Horror stories for children and teens

Horror stories for children and teens

Children’s and teen horror books can be creepy, funny, unsettling or downright frightening. Ghosts, monsters, sinister houses and dark secrets often feature, but the best stories are about more than scares. They let young people face fear from the safety of a book, while building suspense and keeping pages turning. Horror can also tempt reluctant readers, especially when the plot refuses to let go, and often leaves plenty to talk about once the lights are back on. This list features books by Julia Donaldson, Jon Klassen, Oliver Jeffers, Tom Fletcher, Shirley Jackson, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Stephen Graham Jones, Tananarive Due, Kalynn Bayron, and Helen Oyeyemi.

Horror fiction for children and teens – our recommendations

Horror picture books – our recommendations

Funnybones by Allan Ahlberg, illustrated by Janet Ahlberg

A big skeleton, a little skeleton and a dog skeleton live together in the cellar of a dark, dark house on a dark, dark hill. One night they head outside hoping to frighten somebody, but everyone they meet seems to be asleep. Their nocturnal adventure instead leads to plenty of rattling, singing and silliness. Younger children can join in with Allan Ahlberg’s memorable repetition while Janet Ahlberg’s bold illustrations turn the skeletons into thoroughly comic rather than frightening characters.

Nooo! Not the Dentist! by Stephanie Blake

Ferdinand frightens his friend Simon with darkly imaginative tales of dental horrors. But the reality is nothing like Simon’s worries. Funny and relatable, this is an ideal text to read at home to help allay fears about visiting the dentist or to use in school with preschool and EYFS children to talk about ‘people who help us’ or teeth topics.

The House with Nobody in It by Jon Klassen

Jon Klassen takes 3+ year olds on a tour of an apparently empty house in this unusually shaped, peep-through board book. A chair, clock, stool and lamp are all where they should be, but nobody seems to live there. Or do they? Clever chunky interactive die-cut openings and Klassen’s characteristically understated pictures gradually introduce a delicious hint of something unseen, building gentle suspense without losing the reassuring familiarity of a home.

Gustavo, the Shy Ghost by Flavia Z. Drago

Gustavo can walk through walls, make objects fly and play beautiful music on his violin, but talking to the other monsters is much harder. He desperately wants a friend, yet his shyness means nobody seems to notice him. When the Day of the Dead approaches, Gustavo decides to share something he loves and invites everyone to a concert. Flavia Z. Drago’s richly detailed picture book gives 3-7 year olds a warm story about courage, loneliness, friendship and being yourself.

There’s a Ghost in This House by Oliver Jeffers

A young girl lives in a house that is supposed to be haunted, but there is one problem: she has never actually seen a ghost. As she searches under beds, behind furniture and through the attic, 3+ year olds can spot what she cannot. Transparent pages reveal playful white ghosts hiding throughout the rooms, turning Oliver Jeffers’ picture book into an interactive game between the illustrations and the reader. It’s clever, funny and satisfyingly spooky rather than scary.

How to Make Friends With a Ghost by Rebecca Green

What should you feed a ghost, where should it sleep and how do you stop somebody mistaking it for whipped cream or a marshmallow? Rebecca Green answers these essential questions in a mock guide to finding and caring for a supernatural companion. The friendship develops as the years pass, adding an unexpectedly tender note beneath the jokes about mud tarts, nightmares and ghostly mishaps. With plenty of quirky details to discover, this affectionate picture book is especially well suited to 5-8 year olds.

The Baddies by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler

A ghost, a witch and a troll are convinced that they are the nastiest baddies around, and each wants to prove that they are the best at being bad. When a little girl moves into a nearby cottage, they compete to frighten her, only to discover that she is far braver than expected. Julia Donaldson’s bouncing rhyme and Axel Scheffler’s busy illustrations turn their failed schemes into slapstick fun. 3-4 year olds can enjoy the monsters, repetition and reassuring message that being bigger does not mean being braver.

Ten Delicious Teachers by Ross Montgomery, illustrated by Sarah Warburton

Ten teachers miss their bus and decide that a shortcut through the forest will get them home in time for tea. Unfortunately, a collection of hungry monsters is waiting among the trees. Ross Montgomery turns their increasingly disastrous journey into a lively rhyming countdown, while Sarah Warburton fills the woodland with comic creatures and visual jokes. With counting from ten downwards, repeated patterns and plenty of mischievous suspense, this gleefully gruesome picture book for 3-7 year olds is highly recommended.

