Elisa Shoenberger has been building a library since she was 13. She loves writing about all aspects of books from author interviews, antiquarian books, archives, and everything in between. She also writes regularly for Murder & Mayhem and Library Journal. She's also written articles for Huffington Post, Boston Globe, WIRED, Slate, and many other publications. When she's not writing about reading, she's reading and adventuring to find cool new art. She also plays alto saxophone and occasionally stiltwalks. Find out more on her website or follow her on Twitter @vogontroubadour.
It’s October, and that means all things spooky. Well, it’s more socially acceptable for spooky things than the rest of the year; for some of us, it’s Halloween in our hearts year round!
A solid murder mystery is also great all year round, but they’re even more seasonally appropriate when they’re of the paranormal variety. So to celebrate this month of hauntings and the uncanny, here’s a list of five mysteries that involve ghosts and spirits in some way.
A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke
This Anthony Award-winning mystery was one of my favorite books of 2024. When Ruby moved into her new Boston apartment, she didn’t expect the prior tenant to still be there. But she is, sort of. Cordelia is a ghost, and she’s annoyed that Ruby managed to kill almost all of her plants. But when one of her neighbors is found murdered in front of their apartment building, Cordelia feels the need to find some justice. She needs Ruby’s help, even if they can’t really talk and Cordelia hasn’t quite figured out the whole ghost thing yet. It’s a delightful read that makes you want more and more books with Ruby and Cordelia. Good news on that front: the next book in the series, Death at the Door, came out last week on October 21st.
All Access members read on for more ghosts and demons in mysteries!
Elisa Shoenberger has been building a library since she was 13. She loves writing about all aspects of books from author interviews, antiquarian books, archives, and everything in between. She also writes regularly for Murder & Mayhem and Library Journal. She’s also written articles for Huffington Post, Boston Globe, WIRED, Slate, and many other publications. When she’s not writing about reading, she’s reading and adventuring to find cool new art. She also plays alto saxophone and occasionally stiltwalks. Find out more on her website or follow her on Twitter @vogontroubadour.
Masters of Death by Olivie Blake
Best known for The Atlas Six, Blake brings us a fun paranormal with the Masters of Death. It’s hard to sell a house with a ghost in it, especially if that ghost refuses to leave until their murder has been solved. Viola “Vi” Marek, a real estate agent who happens to be a vampire, seeks the help of a medium, Fox D’Mora, who is more fake than real. But there’s no question he has incredible connections…to the God of Death. Vi and Fox have to find a way to work together so Vi can finally get this unwanted inhabitant out of the house.
The Library of the Dead by T.L. Huchu
I love great worldbuilding in urban fantasy and this series does it well. Set in Edinburgh, Ropa Moyo can speak to ghosts and supports her family by passing messages from the dead to the living. But soon she hears about someone stealing children and draining them of their life force and realizes that these children are much like herself, on the margins of society. She decides that she has to figure out who is behind the awful kidnappings before it’s too late. The fifth book in the Edinburgh Nights series, Secrets of the First School, came out on October 16, 2025.
The Village Library Demon Hunting Society by C.M. Waggoner
Librarian Sherry Pinkwhistle is like Jessica Fletcher without even having to leave her small town. She has a nose for solving murders, but she’s starting to wonder if something is off—there’s a lot of murder going on for a small town. Then she finds herself as the number one suspect for a murder, and her cat, Lord Thomas Cromwell, seems to be possessed by a snarky demon. It appears that there may be some supernatural entity at work here (besides the cat), and Sherry is going to have to stop it with the help of a new priest and other friends in The Village Library Demon Hunting Society. Because of course, the librarian is going to save the day.
Unbridled Hauntings by Misty Simon
If you need some fun and joy, Misty Simon’s work is the right place to go. Iona Hoover thought that working at her aunt’s pet treat shop would be quiet and peaceful. But when a man comes in, drops a brooch, and leaves, Iona tries to find him to return the brooch. Instead of a happy reunion, she finds him dead on a park bench. On top of that, Iona is visited by the Silver Bettys, whose name was inspired by Golden Girls. They are four ghosts that she thought were imaginary friends growing up. Together, they have to get to the bottom of this crime, while also keeping her aunt’s bakery afloat. The second book in the A Horsing Around Mystery series Blinkers and Blunders came out this summer. Simon also has other series that include magic, such as the Charmed Inn Mysteries which feature bibliomancy!
That’s just five delightfully spooky paranormal mysteries. If you want some more paranormal reads, check out the lists below:
An In-specter Calls: Books Where Ghosts Help Solve A Mystery
Join All Access to read this article
Get access to exclusive content and features with an All Access subscription on Book Riot.
- Unlimited access to exclusive bonus content
- Community features like commenting and poll participation
- Our gratitude for supporting the work of an independent media company
English (US) · 