Ghost stories... I loved Dark Matter, what else to try?

I loved The Small Hand too. Very spooky, but also short. More of a novella.

sorry about random full stop in that post

Not sure if it's been mentioned earlier - but The Owl Service by Alan Garner is pretty spooky and suitable for a ten yr old I'd have said, - and for adults too if you haven't read it

I recently read one by Susan Hill called The Small Hand - which is a quick. spookyish read.

If you can get hold of a copy - When Marnie Was There. I first read it at about 9, and can still re-read it, a certain number of decades later...

I had to come back & update -

I've now read Dark Matter, so has DD, after reading the comments as regards how disturbing some of you found it, figured best read it myself before considering it for DD, besides you had me very interested as I love a good disturbing book myself.

I enjoyed it, good enough read, strong characters etc etc, but just as it started to get going, that was it, over, I was thoroughly disappointed that I didn't find it disturbing at all, very tame - DD read it & pretty much said the same thing, she wasn't scared at all, in fact she thought it too tame too, but she did enjoy reading it & loved that it taught her about arctic expeditions etc

Goes to show we are all different, our DCs too - I'd say its fine for a none nervous 10 yr old :)

Charlotte Sometimes is lovely - one of my very favourites. Is it Penelope Lively? Having a bimbo moment and can't remember.

'Marianne Dreams' v good but maybe a bit 'young?'

Not a ghost story as such, and the ending isn't very good but 'Coraline' is a great spooky story for a ten year old.

The Girl on the Landing by Paul Torday is good - it's not quite a ghost story as such but strangely creepy.

I would also second The Little Stranger which I loved and found very spooky though I know others who didn't, also second MR James' stories - Whistle And I'll Come To You is one of the great ghost stories and Susan Hill actually does homage to it in Woman in Black.

Ooh, just remembered Charlotte Sometimes- can't remember who wrote it, and The Ghost in the Blue Velvet Dress, by Martin Waddell!

rockinhippy give her Marianne Dreams by Katherine Stott (I think), a very good, but scary, book for that age group

Mmmmm, maybe I better read it first then just incase - thanks

I can believe it! I read it when we were snowed in last winter which made it even more realistic and creepy!

Ds came to find me when he finished it- and his pupils were actually dilated with fear- I've never seen that before!

On the surface Dark Matter seems pretty tame but it really messes with your mind - my 11 year old would have ended up in my bed too had he read it

Cross post [ grin]

Thanks Seeker, I will bear that in mind, but she generally laps up scary stuff & I've not had that reaction from her since tiny, so I'm not too worried, I don't mind a bit of swearing, as she hears enough in the street, but is sensible & doesn't swear herself, tells others off if they do - haha - the odd sexual etc reference is okay, as she's not naive & old for her years generally, but Crickley Hall, which I had intended handing over to her as all through it was fine, up until the last couple of chapters when it suddenly got all hardcore S&M & peado

Sorry thread hijack

They are old fashioned and stuffy when you're 10! Never understand this "give them the classics" line- you want to encourage good readers, not put them off!

I wish curri she can be a PITA with her reading tastes, she refuses to read any of the classics at all, which would make my life so much easier, I have tried hard to get her interested, as I know they'd be okay for her content wise, but she says they are old fashioned & "stuffy" - kids eh!!

My ds read Dark Matter recently- he's 11, and spent the next 3 nights in my bed. He is a notorious wimp, but even so- be warned!

rockin - as she is a mature reader, she might enjoy some of the classics that are a bit creepy - I'm thinking Jane Eyre maybe, or some of the M R James stuff I recommended further upthread, or Wilkie Collins, Sherlock Holmes and things of that type? She would probably be fine with The Woman in Black and the other Susan Hill spooky stuff - AFAIK they don't have any bad language or sex in them (and they are short enough for you to have a flick through just in case!)

Ooo & thanks for the other suggestions too, I will look into those for her:)

James Herbert has written a few good ghost stories too, though I've found his earlier stuff to be better, I was a bit disappointed with Crickley Hall, though not read his latest one yet, but I do remember reading The Cottage which was spooky, disturbing, but quite lovely too

I loved Dark Matter, I can recommend Jonathon Aycliffe for spooky ghost stories

Brilliant - thank you all :) that sounds perfect for her

For those that ask - she's 10, but eating YA books up faster than I can keep up with & though I'm please she loves reading & doing so well, her taste in books is definitely older than she is & it's proving to be a bit of a nightmare as obviously not all are suitable - starting to wish there was some sort of rating system as there is with cinema

Thanks again

How old is she rockinhippy?

I really enjoyed Dark Matter as well, and would second the suggestion of MR James - simply the best ghost story writer ever IMO. Try Rats, by him, as a good example.

The Woman In White is superb - you're in for a treat!

I was really, really disappointed with 'Dark Matter.' I thought it was pretty boring and the homosexual hintings just felt like the writer desperately trying to be 'innovative' to me. It could have been great but it wasn't.

Then again, I detest 'The Woman In Black' too.

Hippy - How old is your dd? There's one called 'Century' which she might like: an old fashioned ghost story. And don't forget 'Tom's Midnight Garden' which is just gorgeous.

Some of you might like 'The Little Stranger' by Sarah Waters. I don't think she's a very good writer tbh, so it didn't really work for me, although I do think it's her most readable and least irritating one.