Frankenkitty by Maudie Powell-Tuck, illustrated by Mini Grey

Born from stitches and lightning, Frankenkitty wanders the halls of a gloomy castle where most of its inhabitants are convinced that the strange new creature must be monstrous. Only Olive sees a sweeter side to him. As Frankenkitty gets blamed for everything going wrong, the story mixes gothic spookiness, visual jokes and mischievous scares with a gentle challenge to judging others by appearances. Mini Grey’s detailed and vibrant illustrations give 3-6 year olds plenty to discover. It’s a striking picture book to read to EYFS classes in the run-up to Halloween.

There’s a Witch in Your Book by Tom Fletcher, illustrated by Greg Abbott

There’s a witch flying around inside the book, and she is making a terrible mess. Young children are invited to get involved by pointing, tapping and using pretend magic to help tidy everything up. Tom Fletcher’s direct instructions make the reader part of the action, while Greg Abbott’s bright illustrations keep the Halloween mischief playful. This interactive picture book works particularly well for 3-4 year olds who enjoy joining in with stories and discovering what happens after each turn of the page.

Vampire Peter by Ben Manley, illustrated by Hannah Peck

Peter is the new boy at school, and because he dresses differently, eats unusual food and happens to be a vampire, his classmates quickly decide that he must be badly behaved. When the class gerbil disappears, Peter is blamed again, even though Lucy knows he had nothing to do with it. Ben Manley and Hannah Peck use the Halloween setting to explore assumptions, prejudice and friendship without losing the fun. It’s an entertaining supernatural school story for 3+ year olds with plenty to discuss.

A Dark, Dark Tale by Ruth Brown

A black cat ventures through a dark wood towards a dark house, then continues deeper inside through increasingly mysterious rooms and passages. Ruth Brown builds anticipation through simple repetition, leading children onwards towards whatever might be waiting at the end. The atmospheric paintings look suitably shadowy, but the final surprise makes this far more playful than frightening. 3+ year olds can enjoy predicting the repeated language, following the cat and joining in with a picture-book classic that knows exactly how much suspense young children can enjoy.

The Skull by Jon Klassen

On a dark night, Otilla finds a lonely house deep in the forest and meets the skull who lives there. Their unusual friendship soon becomes important when something threatening arrives each night, forcing them to face the danger together. Inspired by a Tyrolean folktale, Jon Klassen combines shadowy illustrations, dry humour and just enough unease for children who enjoy gentler horror. This strange, atmospheric, thought-provoking and unforgettable adventure is highly recommended for 6-9 year olds.

Horror fiction for 7-12 year olds – our recommendations

Moth the Veggie Vampire by Dotty Sutton

Nine-year-old Moth is only half-vampire, which makes life at Hawthorne Manor much harder than it ought to be. He cannot fly, dislikes blood and has to run the vampire hotel by day while everyone else sleeps. 7-9-year-olds will love the funny, punny, spooky setup as Moth meets Mina, protects a human guest and discovers that being different may actually help him in the long run. Highly recommended for LKS2 readers.

Silent Night by Emma Read

Masen, Conor and Joss wake on Christmas morning to find their parents gone and a snowstorm sealing them in. The presents stay untouched as the house fills with an uneasy silence. Searching for answers leads them into dangers that push their courage and loyalty to the limit. Emma Read, best known for Milton the Mighty, spins a winter mystery with a sharp sci-fi edge, blending family ties, fear and suspense. With short chapters and plenty of cliffhangers, it is ideal for reading to classes in the run up to winter. It is also tailor-made for spooky 9+ year old late-night reading. Highly recommended.

The Worst Thing That Could Possibly Happen by Guy Bass, illustrated by David Roberts

A sideways door opens onto a collection of supernatural nightmares: a vicious pig, a reflection that can swap places with you, a monster lurking in a shed and the deeply unsettling Doctor Panic. Guy Bass builds each atmospheric tale around the delicious question of what the worst thing that could happen might actually be, while David Roberts’ sumptuous illustrations add to the macabre atmosphere. For 8-12 year olds who crave all things creepy, strange and unsettling, this beautifully realised hardback is a stunning story collection to dip into, one fright at a time. It’s an absolutely magnificent book to gift or read to a class in the weeks leading up to Halloween. Highly recommended.

Tales of the Damned: A Collection of Classic Horror Stories by Matt Ralphs, illustrated by Taylor Dolan

Matt Ralphs retells eight classic gothic narratives and unsetting fables in this beautifully illustrated chunky hardback. The Masque of the Red Death, Dracula, The Monkey’s Paw, Red Riding Hood, Frankenstein, Vasilisa the Daughter, Whistle and I’ll Come to You and Bluebeard are presented as accessible and atmospheric short stories. A spooktacular gift book, Tales of the Damned is perfect for 10-13 year olds who like to be immersed in darkly chilling thrills and classic twisty tales.

