Whether you crave a good ghost story, a psychological thriller, or a tale that tingles the spine without keeping you up all night, these haunting reads offer just the right balance of mystery and mood. From eerie adventures for younger readers to pulse-pounding suspense for adults, here are five books that prove spooky season is for everyone.

Spooky Stories For All Ages

1. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

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A boy raised by ghosts in a graveyard learns about courage, friendship, and the thin line between life and death in this timeless and gently spooky classic.

2. Small Spaces by Katherine Arden

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After reading a mysterious old book, Ollie and her friends find themselves trapped in a chilling game where scarecrows come alive and smiling isn’t always safe.

3. A Deadly Game by Gayle Brown

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When a college student vanishes during a nighttime game in the woods, one mother’s desperate search for answers unravels a dangerous web of secrets, forcing her to choose between truth and loyalty in this edge-of-your-seat debut thriller.

4. The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

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Two orphans working in a gloomy English manor uncover a haunting secret about a tree that grants wishes—but at a terrible cost—in this eerie Victorian ghost story for all ages.

5. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

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A reclusive author’s confession of buried family secrets turns into a mesmerizing modern gothic filled with haunted mansions, lost twins, and the ghost of a story that won’t rest.

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