
Seven Ghosts
by Chris Priestley
Interest age: 9 to 11
Reading age: 8+
Published by Barrington Stoke, 2020
About this book
Welcome to Grimstone Hall. It’s one of the most haunted houses in the country, but with a twist: all the ghosts are children.
After entering a horror-writing competition, Jake and the other winners are being treated to a tour of the house and its ghosts. And that’s how Jake finds himself in a grand entrance hall surrounded by gold framed paintings and fancy mirrors.
As they’re shown around the house, the guide tells them a series of ghost stories associated with the different rooms. They’re tales of guilt and revenge and supernatural trickeries to make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck – made more sinister by the way that each is told from the perspective of those being haunted (and why).
Jake obviously likes a good ghost story, but as the tour progresses, he gets increasingly uncomfortable. He keeps seeing odd things out of the corner of his eye and is certain the tour guide is giving him funny looks. And why does that strange, cracked mirror in the hallway creep him out so much?
An atmospheric collection of interconnected short stories in a super-readable format that masterfully builds the tension toward a chilling climax – though keeps things as just a little unnerving rather than overtly terrifying.
About the author

More books like this
-
Flesh and Blood (Chris Priestley)
by Chris Priestley
9 to 12+ years
-
Still Water
by Chris Priestley
9 to 12+ years
-
Long Way Down
by Jason Reynolds, illustrated by Chris Priestley
12+ years
-
Curse of the Werewolf Boy
by Chris Priestley
6 to 12 years
Lists of recommended reads
-
Halloween books for primary school children
Spooky stories can be utterly thrilling, and provide a safe space to be scared in an entertaining way