Spooky Spiritualism: 5 Mysteries Featuring Séances and Tarot

Every year in October, I line up all the witchy and ghosty books for a spooky season reading sprint. The genre and setting may vary along the spooky spectrum, but the flavor I’ve been reaching for this year is “mystery with a side of spiritualism.” I love books that feature séances and tarot, whether the mystery is solved with the help of the cards or some spectral assistance, or the whodunit itself is to determine whether the person pulling the cards or summoning the spirits is gifted or just a fraud. The five books on this list are either actual mysteries or books with a strong mystery element. Two are modern mysteries, one with witches, and three are historical Gothics set in London, Paris, and Edinburgh. All of them feature tarot, spiritualism, and in some cases both. If you like your spooky season reading lighter on the scare scale and more on the moody, vibey, mystery side of things, you’ve come to the right place. Last chance for 15% off annual All Access memberships in celebration of Book Riot’s 15th anniversary! Savings amount to more than 3 months of free unlimited access to our entire content archive, plus features like Collections and the New Release Index. Claim your s...