Nosleep has always been dear to my heart. After first discovering it in the early 2010s, I’ve been a regular. Long before I posted my own stories, I’ve been an avid reader. Over the past decade, I’ve read hundreds, if not thousands, of stories and Nosleep series. While some are bad, others are good, but every once in a while I came upon something truly amazing.
I’ve already put together a list of my favorite Nosleep stories, but decided it would be a great idea to put together a list dedicated to the best Nosleep series as well.
If you’re looking for other online horror recommendations, check out my list of the best creepypasta or the best SCPs.
And now, here are the best Nosleep series anyone should read.
Penpal
Penpal was one of the first big Nosleep series. Anyone who’s been on Nosleep for some time has heard about it.
It’s a series of tales centering on a young boy who’s being stalked. All we get, however, are bits and pieces of his life, unsettling instances that make us wonder what’s going on. Yet these become creepier and creepier before the whole story slowly comes together.
Penpal is a Nosleep classic, and any Nosleep fan should read it. It’s also available as a published book on Amazon, which I believe is the best way to experience this Nosleep series.
Borrasca
C.K. Walker’s Borrasca is probably the most popular Nosleep series of all time. It regularly tops lists of the best Nosleep stories and for a good reason. It’s a fantastic, well-crafted, but also twisted tale.
Borrasca relates the story of a young boy, Sam, who moves with his family to the small town of Drisking, Missouri. The town’s full of creepy urban legends, which all seem to be related to one word, Borrasca.
Tragedy strikes when Sam’s sister Whitney goes missing. Even years later, as a teenager, Sam’s still haunted by her disappearance, but hasn’t given up hope of finding her. Yet when other disturbing events take place, he and his best friends, Kyle and Kimber, begin to investigate the mystery behind Borrasca.
This Nosleep series is a masterpiece of online horror fiction, well-constructed and set in a world that feels alive. Every little detail you come upon matters, and if you reread the series, you’ll be surprised how many of them add up.
A few years ago, the series was also turned into an amazing podcast by QCode which stays true to the original story, but adds a lot of detail and expands the lore.
Tales From the Gas Station
Comedy horror is usually not my cup of tea. Then I discovered Tales From the Gas Station. It’s an absolutely amazing and ridiculous Nosleep series.
It tells the story of a gas station attendant, Jack, of how he spends his nights and the many weird events he becomes involved in. All of this, however, is presented to us by a narrator who’s not exactly smart, doesn’t realize he’s in danger, or simply doesn’t care.
When I first read this series, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud multiple times. Tales from the Gas Station is also incredibly well written, making it one of the best Nosleep series out there.
By now, this Nosleep series comprises multiple follow-ups which continue Jack’s tales in the same hilarious manner, including one based on Halloween and another on Christmas. These are available on Amazon as well.
The Third Parent
Anyone who’s been on Nosleep knows the name Elias Witherow. He’s one of Nosleep’s most popular writers and known for his disturbing stories like Feed the Pig, which I featured on my list of the best Nosleep stories.
The Third Parent is a Nosleep series centering on the enigmatic figure of Tommy Taffy. He’s a strange character, one who doesn’t seem to be truly human, but more akin to a happy cartoon character. This exterior, however, couldn’t be more wrong, for Tommy Taffy’s one of Nosleep’s most twisted creations.
After he appears at the narrator’s home, he soon takes over his family, becoming, as the title states, a third parent. From here on out, things get more and more fucked up.
The Third parent has also been novelized and is available on Amazon. The book adds a lot to this already twisted Nosleep series and even sheds more light on Tommy Taffy himself.
I’m a Search and Rescue Officer for the US Forest Service
The Search and Rescue Series, also known as SARs, is another one of the most popular Nosleep series if all time, and it took the subreddit by storm when it was first posted.
There’s a good reason for it. It’s a well-written series, detailing a variety of strange and unsettling events taking place out in the woods. What makes this Nosleep series so great is that each part is written as a short anthology of twisted, but also believable events. While it contains its fair share of enigmatic figures and beings, it also features mysterious events and sights, the most well-known of those the stairs in the woods.
Search and Rescue is without a doubt amongst the most popular Nosleep series of all time and has not only been featured on the Nosleep podcast but also served as a loose inspiration for Channel Zero’s third season Butcher’s Block.
The Spire in the Woods
The Spire in the Woods is probably my favorite Nosleep series of all time and amongst the greatest stories ever posted on the sub. Unfortunately, the series has since been deleted and its novelization is currently out of print.
After a teenager named Robert Edward Kennan killed himself, the story’s narrator investigates the events that led to his suicide. All of them seem to be related to a local legend, that of the Widower’s Clock.
Soon enough, the narrator and the late Robert’s former girlfriend set out to uncover the mystery.
What makes The Spire in the Woods so great is how alive the story feels. Many other horror stories happen in isolation, and we never get a feel for the world these terrible events take place in. Not so in this Nosleep series. We learn about each character in the story, about their life and how they are all related. It’s a tale of real people, doing real things which slowly comes together as a fascinating horror tale.
The Spire in the Woods is another early Nosleep series, a masterpiece, one that will hopefully be available to read soon again.
There’s also been talk of a movie adaption produced by no other than Steven Spielberg. As of now, however, there hasn’t been a release date.
The Left/Right Game
The Left/Right Game is without a doubt one of the most popular Nosleep series of all time.
Yet it took a bit to grow on me. When I initially read it, there were quite a few things I didn’t enjoy about it.
The series’ concept, however, is fantastic and intriguing, and probably the reason so many people became obsessed with it. There’s something enticing about people venturing forth into the unknown, into surreal and strange places. A lot of creativity was put into creating this world, as well as its characters.
I truly came to appreciate this Nosleep series when I listened to QCode’s amazing podcast adaption.
The Left/Right Game centers on what happens should one partake in the titular game. Essentially, you get in your care and take a drive, first taking a left turn, then a right, then left again. Eventually, after repeating this long enough, you’ll end up somewhere… different.
This Nosleep series is written as a transcript by one Alice Sharman. She and a group of other enthusiasts joined a man named Robert J. Guthard, one another one of his Left/Right Game runs.
