hair raiser
/ˈhɛrˌreɪzər/
noun
- Something that causes fear, shock, or excitement; a thrilling or frightening experience, story, or event.
- The roller coaster ride was a hair-raiser, but I loved every second of it.
- The old horror movie was a real hair-raiser, with jump scares around every corner.
- Her account of the hiking accident was a hair-raiser that kept everyone on the edge of their seats.