Stitch Head: The Graphic Novel by Guy Bass and Pete Williamson

Step into a dark world in this wickedly funny graphic novel adaptation of Guy Bass’s unique best-selling series. 8-11-year-olds will follow Stitch Head, an almost-human creature created by eccentric Professor Erasmus, on his adventure beyond the castle walls with a travelling circus. With sumptuous artwork and a story filled with heartwarming moments amongst the monster-filled fun, this graphic novel is perfect for fans of Grimwood and Amelia Fang. Read our full review.

Seeds of Doom by P. J. Killburn

Jermaine joins his great-great uncle’s Dead Yard, a night of music, food and stories for the departed. Not knowing the rules, he eats food meant for a spirit and ends up haunted by Uncle Carl. Soon, children across town fall ill in ways that echo his great-grandmother’s ghostly tales. With cursed seeds spreading and a shadowy figure on the loose, Jermaine and Carl are forced into an uneasy alliance. Perfect for KS2, it’s the first gripping ghostly page-tuner in a highly anticipated new series.

The Last Day of October by Phil Hickes

Set on a shadowy Halloween night in Oregon, this gripping and genuinely scary ghost story for 9+ year olds follows three friends who ditch trick-or-treating to investigate the ruins of the burned-down McBride House – rumoured to be haunted by its long-dead residents. What starts as a thrill quickly turns unsettling as they uncover secrets buried for a century. This memorable middle grade mixes eerie suspense with classic haunted house tropes, all brought to life by Oriol Vidal’s moody, atmospheric illustrations. It’s perfect for reading to KS2 classes in the run up to halloween, and it will appeal to less confident readers in UKS2.

Tales of Ghosts and Hauntings by Susan Martineau, illustrated by Vicky Barker

Susan Martineau brings together tales of hauntings and strange sightings across six themed chapters, with Vicky Barker adding some delighlyfully spooky illustrations. After every batch of accessible and engaging stories, a “Let’s Investigate” section encourages readers to weigh the evidence, compare different versions, and try out their own explanations. Blending folklore with facts and observations, the book nudges children to question what they read and see. It’s perfect to spark curiosity in KS2 classrooms. Highly recommended.

Graveyard Gladiators by David Owen, illustrated by Shane Houston

Once a year, monsters and the undead compete in the Graveyard Games, and this time the prize is Jude’s dad. Determined to win him back, Jude joins forces with monster-wrestling expert Posie and zombie trainer Mickey before taking on a series of increasingly dangerous contests. With monster races, skull collecting and the final Graveyard Rumble ahead, this addictive and fast-moving supernatural adventure offers 8+ year olds a lively mixture of spooky comedy, friendship and impossible-looking challenges. Highly recommended.

Dead Yard: Deep Trouble by P.J. Killburn, illustrated by Markia Jenai

Jermaine wants to leave the supernatural events surrounding his great-great-uncle Carl’s Dead Yard behind, but trouble follows him. A voice calls from the water, snakes burst from school sinks and classmates disappear into the Thames before returning with strangely altered personalities. The second Dead Yard adventure gives 9-12 year olds another deliciously creepy mystery with Jermaine and his friends.

Ghoulia: Making New Friends Can Be Scary by Barbara Cantini

Ghoulia lives in a crumbling mansion with her unusual family, but what she really wants is a friend. The trouble is that meeting ordinary children means hiding the fact that she is a zombie. Halloween offers the perfect chance to venture outside without attracting too much attention, and Ghoulia discovers that making friends may not be as frightening as she feared. Barbara Cantini’s heavily illustrated story mixes gentle spookiness and humour with an encouraging message about acceptance for 7+ year olds.

Fear Files: Hide and Seek by Christopher Edge

Adam’s camping trip with his best friend Sol takes a frightening turn when they stumble across an abandoned ghost town and find themselves caught up in a very strange game of hide and seek. The story unfolds as one of the mysterious cases stored in the Darkive, a database of evidence about ghosts, paranormal entities and unexplained events. Christopher Edge gives 9-12 year olds a short, fast-moving horror adventure built around an unnerving question: who, or what, is trying to find Adam?

The Scream of the Whistle by Emily Randall-Jones

Ruby’s had enough of her strange new village – so she follows an old railway line, desperate to get back to her old life. But when a ghostly steam train roars out of the dark, she’s swept into a chilling ride through time. Packed with eerie myths, haunted places and plenty of suspense, this spooky middle-grade tale explores how we face change, fear and the past when it won’t stay buried. It’s atmospheric and gripping, and perfect to send chills down KS2 spines.

