Dreamcatcher

Dreamcatcher takes the idea of an alien invasion and brings the fear uncomfortably close to the body. That makes it a tricky choice for a cosy reading night, though I suspect the blanket would still be doing important work. It is suspenseful, with the sort of threat that can feel horribly personal even when its origins are beyond us.

I would put the scare level at four out of five. If body horror gets under your skin, this may be a more difficult read than you want at bedtime. If you like your science fiction with a proper sense of dread, set it aside for a rainy evening with nothing urgent to do the next morning. Some books deserve a night when you can leave the light on without having to explain yourself.

There is an unusual story behind the book. Stephen King wrote it by hand while recovering from a car crash, and said in his afterword that its working title was Cancer. Tabitha King persuaded him to change it. Dreamcatcher is an unsettling name in its own right: something meant to keep bad dreams away, attached to a book about fear. The kettle can stay on for this one.