Murder by Death

I can't stand reading horror, it sticks with me long after I've closed the book.  But I had to read Poe in high school and his horror is more macabre-horror than Jason-horror and he's become my go-to guy for those rare occasions when I need to read horror.

And I have to say I love The Masque of the Red Death.  It's so seductive in its buildup, so deliciously written(The bar scenes from the movie Constantine pop into my mind when I read this); and that ending - so perfect.  

It's a short story, but you could spin discussions out about it for hours.  It's excellent - read if it you want the thrill of horror but still want to be able to sleep with the lights off.