Gloam by Jack Mackay, illustrated by Ben Joel Price

Thirteen-year-old Gwen and her younger siblings move with their stepfather to their late grandmother’s decaying house on remote Gloam Island after the death of their mother. Gwen already feels responsible for holding the family together, and the arrival of apparently charming babysitter Esme Laverne only makes matters worse. Gwen suspects something monstrous is hiding behind Esme’s smile, but nobody else believes her. This tense Gothic horror for 9+ year olds combines frightening supernatural encounters with grief, family relationships and the difficult business of facing fear.

The Twig Man by Sana Rasoul

Nearly twelve-year-old Ari refuses to believe that his older sister Lana simply ran away. He is convinced she was taken by the Twig Man, a creature said to have haunted the nearby woods for a hundred years. With nobody willing to listen, Ari decides he must find Lana himself, but his search becomes much more urgent when he discovers that he may be the monster’s next target. 11+ year olds who enjoy supernatural mysteries will find plenty of creeping tension alongside a story about siblings, friendship and refusing to give up.

Shiver Point: Beneath the Ghostly Graves by Gabriel Dylan

Mo’s life in Shiver Point is never boring, especially with creepy legends like Blue Bessie, the ghost of Shadow Hill Cemetery, hanging around. In a bid to prove himself, Mo accidentally wakes Bessie, and she promptly kidnaps his brother. Now, Mo and his friends have to play her dangerous game to save him. The fourth book in the Shiver Point series, this spooky tale will thrill fans of Goosebumps and Dread Wood, perfect for readers aged 9–12.

The Ghost of Gosswater by Lucy Strange

In the Lake District in 1899, twelve-year-old Lady Agatha Asquith loses her home when her father dies and cruel Cousin Clarence inherits Gosswater Hall. Sent to live in a tumbledown cottage with a stranger who claims to be her real father, Aggie becomes determined to discover the truth about her family. Then a mysterious ghost girl appears at midnight, bringing buried secrets closer to the surface. Lucy Strange’s eerie historical mystery gives 9+ year olds a compelling mixture of Gothic atmosphere, family secrets and supernatural intrigue.

The Monsters of Rookhaven by Pádraig Kenny, illustrated by Edward Bettison

Mirabelle has always known that she and her unusual family are monsters, hidden from the human world behind the magical protection surrounding Rookhaven. When that barrier is damaged and orphaned siblings Jem and Tom stumble inside, Mirabelle discovers that outsiders need not always be feared. A far more dangerous threat is approaching, however, forcing both families to question what really makes someone monstrous. Pádraig Kenny’s thoughtful Gothic adventure for 9-11 year olds combines chills and imaginative creatures with friendship, empathy and belonging.

Dread Wood by Jennifer Killick

Hallie, Angelo, Gustav and Naira are classmates rather than friends, and none of them wants to spend Saturday together in detention. Their punishment becomes much worse when something drags their teacher underground and the school’s unsettling caretakers begin behaving suspiciously. Trapped without help and threatened whenever they touch the ground, the four children must work together to discover what is hunting them. Jennifer Killick serves up monsters, scares, jokes and friendship in this lively comedy-horror adventure for 9+ year olds. Highly recommended.

The Dark and Dangerous Gifts of Delores Mackenzie by Yvonne Banham

After a restless spirit chases Delores Mackenzie home, she is sent to live with the mysterious Uncles in Edinburgh’s Old Town and learn how to control her unusual paranormal gifts. Their Tolbooth Book Store proves full of strange inhabitants and even stranger surprises, but Delores soon faces something much more dangerous when a sinister apparition threatens her new household. This spooky Edinburgh-set adventure for 11+ year olds combines ghosts, supernatural abilities and mystery with an appealing story about finding friendship and somewhere to belong.

Horror fiction for teens – our recommendations

Escape Castle Dracula by Sam Fern, illustrated by Adam Allori

Sam Fern invites readers into a spectacular interactive adventure set within Count Dracula’s castle. Readers are challenged to help characters like Victor Frankenstein and Dr Jekyll in 14 classic horror narratives, all while solving tricky puzzles and mazes in this highly illustrated hardback. Cleverly combining storytelling with problem-solving, this book is a great way to explore classic literature. Illustrated by Adam Allori, the detailed artwork is mesmerising, and Escape Castle Dracula promises hours of entertainment. This book is absolutely fantastic, and children will read and re-read it for years to come.

