13 Terrifying Books About Real-Life Hauntings

One of America’s first ghost hunters, Hans Holzer is the author of more than 140 books on the subject. During his lifetime, he was a tireless researcher into what he called the “other side”—his most famous investigation being that of the Amityville Horror house. In This House is Haunted, Holzer examines the cases of more than 80 haunted houses, explaining how our encounters with the spirit world may be just as upsetting for the spirits as they are for us.

The “flyover states” of the American Heartland have a reputation for being idyllic—filled with rolling fields, small towns, and polite Midwestern manners—but they aren’t without a dark side. Keven McQueen brings that darkness to the surface in his spooky book, relaying tales of grave robbers, premature burials, mad scientists, and more. There’s even a story about a Michigan physician who leaves his estate to his pet monkeys, proving the American Midwest is just as bizarre as anywhere else (we're looking at you, Florida).

Originally published in 1879, this classic nonfiction book tells the story of the infamous haunting of Esther Cox. Not one to settle for secondhand accounts, author Walter Hubbell moved in with Esther's family for six weeks, hoping to witness the phenomenon himself. He got a lifetime’s worth of paranormal experiences during his stay—from the “mysteries setting of fires” to “the powerful shaking of the house” to the “loud and incessant noises…as if made by invisible sledgehammers.” Needless to say, there's a reason The Haunted House has become a classic of paranormal investigation.

Related: 20 Ghost Books to Haunt Your Days (and Nights) 

Emily Dickinson once said, “One need not be a chamber to be haunted,” and that’s certainly true of these terrifying Ozark cemeteries. Expert David E. Harkins takes you on an eerie tour of burial grounds throughout the Ozark hills—complementing his stories with photographs—where you’ll meet restless Civil War soldiers, the spirit of a mass murderer, and many other ghosts and ghouls.

Get a haunting multimedia experience with Ghostly Encounters, which contains written recollections, video links, and audio clips compiled by paranormal investigator Jeff Scott Cole. Traveling from the Villisca Axe Murder House to St. Albans Sanatorium, Cole reveals the stories behind these scary locations while also offering insight into the science of ghost hunting itself. Having spent his entire life in search of ghosts, has Cole successfully found proof of life beyond the grave? You’ll have to read the book to find out…if you dare.

Related: Ghostly Encounters at the Villisca Axe Murder House and Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum 

No, not the one with the aliens—although Roswell, New Mexico is surely haunted too. Instead, this book brings readers to the ghost-riddled past of Roswell, Georgia, where cracked graves tell chilling tales and the specters of slavery haunt the quarters of Bulloch Hall. Join author Dianna Avena on an excursion to haunted mills, antebellum mansions, and much more.

Most of the time, we imagine haunted houses in isolated locales—not, for instance, in the hustle and bustle of one of the largest cities in the world. Yet, the Big Apple has more than its share of ghosts and strange murders, as charted here by Elise Gainer. There are even some who say that Jack the Ripper once stalked the New York City streets—and the ghosts of his victims may yet linger at some of the city's most famous landmarks.

Ghosts may haunt our houses and shimmer across our movie screens, but author J.H. Brennan argues they also influence our politics. In this enthralling account, Brennan reveals how a belief in the spirit world—whether real or imagined—has shaped world politics since the dawn of human civilization. From Joan of Arc and Adolf Hitler to the leaders of today, you’ll be amazed to see how closely history, politics, and the supernatural are intertwined.

This list has included haunted houses and haunted towns, haunted cemeteries and haunted people, but there aren’t too many books about haunted nightclubs. Fortunately, there’s at least one. Author Dan Smith outlines the murderous and supernatural history of this infamous Kentucky night spot, which has been the site of lynchings and demonic possessions since the 19th century.

Even as a boy, Bob Cranmer had been drawn to the house at 3406 Brownsville Road in Brentwood, Pennsylvania. So when the house went on the market just as his family was moving back to town, it seemed too good to be true. Unfortunately for the Cranmer family, it was…Shortly after they moved in, the family was assailed by ghostly footsteps, objects moving on their own, and even bleeding walls. Such disturbances culminated an epic spiritual battle against evil—and Bob Cranmer recounts every horrifying detail in his excellent memoir, The Demon of Brownsville Road.

Related: The Haunting of the Perron Family Inspired The Conjuring 

There are lots of reasons why a house may become haunted—and sometimes, in the words of Shirley Jackson, a house is just “born bad.” But one of the most common causes of paranormal disturbances is the home’s proximity to a bloody crime scene. Steve Lehto has made it his job to learn more about such homes, called "murder houses," and he shares his knowledge in this spooky guidebook. Follow Lehto's bloody trail as he goes inside some of the most infamous abodes across the country—including the home of the axe-wielding Lizzie Borden—where the gruesome past is still very much alive.

Author Steven LaChance and his three children were driven from their home in Union, Missouri by what LaChance describes as “demonic attackers.” These uninvited forces screamed, growled, filled the house with putrid odors, killed beloved pets, and assaulted—sometimes sexually—members of the family. In their desperation for peace, the LaChances sought the services of paranormal investigators, psychics, and priests before finally fleeing the home altogether. But even then, their nightmare wasn’t over. 

This disturbing first-hand account is not only a terrifying chronicle of a family’s encounter with the supernatural but also a look at how those same forces can drive someone to murder and madness.

Related: Unraveling the Horrors of Fox Hollow Farm 

Aaron Mahnke’s Lore podcast has become a huge sensation, spawning an Amazon television series and a collection of books. In Dreadful Places, Mahnke takes us to a number of legendary places—from ancient castles to the hotel that inspired The Shining's Overlook—and completes his tales with the darkly genius illustrations of M.S. Corley.