Paranormal fiction is basically a “best of all worlds” situation: It blends the escapism of fantasy with the inspired realism of science fiction, while also dabbling in practically every other literary genre, from horror to romance and everything in between. In a nutshell, the paranormal genre refers to books dealing with concepts or figures that can’t currently be explained by science but could maybe, possibly be one day—think ghosts, psychics, werewolves, and vampires—in contrast to the fantasy and supernatural genres, which encompass topics that operate completely beyond our natural world.
With those parameters in mind, paranormal novels can range from the spine-tinglingly creepy to the sweetly cozy, meaning there’s something for everyone within the genre. Here, we’ve rounded up 15 of the best paranormal fiction books out there, spanning horror, romance, and mystery, from spooky classics like Dracula to a ghostly new love story from Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan—with a stop in Forks, Washington, along the way for all the Twihards out there.
The Best Paranormal Horror Books
The classic Gothic horror novel tells the story of a mysterious nobleman who begins terrorizing the residents of an English town after moving away from his Transylvanian castle, prompting a group led by Abraham Van Helsing to hunt him down. Even if you're already familiar with the story, if you haven't read the actual text, it's worth sinking your teeth into.
Shirley Jackson’s terrifying tale has long been lauded as one of the best haunted house stories ever written. It delves into a series of sinister phenomena that not only occur at the titular abode but seem to be caused by the home itself.
This 2025 novel draws on Indigenous folklore and on Carson Faust’s own family history to explore haunting on two fronts: by generational wounds and by the literal ghosts that a young woman helps to lay to rest in her quest to find her missing sister.
Stanley Kubrick’s iconic 1980 psychological horror film is based on Stephen King’s 1977 book, in which a family moves into the secluded Overlook Hotel during its off-season. Soon, the estate's darkly haunted history becomes visible to the family’s young son—who secretly has psychic abilities—and sends the father spiraling into unstable territory.
I may not have been able to read this book anywhere close to bedtime, but that didn’t stop me from zooming through it. In Marcus Kliewer’s novel, a mysterious family shows up at a young couple’s door, claiming that the father grew up in the home and wants to show his family around…and then they just won’t leave. Things become increasingly unsettling as the story unfolds. Buckle up: There’s an entire Reddit community full of theories and additional clues just waiting for you to dive in once you’re done reading.
The Best Paranormal Mystery Books
This first book in Victoria Laurie’s cozy mystery series introduces Abby, a crime-solving P.I.—psychic intuitive, that is—as she scrambles to catch the killer of one of her clients. The 2004 novel kicked off a series that now features 15 books. The most recent in the series hit shelves in 2017 and was based on Laurie’s own experiences as a professional psychic.
Another series-starting novel, Dead Until Dark is the first book in a series that would go on to become the basis of the hit HBO show True Blood. It introduces Sookie Stackhouse, a mind-reading waitress in Louisiana who finds herself swept into the case of a mysterious string of murders not long after she starts dating a handsome vampire.
A young woman named Ruby moves into a new apartment only to find its deceased previous tenant still living there as a ghost. Though different in practically every way—both on this plane and the next—they’re forced to team up to solve the suspicious murder of their neighbor across the hall.
Bestselling author Simone St. James's 2015 book is set in the 1920s and is a genre-defying story that combines paranormal happenings with historical fiction, classic mystery, and a dash of romance. After a famous medium, Gloria, is killed at a séance, she leaves behind a message for her ex-friend and professional rival Ellie, who ends up partnering up with a skeptic to dig into the mysteries of Gloria’s life and death, even as a sinister force closes in behind them.
Birdie Devine, a detective in Victorian London, finds herself tasked with unraveling the mystery of the kidnapping of a child who’s rumored to have supernatural powers. It's an assignment that leads Birdie to be assisted by a delightfully quirky cast of characters, including a moody ghost, a seven-foot-tall maid, and a friendly apothecary.
The Best Paranormal Romance Books
Ali Hazelwood is the prolific writer of rom-coms such as Love, Theoretically, and she first experimented with the paranormal romance subgenre with this 2024 novel. The book follows a vampire forced into an arranged marriage with a werewolf to help keep the peace between their rival factions. Did someone say enemies-to-lovers?
After dying in a hit-and-run, New Orleans resident Aurie finds herself a ghost existing in a murky space between realms. In the realm on the other side known as Overlay City, she teams up with a psychic empath and a werewolf detective to uncover the truth about her death…and, maybe, to share some very spicy afterlife experiences.
Reigning kings of romance and psychological thrillers Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan, respectively, teamed up for this “supernatural love story,” which is already set to become a movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Phoebe Dynevor. The novel follows architect Tate on a visit to Cape Cod, where he quickly begins falling for a woman named Wren, who challenges him to broaden his worldview beyond the easily explainable.
A half-formed melody haunts two people living in a seaside North Carolina town, forging a mysterious but undeniable connection between a songwriter with writer’s block and an arrogant musician. The two decide to work together to finish the song in hopes of finally getting it out of their heads (and hearts).
Has a more indelible paranormal romance than the one between Bella and Edward ever existed? I think not. Stephenie Meyer’s modern classic of a YA novel opens up a lager series, in which a teenage girl falls for a century-old vampire, ends up in a love triangle with a werewolf, demands to be turned into a vampire herself, has a kid whose mate turns out to be the aforementioned werewolf, and, throughout it all, is regularly caught up in battles between warring vampire factions. Did I miss anything?
