“The Monkey’s Paw” by W. W. Jacobs

First published in 1702, “The Monkey’s Paw” is a classic short story in the horror genre. Unlike “The Landlady,” its tone is decidedly more eerie and sinister. But similar to Dahl’s tale, it leaves the more horrific aspects of the story to the reader’s imagination.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Another horror classic, Agatha Christie’s novel tells the tale of ten strangers who are invited to stay the weekend at a house on a remote island. Just as Billy Weaver’s business trip to Bath becomes a death trap, the guests’ holiday turns into a nightmare as they are murdered by an unknown assailant, one by one.

“The Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe’s macabre allegory of disease and death tells the story of a prince, Prospero, who throws a ball during a time of plague. While Billy Weaver’s naiveté blinds him to the peril that he is in, it is Prospero’s arrogance that convinces him that he can avoid a deadly plague. In the end, both become caged animals, trapped in a house of death.