I can’t resist a queer ghost-hunting story. I know that’s a narrow niche, but when a book lands within it, it’s guaranteed to go on my TBR. There’s something about the hubris of actively chasing down ghosts and demons that makes for a delicious horror premise—and queer characters just make everything better.
It’s horrific enough for a ghost or demon to take over your home, which is supposed to be your safe refuge, but even scarier is if they take over your mind and body. Possessions are hauntings that go even deeper, and I’ve included stories of both demon and ghost possessions here.
This isn’t a complete list, of course. Feel free to add your favorite queer YA haunting and possession books in the comments—especially if they involve a team of queer ghost hunters!
The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould (Lesbian YA Horror)
Logan has spent her life crisscrossing the country with her two dads, Brandon and Alejo, as they film their ghost-hunting TV show. When Brandon returns to his and Alejo’s hometown, he says he’s scouting for a filming location, but then he doesn’t leave for months. Alejo and Logan come after him, but they’re soon all drawn into this small town’s mysteries, which include several missing teenagers. Homophobic attitudes make Brandon a prime suspect in the disappearances. To clear his name, Logan finds herself teaming up with Ashley, who is looking for her missing boyfriend. As they investigate, it becomes obvious that something supernatural is going on, and even Logan is becoming suspicious of her father. Even more unexpected? Logan and Ashley are starting to fall for each other.
This one has an incredibly creepy atmosphere, and we get glimpses into an evil being that is possessing someone and killing teens using their body—but who is being possessed, and why did they make a deal with this dark force?
The Girls Are Never Gone by Sarah Glenn Marsh (Bisexual YA Horror)
Dare took this internship to help restore Arrington Estate because it’s rumored to be haunted, and it should make good content for her ghost-hunting podcast. The fact that Dare is extremely skeptical about the existence of ghosts is something she keeps under wraps. When she arrives there, she finds assistance from the daughter of the museum’s owner, Quinn. Soon, even Dare has to admit that something weird is happening in this house, with its lake that creeps closer every day, and the face that appears beside hers in the mirror.
I personally love horror stories that have a water focus, and this one is very much about the ominous lake, where at least one girl drowned. No matter how much work they do to restore it, the ceilings are always leaking, mold spreads, and carpets squelch with water underfoot.
This also has disability representation: Dare has Type 1 Diabetes and has to manage it both with medical equipment and a service dog. (The author also has Type 1 Diabetes.)
Specter Inspectors by Bowen McCurdy and Kaitlyn Musto (Sapphic YA Paranormal Graphic Novel)
Noa, Gus, Ko, and Astrid are paranormal investigators determined to prove ghosts are real by sharing their findings on social media. But when they arrive at one of the most haunted towns in America, they find something much more sinister than ghosts. This is Scooby Doo vibes, but with a queer romance and a nonbinary side character, which is exactly what I want from a Halloween read. Spector Inspectors covers both bases in this list: ghost hunters who end up having to deal with a demonic possession.
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The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass (Gay YA Horror/Social Thriller)
Unlike the previous three books, Jake doesn’t have to hunt for ghosts, because they’re always with him. He sees the dead acting out their deaths, caught in an endless loop. All except Sawyer, the ghost of a school shooter who’s determined to use Jake to exact vengeance. Soon, instead of seeing ghosts, Jake finds himself controlled by one.
This is a gay paranormal thriller that has a lot of social commentary, especially on anti-Black racism. It also gets very dark, including giving the school shooter’s perspective. If you like your horror with hard-hitting social commentary, this should be on your list.
The Dark Becomes Her by Judy I. Lin (Bisexual YA Horror)
Ruby strives to be the perfect elder sister, including keeping her younger sister Tina on track. Her life is upended, though, when a ghost attacks the sisters in Vancouver’s Chinatown. Now, Tina is acting completely differently, and Ruby is determined to save her from her demonic possession, even if that means plunging into the underworld to stop the evil trying to come through. This YA horror novel with a bisexual main character is being pitched as “Chinese and Taiwanese mythology get the Junji Ito treatment!”
Looking for more queer horror? Check out these LGBTQ haunted horror novels, queer haunted house books, and queer ghost stories.
English (US) · 