3. The Doll: A Child's Play Turned Nightmare

Innocent and cuddly, dolls are often associated with childhood and joy. However, in the realm of thrillers, they can become eerie symbols of possession, malevolence, or even murder. R.L. Stine's The Dollmaker is a classic horror story that exemplifies this trope.

The novel follows a young girl who receives a disturbingly lifelike doll as a gift, only to discover its sinister nature. The doll becomes a tangible manifestation of fear, haunting the reader's imagination long after the final page.