The Pit and the Pendulum about a man imprisoned during the Spanish Inquisition is one of Edgar Allen Poe's finest works and it captures horror at its height.
The story begins with a nameless narrator who finds himself on trial before seven severe judges who sentence him to death as part of the Spanish Inquisition.
Known as Poe's most historically accurate thriller readers will get a healthy dosage of history. But don't let "short story" fool you because the Pit and the Pendulum is a deep read that may prove challenging. So finishing it will certainly be a satisfying reward with all the probing into the despair and darkness. Death can't possibly seem more real and imminent than it does in the Pit and the Pendulum.

Other stories in the book: A Descent Into The Maelström The Tell-Tale Heart The Cask Of Amontıllado.