Ghost Stories That Thrill Us
- List of the Month
- October 2025 (see all)
- Talk
- October 2025 List of the Month: Ghost Stories That Thrill Us
- Description
- The thrills of a good ghost story—the chills down the spine, the jump scare at an unexpected reveal, the gloomy sense of impending danger—are one of the pleasures of this season! Our October 2025 List of the Month is devoted to the Ghost Stories That Thrill Us. Each member may add ten titles. Please only downvote titles which are not ghost stories.
1
12,877 members
518 reviews
3.9
Score 91.5
Added 2025-10-07, 02:38 PM
- 26 Members
- brontella, ShelfMonkey, fastaxion, pitjrw, bjappleg8, sboaman, Copperskye, sturlington, TheLOFT, tina1969, Marissa_Doyle, Lilirose_, msemmag, Kyler_Marie, ManWithAnAgenda, Charon07, auldhouse, loulourevisited, annahuber13, markjosephjochim, ZephCraven, JoLoveday, Lydia_Schuller, griffinwings111, jschickling1, lpchazluver
2
29,484 members
599 reviews
4.1
Score 90.35
Added 2025-10-07, 02:55 PM
- 28 Members
- hipdeep, TeresaInTexas, ReshiBec, pitjrw, norabelle414, bjappleg8, CarltonC, merrystar, perennialreader, BonnieJune54, gypsysmom, al.vick, missizicks, AbigailAdams26, nrmay, carol55, treegardner, SF_fan_mae, Kyler_Marie, Boand, Brandy1411, loulourevisited, annahuber13, SealedArchive, CarolynBurke7, cindra-cat, markjosephjochim, bookworm825,
- Explanations
- CarltonC: Ghost stories are not really what I read, but of those I have read, this is the best.cindra-cat: Scary ghosts that are actually helping.markjosephjochim: Absolute classic. The first ghost story I ever read. Even played Jacob Marlow in a school production when I was in the 5th grade.
3
- 16 Members
- brontella, TeresaInTexas, fastaxion, pitjrw, kleo, bjappleg8, elenchus, perennialreader, tina1969, carol55, uhhhhmanda, loulourevisited, annahuber13, CarolynBurke7, markjosephjochim, Lydia_Schuller
- Explanations
- elenchus: Rebecca is a ghost for the reader just as for the characters, never appearing but oh-so-overbearing.
4
- 12 Members
- jeffrushton, ShelfMonkey, sboaman, mkbird, Copperskye, Marissa_Doyle, jimtilson, stephanieann1983, EGBERTINA, Advocursor, CarolynBurke7, cindra-cat
- Explanations
- EGBERTINA: I'm no longer interested in frightening tales. I read this in high school- and really enjoyed it then. I make no assertion as to whether it is a good book, today.cindra-cat: The ghost stories old men tell to distract from their past deeds.
5
- 13 Members
- hipdeep, brontella, ShelfMonkey, Bookmarque, yoyogod, sboaman, sturlington, tina1969, LibraryCin, stephanieann1983, cindra-cat, jschickling1, lpchazluver,
- Explanations
- cindra-cat: Ghosts everywhere - and they want you to stay.
6
7
4,960 members
96 reviews
3.9
Score 36.83
Added 2025-10-07, 02:40 PM
8
- 9 Members
- hipdeep, TheLOFT, BonnieJune54, msemmag, ManWithAnAgenda, Charon07, CarolynBurke7, ZephCraven, SHB123
9
- 9 Members
- hipdeep, pitjrw, prosfilaes, abbottthomas, paulmdh, nrmay, ManWithAnAgenda, Advocursor, CarolynBurke7
- Explanations
- abbottthomas: …although maybe it should get a thumbs down because it hasn’t got a single ghost in it 😋 - very ‘Saki’ though.
10
by Neil Gaiman
24,950 members
1,316 reviews
4.2
Score 26.51
Added 2025-10-07, 07:52 PM
- 10 Members
- fastaxion, terran, saskia17, Copperskye, nrmay, carol55, msjudy, Darth-Heather, markjosephjochim, Lydia_Schuller,
- Explanations
- markjosephjochim: Loved this one, one of the first I'd read by Gaiman. I think it's time for a re-read.
11
7,382 members
399 reviews
3.9
Score 26.12
Added 2025-10-07, 07:47 PM
12
13,574 members
83 reviews
½ 4.4
Score 25.56
Added 2025-10-09, 09:39 AM
- 8 Members
- EMS_24, lestrond, SF_fan_mae, auldhouse, loulourevisited, markjosephjochim, bookworm825, lpchazluver
- Explanations
- auldhouse: Scaring me since childhood...markjosephjochim: Absolutely cannot go wrong with Poe -- the master of the American scary story.