As we can expect, things soon turn strange, but also quite dangerous for our unlikely group of participants.
The Left/Right Game is without a doubt one of the most popular and best Nosleep series ever written. It’s well deserving of its popularity.
The Whistlers
The Whistlers is another classic Nosleep series written almost a decade ago. I first discovered it via the fantastic adaption by the Nosleep podcast.
During an estate sale, someone comes upon a camping backpack containing a bundle of papers. These papers tell the story of the Whistlers and is transcribed to us in full.
It’s the tale of a young woman. She and her friends got lost in the woods and are in dire straits. Over the course of this Nosleep series’ first installment, we learn more about their situation. They’ve been out in the woods for weeks. One of their friends has died, and another is still missing.
Even worse, they are stalked by something out in the woods, something they only refer to as The Whistlers.
As the series continues, we learn what drove the group of friends out into the woods, who they are, and how they got lost. At the same time, however, we follow them as they attempt to flee from the ominous Whistlers.
It’s another fantastic Nosleep series, one written in the diary or journal format, and one of the best employing this way of storytelling. If you’ve not read the Whistlers, do it now.
An old friend’s been emailing me about a strange, secret website
u/nazisharks is one of my all-time favorite Nosleep writers. If you’ve heard about him or read his stories, you know they are amongst the weirdest on Nosleep. His standout work is Three Visits to a Hidden Tribe, which I featured on my list of the best Nosleep stories.
Yet this series about a hidden website is absolutely fantastic. It was also adapted as one of the Nosleep podcasts finals.
The tale begins when our narrator’s contacted by an old friend via an email that shouldn’t exist anymore. In them, she tells him about The Hole, an old internet mystery, about a strange, secret website.
From here on out, things turn stranger and stranger. In typical u/nazisharks fashion, the series takes various twists and turns, and gets weird with every part. There’s something about his works that always gives you an underlying feeling of existential dread, and this Nosleep series is no different.
Read it, if you haven’t already, but read until the very end.
My Dad Finally Told Me What Happened That Day
Another fantastic Nosleep series by the great u/nazishark. Yet again this series was adapted by the Nosleep podcast in one of its final episodes.
The series details a family mystery, but one that turns stranger with each installment. One day, the narrator’s father tells him about an incident that took place years ago. After this, the narrator sets out to talk to other members of his family. When he does, he learns of other, even stranger events.
It’s a tale full of mysteries, twists and turns.
Interestingly enough, each part of this Nosleep series is divided into smaller bits, each centering on a certain family member as they add more details to the tale’s events.
It’s another great Nosleep series, one that will not only surprise you, but probably make your head spin. Yet at the end, we might not get all the answers, and will be left with quite a few questions. But this, of course, is typical for u/nazisharks.
My Dad Finally Told Me What Happened That Day is one of the most well-constructed mysteries on Nosleep. Read it, if you haven’t.
The Previous Tenant Left a Survival Guide
u/newtotownJAM has written multiple series on Nosleep, including her fantastic pub series.
Her most popular series, however, is the New Tenant Series.
At the outset of the series, our narrator and her boyfriend move into a new apartment. There, they discover a list of rules on how to survive in this place. The two of them swiftly disregard it as a joke, but when the narrator’s boyfriend goes missing, she realizes there might be more to these rules. Following them, she investigates what’s going on in the strange old tower block she now calls her home. Before long, she realizes that the place is not only strange but also very dangerous.
The New Tenant Series proved incredibly popular on Nosleep. So popular, in fact, it started an entire trend, that of rules stores in which a narrator has to follow a set of rules.
While people tired of rule stories in time, The New Tenant Series stands out as one of the most popular Nosleep series of all time, and is well worth reading even for those who aren’t fans of rules stories.
I’m a dentist for monsters and last night I took on a new patient.
Another fantastic Nosleep series by u/newtotownJAM.
This Nosleep series stands out by how unique it is. I’d never thought I’d come upon a series about a dentist for monsters, and I’d never would’ve thought I’d enjoy it that much.
Over the course of this Nosleep series we encounter various creatures, some of which are grounded in mythology, while others are entirely unique.
What I came to truly love were the characters, especially Coco, who’s an absolute delight to read about.
While the series has a framework narrative and follows a continuous overall plot, it’s more of an anthology. Each part details an encounter with yet another customer, but all of them are unique and disturbing in their own right.
Overall, it’s a series that’s both unique and enjoyable, and, at times, truly beautiful.
A Seaside British Pub & Return to a Seaside British Pub
C.M. Scandreth is another one of my favorite Nosleep writers, and amongst the most talented.
While A Seaside British Pub is not available on Nosleep anymore, it can still be found on the writer’s personal subreddit. It was also adapted in two fantastic episodes of the Nosleep podcast which are both well worth listening to. You can find the adaption of A Seaside British Pub here, and Return to a Seaside British Pub here.
As the title states, this Nosleep series revolves around a lonely British pub near the seaside. Over multiple parts, the narrator outlines the strange events taking place at the pub, but also introduces us to its patronage, which might or might not be entirely human.
What makes this Nosleep series so great is the focus on each individual character. We get to know all of them, get glimpses into their life and learn who or what they really are.
It’s written more as an anthology, though, and each part is set against the backdrop of a pub. Yet they are all related to one another. It’s amongst the greatest Nosleep series of all time, and if you can, join C.M. Scandreth’s personal subreddit to read it.
Infected Town
Infected Town is another Nosleep classic posted almost a decade ago.
Our narrator’s interested in urban exploring, and one day, she ends up at a town that’s been sealed off from the outside world. When she explores, she witnesses a desolate town covered in a strange, mold-like substance populated by shambling, sickly looking people.
Interestingly enough, Infected Town ties into other Nosleep series, which shed lights on the events leading to the town’s closing off.
What starts out as an exploration of an abandoned town soon turns into a much bigger, sprawling horror tale, one in which much sinister forces might be at play.
Infected Town is a long series, one of the longest on this list, especially if you consider all the other related tales. If you’ve got the time, however, it’s well worth the investment.
