I'm looking around for some good supernatural horror books at the moment, both for christmas presents for other people and some for myself, and I've got a few ideas. I have of course read a fair bit of Stephen King (who hasn't?) and I do enjoy older horror stories like stuff by Lovecraft, Arthur Machen and M. R. James. I'm looking for books in a similar vein, so what would you recommend? For example, I've heard mixed things about Ramsey Campbell but his novels look like what I'm after. Any and all recommendations are welcome.

Cheers,
J

Joe Schreiber made Death Troopers and Red Harvest which are the two best horror novels I have ever read. They're horror and sci-fi, but still well worth reading. I'm still amazed at how easily he builds up tension and suspense.

Richard Matheson is another great one...he was an early influence on Stephen King. He has more short stories than full novels though.

Matheson could fit into the genre, or at least macabre. H.P. Lovecraft, Blatty, Poe, Alighieri, Shelley, Stoker, are a few off the top of my head.

Definitely.

Stephen king. Edgar Allen Poe and John Saul.

Brian Lumley, author of Necroscope. Neil Gaiman if he has horror stories (he did the Sandman series). Or Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, or Bram Stoker's Dracula (both which I haven't read yet).

Just noticed you mentioned that.

Edit 2: Mispelled Mary