Looking for scary short stories for Halloween? Here are three stories that will give you goosebumps this October. All of these stories can be read for free online, either here on our website or on Project Gutenberg. Or, if you’re looking for a printable option, sign up for our emails to get a printable PDF of “The Tell-Tale Heart,” perfect for using with a class or reading away from your screen.
Edgar Allan Poe was an American poet and writer. He is famous for poems like “The Raven” and short stories like the ones below. Known for dark and unsettling themes in his stories, his work has lived on long after his death in 1849. Enjoy these spooky short stories that have been giving people goosebumps for more than 100 years.
The Tell-tale heart
One of Poe’s most famous short stories, “The Tell-Tale Heart” is a story about murder and the unbearable weight of guilt. The story is told from the perspective of the murderer himself, a madman who insists he is not mad at all. The narrator is tormented by an old man and his Evil Eye, but when the narrator resolves to rid himself of the Evil Eye once and for all, he finds himself plagued by something else: a thudding heart, beating beneath the floorboards…
Read “The Tell-Tale Heart” on Penny Magic.
The Cask of Amontillado
A twisted story of revenge, this tale is also told by a narrator who we probably shouldn’t trust. Taking place during an unnamed carnival, a man persuades his friend to join him in the catacombs. Drunk and unsuspecting, the friend follows him in. Will he ever make it out?
Read “The Cask of Amontillado” on Penny Magic.
The Black Cat
“The Black Cat” takes us into the mind of another unfortunate narrator, a man who begins as a pet-collecting animal lover and who descends into violent paranoia and madness toward his pets and the people around him. As his mind unravels, he blames his black cat Pluto for his actions. Will this man be held accountable for his crimes? Or will he continue his torment of the people and pets he is supposed to love? (*If you have trouble reading about violence toward animals, skip this story.)
Read “The Black Cat” on Penny Magic.
Looking for other scary stories? For a novel, try out Frankenstein by Mary Shelley to keep the chills coming.