The Good Shade Hotel
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work at a hotel for supernatural beings? That’s exactly what the narrator of u/HylianFae’s Nosleep series gets himself into when he starts working at the Good Shade Hotel.
It’s a place not only run by but also visited by supernatural beings. When the narrator realizes the nature of his new position, however, it’s already too late. He’s signed a contract which states he’s to last three months before he’s allowed to quit without serious repercussions.
Over the course of this Nosleep series, he bears witness to a variety of supernatural beings and situations that are as strange as they are dangerous.
The Good Shade Hotel is a series that’s written extremely charmingly, full of characters that might not be human, but nonetheless likeable. It’s a fantastic read, one that stands out not only for its unique scenario but also its writing.
Butcherface
Butcher face is another Nosleep classic, one that was posted more than a decade ago. It was also one of the first to be adapted by the Nosleep podcast for its season one bonus episode.
Butcherface is another long series.
One day, our narrator visits his friend Chris’ home to help him and his father remodel it. In the basement, under the floorboards, they discover an old, worn box containing 24 unmarked video tapes.
That evening, the narrator and Chris begin watching the tapes and discover that they seem to contain the home videos of a man they come to call Butcherface. The tapes comprise disturbing content, but also reveal that Butcherface once lived in this very same house.
The narrator and his friend begin to investigate the ominous figure, but soon learn that Butcherface might still be nearby.
Butcherface’s another early Nosleep series well deserving its reputation. If you want to read a part of Nosleep’s early history, read Butcherface. It’s well worth it.
The Bloodworth Saga
The Bloodworth Saga’s another, older Nosleep series, a classic and one of the best Nosleep series out there.
Interestingly enough, Bloodworth also wrote a variety of standalone tales which are all connected to and hinted at over the course of the series.
It’s a fantastic read, one that’s made even better if you read all the standalone tales first. You can find a detailed list right here. Finding all the clues and all the connections to the main series makes for a much richer reading.
This Nosleep series starts out with our narrator stating he’s finally ready to share the full story of what happened to him and his friends. On his and his sister Abi’s first day of kindergarten, they met a young boy named Jonah, who was different from the other children. Namely, he was quiet and shy. When he and Abi visit Jonah’s home, they are met by his mother, who’s more than a little creepy.
From here on out, the narrator reveals the events that led not only to the death of his sister but also five of his friends.
A word of warning, though, The Bloodworth Saga is amongst the most twisted and depraved Nosleep series on this list. It’s, however, fantastically well-written, and I’d urge any fan of Nosleep to read it.
Correspondence
Correspondence is yet another Nosleep classic and its first parts were written more than a decade ago. It’s also an extremely long Nosleep series with well over 30 parts. Even though it’s frequently brought up as one of Nosleep’s cornerstones.
Correspondence begins as a series of email correspondences between friends. It’s an interesting format that makes for quite a unique reading experience. Added to it are a variety of other bits and pieces, for example, newspaper articles, crime reports, police interviews, blog posts and much more. All of this is presented to us entirely uniquely.
The story begins with two friends reconnecting via email. One of them, Shaun, goes to a party with his girlfriend. On their way home, they get lost, and have a run-in with a creepy woman. Soon after, Shaun’s emails turn strange and he swears the woman’s near his home.
From here on out, things turn creepier and creepier, as more and more people encounter the strange woman.
What’s even more interesting about correspondence is that the series doesn’t follow a clear timeline. Instead, it occasionally goes back, adding bits and pieces from the past to shed light on certain characters or events.
If you’ve got the time to read it, this Nosleep series is definitely worth the investment. Correspondence is amongst the most unique Nosleep series out there.
The Deepest Part of the Ocean is Not Empty
u/TheJesseClark has always been one of my favorite writers on Nosleep, and he’s clearly amongst the most talented. This Nosleep series is all about the horrors hidden below the surface of the ocean.
Our narrator prepares to descend to the unexplored depths of Higgin’s Maw, a place fifty thousand feet below the surface.
While he’s slightly worried about what he might find, he pushes thoughts of danger away. A mistake, as he soon finds out.
With only two parts, this is a rather short Nosleep series compared to many others on this list, but I can’t help to include it. There’s something about the writing, the tension and suspense that makes it such a fantastic read. It’s amongst the most gripping stories on all of Nosleep, and amongst the best creature features on the sub.
So We’re About 99% Sure the New Guy in Town is a Vampire
I discovered this Nosleep series written by u/TheJesseClark only recently.
Vampire tales can be hit or miss, but this Nosleep series makes it an entirely unique experience. It doesn’t simply concern a random person’s encounter with a vampire. Instead, it’s about a police investigation concerning a new gang in town. This gang’s only known as ‘Ferals,’ and they go around massacring the members of other gangs, leaving behind nothing but bloody corpses. Yet these corpses have two very specific bite-marks.
As our two main characters, officers Davis and Mackey, continue their investigation, they begin to believe that the one behind it all might be a vampire. This person’s a rich European man who recently moved to town.
What continues is not so much a supernatural tale about vampires, but one centering on police work, the drug trade and conspiracies. It’s a fantastic read.
As someone commented, this Nosleep series is almost too good, and too well-written to be posted online for free. If you’re a fan of Nosleep, you should definitely read this series, but also the other works of u/TheJesseClark.
Anthology of WontThinkStraight
u/WontThinkStraight’s anthology is a Nosleep series of loosely related tales, written over ten years ago.
Each story in this Nosleep series is directly related to our narrator, or a tale that happened to one of his friends or acquaintances. While this framework narrative isn’t the strongest, the individual tales are nothing short of fantastic.
They are all unique, detailing a variety of different scenarios as weird as they are disturbing. My favorite amongst them, and one often mentioned by other Nosleep readers, is that of Gurgles & Bugman. Part of the series was also adapted during the second season of the Nosleep Podcast.
While the tales might not have the biggest connection to one another, they are all well worth reading.
The Showers
The Showers is yet another Nosleep classic. While it comprises only two parts, it’s become extremely popular over the years. So popular indeed, the author continued the series a few years ago.
