countdown of the Top 40 horror short stories from 1800-1849. I pick Edgar Allan Poe's "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar" as the third best horror tale for this period. You can read it along with my annotations and introduction in my newly published horror anthology. 

Amazon: The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology

 Barnes & Noble: The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology

Website: AndrewBarger.com

Edgar Allan Poe is the Author of the 3rd Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849

Edgar Allan Poe has already appeared many times on my countdown of the Top 40 horror short stories for the first half of the nineteenth century. He appears again in the third position. In my next post I will reveal the terrifying story that got him there. 

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Monster Librarian Review of The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849

A new review is out for The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Werewolf Anthology. This is one if by MonsterLibrarian.com. This is a snippet of what they had to say about the book:

"This scholarly collection of five classic short stories collected by Andrew Barger is impressive, and would be of interest for anyone fascinated with the history of the werewolf mythos.  Written in the 50 year period between 1800~1849, these stories represent the genesis of the werewolf in literature."

Click to read the entire werewolf book review. Thanks and happy Halloween!

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