Those We Drown by Amy Goldsmith

Liv boards the luxury cruise ship The Eos expecting the trip of a lifetime, but her excitement quickly turns to fear when her ex-best friend Will disappears on their first night at sea. Everyone insists that he is simply ill, yet Liv becomes convinced that something much darker is happening aboard the ship. Strange passengers, unsettling behaviour and a growing sense that she cannot trust what she is being told pull her deeper into the mystery. Atmospheric, claustrophobic and increasingly sinister, Those We Drown is a compelling horror thriller for more mature secondary-aged readers. Highly recommended.

I Will Never Leave You by Kara A. Kennedy

Maya has finally found the courage to end her volatile four-year relationship with Alana, only for Alana to disappear during a hike. But Alana isn’t gone for good, and Maya soon discovers that breaking up has not ended her ex-girlfriend’s frightening hold over her. Kara A. Kennedy’s tense supernatural thriller combines paranormal horror with a disturbing exploration of emotional abuse, possessiveness, guilt and recovery. Dark, unsettling and emotionally sharp, it’s well suited to mature teen readers.

The Dark Within Us by Jess Popplewell

Hell isn’t how you imagined it in this highly original debut contemporary YA novel. Jenny, a troubled girl, and Luc, a demon from a ruling family in Hell, begin a journey through the underworld to recover Jenny’s stolen soul. Perfect for teens who enjoy dark humour and dark fantasy, it explores themes of resilience and self-discovery, and overcoming adversity. This superb, convincing, and memorable story is highly recommended for KS4.

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Battle for Pumpkin King by Walt Disney

This manga miniseries graphic novel explores the origins of Jack Skellington’s rivalry with Oogie Boogie, revealing a past where they were once close friends. Set during the competition to become the new Pumpkin King, this story is filled with thrills, vibrant illustrations, and valuable lessons on friendship and honesty. Perfect for fans of the original film and newcomers alike, this tale is a must-read for 12+ year olds who enjoy a fast-paced mix of gothic charm and light-hearted fun.

How to Survive a Horror Sequel by Scarlett Dunmore

After surviving a high school massacre, Charley is desperate for a fresh start. When she and her mother become stranded in Briar’s Hill, a village steeped in witchcraft and ghost stories, Charley’s ability to speak to the dead begins to return. Worse still, she starts to fear that the Harrogate Killer may not be as dead as everyone believes. As Halloween approaches, Charley digs into the village’s sinister past and uncovers secrets that put her in danger all over again. Fast, creepy and packed with horror-film knowingness, this supernatural thriller is a gripping read for 13+ year olds.

The Binding Spell by Marisa Linton

Morgan moves to the remote village of Weir Hinny with her archaeologist father, hoping for a fresh start. But when his excavation uncovers an ancient burial site, disturbing dreams and visions begin to return. With the help of mysterious local boy Joe Harper, Morgan starts investigating the area’s legends and realises that what she is seeing may be connected to something buried long ago. Mixing folk horror, supernatural mystery and an increasingly threatening curse, The Binding Spell is an atmospheric and unsettling read for KS4 students.

Ghost by Finbar Hawkins

Three lives intertwine across time in Ghost. In 60 AD, Aine breaks free from Roman masters and stirs an ancient force. In 1783, Sarah senses restless spirits in the woods. In the present day, Marie leaves art school and begins to hear voices that pull her into the same battle. Bound to one place and one dark power, their stories collide in a gripping mix of history, survival and other-wordly strangeness. 12+ year olds will be gripped by this unusually atmospheric and magical novel. Highly recommended for KS3.

Last One to Die by Cynthia Murphy

16-year-old Niamh arrives in London, looking forward to summer in the city. But she soon finds out there’s been a series of attacks on young women who all look just like her. Caught between drama school and her new friend Tommy, she gets entangled in a chilling mystery with ties to the past. A blend of horror, suspense, and a dash of local mythology, ‘Last One To Die’ will keep teen readers guessing until the final page.

When I Was Death by Alexis Henderson

Roslyn Volk joins a travelling group of girls connected to her sister’s death because she wants answers. Each girl was saved from an early death by Death, and in exchange they now collect souls on his behalf. When Roslyn learns the truth about her sister, she must decide whether she would accept the same bargain. This dark and twisty horror novel for 14+ year olds examines grief, mortality and responsibility, and what people are prepared to accept in exchange for survival. It’s a fascinating and discussion-worthy read for KS4 book clubs.

This Book Kills by Ravena Guron

Jess Choudhary has always tried to be on her best behaviour. As one of only two scholarship students at the prestigious Heybuckle boarding school, she knows that her position is precarious. With a fast-paced plot and a satisfying ending, This Book Kills would appeal to fans of Gossip Girl and Holly Jackson’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. Read our full review.