Our narrator details his interest in all things creepy, and that he enjoys his very own little tales. One tale he came to love was that told by his teacher, Mr. Mays, during one of his high school classes. Mr. Mays and his friends set out on a cross-country trip. On their return, they stopped at the home of one of his friend’s grandpa. Yet they ended up in a different place and eventually stumbled upon a room they came to call The Showers.
Years later, the narrator and his friend decide to treat in his old teacher’s footsteps and set out to find the Showers themselves.
The Showers is one of the best, most well-written Nosleep series out there, and was adopted as one of the Nosleep podcast’s season two bonus episodes. It’s a fantastic story, and well worth reading.
Dr. Margin’s Guide to New Monsters
Another fantastic Nosleep series, one centering on monsters and supernatural entities. Dr. Margin’s a researcher who studies monsters.
At the start of this Nosleep series, Dr. Margin states that most of the common monsters, such as werewolves and vampires, have been domesticated, and aren’t what they used to be; meaning they aren’t scary, and no danger to humanity anymore.
During a talk with a werewolf, however, he gets introduced to an idea. Monsters don’t simply stop existing. Instead, new horrible creatures will appear and replace those who’ve lost their importance.
And thus, we follow Dr. Margin as he travels the world in search of new monsters and bear witness to his investigation.
It’s a fantastic Nosleep series. All the new monsters we get introduced to are as unique as they are creative. The writing’s fantastic and Dr. Margin’s narrative voice is amongst the strongest and most distinct on all of Nosleep.
A fantastic Nosleep series anyone should read, especially fans of supernatural entities and monsters.
And The Stars Will Fall From Heaven
I only read this Nosleep series recently, but it’s quickly become one of my absolute favorites.
One day, during his work in the local shipping yard, our narrator Mark has a smoke. Outside, he and some of his co-workers witness a police chase. A truck comes sliding down the road, followed by a multitude of police cars. Because of the icy road, the chase soon turns into a massive crash.
This, however, is only the beginning. One of Mark’s co-workers rescues the badly hurt truck driver. The man soon mumbles about someone having to be stopped and about the news or the radio to be informed. A moment later, they find themselves under fire by the police.
Rushing back inside the shipping yard, they lock the doors. Soon, they find themselves not only isolated from the rest of the world, but under siege.
What stands out about this Nosleep series the most are the characters and the writing. The writing’s one of the strongest I’ve encountered in Nosleep. It’s a fantastic Nosleep series, a hidden gem, and one I find extremely underrated.
The Summer I met David
The Summer I met David’s another outstanding Nosleep series. Our narrator’s a little girl, six years of age, living with her parents and brothers at an old farmhouse. One day, she goes to the nearby bridge and meets a young boy, David, who’s about a year or two older than her.
The two of them soon become best friends and spend almost all their time together. Yet there might be more to David. Before long, the series turns into one of the most gripping and terrifying on all of Nosleep.
The Summer I met David’s a fantastic Nosleep series, one that’s extremely well written, and comes with great, realistic characters. If you’ve not read this one, you should definitely check it out.
Single Parenting is Hard in Sterling Creek
The Sterling Creek series is another fantastic Nosleep series. As the title suggests, it centers on the small Midwestern town of Sterling Creek. The narrator tells us he’s a travel vlogger and has visited various American communities. Yet none have felt as off as Sterling Creek.
From here on out, he shares various information and testimonials about the strange events taking place in Sterling Creek. Yet all of them seem to be related to certain names which come up repeatedly.
To be honest, the series took a while to grow on me, but from part four onwards, I was absolutely hooked.
What’s makes this such a great Nosleep series is that each part works as its own story, but it’s still connected to a larger, overarching mystery.
My job is watching a woman trapped in a room.
u/Verastahl is another extremely popular and talented Nosleep writer. This series concerning an odd job is amongst his best work.
Our narrator was looking for a new job when a certain classified ad caught his interest. Before long, he accepts and now finds himself watching a woman trapped in a room for six hours every day. During this time, he’s to note down anything interesting that happens.
What makes this story so great is how well it’s constructed. With only four parts, it might seem rather short compared to other series on this list. Yet it still contains various twists and turns that will get your head spinning.
My job is watching a woman trapped in a room is definitely amongst the best Nosleep series of all time, one well deserving of its high popularity.
My Name is Lily Madwhip, and I See Things Before They Happen
One can’t put together a list of the best Nosleep series without mentioning the name Lily Madwhip.
The series concerns a little girl named Lily who seems to see the future. The series’ first part reveals that she’s seen her brother die, and even shares details of his funeral. She tries to stop what is about to happen, but knows fairly well that she won’t be able to. Thus begins one of the greatest Nosleep series of all time.
Throughout the series’ events, her doll Pascher is always with her. Yet as with Lily, there might be more to Pascher.
What makes this series so great, is not only the fantastic writing but also the strong and unique narrative voice. Most Nosleep stories are told by a rather neutral narrator, not so Lily Madwhip. It’s a narrative voice full of life, entirely unique, yet extremely realistic. One can tell how much love went into crafting these tales.
If you’ve never read this series, I highly recommend it. It’s amongst the best, most well-crafted Nosleep series out there.
The ocean is much deeper than we thought
u/RichardSaxon is a fantastic Nosleep writer who’s written quite a few popular stories. This series is amongst my favorites of his works.
It’s yet another Nosleep series set at the depth of the ocean, but it’s a rather unique one. At the series’ outset, our narrator, a doctor, sets out to a station at the bottom of the ocean.
When he arrives, he learns one crew member went missing for three days, then returned to the station, quarantined himself and died.
It’s another great Nosleep series, one about being trapped at the depths of the ocean and the dangers that lay hidden there.
It comes with fantastic writing, great dialogue, and a creature that’s as unique as it’s horrifying.
A must read for fans of tale set at the depths of the ocean.
My grandfather spoke dozens of languages. His final words were a warning in a language no-one’s heard of.
This Nosleep series is written by the one and only u/Max-Voynich. He’s long been a favorite of mine and is one of the greatest weird fiction writers on the sub.
This Nosleep series is incredibly interesting. It starts out great, and only gets better as it continues.
