10 Spine-Tingling Ghost Books to Cozy Up With This Fall—Your New Halloween Reading List
By Courtney Shapiro,
1 days ago
This time of year, so many of us are cozying up and telling terrifying tales around a bonfire and rewatching classic movies like Halloween, Ghostbusters or Casper . But there’s no shortage of spine-tingling books to help you get in the Halloween spirit, too!
We gathered our favorite ghost books to add to your TBR pile. Want to travel back to the past? Give The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden a try. If you’re more in the mood for haunted houses and creepy motives, pick up Carissa Orlando’s The September House. Keep scrolling for all our ghostly recommendations. Happy reading!
This sparkling, original novel features Florence Day, who works as a ghostwriter for a prolific romance author. But after her recent breakup, she no longer believes in love. When her new editor, Benji, who just so happens to be a very handsome man, won’t give her an extension on her book, Florence thinks her career is over. Then she gets a devastating phone call to return home—for the first time in a decade—to help her family bury her beloved father. She travels back to the Southern town where her family owns a funeral home and while there, she’s shocked to find her editor standing at the door. What’s even weirder: No one else can see him. What follows is a series of beautifully woven moments that center on Florence and her ghostly editor, whose unfinished business has her second-guessing everything she’s ever known about love stories.
What readers are saying: “ This book was too cute. I was a bit skeptical since spooky isn’t my scene, but I was immediately captivated. Ben helping Florence find her way back to believing in not only love, but also herself is everything I could’ve asked for.”
All book lovers can agree — nothing beats a good plot twist. That feeling of needing to know what happens next and thinking you have the solution and then gasping out loud when you find out you’re wrong is truly unmatched. But the best book plot twists have you thinking about them long after you’ve […]
Laura Iven was a skilled field nurse until she was injured and discharged from the medical corps in January 1918. She left behind her brother, who was still fighting in Flanders. When she returns home, she receives news of his death, but she’s not convinced he’s gone. Determined to discover what really happened to her brother, Laura heads back to Belgium as a volunteer nurse, where she soon learns of haunted trenches and a hotel owner whose wine brings oblivion to soldiers. Did Freddie escape the battlefield or succumb to a different fate entirely?
What readers are saying: “ This was such a perfect historical fantasy. It broke my heart, it made me smile, it left me in wonder and awe—both in regards to magic and human cruelty. The writing was stunning, the plot held my attention from start to finish and I adored the characters.
Set on the seaside cliffs of Maine, this moving, lyrically written novel follows Jane Flanagan, who, as a teen, discovers an abandoned house that becomes her hideaway. Years later, Jane is sad to find the new owner, Genevieve, has renovated the house drastically. Genevieve believes the home is haunted and hires Jane to research its history. What follows is a tale of ghosts, family secrets and homecoming.
What readers are saying: “ I love how this author combined the stories of family hardship, loves lost, true friendship, addiction, the spirit world and the often forgotten stories of people who inhabited the places we take at face value. A rich, excellent read. You will not be disappointed.”
Bestselling author Jen DeLuca is known for her sweet, small-town stories and her latest novel offers all of this—with a sprinkle of paranormal activity! Cassie Rutherford is the last single one in her friend group. And she may have overreacted to this news by buying a flipped historic cottage in Boneyard Key, a small town in Florida that leans into its ghostliness. Even though there’s something off about the house, she’s charmed by the town, its history and the grumpy coffee shop owner, Nick Royer. When Cassie and Nick start spending more time together, Nick can only hope that the town's spirits won’t scare Cassie away for good.
What readers are saying: “ FANTABULOUS!!! What an enchanting blend of spooky, hilarious and heartwarming romance unfolding in a haunted, charming Florida coastal town!! The title instantly grabbed my attention, and when I saw the adorable cover coupled with the captivating synopsis, I knew I had to read this book!”
Readers are taken back to 1921 post-revolutionary Russia in this eerie tale. When a group of Bolsheviks takes over Irina and Lili Goliteva’s family mansion in Moscow, the sisters are ordered to move into the cramped attic. Soon, the spirits of their deceased family members awaken, and one of the officials is found dead. As secrets come to light, the two sisters must dig for answers.
