It’s a bit of a spoiler, telling you this, but if you’re looking for some suspense with kind of a creepy atmosphere, but don’t want to read about “real” ghosts and monsters or anything too scary, you might check out some of these. Many of them are kind of like Scooby-Doo style mysteries, and others are about the power of imagination.
It’s common in many of the longer children’s series to have at least one book in the series that is a spooky mystery in the style of a pseudo-ghost story or Scooby-Doo style mystery. Because of that, if there’s just one or two books in a series that are like this, I include them under the Parts of Series heading.
Individual Books
The Mystery of the Crimson Ghost (1969)
A young girl who loves horses helps to solve the mystery of a fiery ghost dog. By Phyllis Whitney.
Professor Carver and his family move into a house in the country to solve the mystery of the ghost that is haunting it. By Clyde Robert Bulla.
Siblings who are making a car trip home without their parents become trapped by a storm at an old house full of sinister people and a possible ghost. By Vic Crume.
Laura and Bill are visiting their Uncle Joe, who is the caretaker of a large hotel in New Hampshire. The hotel is closed for the winter, but the children investigate the ghost who supposedly haunts it and may have their uncle under her spell. By Janet Adele Bloss.
The Haunting of Cabin 13 (1987)
When Laurie’s family rents a cabin by a lake during the summer, it seems like the cabin is haunted by the ghost of a girl who died there the year before, who keeps leaving mysterious notes for Laurie.
A servant boy has to help his master solve the frightening mystery of a ghost that haunts a young princess amid political intrigue in Medieval Italy. By Avi.
Secret of the Samurai Sword (1958)
Celia and her brother travel to Japan with their grandmother following WWII and encounter a ghostly who haunts the house where they are staying. By Phyllis A. Whitney.
Parts of Series
The Stanleys move into an old house that may be haunted by a poltergeist.
Who’s Haunting the Eighth Grade (1988)
The class takes a trip to see a live performance of Shakespeare’s MacBeth, but when they are stranded during a storm, they have to find a place to spend the night in a small town. They end up staying at a bed and breakfast that might be haunted. Part of the Junior High Series.
Series
A spooky little series of stories about different children and the monster stories they invent and tell each other. It’s fun to be scared! By Rose Impey.
About a girl in elementary school who solves mysteries with the help of her friends, who call themselves The Martians. Not all of the books in the series are spooky mysteries, but a few are. By Susan Pearson.
Mary Rose and Jo-Beth Mysteries
About a pair of sisters who live in Indiana and have adventures on road trips with their father. Not all of the books in the series are spooky mysteries, but a couple are. Written by Eth Clifford.
J. Huntley English is a boy genius who also happens to believe in monsters and wants to find real ones. With his friends, he investigates strange phenomena and odd people in their small town in Pennsylvania. By Drew Stevenson.
The adopted son of a famous judge helps him to solve mysteries in feudal Japan. Not a series for young children! By Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler.
About a girl who wants to be a detective and her two friends. They investigate spooky mysteries in a small town in Pennsylvania. By Drew Stevenson.
Sherlock Holmes’ Tales of Terror
Sherlock Holmes and his friend Dr. Watson solve spooky mysteries with supernatural themes and Christian morals. By Kel Richards. 1997.
A group of third graders investigates strange phenomena and possible ghosts, including one at their school. By Grace Maccarone.
The Three Investigators Series
Three friends form a detective business, using a trailer in a salvage yard as their headquarters.
Jestress's Forgotten Books and Stories 