During the series’ first part, we learn what happens the day the narrator’s grandfather dies and the way he addressed his old friend Artie, who was present at the time of his death. Soon enough, the narrator tries to reach out to Artie to make sense of these final words. Thus begins a slowly developing, sprawling mystery that only gets weirder.
There are many elements that make this Nosleep series so great, be it the references to mythology and language, or be it u/Max-Voynich’s unique writing style.
This Nosleep series, like many other works by u/Max-Voynich, is nothing short of fantastic and I highly recommend reading it.
This morning the doors to our apartment complex were welded shut. I’m starting to think that it was a good idea.
Stories about people being trapped in confined faces have always been amongst my favorites and this Nosleep series delivers and delivers well.
It’s nothing short of fantastic. At first, our narrator and the other tenants at his apartment building try to figure out who welded the doors shut and why. Soon enough, however, they learn something very dangerous is lurking outside.
The series comes with fantastic characters and a strong narrative voice, but its best part is without a doubt the setting. There’s this strong feeling of being trapped, and of being under constant danger, to it.
This Nosleep series also features some of the most interesting and unique creature design on the subreddit.
It’s definitely amongst the best Nosleep series out there. It’s a tale as grim as it’s fascinating, and I highly recommend reading it.
I’m a guard stationed at a ‘secret’ government prison. A few hours ago, there was a major breach.
u/Mr_Outlaw_ is known for his long, sprawling and interconnected series, and this one doesn’t disappoint.
As the title states, our narrator’s a guard stationed at a secret government prison known as ‘The Chasm.’ It’s a place where supernatural beings, so-called ‘Voids,’ are being held. During a major breach, almost all the Voids are released. The resulting massacre leaves most of the guards dead, but our narrator’s lucky enough to find a secret room. Soon enough, however, the Voids are not only targeting the guards but also each other.
Thus, a bloody battle royal begins.
This Nosleep series is one thing and one thing most of all, a lot of fun, and full of fights between crazy, supernatural beings. It’s less a typical Nosleep series, but an action-packed creature feature, full of brutal, over-the-top fights. It’s as unique as it is amazing.
u/Mr_Outlaw_ has outdone himself and while this Nosleep series might not be for everyone, I absolutely loved it.
My friend has been living in an alternate reality for the past seven years. This is what he told me.
Another series by u/Mr_Outlaw_ and probably his longest. This one introduces us to a man named Clint Rockwell, the narrator’s friend. Clint is an exceptional guy, but he was always different from other people. He was a loner who always looked for adventure and who wanted to go somewhere uncharted.
During his time in college, he mysteriously vanished and remained gone for seven years. Then, suddenly, he knocks on the narrator’s door and before long, tells him what happened during these seven years.
As it turns out, Clint joined a secret research project, one that brought him to a different world, or, as the title states, an alternate reality.
For the rest of the series, we learned of what happened to Clint. This Nosleep series is an exercise in creativity. We’re introduced to a mad world full of crazy characters, places and disturbing creatures. While things can get a bit too wild and might go astray, it’s always a fantastic read. It is, however, at thirteen parts, another rather long series, but very well worth reading.
When the town smells like cinnamon, you know someone just died
With a title such as this, one wouldn’t expect it to be amongst the weirder Nosleep series out there.
Our narrator lives in the small town of Tattletoe whose inhabitants have everything they desire. It’s a beautiful town, but one that also has its peculiarities.
The town’s full of special shops, producing masterpieces of a certain nature. These, however, are dedicated solely for export, and none of the townspeople may buy or own any of them. One of these stores is Mrs. Holly’s bakery. Whenever a child is born, or whenever someone dies, she bakes a batch of pastries. In case of a birth, they are made with nutmeg, in case someone dies, with cinnamon.
Our narrator explains that one rule of Tattletoe is that everyone needs to work. Once a child is old enough, they get assigned a job. Our narrator’s assigned to no other place than Mrs. Holly’s bakery.
While this brief introduction’s weird enough, things get stranger and stranger the longer this Nosleep series continues, and the more we learn about Tattletoe.
u/likeeyedid is another prolific Nosleep writer, but this series is my favorite amongst his many outstanding works. It’s a strangely weird Nosleep series, but one I recommend anyone to read.
I’m a magician, and I’m pretty sure the kid onstage actually sawed a lady in half.
Our narrator, a magician, bears witness to a magic show. One trick catches his interest, and he comes to think it might not be a trick at all.
Afterwards, he meets up with the magician he saw on stage, a young man named Alexander Chase, who was inspired by no other than our narrator and his famous Bellagio escape act.
Soon enough, however, it becomes clear that there’s much more to this young man than meets the eye.
As the series continues, our narrator learns more about Alex, but also the Mirage Carnival, which is shrouded entirely in mystery.
The writing in this series is superb, and especially the dialogue is fantastically well written. Another thing I came to love about this Nosleep series were the characters, who are all equally interesting and unique.
Yet this is another long Nosleep series, one spanning multiple arcs and comprising over twenty parts. Still, it’s well worth the investment.
What happens when you write Satan instead of Santa.
This Nosleep series might not be for everyone. Comedy horror’s always a tough sell for me, but this series was so ridiculous, I couldn’t help but read on.
As the title states, our narrator’s daughter accidentally wrote a letter to Satan instead of Santa. To his surprise, however, it was not only answered, but her wish of a giant, life-sized teddy bear was fulfilled.
This Nosleep series is as silly as it sounds. All the characters, from Franken Teddy, to Ms. Hatchetface, and even Satan himself, are nothing short of utterly ridiculous, but also strangely likeable.
While it’s a silly series, one almost a bit too silly and cartoonish, it’s also strangely charming. While it’s not your typical Nosleep series, I believe it’s one of the more unique ones out there, and if you are a fan of comedy horror, I recommend checking it out.
How to survive in Hell
This Nosleep series is one of the most creative I’ve come upon. It’s not really a story, but more a handbook, if you so will, on how to survive in Hell.
Over the course of this Nosleep series, our narrator outlines what a terrible and bloody place Hell is. It’s essentially a constant struggle for survival. We soon learn more about Hell’s capital Dis, the various places of interesting, but also the people and factions populating it.