What readers are saying: “This is an engrossing tale of love, loss and hope. The story is filled with nightmares—and the brilliantly executed foreshadowing and plot twists keep you moving forward. Gilmore's descriptive, breathtaking prose brings post-revolutionary Russia to life in all its ugliness and eeriness of worldbuilding. You fall in love with the sisters from the first pages, and you cannot stop rooting for them. It is a beautiful, mesmerizing yet harrowing read that in the end gives you hope.”
Fans of the TV show Ghosts will love this darker take on a haunted house. Margaret and Hal were thrilled to finally have a house of their own. And they couldn’t beat the price for the large Victorian-style home on Hawthorn Street. Then they discovered the house isn’t quite what it seems. Every September, the walls drip blood, and the ghosts of former inhabitants appear—factors that would cause most people to run. But Margaret didn’t run, and Hal had enough after four years, so he left. Now he’s not answering the phone and their daughter Katherine—who’s unaware of the hauntings—is determined to find her missing father. However, with every attempt to find Hal, the hauntings get worse and soon Margaret and Katherine learn that some secrets can’t be buried.
What readers are saying: “ I was looking for something spooky to read, and this title caught my attention. I enjoyed the pictures it painted, the variety of characters, the way the story unwound itself chapter after chapter. Toward the end, the plot thickens and becomes quite intense. This is where the surprises happen. Highly recommend, would read a sequel if there was one.”
Penelope and her bookshop’s ghost-in-residence, Jack, are back on a new case as citizens of their town begin mysteriously dying. Penelope soon discovers this is connected to the plot of a new bestselling novel. With Jack’s help, she must find the culprit before it’s too late.
What readers are saying: “ Jack and Penelope are back, and I couldn't be happier! I've read every book in this series, waited a very long time for this book to come out and I was not disappointed. This is a riveting book and series, and I was glued to the pages. I didn't want it to end.”
Cozy mysteries are the perfect book choice when you’re looking to get in the Halloween spirit—without experiencing the terrifying scares provided by authors like Stephen King. The light-hearted genre, which typically involves a novice sleuth finding herself at the center of a murder investigation in a small town, is incredibly popular, and in recent years, […]
Looking for a fresh start after the recent death of her husband, Alva Webster sets out to restore an old mansion. Before long, though, Alva has more on her mind than selecting wallpaper, when ghostly hauntings on the property scare her construction crew away and send Professor Samuel Moore, an eccentric supernatural scholar, to her door.
What readers are saying: “ This book is wonderful! Part romance, part ghost story…a grumpy vs. sunshine delight with lots of drama, intrigue, and heart! The story is interesting and engaging from start to finish. The main characters are complex, well-developed and extremely likable…and that goes for the supporting characters as well!”
HGTV meets spooky season in this ghostly novel from bestselling author Sarah Pinsker. Twenty-something Mara is aimless until she lands a job as a production assistant on her cousin’s ghost hunting/home makeover reality show, Haunt Sweet Home . She decides her new role will require a decent approach to duplicity. But as she hides fog machines and comes up with new ways to scare new homeowners, several incidents on set and a creepy coworker force Mara to question whether the person she’s been deceiving the most is herself.
What readers are saying: “ This one is a novella so I don't want to give too much away, but I had such a good time reading this! This is more of a lighter horror, with just enough creepy moments to keep the horror alive. From beginning to end I was hooked and I can't wait to see what this author is going to write next!”
Laugh-out-loud moments? Check! Magic? Check? An enemies-to-lovers trope? Check! Sarah Adler’s Happy Medium is sure to delight any reader looking for a spooky season romance. Gretchen Acorn is a fake spirit medium, but she’s thrilled when she’s hired to investigate eerie events on a goat farm owned by handsome farmer Charlie. He’s not convinced of Gretchen’s abilities, but then she actually communicates with a ghost—and its message is clear: Don’t sell the farm. As she tries to stop the sale, sparks fly with Charlie.
What readers are saying: “This book was so much fun. I loved the whole idea of curses and spirits. It made the way Charlie and Gretchen interacted exciting and playful. I would be remiss if I didn't talk about Everett. This little TV-loving spunky ghost was such a fun addition to the story. It was such a great concept that Adler executed brilliantly and I would read more with Everett at the center. Overall, I enjoyed the love story and the character development a lot.”
For more spooky season stories to add to your TBR!
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