Horror stories are supposed to scare, shock, and even repel their audience. A novel, film, or TV horror show's main premise is to evoke a feeling of uncertainty through frightening images, themes, and circumstances. Although the idea of horror refers to something repulsive and threatening, many readers and viewers are still attracted to horror fiction rather than being appalled by them. The main aim of this research paper is to explore through examples why horror stories are an integral part of contemporary literature. A brief analysis of the origins of horror stories will be followed by an in-depth description of the gothic novel, the first formal appearance of horror in the literary context. After highlighting the fundamental difference between horror fiction and the gothic novel, I will proceed to lay out the plot structure of some of the most iconic works of the genre with particular emphasis on underlining the elements of the gothic novel in each piece. The following chapter examines the evolution of the gothic novel and what factors, within the historical context of the period, influenced this transformation. Using a similar research approach, further examples of contemporary horror novels will be analyzed in chronological order. Finally, the conclusions around the genre of horror recorded in the final chapter of the thesis are an outgrowth of the interpretation of the examples and references mentioned in the opening chapters. Through this chapter, I aim to analyze my perspective on the evolution of this literary genre, the narrative techniques that characterize it, and the reason why the allure of horror remains unchanged over time.