It’s a fantastically creative and unique Nosleep series, one I came to like especially because of its setting and the way it was told.
The series also received a new update recently, one I found just as good as the parts that came before.
A word of warning, though, Hell’s a terrible place and this Nosleep series isn’t shy to mention various disturbing atrocities.
My grandpa, a retired homicide detective, just told me the case that still keeps him up at night
This Nosleep series by the great u/Nickbotic centers on a certain set of cases the narrator’s grandpa only refers to as the ‘Impossible Ones.’ They are cases that are just too strange to be solved.
The series can best be described as an anthology of various, unexplained and disturbing crime cases. What makes it stand out is not only the creativity behind each case but also the overall quality of the writing.
It’s a fantastically gripping series, one I enjoyed quite a bit.
If you like to read about twisted and mysterious crime cases, you should definitely read this Nosleep series.
I just graduated from medical school, and my new hospital has some very strange rules
u/ByfelsDisciple is amongst the most popular Nosleep writers of all time, and has posted on the sub for as long as I can think.
This is one of his more recent Nosleep series, but also one of his best works.
It is set at St. Francis Hospital in Charleston, West Virginia. Our narrator, Dr. Afelis, is a young medical intern who learns that every new intern is provided with a set of rules. The reason is that St. Francis isn’t an ordinary hospital, and our narrator soon witnesses what happens when one of her fellow interns doesn’t follow the rules.
While I’m overall not a fan of rules stories, u/ByfelsDisciple brings a lot of fresh elements to it. Combined with an interesting setting and his fantastic writing, make into a Nosleep series that’s both enjoyable and original.
It can, however, be quite disturbing and features a lot of gore and disturbing imagery. At the same time, however, u/ByfelsDisciple tackles some rather deep themes.
Overall, a fantastic Nosleep series, one that stands apart from a plethora of other rules stories.
I have an unusual job. The pay is good, but I really hate the moaning sounds that go with it.
Yet another Nosleep series by u/ByfelsDisciple, this one centering on a rather unusual job.
In its first installment, our narrator’s talking to a woman who’s afraid the ghost of her dead husband is stalking her. Yet as so often with u/ByfelsDisciple, things turn out differently from what we expect.
What makes this Nosleep series so great is the narrative voice. Patricia Barnes is one of my favorite Nosleep characters. Her voice is strong, she’s full of sass and constantly one-ups people with her snarky remarks.
Overall, this Nosleep series is a lot of fun, full of fantastic dialogue and ghastly images.
I Was Fucking Fat
The third and last Nosleep series by u/ByfelsDisciple I want to mention on this list. With only four parts, this series is rather short when compared to some others on this list. Yet it stands out for various reasons.
Our narrator’s fat, fucking fat indeed, but desperate for a change. After discovering a post online about a service called Better Help, she signs up for the program. Soon after, she finds herself confined to a single room, and changed to the wall.
With this begins Nosleep’s most twisted weight loss treatment ever.
This is a fantastic Nosleep series, one that doesn’t shy away from the disgusting details. What makes it so great is that u/ByfelsDisciple can truly capture the mental state of someone suffering from morbid obesity. We learn of the narrator’s helplessness, the dependency on food, and the insurmountable challenge weight loss entails.
Without a doubt amongst u/ByfelsDisciple best works and also one of his best Nosleep series.
I Clean Crime Scenes and Hoarder Houses for a Living. Today I Saw Something I Don’t Understand
u/Dopabean’s another one of Nosleep’s greatest writers of all time.
Her writing stands out to me because of her beautiful prose, and because of how unique her stories are. They are often reminiscent of twisted and sad fairy tales.
This Nosleep series by her is my favorite amongst her works.
Our narrator’s a man who cleans out hoarder houses and houses in which dramatic deaths happened. The latest house our narrator’s sent to clean out used to belong to an old woman. Yet quite a few things are wrong with it.
One of them is a painting, a beautiful one depicting a misty, primal forest drenched in moonlight. There is, however, much more to this painting than meets the eye, and soon our narrator sets out to find out more about it.
A fantastically well written Nosleep series, one full of twisted beings and a fair amount of body horror.
Without a doubt amongst the best Nosleep series of all time. If you’re looking for something well-written with beautiful prose, read this Nosleep series by u/Dopabean.
I used to deliver pizzas. Now I’m a driver for the Dark Convoy.
After reading some of the Nosleep series by u/cal_ness, he quickly became one of my favorite writers.
The narrator of his Dark Convoy series loves driving, and he’s good at it, damn good.
That’s why he works as a pizza driver, but also partakes in a few other, lesser legal activities with his friend Steve.
One day, he witnesses a strange, vibrant shooting star that crashes down in an abandoned industrial area. Seeing how he’s making good time on his latest delivery, he checks things out.
What he finds is neither aliens, nor a pot of gold, but humans who represent the Dark Convoy. After passing a strange, unsettling test, our narrator is welcomed as a new member, and instructed he’ll soon receive information about the next steps.
From this moment onward, he works, or better, drives, for the Dark Convoy.
It’s a fantastic, well-written Nosleep series. If you like dark societies, supernatural entities, hard ass characters and fucked up scenarios, read the Dark Convoy series, you won’t regret it.
Hank Elkins was executed for murdering my family. Now, his ghost haunts my house, and I’m afraid I’m next.
Another brilliant series by u/cal_ness.
We learn of our narrator’s family and of the circumstances that led to their death. Hank Elkins was a man, who, like many other helped the narrator’s family out when they were in dire straits. One day, however, he apparently snapped and murdered her family.
As we soon learn, however, there’s more to the story, to Hank Elkins, but also the narrator’s family.
It’s a fantastic series, one rip with mystery, but one that’s also full of fantastic character writing. It’s these characters, their circumstances and how u/cal_ness captures them that make this Nosleep series such an enjoyable read.
If you want to read something that not only contains a compelling mystery but also well-crafted characters, read this underrated tale.
It’s nothing short of beautiful.
Don’t stop running when it smells like petrichor.
