25 Best Vampire Books to Read Right Now

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Vampires, mythical creatures that subsists on blood, have loomed large in literature. While Bram Stoker's Dracula, published in 1897, is the long considered the quintessential vampire novel, there are few other fictional vampires that predated Stoker's creation, including Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (1872) and the short story "The Vampyre" by John Polidori (1819).

But vampire literature has evolved greatly since the 19th century; from Edward Cullen in Twilight (yes, a classic) to Louis de Pointe de Lac in Interview with the Vampire, vampires have been a staple of popular novels for decades. Here, 25 of the best vampire books to read now:

Dracula (Penguin Classics)

If you somehow are interested in vampire books and haven't read Dracula, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy ASAP.

Carmilla (Clockwork Editions)

Carmilla is a lesbian vampire story—one that was published decades before Dracula. Author Carmen Maria Machado edited this version; as she explained, "despite the fact that it’s a somewhat obscure text, its influence can be keenly felt. So I wanted modern readers to understand both Carmilla and Carmilla’s importance."

Fledgling

Octavia E. Butler, the renowned science fiction author, takes a unique approach to the vampire story in her final novel, Fledgling. In it, Shori is a 53-year-old amnesiac vampire who appears to be a 10-year-old African American girl. She is genetically engineered vampire, distinguishing her from other vampire books.

Interview with the Vampire

Anne Rice's classic Vampire Chronicles series begins with Interview with the Vampire, where vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac tells his life story to a reporter.

Fevre Dream: A Novel

Did you know George R.R. Martin has written books that aren't set in his Game of Thrones universe? Notably, he authored Fevre Dream in 1982, a vampire novel set on the Mississippi River in the antebellum South.

The Historian

The Historian uses the history of Vlad Țepeș (Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration of Count Dracula) as Paul and his 16-year-old daughter search for Vlad's tomb. It's part Gothic novel and part historical thriller, but definitely focused on vampires.

Black Leopard, Red Wolf (The Dark Star Trilogy)

Marlon James's innovative Dark Star Trilogy (of which the first two books are out) is an epic fantasy set in Arica, using African mythology. One character of note is an Ipundulu, a vampire creature in Zulu folklore. It's not focused only on the Ipundulu, but they just play one part in this sprawling adventure novel.

'Salem's Lot

Stephen King's second novel, 'Salem's Lot, is a horror novel. In it, Ben, a writer, returns to Jerusalem's Lot, Maine, to write about the abanoned Marsten House. But Austrian immigrant Kurt Barlow purchases the house, and spooky, vampiric things start happening.

Twilight

Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga was all teens could talk about in the mid-2000s, and Twilight, featuring the romance between vampire Edward Cullen and average teen Bella Swan, earns a spot on this list for its cultural impact alone.

The Vampyre and Other Tales of the Macabre (Oxford World's Classics)

John Polidori's tale "The Vampyre" was probably the first short story to include a vampire, and a precursor to the romantic vampire genre. It's included in this short story collection, which also features stories by James Hogg, J.S. LeFanu, Letitia Landon, Edward Bulwer, and William Carelton.

Let the Right One In

Låt den rätte komma in, a 2004 vampire novel by Swedish writer John Ajvide Lindqvist (translated to Let the Right One In by Ebba Segerberg) is about 12-year-old Oskar and vampire child Eli, who lives next door.

The Delicate Dependency

Michael Talbot's 1982 vampire novel is set in Victorian London. The story begins when Dr. John Gladstone runs over a young man named Niccolo with his carriage, but soon realizes he is unnaturally healing—and a vampire. Niccolo soon kidnaps one of John's children, and the doctor must set out in pursuit of him.

Certain Dark Things

Silvia Moreno-Garcia, the author of Mexican Gothic, turned her attention to vampires, where she imagines Narco-Vampire wars in Mexico City. The protagonists are Atl, the descendant of Aztec blood drinkers, and Domingo, a street kid trying to survive.

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires: A Novel

One of the more popular vampire novels of the last few years in Grady Hendrix's 2021 The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires, where Patricia is convinced their new neighbor, James, is a vampire.

Anno Dracula

Kim Newman's novel is an alternative history where Dracula marries Queen Victoria and becomes Prince Consort, beginning an era of British vampire domination. Meanwhile, vampires Geneviere Dieudonné and Charles Beauregard team up to hunt a sadistic vampire killer modeled on Jack the Ripper.

Vampires of El Norte

In 1840s Mexico, vampires and vaqueros (cowboys) face off, and childhood sweethearts Néstor and Nena reunite admist the U.S. invasion of Mexico. It's a love story, historical war story, and vampire story all at once—and wholly original.

The Vampire Archives: The Most Complete Volume of Vampire Tales Ever Published

Eighty stories feature in The Vampire Archives, touted as "the biggest, hungriest, undeadliest collection of vampire stories, as well as the most comprehensive bibliography of vampire fiction ever assembled. Dark, stormy, and delicious, once it sinks its teeth into you there’s no escape." It features works by Ray Bradubury, Arthur Conan Doyle, Edgar Allan Poe, and more.

Blue Bloods (Blue Bloods, Book 1)

Blue Bloods is a dishy, glitzy YA series set in New York City featuring Schuyler Van Alen, who begins to change into a vampire (her blood begins to turn blue). She's soon learning the world of secret societies and the popular crowd at her private school, and sets out to uncover the secrets of the Blue Bloods. (Not to be confused with Blue Bloods the cop procedural!)

Vampire Academy

Another very fun YA vampire series is Vampire Academy, where vampires are educated at St. Vladimir’s Academy. The story follows Rose, a Dhampir (half-human/half-vampire), and her best friend Lissa, a vampire princess. Plus: It's also a TV show now streaming!

Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: Book 1)

When Anita Blake, vampire hunter, is asked by vampire master Nikolaos to solve vampire murders, she can't say no. But over the course of her investigation, she starts falling for vampire Jean-Claude... but she's sworn to destroy h

Lost Souls

A vampire child, who devours his mother, is taken in by humans and as he grows up and becomes a teenager, he sets out to find his real family. As Kirkus writs, it's a "bloodfest first novel written by acid-crazed vampires cooling off on marijuana."

My Roommate Is a Vampire

The plot is right there in the title: Cassie Greenberg, an artist, moves in with Frederick J. Fitzwilliam, in a deal that seems to good to be true. Spoiler: He's a vampire. The new book is a sweet, cozy romance that isn't scary or spooky, but just very charming.

The Lesser Dead

The Lesser Dead is a horror novel set in 1970s New York City where vampires are living underground. Joey, the narrator, was turned when he was 14, and soon realizes there's another group of childlike vampires hunting the subways.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

What if Abraham Lincoln was a vampire hunter? This novel takes that as its premise and runs with it, merging American history with vampire lore.

The Penguin Book of Vampire Stories

We'll let Penguin describe it: "Here, in all their horror and all their glory, are the great vampires of literature: male and female, invisible and metamorphic, doomed and daring. Their skin deathly pale, their nails curved like claws, their fangs sharpened for the attack, they are gathered for the kill and for the chill, brought frighteningly to life..." This collection of vampire stories features works by Bram Stoker, Fritz Leiber, Richard Matheson, and more.

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