Channel Fear by Lisa Richardson

When a couple of YouTube ghost hunter influencers vanish into thin air, Iris and her friends are determined to find them. The toxic threesome finds the final filming spot and it reveals terrifying footage. Chilling, well-paced and convincing, it’s a viral ‘Blair Witch’ for teens precariously spanning the zoomer and alpha generations. We think Channel Fear will be a hit with socially aware and internet-savvy KS4 students.

Queens of the Crypt by Dom&Ink

Coming out as non-binary over breakfast should have been the hardest part of Barnaby Jones’s day. But then their best friend Fi is kidnapped by the faceless killer targeting teenagers across Widow’s Creek, and a spooky portal in Barnaby’s wardrobe unleashes five glamorous undead heroines. Perfect for imaginative readers aged 12+, this distinctive and original two-tone graphic novel mixes gothic horror, queer identity and camp humour as Barnaby and the Queens race to expose the Faceless Frightener. Highly recommended.

Nest of Tongues by Randy Ribay

Filipino American siblings Lily and Caleb Abadiano hide a dangerous secret: they are manananggals – winged vampires who hunt by night. When a legendary monster hunter kills one of their community and marks Caleb as the next victim, the pair must search for answers while deciding whether to flee or fight for their home. Told through their distinctive alternating voices, this fast-moving YA horror story blends Filipino folklore, family tensions and a fiercely protective sibling bond. It’s perfect for readers aged 14+ to get their teeth into.

The Transition by Logan-Ashley Kisner

17 year old Hunter is attacked by a werewolf while recovering from top surgery, and the bite sparks a struggle to protect both his hopes for the future and his friends. His transition, strained relationship with his father, and bullying at school all play into the wider fight against losing his humanity. As the danger mounts, his bond with Mars and Gabe deepens into a relationship that steadies him, even as he wrestles with what it means to survive. This poignant and thought-provoking horror allegory for 14+ year olds is highly recommended.

Let’s Split Up by Bill Wood

In Let’s Split Up, an intrepid group of teens investigates the brutal murders of popular couple Brad and Shelley in a haunted Victorian mansion. Set in the small Californian town of Sanera, rumours swirl that an old ghoul, murdered centuries ago, has finally taken revenge. Cam, Jonesy, Amber, and new girl Buffy venture into the mansion, but their decision to split up could prove fatal. This YA thriller blends mystery, tension, and supernatural elements, making it ideal for fans of spooky ’90s nostalgia and dark twists. Read our full review.

Be Right Back by Bill Wood

A year after Buffy, Jonesy, Amber and Cam solved the murders that shook Sanera, the friends reunite for the town’s first Hallowed Fall Fest. The celebrations turn deadly when bodies begin appearing and each murder comes with a cryptic clue linked to Sanera’s local legends. Bill Wood mixes slasher horror, mystery and friendship as the gang tries to identify the new killer before another legend becomes horribly real.

One Last Scare by Bill Wood

Cam, Jonesy, Amber and Buffy head to Chillshore, a remote island theme park where they hope to enjoy some well-earned time together. Instead, creepy cabins, gruesome discoveries and long-buried secrets turn their break into another deadly mystery. With the group unable to trust the other guests and the body count rising, this well-written and fast-moving YA horror thriller offers 14+ year olds another super tense outing with the Sanera Four. Highly recommended.

The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker by Lauren James

Harriet Stoker dies after falling from a balcony in an abandoned building, only to discover that death comes with a complicated new existence. The ghosts she meets have extraordinary abilities, including shapeshifting, hypnosis and possession, and Harriet quickly becomes more interested in gaining power than making friends. Lauren James gives 14+ year olds a twisty supernatural thriller about ambition, loyalty and the dangers of getting exactly what you want, with a morally complicated protagonist.

Wranglestone by Darren Charlton

In post-apocalyptic America, Peter lives in an island community protected from the Dead by the surrounding lake. Winter changes everything when the water freezes and the threat can cross the ice. After Peter endangers the settlement, he is sent out with Cooper, the boy he has long admired, to help clear the Dead from their shores. Their growing relationship develops alongside discoveries about Wranglestone’s past in this thoughtful zombie thriller for 14+ year olds, which balances horror and survival with a tender love story.

The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass

Sixteen-year-old Jake Livingston can see ghosts, usually trapped replaying their final moments. School offers little escape, particularly as one of the few Black pupils at St Clair Prep, but meeting fellow student Allister gives him something hopeful to focus on. Then Jake attracts the attention of Sawyer Doon, the powerful ghost of a teenage mass murderer with plans of his own. 12+ year olds can follow this tense supernatural thriller as Ryan Douglass brings together horror, racism, sexuality, isolation and the frightening consequences of Jake’s abilities.

