What makes something truly scary? Horror stories can range from terrifying ghosts, eerie hauntings and supernatural possessions, to the deadly wrath of humans being unleashed in unspeakable ways. Here are four suggestions for your next read this Halloween season, authored by some of our favourite Nobel Prize laureates. 1. The Empusium, written by Olga Tokarczuk (2018 literature prize) The story is set in 1913 in south-western Poland. Mieczysław Wojnicz, a young engineering student from Lwów, has newly arrived at a sanatorium looking for a healthy lifestyle to treat his lungs. Amidst his odd daily routine with the other patients, shocking revelations begin to emerge. Someone, or something, seems to be watching them. Blending horror, comedy, folklore and feminist parable, Olga Tokarczuk leads you into a world of eeriness. 2. Beloved, written by Toni Morrison (1993 literature prize) Set in 1873 after the American Civil War, this novel tells the story of Sethe, a formerly enslaved woman, and her 18-year-old daughter, Denver. Their Cincinnati home is haunted by the malevolent spirit of Sethe’s nameless baby whose tombstone is engraved with a single word: ‘Beloved’. The story explores how Sethe’s horrific past as a slave continues to torment her life. Through poetic prose and spellbinding suspense, Morrison brings to light the abyss of slavery and its effects. 3. A Rose for Emily, written by William Faulkner (1949 literature prize) An intriguing Southern Gothic tale written in 1930, this short story revolves around a seemingly cold, aristocratic woman named Emily Grierson. Her life in Jefferson, governed by her strict father, is examined through the voice of one of the many townspeople who judge her every move until her death. With a bone-chilling twist, the plot becomes a commentary of social structure and individualism. Faulkner uses a non-linear narrative style and psychological allegory to create a macabre fictional tale of determinism. 4. The Curse of the Fires and of the Shadows, written by William Butler Yeats (1923 literature prize) This dark historical story is a retelling of the burning down of Sligo Abbey by Puritan soldiers under Sir Frederick Hamilton in 1642 during the Irish Confederate Wars. It follows five soldiers who shoot the monks and are cursed by the dying abbot. The supernatural dread that follows gives way to bloody premonitions and fatal haunting. Blending Irish folklore, historical fiction and fantasy, Yeats spins a vengeful, gothic horror that is unforgettable. Learn more about the literature prize here: