Classic Horror: An Anthology

by Various

PENGUIN A celebration of the very best literary horror, a series of terrifying novels and tales that for generations have thrilled, captivated and kept readers wide awake at night.

Step into the terrifying world of ghostly apparitions, grotesque monsters and terrible, creeping dread – but be careful, who knows if you'll make it out alive?

This collection brings together ten of the greatest literary horror stories every written, from Mary Shelley’s iconic tale of a ‘body swap’ gone wrong, to Edgar Allen Poe's terrifying account of a great family’s downfall, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s chilling description of female subjugation. A treasure trove of scares and spooks, Classic An Anthology is a timeless celebration of all that curdles the blood and goes bump in the night …

Genres: Horror, Short Stories

170 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 16, 2025

About the author

Various is the correct author for any book with multiple unknown authors, and is acceptable for books with multiple known authors, especially if not all are known or the list is very long (over 50).

If an editor is known, however, Various is not necessary. List the name of the editor as the primary author (with role "editor"). Contributing authors' names follow it.

Note: WorldCat is an excellent resource for finding author information and contents of anthologies.

Reviews

[Raskolnikovsdelirium · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Yellow Wallpaper may well be my favourite short story of all time. Five billion stars for that one. The most convincing first-person descend into madness I have ever read and there is so much symbolism to unpack…

That story stands out not only in quality, but also thematically. It’s more psychological horror whereas the others are classic ghost stories. I loved Poe, Stevenson and Shelley, as always (****). Sleepy Hollow was great as well, very funny and eerie (****). I liked the shorter stories towards the end as well as The Phantom Coach, though the latter seemed a bit rushed plotwise and more sloppily written than the others (***). I wasn’t a big fan of Henry James’ story: too stiff with too predictable a payoff that seemed unfinished in its execution (**).

As an anthology, it seems like Penguin just threw these stories together by copy/pasting from different works and published the thing without any sort of check. One story even refers to endnotes 9 and 10 that don’t exist? With the first eight missing it must be an editorial oversight. Also, I would have liked an introduction or at least some info on when/where the stories were first published!

[Arno Vermeulen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stories varied between 2* and 4* for me; standouts were The Yellow Wall-Paper (Charlotte Perkins Gilman), The Shadow (Edith Nesbit) and Transformation (Mary Shelley).

[Mekhala Bhatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devoured this truly classic collection like a hot cup of cocoa, also with a hot cup of cocoa. This is old school, atmospheric and truly weird in the best way.
If you have a penchant for slow-burn, witty and even a tad melancholic tales, this is right up your alley.

[Rosie Sumner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent collection of short horror stories, perfect read for spooky season and the darker nights!! The range of authors and genres from traditional Gothic horror, to folklore and quintessential english ghost stories contained in this anthology is uniquely diverse!! I picked this up in a bookshop for the cover having never read Washington Irving's 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' but loving Tim Burton's adaptation, it was interesting to compare the two!! It also has some of my favourite classics Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Fall of the House of Usher' and Charlotte Perkins Gilman's 'The Yellow Wallpaper'. What persuaded me to buy it was the inclusion of Saki's 'Sredni Vashtar', a short and surprisingly gory story I have been haunted by since I first read it in school and yet have never come across it in print anywhere else!! I hope it finally gets the recognition it deserves as a twisted Gothic tale!! Would highly recommend!! :)

[Cordelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy the variety in this! And feel bad for all the slander I have made against Mary Shelly over the years…

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining read over spooky season! A couple of less memorable stories but otherwise a really nice little collection with a couple of genuinely unsettling tales!

[Carley Batley · Rating 5 out of 5]

gimme all the classic spookies you've got

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Agree with most other reviews: some less memorable stories in my opinion but overall a solid collection and some great new finds!

[Char · Rating 3 out of 5]

rating based on the stories I did NOT know (so all except usher, the yellow wallpaper, sleeping hollow) - really liked some, found some not very effective at all, would have included different ones!