The Tommyknockers

In The Tommyknockers, a mysterious object lies buried in the woods, and the people of Haven gradually come under its influence. That is the set-up. I would be wary of anyone offering to help dig it out, but I am also the person who would stand at the edge of the hole asking questions.

The fear here is the slow sort: the thought of an ordinary town changing around you while the cause remains hidden. It is less about a sudden fright than the discomfort of wondering what is happening to people you thought you understood. If that sounds like your kind of trouble, this is one for a long, quiet night with the lights low and your phone somewhere you cannot keep checking it.

Stephen King later spoke harshly about the book, while also saying he thought a good book was buried within it. That makes it an interesting entry in its own right. You need not take his verdict as yours. I would start with the question at the centre of the set-up: if something strange turned up in the woods, how long would you leave it alone?