You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron

Charity Curtis spends the summer playing the final girl at Camp Mirror Lake, where visitors pay to experience a full-contact recreation of a cult slasher film. During the final weekend, however, her co-workers start disappearing and the pretend killings suddenly become real. Charity and her girlfriend Bezi must work out who is hunting them and what the camp’s violent history has to do with it. This sharp, fast-paced horror novel gives 13-18 year olds a contemporary spin on classic summer-camp slasher conventions.

She Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran

Jade Nguyen travels to Vietnam to spend five weeks with her estranged father while he renovates an old French colonial house. She intends to collect the college money he has promised and leave, but disturbing events soon suggest that the house has other plans. A ghostly bride warns Jade not to eat, insects appear in unsettling places and something seems determined to keep the family there. This Gothic horror story for 13+ year olds explores family, identity and colonial history alongside its increasingly sinister haunting.

Sixteen Souls by Rosie Talbot

Sixteen-year-old Charlie Frith can see ghosts, although keeping company with York’s dead has left him increasingly isolated from the living. When one of his ghostly friends disappears, Charlie reluctantly joins forces with new seer Sam Harrow and a group of spirits to investigate. They soon discover that someone is deliberately stripping the famously haunted city of its ghosts. Perfect for teens, Rosie Talbot’s supernatural mystery mixes genuine scares with friendship, queer romance and a growing conspiracy involving the dead.

The Honeys by Ryan La Sala

After Caroline Matthias dies in horrifying circumstances, her sibling Mars travels to the prestigious Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy hoping to understand what happened. There Mars meets Caroline’s closest friends, an unnervingly perfect group known as the Honeys because of the beehives they tend. As memories become unreliable and the idyllic summer setting begins to feel increasingly threatening, Mars suspects the group knows more about Caroline’s death than they admit. More mature teens can expect grief, queer identity and psychological horror wrapped in a sinister summer-camp mystery.

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White

Sixteen-year-old trans boy Benji escapes the fundamentalist cult responsible for unleashing an apocalyptic plague, but he cannot escape what they have done to him. A bioweapon inside his body is transforming him into a monster capable of devastating what remains of humanity. Rescue comes from a group of queer teenagers sheltering at a local LGBTQ+ centre, whose leader Nick offers Benji a place among them. This visceral dystopian horror for 14+ year olds explores religious extremism, bodily autonomy, community and the frightening power Benji is learning to wield.

Horror fiction for sixth formers – our recommendations

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

When Noemí Taboada receives a desperate letter from her newly married cousin Catalina, she travels to High Place, a remote mansion in the Mexican countryside. There she encounters an unsettling English family, disturbing visions and secrets buried in the house’s past. Set in 1950s Mexico, Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Gothic horror combines a decaying mansion, family history and supernatural menace with a heroine determined to discover what is happening to her cousin.

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

Miri is relieved when her wife Leah finally returns from a deep-sea research mission that went disastrously wrong, but homecoming does not restore their old life. Leah is changed, increasingly distant and affected by something that seems to have followed her back from the ocean floor. Older teens interested in literary horror can follow Miri’s attempts to understand what is happening in this strange, intimate novel about love, grief, transformation and loss.

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

Ten years after a fateful elk hunt, Ricky, Gabe, Lewis and Cassidy find that what happened has not remained safely in the past. A vengeful spirit begins pursuing the four men and their families, turning an old secret into an increasingly violent reckoning. Stephen Graham Jones combines supernatural horror with questions of cultural identity, tradition, family and responsibility in a novel rooted in the lives of contemporary Blackfeet characters and the consequences of choices made years earlier.

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

In Jim Crow Florida in 1950, twelve-year-old Robert Stephens Jr. is sent to the segregated Gracetown School for Boys after a scuffle with a white boy. The institution is brutal enough before Robert discovers that it is also haunted by boys who died there. Tananarive Due blends historical horror with the supernatural as Robert tries to survive the school’s violent governor, understand the ghosts around him and find a way back to his family.

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

After the Mexican War of Independence leaves Beatriz without the security she once knew, marriage to Don Rodolfo Solórzano offers her the prospect of a home at Hacienda San Isidro. The estate soon proves anything but safe, with strange visions, voices and the shadow of Rodolfo’s first wife hanging over it. Beatriz turns to Padre Andrés for help in this historical Gothic novel of haunting, family secrets, forbidden attraction and a house that seems determined to keep its past hidden.