Yet another series by u/cal_ness.
Our narrator begins by telling us about his sister’s death. She died because of him. One day, they got drunk and high, and on the way home, the narrator crashed their car against a tree.
It’s been years since then, long years, but eventually our narrator receives a letter from his mother, one that only states a single thing.
After a call with his brother, our narrator sets out to visit his hometown and to pay his parents a visit. From here on out we learn what’s truly happening in the narrator’s hometown, and what happens when it smells like petrichor.
It’s a fantastic Nosleep series, one that shows just how much dark can be hidden by behind a picturesque small-town curtain.
Once again, the writing’s fantastic, the plot well-crafted and the characters feel truly alive.
It’s a great Nosleep series, one full of powerful emotions, but also lots of disturbing and truly nightmarish imagery.
I help people commit suicide, but they have to convince me to do it first.
u/hercreation’s suicide helper series was an absolute hit when it was first posted on Nosleep.
As the title states, our narrator’s a woman who assists people in ending their lives. Her client in the series’ first installment is a doctor who tells her quite a disturbing story for wanting her to end his life.
As the series continues, we learn of more people who want to end their lives, and the various disturbing and twisted reasons that drove them to this decision.
It’s a fantastic series, one that’s more an anthology, held together by the framework narrative of our narrator’s specific line of work.
u/hercreation is a great writer, one that’s quite creative when coming up with disturbing scenarios and incidents, but one who’s also great when writing characters and dialogue.
If you haven’t read this Nosleep series, I highly recommend it.
I own a boutique that offers full body transformations to customers in need of a new identity.
Another fantastic series by u/hercreation.
This time it concerns the owner of a boutique, but one of a very special kind. In each part of this Nosleep series, our narrator’s approached by people who are looking for a change.
Yet one thing’s special about her services: she always makes sure the customer gets what he needs.
It’s another great Nosleep series, one that’s yet again more an anthology. Interestingly enough, it tackles quite a few modern issues, and always serves to bring each part to a satisfying conclusion.
I joined a support group that promised to “cure” me of my phobia. The first participant is deathly afraid of clocks.
The third Nosleep series by u/hercreation I want to mention on this list.
This one centering on phobias. Our narrator suffers from a specific type, one she doesn’t share with us just yet, but one that leads her to join a support group.
At the series’ outset, we’re quickly introduced to the other participants of the group before the first, a woman named Cecily shares with us her phobia.
As the series continues, we learn of all the participants’ phobias, which are all rather unique and a tad bit weird.
It’s a series about broken people, but also human people, a series that’s full of strangely raw emotions.
Yet again, it’s more an anthology that’s held together by a framework narrative. It’s a beautiful series, one raw, alive and human.
I run a bar that serves one of a kind drinks to clients in exchange for their stories…this one got to me.
u/tjaylea’s Nosleep series centering on ‘The Space Between’ is another great Nosleep series regarding a bar.
As we soon come to learn, the bar’s a special place. Its patrons aren’t allowed to partake in its brews for money alone. Instead, they have to tell the barkeeper a story.
After a short visit from a woman named Letty, another patron, Gomez enters, who’s got another tale to share, or at least, he wants to vent his troubles.
As the series continues, we learn more about the bar itself, its owner, the patrons, but also what a truly strange place it is.
What makes this Nosleep series so great is without a doubt the writing, the vocabulary, and the intricate descriptions of the drinks and the flasks they come in. They are all truly special, almost magical and add so much more to the series’ overall atmosphere.
It’s a fantastic Nosleep series, one rich of unique characters and great writing.
Forty-eight years ago, I pulled off the only unsolved aerial hijacking in American history. I’m D. B. Cooper, and this is my story.
Nosleep series come in many forms, but this one stuck out to me for how unique it is.
It’s not a story of supernatural beings or serial killers. Instead, it’s the story of a man driven to commit an aerial hijacking when he learns of his wife’s illness.
What makes it such a great read is not only the writing but also the narrative voice and the plot.
It’s a Nosleep series entirely grounded in reality, but this makes it so much better and truly enjoyable.
I’m a therapist and my patient is going to be the next school shooter.
u/Dr_Haper’s series about his newest patient is quite something.
It’s amongst the most suspenseful and terrifying Nosleep series out there, both for its topic matter and how realistic it is.
The writing’s fantastic, the characters are believable, and its ending is quite the tearjerker.
With only three parts, it’s a rather short Nosleep series, but it also serves as a lead-in to u/Dr_Haper’s various other stories which are all nothing short of fantastic. u/Dr_Haper’s work is also available on Amazon, which is a fantastic way to enjoy his works.
I was dead for six minutes and saw Heaven. I would rather go to Hell.
This story details what our narrator saw after he got into a terrible traffic accident.
After he sees a light at the end of the tunnel, he realizes he’s died. He promptly finds himself in Heaven, but in a physical body, and is greeted by a strange figure named Daniel.
What’s strange is that Daniel was waiting for him, so he’d get a chance to be away from Heaven.
When our narrator asks why he wants to get away from there, Daniel simply tells him he’s going to find out soon enough.
And thus, our narrator sets out to traverse the realm of Heaven.
It’s another fantastic Nosleep series, one rich on Christian imagery, but it’s the plot and the idea behind it that makes it such a great read. It’s the definition of existential dread.
I’m Being Forced to Play the 24-Hour Game
u/Colourblindness is one of Nosleep’s most prolific writers and has written hundreds of stories and various series.
His 24-Hour game stands out amongst them and is one of the best things he’s ever written.
Posted during a special event that allowed you to post as often as you wanted during a 24-hour period, he took things to the next level. He didn’t just release a series, but one that comprised 24 parts, one part for each hour.
The series’ premise is rather simple. Our narrator, against his friend’s advice, signs up for an online challenge called the 24-Hour Game.
What he assumes to be nothing but a fun little challenge soon turns into deadly reality. Upon arriving at home, he finds his family kidnapped, and is now forced to partake in one challenge after another, each more dangerous than the last. Yet he has to keep going if he hopes to see his family again.
It’s another fantastic Nosleep series, one entirely grounded in reality and reminiscent of series such as Black Mirror.