13
- 9 Members
- Bookmarque, knerd.knitter, fastaxion, sboaman, Copperskye, sturlington, tina1969, Charon07, Advocursor
14
18,369 members
932 reviews
4
Score 25.4
Added 2025-10-07, 04:38 PM
- 7 Members
- knerd.knitter, raidergirl3, perennialreader, msjudy, Brandy1411, Tosta, bookworm825
15
by Henry James
1,791 members
25 reviews
½ 3.7
Score 24.4
Added 2025-10-07, 04:36 PM
- 8 Members
- fastaxion, pitjrw, Cecrow, CarltonC, passion4reading, Advocursor, annahuber13, Lydia_Schuller
- Explanations
- CarltonC: The Turn of the Screw, rather than Aspern Papers, but the two novellas are often published together.
16
- 7 Members
- JBD1, paradoxosalpha, elenchus, sturlington, TheLOFT, kristilabrie, buckeywe74
- Explanations
- TheLOFT: Brilliantly crafted and absolutely bloodcurdling.
17
17,929 members
341 reviews
3.9
Score 20.56
Added 2025-10-08, 02:52 PM
- 7 Members
- Cecrow, perennialreader, BonnieJune54, carol55, Yuki-Onna, markjosephjochim, tmerp
18
1,013 members
25 reviews
4.1
Score 20.49
Added 2025-10-07, 07:49 PM
- 6 Members
- TeresaInTexas, lizzy50usa, mkbird, merrystar, treegardner, buckeywe74
19
1,016 members
22 reviews
½ 3.7
Score 19.05
Added 2025-10-07, 02:47 PM
- 6 Members
- Aquila, tardis, sboaman, souloftherose, ManWithAnAgenda, buckeywe74
20
5,051 members
144 reviews
½ 3.6
Score 18.26
Added 2025-10-13, 12:35 PM
- 7 Members
- TeresaInTexas, fastaxion, Copperskye, BonnieJune54, missizicks, Lilirose_, markjosephjochim
21
22
by M. R. James
2,585 members
45 reviews
4.2
Score 17.4
Added 2025-10-07, 07:38 PM
- 6 Members
- JBD1, abbottthomas, ManWithAnAgenda, Boand, Yuki-Onna, Charon07
- Explanations
- abbottthomas: M R James deserves to have this combined with Casting the Runes, another of his many published collections with many stories in common.
24
by Susan Hill
4,220 members
254 reviews
½ 3.7
Score 16.05
Added 2025-10-10, 05:14 AM
- 6 Members
- JBD1, abbottthomas, mkbird, Copperskye, passion4reading, Boand,Leskal
- Explanations
- abbottthomas: This really is among the very best and deserves a higher rating. Go read it!
25
by TJ Klune
4,859 members
175 reviews
4.1
Score 14.08
Added 2025-10-07, 07:26 PM
- 4 Members
- saskia17, merrystar, Darth-Heather, jayray18
28
47 members
4 reviews
4
Score 12
Added 2025-10-07, 02:52 PM
- 3 Members
- paradoxosalpha, elenchus, evenanne
- Explanations
- elenchus: A haunted chess set, spectral mathematics: not stereotypical ghost stories.
29
by Oscar Wilde
2,767 members
101 reviews
3.8
Score 11.79
Added 2025-10-07, 05:12 PM
- 4 Members
- saskia17, ManWithAnAgenda, Brandy1411, EGBERTINA
- Explanations
- EGBERTINA: not exactly frightening- but a classic
30
1,052 members
65 reviews
3.8
Score 11.36
Added 2025-10-07, 03:54 PM
- 3 Members
- Darth-Heather, uhhhhmanda, beatlegrrl
31
by M. R. James
926 members
32 reviews
4
Score 11.3
Added 2025-10-20, 02:25 PM
- 4 Members
- JBD1, pitjrw, Porua, missizicks
- Explanations
- Porua: The collection contains the story that started my love for M. R. James' ghost stories, 'Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad'!, arguably my favorite M. R. James ghost story.missizicks: The place to start with M.R. James.
34
1,562 members
50 reviews
4
Score 9.92
Added 2025-10-07, 07:40 PM
35
37
- 3 Members
- TeresaInTexas, bjappleg8, EGBERTINA
- Explanations
- EGBERTINA: Read this in elementary school and thought it was shiver-worthy. When I read it to my youngest grandchildren- we laughed at how unscary it was
39
1,706 members
82 reviews
3.9
Score 9.08
Added 2025-10-07, 04:25 PM
- 3 Members
- tardis, jeffrushton, norabelle414
40
- 3 Members
- missizicks, Boand, CarolynBurke7
- Explanations
- missizicks: There's so much to question in this Henry James classic - what is real, who is the ghost, can the governess be trusted? The flow of the language on the page is like the flow of speech. I found it compelling.