Bad Cree by Jessica Johns

Mackenzie is living in Vancouver when disturbing dreams begin returning her to memories of the period before her sister Sabrina’s death. Soon the unease follows her into waking life, with crows watching her and threatening messages apparently coming from Sabrina herself. Unable to face what is happening alone, Mackenzie returns to her family in Alberta. Jessica Johns brings Cree culture, grief, family bonds and supernatural horror together as the women investigate what is calling Mackenzie home.

Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang

A gifted young musician abandons her ambitions after an accident leaves her parents needing care and takes a job at Holistik, an exclusive beauty and wellness company. Its extraordinary treatments give her access to wealth and apparent perfection, while her growing friendship with the owner’s niece, Helen, draws her further into this seductive world. Ling Ling Huang’s body horror turns the beauty industry’s promises increasingly sinister while exploring identity, race, consumerism, self-worth and the price of transformation.

White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi

The Silver family is grieving after the death of Lily, but her daughter Miranda feels the loss particularly strongly. At their strange house on the cliffs near Dover, family history, spirits and Miranda’s growing compulsion to eat chalk become entangled with a building that seems to have intentions of its own. More mature teens looking for literary Gothic horror can explore Helen Oyeyemi’s unsettling mixture of haunted-house fiction, family trauma, memory and supernatural menace.

Chlorine by Jade Song

Ren Yu’s life revolves around competitive swimming, but her ambitions extend far beyond medals, scholarships and the expectations placed upon her. Fascinated since childhood by mermaids and other creatures of the water, she increasingly longs to become something other than human. Jade Song turns that obsession into visceral body horror, using Ren’s pursuit of transformation to explore adolescence, immigration, sapphic longing, parental pressure, competitive sport and the frightening lengths someone might go to in order to become themselves.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Dr Montague invites a small group to Hill House hoping to investigate its reputation for supernatural activity. Among them is Eleanor Vance, an isolated young woman who soon seems particularly susceptible to the strange forces within the building. What begins as an experiment becomes increasingly disturbing as the house appears to exert its own influence. Shirley Jackson’s classic haunted-house novel creates its horror through uncertainty, psychology and an oppressive setting where the boundary between supernatural events and Eleanor’s perceptions becomes increasingly difficult to locate.

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Horror resources for teachers

• The British Library’s learning resources include expert articles, collection material, films and teachers’ notes on 18th and 19th century literature, including Gothic motifs, Frankenstein, Dracula and the development of Gothic fiction. The Discovering Literature material is particularly useful for GCSE and A-level English.
• Oak National Academy’s A Monster Within unit provides a substantial sequence of Year 8 lessons on Gothic fiction. Resources explore Frankenstein, Jane Eyre and The Tell-Tale Heart, as well as Gothic conventions, atmosphere, descriptive writing, tension and creative writing, with downloadable slides, worksheets and quizzes.
• The British Film Institute’s Gothic in the Classroom collection uses 13 films to explore Gothic and horror on screen. Titles include Nosferatu, The Curse of Frankenstein, The Innocents and Night of the Demon, with downloadable lesson resources covering English, history, art and design, drama and other curriculum areas.
• Into Film’s Goosebumps resource uses the film adaptation of R. L. Stine’s horror stories as an accessible route into monsters, scares and spooky storytelling for 8 to 15 year olds. Into Film also offers film guides for older students on titles including Frankenstein, A Quiet Place and 28 Days Later.
• The National Theatre Collection learning resources include an extensive Frankenstein section for older secondary students, with a learning pack, rehearsal insights and lesson plans examining Gothic context, adaptation, theatre craft, responsibility and whether the Creature should be considered a monster.
• The Royal Shakespeare Company’s Macbeth Teacher Pack offers classroom activities for KS3 and KS4 examining the witches, apparitions, ghosts, evil, murder and the supernatural. The downloadable resources include edited scenes, character work and practical activities based on RSC rehearsal techniques.
• English Heritage’s Whitby Abbey teaching resources provide a useful route into Bram Stoker’s Dracula and the relationship between place and Gothic writing. Resources for KS2 to KS4 include material on how Whitby inspired Stoker, an inspiration trail and activities using historic places as starting points for creative writing.
• The National Literacy Trust’s Halloween literacy resource contains book suggestions and classroom ideas for children from the early years upwards, including spooky storytelling, performance poetry, vocabulary, grammar and activities for building suspense in narrative writing.
• BookTrust’s Halloween and horror book recommendations offer teachers and school librarians a useful selection of age-guided spooky reading, ranging from funny picture books for younger children to ghost stories and chilling fiction for older primary pupils.

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