Shirley Jackson (Dec 14th 1916 – Aug 8th 1965) was an American author who was thought to be the queen of ghost stories, and while popular during her lifetime, it’s in recent years that she has received special attention from literary critics.
Thought to be an influence on many of today’s authors including Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Joanne Harris and Richard Matheson, Jackson’s books are sinister, earning her the title the master of the horror tale.
During her life, Jackson wrote many novels and short stories, and if you’d like to try something from the author then today we’re listing what we think are the best Shirley Jackson books that hold up today!

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