42
44
469 members
28 reviews
3.8
Score 8.5
Added 2025-10-08, 01:20 PM
- 3 Members
- msjudy, Darth-Heather, beatlegrrl
- Explanations
- Darth-Heather: my favorite from this author who does ghost stories so well
45
2,784 members
119 reviews
4.1
Score 8.17
Added 2025-10-07, 04:23 PM
- 3 Members
- norabelle414, sboaman, passion4reading
46
479 members
14 reviews
4.2
Score 8.03
Added 2025-10-07, 07:33 PM
- 3 Members
- lizzy50usa, saskia17, merrystar
50
- 3 Members
- hipdeep, paradoxosalpha, missizicks
- Explanations
- missizicks: My husband bought me this when he was wooing me. It's a surreal and spooky tale that crosses the boundaries of reality.
52
7,461 members
475 reviews
½ 3.4
Score 7.36
Added 2025-10-09, 04:53 PM
53
1,029 members
35 reviews
4.1
Score 7.36
Added 2025-10-07, 07:45 PM
- 2 Members
- aprille, missizicks
- Explanations
- missizicks: An exceptional short story about revenge from beyond the grave.
54
- 2 Members
- TheLOFT, bookworm825
- Explanations
- TheLOFT: Profound and terrifying story of vengeful horror; fascinating look into Japanese culture. I read it when I was a teenager and it really stuck with me.
56
219 members
3 reviews
½ 3.3
Score 7.36
Added 2025-10-08, 02:47 PM
59
1,453 members
54 reviews
½ 3.4
Score 7.04
Added 2025-10-18, 12:07 AM
61
- 3 Members
- TeresaInTexas, Copperskye, SomeGuyInVirginia
- Explanations
- SomeGuyInVirginia: Kicking yourself for not having thought of it?
62
66
- 2 Members
- Marissa_Doyle, missizicks
- Explanations
- missizicks: This absolutely terrified me, because everything in it is so normal and yet so weird, and the supernatural parts are creepingly ominous.
68
- 2 Members
- elenchus, themulhern
- Explanations
- elenchus: No, not chilling in the least, neither is Gus cutesy. As a child I think the disciplined perspective (we see the family, but only over-hear them rather than know them firsthand) and the toasted cheese kept my interest. I read it regularly for years, eventually introducing it to my kids.themulhern: I remember this book from when I was a kid! Also, it is definitely about a ghost; whereas a lot of the books on this list are merely spooky.
71
73
75
by M. R. James
432 members
10 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 6.04
Added 2025-10-07, 02:52 PM
- 2 Members
- paradoxosalpha, elenchus
- Explanations
- elenchus: James brings an understated perspective to the genre, his stories all the more effective for it.
83
1,444 members
70 reviews
½ 3.7
Score 5.5
Added 2025-10-13, 08:14 AM
- 2 Members
- sturlington, passion4reading
85
86
1,053 members
20 reviews
4
Score 5.5
Added 2025-10-07, 02:51 PM
- 2 Members
- paradoxosalpha, elenchus
- Explanations
- paradoxosalpha: These stories are all in the vein of supernatural horror, but with a distinctive tenor of pessimistic surrealism.
87
88
1,286 members
52 reviews
3.9
Score 5.42
Added 2025-10-22, 07:15 PM
91
326 members
10 reviews
½ 4.4
Score 5.29
Added 2025-10-22, 07:15 PM
92
by Edward Gorey
751 members
7 reviews
4.2
Score 5.29
Added 2025-10-07, 07:15 PM
- 2 Members
- saskia17, ManWithAnAgenda
93
672 members
9 reviews
½ 3.3
Score 5.29
Added 2025-10-24, 11:35 PM
95
by Colin Dickey
936 members
38 reviews
½ 3.7
Score 5.21
Added 2025-10-17, 10:36 PM
- 2 Members
- TheLOFT, markjosephjochim
- Explanations
- TheLOFT: A clear-eyed, wide-spanning text that combines ruthless skepticism with a lush and graceful writing style; ruthlessly confronts the sly cruelties and cynical misconceptions underlying many American hauntings in hopes of creating a brighter national afterlife. Highly recommended.
98
1,010 members
56 reviews
4.1
Score 5.05
Added 2025-10-07, 02:48 PM
99
