Ghost Fiction

The ghost story is perhaps the oldest of all the supernatural literary genres and has captured the imagination of almost every writer to put pen to the page. Here, Edgar Award-winning editor Otto Penzler has followed his keen sense of the supernatural to collect the most chilling and uncanny tales in the canon.

The Fae entity known as Veda has taken possession of Doc Holliday, and neither of them will ever be the same. Her offer of power holds no appeal to Doc, but no matter how badly he wants her out of him, he can't release such a powerful being on the world. It’s a battle of wills for ultimate control. But as the war rages on, one thing is becoming very clear... Doc Holliday must win. But how can any man, even an immortal one, hope to compete with a god?

Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt spent a year fighting as part of the underground resistance on the enemy-held world of Gereon. When he left, he promised that he would bring the forces of the Imperium to liberate Gereon's citizens from their oppressors. Now he has returned, a crusade army at his back, but he finds a world devastated by war and a people irrevocably damaged by the taint of Chaos. Now Gaunt must fight to save Gereon not only from the enemy, but from the Imperium itself.

Joan Comyn swore allegiance to Robert the Bruce the day she witnessed England's barbarous king torturing her famous mother, Scot patriot Bella MacDuff. Now the mysterious beauty slips into men's hearts like a specter and entices England's most illustrious barons to unwittingly divulge their secrets, then shares them with her king. Known only as the Ghost, even among her Highland Guard brethren, Joan has become the most wanted traitor in England. The man determined to uncover her identity poses her biggest threat yet.

Ten years ago, Hell Diver Xavier "X" Rodriguez fell to Earth. Those he left behind went on without him aboard the airship he once called home. Michael Everheart - the boy once known as Tin - has grown into a man and the commander of Hell Diver Raptor Team. While Michael dives to help keep the Hive in the air, Captain Leon Jordan rules with an iron fist at the helm of the ship. But unrest stirs under his strict leadership as a prophecy of hope sweeps the lower decks.

The year is 2009, and Chrissy Rodriguez is determined to make her ghost hunting vlog an internet success. She's only one more failed investigation away from financial ruin and having to move back home. When she receives an email asking her to investigate Merlin High, a school that burned down in the 80s, she is presented with a unique opportunity that could make or break her.

Saint Sabbat has returned, and she is being hunted by the deadliest of assassins. Gaunt's Ghosts must fight to protect her - but can they defend against treachery from within? It's the culmination of a massive story arc that sees tragedy strike even as the Sabbat Worlds Crusade is given new hope with the reappearance of the Saint herself. Mysticism and warfare collide, with compelling results.

It's once again Christmastime at Marlow House and the mediums of Beach Drive have all decided to stay in Frederickport for the holiday. Surprises await for them when the true Spirit of Christmas comes for a visit. Do you believe in Santa Claus?

Glow-in-the-dark footprints; eyewitness accounts of a ghost haunting school grounds - something doesn't add up! Ghosts don't have feet, do they? Either way, Jigsaw Jones and his partner Mila Yeh are on the case, and they'll do whatever it takes to solve this spooky new mystery...even if it means they have to be at school extra late!

When Richard and Kate Harrison venture exhausted into the Haven (a quiet Cornish cove) they happen upon strange events. Richard - unhappy and lost - is haunted by the vision of a beautiful stranger. Fascinated and obsessed, he is soon ensnared in a very dangerous game. Nothing is as it seems, and the past has returned to take hold over the present.

“Superb and almost unbearably charming, Her Majesty’s Royal Coven… expertly launches an exciting new trilogy." —The New York Times Book Review "Talk about a gut punch of a novel. …A provocative exploration of intersectional feminism, loyalty, gender and transphobia [that] invites...

Grunge band, Slasher, is headlining a sold-out Bermuda cruise to celebrate the turn of the millennium. The guest list is stacked with rich and famous partygoers from all walks of life eagerly waiting for the clock to strike midnight. Will the New Year arrive, or will the Y2K computer glitch stop the clocks and leave the ship dead in the water? What the passengers don’t know is that a greater threat lurks aboard the ship, one that stalks the unwary and moves in the darkness. A secret has been following Slasher from venue to venue, leaving a trail of mysterious fatalities in its wake.

For sixth-grader Nina Tanleven, nothing is scarier than auditioning for a play at the famous old Grand Theater. But Nina changes her mind when she climbs on stage to audition - and sees a ghost sitting in the audience! Then, even stranger things happen. Scripts are ripped up, sets are knocked down, and everyone fears the ghost wants to stop the play. Everyone, of course, except Nina and her best friend Chris.

Ex-burlesque dancer and aspiring author Tamara Garvey just had her world turned upside down. Her best friend died and leaves her as guardian to a teenager. Now, not only is Tamara struggling with her new role but she is also charged with caring for the family home, the Ridaught Plantation known by the locals as the Dead House. To her surprise, the place is already occupied by an angsty ghost named Joey who has a penchant for wearing her clothes and a fascination for paranormal movies and television shows.

Grab a flashlight, crawl under the covers, and dive into the twisted, unexpectedly hilarious world of Rowley Jefferson’s imagination. You’ll meet zombies, vampires, ghosts, and much more in these comically terrifying tales. Rowley’s spooky stories might leave you laughing, but beware - you could end up sleeping with the lights on!

Hallucinations cauchemardesques, bruits étranges au grenier, apparitions d’une fillette décédée; la nouvelle maison de Simon est l’objet de rumeurs et de phénomènes inquiétants. Quelle famille saurait lui résister, à Elle? Simon emménage dans une maison historique avec sa mère et sa soeur. Un été ennuyeux semble s’annoncer pour l’adolescent, mais la rencontre de Fred, une mystérieuse fille aux cheveux bleus fait battre son coeur.

USA Today Bestseller | One of People's Must-Read Books of Fall 2025 | LibraryReads Hall of Fame Pick | IndieNext Pick “A fantasy-tinged sapphic romance with perfect banter.”—People A down-on-her-luck woman makes a deal with a crafty demon to win back her ex-girlfriend after a proposal gone...

GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK As the Civil War looms, a young girl must face a life-altering decision after awakening her sister’s ghost in this “poignant story of love, family and friendship [that] celebrates the power of liberation” (People). “An enrapturing tale of survival...

The New York Times bestselling author of All the Stars and Teeth brings to life a highly romantic, Gothic-infused world of wealth, desire, and betrayal. ​ Nineteen-year-old Signa Farrow, orphaned as a baby, has been raised by a string of guardians, each more interested in her wealth than her...

Adjusting to life at Beechwood Inn, with its magical quirks and paranormal guests, was adventure enough. But when the spectral form of Rachel Palmer crashes into my world, things go sideways all over again. Rachel's memory is a fractured mirror, with the reflection of Sean Harrington, her wealthy ex-boyfriend, caught in its shards. Despite accusations and suspicions, Rachel's ethereal heart refuses to believe Sean's guilt.