This Nosleep series stands out for its fantastic, suspenseful plot, the great writing and its interesting characters. While it’s quite a long series, it’s still worth reading. It’s also been published by Velox, and is available on Amazon.
We Used to Live Here.
This Nosleep series begins with a rather strange situation.
Our narrator recently moved into a new home with her girlfriend. The two of them plan to renovate and flip it. One day, however, a family arrives at her doorstep. The father tells her he grew up in this house and asks the narrator if they might visit the place so he can show his kids where their father grew up.
At first, the narrator’s against it, but eventually yields and allows them to enter.
What seems to be a normal visit soon becomes complicated when the family’s youngest child, a girl named Jenny, goes into hiding in the basement.
When she doesn’t reappear, the family’s invited for dinner and eventually, because of terrible road conditions, is offered to stay the night. That night, the father tells the narrator and her girlfriend the strange things that took place in the house when he was still a kid.
From here on out, more and more strange things happen around the house.
u/Polterkites is known for their fantastic writing, but this Nosleep series is nothing short of amazing. It’s an absolutely wild ride from beginning to end, one that will make your head spin.
The characters, the dialogue, and the tension are on-point and make this Nosleep series a delight to read.
I work on an oil-rig in the North Sea. …I’ve just been assigned to a rig that officially, doesn’t exist…
This Nosleep series starts out by revealing to us the intricacies of working on an oil-rig, and how isolated the job truly is.
Yet there’s one thing our narrator finds strange, one thing no one’s able to or willing to talk about.
Five days before a shift on a rig ends, seven workers are selected and moved to another rig. It happens every shift, without fail, and the people who go are never seen again.
Eventually, the narrator himself is selected and shipped off by a Royal Navy battleship.
When given the opportunity to decline this new assignment, the narrator, driven by curiosity, accepts the job. When he tries to find answers to what it might entail, all he’s told is that the rig officially doesn’t exist, and he’s better off not wondering about its true purpose.
With only three parts, one might think this to be a shorter series, but each part is much longer than what one’s used to on Nosleep.
The writing and the atmosphere are both fantastic, and the story itself can hold its own against other, ocean-based Nosleep classics.
u/Darkly_Gathers is a writer I only recently discovered, but he’s written his fair share of brilliant series, including his series about a young woman trapped on a bus, or his series about the so-called Drowned Man Games.
Be sure to check out his work, you won’t regret it.
DUNGEONS AND DARKNESS
Nosleep is full of weird and unique series, but this Nosleep series by u/Jgrupe is amongst the most unique I’ve come upon.
Our story begins at a grocery store where the narrator’s brother, Noel, is working the night shift. That night, our narrator and his friends decide to pay him a visit.
One of them brings along a game called Dungeons and Darkness he found in a box under the basement, as well as a couple of really old bottles of Coca Cola.
They try the drinks and soon begin playing the game. After each picking a character and drawing a first card, they are suddenly transported to a medieval fantasy world and forced to play the game.
DUNGEONS AND DARKNESS is a rather unconventional Nosleep story, one I found different from almost any other I’ve read on the sub. Yet there’s something extremely charming about it, be it the characters or the setting.
The writing’s great, there’s quite a bit of humor, and, of course, quite a few things go wrong for our characters.
It’s a Nosleep series that’s all around fun, but one that might not be for everyone.
Nicotine
I discovered this Nosleep series by pure accident, but I soon came to regard it as one of Nosleep’s hidden gems.
It’s a weird tale, comprising a variety of interviews our narrator has with one of his patients, a man named Jerry.
Jerry has a peculiar habit. He’s a smoker, tried to stop and thus began using nicotine patches. Before long, Jerry realized that sleeping with these patches on gave him very vivid and weird dreams. In these dreams he met a girl, and soon came to enjoy these dreams much more than the real world.
Yet Jerry isn’t just there because of these habits or his dreams, but for an entirely different reason.
Trying to learn more about Jerry, our narrator, too, decides to sleep with nicotine patches on. Soon enough, things turn surreal.
Nicotine is a fantastically imaginative series, one that comes with lots of disturbing imagery. It’s a mad, twisted tale, but one written in quite a refreshing way.
I highly recommend this Nosleep series to anyone who’s looking for a more unique experience.
I am a sex worker. Sometimes I get the strangest clients.
u/Mandahrk is another great and prolific Nosleep writer, known for both his stories centering on Indian folklore, but also his rather twisted sexual ones.
This series is my favorite about his many works.
Our narrator begins by sharing some intricacies of her job, and the many weird things she had to do and experienced over the years. Yet sometimes, she states, you end up coming upon someone who’s truly evil or who might not be entirely human.
It’s a fantastic series of weird tales and disturbing instances. It’s a work full of sex in its most primal and disgusting form, coming with the right vocabulary and which sugarcoats nothing
While it can be a tough read, it’s well worth reading for how real and raw it is, at least, in terms of sex work.
What makes this Nosleep series so great is not only the subject matter and its twisted details but also the way it’s told and the strong narrative voice.
If you’re looking for sexual horror, this series is a must-read.
How to survive camping
u/fainting-goat’s camping series is one of the longest, most successful Nosleep series of all time.
What far over 100parts, it’s also quite a commitment, but one that’s well worth it.
The best way to enjoy the series, however, is definitely in its published form, which by now comprises four books which are all available on Amazon.
The tale starts out quite simple. Our narrator owns a camping ground and explains its intricacies and the rules the campers have to follow to avoid a dire end.
While it might appear to be another series based on rules, it’s quite different. It comes with a unique setting, fantastic characters and quite a few twisted creatures and scenarios.
Before long, the series takes on a life of its own. We learn more details about the campground, the narrator’s family, as well as the nearby town. In time, it became one of the strongest, most well-crafted series on Nosleep.
It’s a tale full of twists and turns, captivating characters and its share of supernatural creatures, some grounded in mythology, others entirely unique.
If you’ve got the time, you should definitely check this Nosleep series out. It’s one of the greatest Nosleep series of all time, and probably one of the most ambitious on the entire sub.
