Best Horror Books about Ghosts (2026): 5 Picks Compared

Readers who love a good haunting come here looking for the best horror books about ghosts, where the dead refuse to stay quiet. We lined up the contenders by listed reading age, page count and publication date, so a teen or a book-club buyer can match the book to the reader.

ShelfAnswers earns a commission when you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.

The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	Home Before Dark	9.8/10	Buy on Amazon
2	The Ghosts Among Us by Evans	9.6/10	Buy on Amazon
3	The Haunting of Ashburn House by Coates	9.6/10	Buy on Amazon
4	20th Century Ghosts by Hill	9.5/10	Buy on Amazon
5	Craven Manor by Coates	9.4/10	Buy on Amazon

1

Home Before Dark

Riley Sager·9.8/10 Shelf Score

i

The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A haunted house thriller, 416 pages, 2021.

Check price on Amazon

Pros

• 416 pages stated
• Published August 31, 2021
• Haunted house stated

Cons

• Long, 416 pages
• Supernatural themes
• Adult content

2

The Ghosts Among Us by Evans

Eve Evans·9.6/10 Shelf Score

i

The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Twenty chapters the description calls true ghost stories; 166 pages, reading age 14 to 18.

Check price on Amazon

Pros

• Twenty chapters of ghost encounters in one volume
• 166 pages suits a teen short on time
• States a reading age; the others do not

Cons

• Mentions eerie 911 calls and police sightings
• No grade level pairs with the reading age
• 2021 edition is older than some shoppers prefer

3

The Haunting of Ashburn House by Coates

Darcy Coates·9.6/10 Shelf Score

i

The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A woman inherits a crumbling mansion where furniture moves and messages appear, for readers who want gothic horror.

Check price on Amazon

Pros

• The haunted mansion setting is a direct fit for the season
• 336 pages listed, published by Poisoned Pen Press
• One main character, Adrienne, keeps the focus tight

Cons

• Listed as a reprint, so confirm the edition on the page before buying
• The description stresses dread and supernatural fear, so check the tone for younger readers
• No reading age or series position is stated

4

20th Century Ghosts by Hill

Joe Hill·9.5/10 Shelf Score

i

The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A Joe Hill ghost-story collection featuring The Black Phone, for story-collection fans.

Check price on Amazon

Pros

• Ghosts, monsters and voices from the dead throughout
• The listing calls it award-winning
• Reprint edition dated March 17, 2009 is stated

Cons

• No reading age or grade level stated
• No print length stated
• Names murdered children and blood; preview it first

5

Craven Manor by Coates

Darcy Coates·9.4/10 Shelf Score

i

The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 2020 haunted-house horror for readers who want gothic secrets rather than a whodunit.

Check price on Amazon

Pros

• Published March 3, 2020 with a stated 304-page print length
• Poisoned Pen Press reprint edition; a complete standalone haunted-house story
• Gothic setup: a groundskeeper, a forbidden house and disappearances in town

Cons

• Horror, not a mystery: the description centers haunting and a hungry house
• Disappearances and dread in the description; check before buying for a younger reader
• No reading age or grade level is stated

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 22 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs fit, contents and edition, value, and the listed reading age or grade level. Only one listing states a reading age: The Ghosts Among Us by Evans lists 14 to 18 years. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best horror books about ghosts

Match the reading age to the reader

The Ghosts Among Us by Evans is the only listing with a reading age: 14 to 18 years. The rest state no reading age or grade level, so read the description and a sample page before buying for a younger reader, and browse the haunted-house horror list for more teen-leaning scares.

Pick a collection or a single haunting

20th Century Ghosts by Hill gathers invented stories about ghosts, monsters and voices from the dead, while The Ghosts Among Us by Evans holds twenty chapters the description calls true ghost stories. For more collections, see the horror books about witches list.

Before you buy

• Check the edition and publication date: only two of these five state one.
• Pick a collection for many short scares, or a haunted-house title for one sustained haunting.
• Match any stated reading age to your reader, and read each description for themes first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which of these ghost horror books lists a reading age?

Only The Ghosts Among Us by Evans: 14 to 18 years. The rest state no reading age or grade level.

Which book is a story collection about ghosts?

Two: 20th Century Ghosts by Hill is a story collection the listing calls award-winning, and The Ghosts Among Us by Evans holds twenty chapters the description calls true ghost stories.

Do any of these books state a page count?

Only The Ghosts Among Us by Evans, at 166 pages.

Still deciding? Our top pickHome Before Dark

Check price on Amazon

Related lists

See every thriller and mystery list and all fiction lists.

More lists: nonfiction horror, horror with romance and picture books about ghosts.