Best Publicly Available Ghost Stories

Trick photography predates photoshop!

It's that time of year! We look forward to highlighting the spooky side of our collection every October, but there are plenty of great stories available online with just the click of a mouse! Check out our favorites by following the links below.

"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1798)

If you think you've sat through some strange weddings, you have nothing on the guest who hears the sad story of death and misfortune at sea than the young man to whom the mariner relates his tale. The doomed voyage of the mariner's ship will be sure to leave you with chills. And if you ever happen to spy an albatross while on a sea voyage, be sure to leave it alone.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving (1820)

A schoolmaster, a Hessian mercenary, and an eligible maid come together in this short story about one wild night in a quiet village.

"The Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacobs (1902)

Nothing brings home the phrase 'be careful what you wish for' more than this ghoulish short story.

"Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad" by M.R. James (1904)

This story comes from James's anthology Ghost Stories of an Antiquary. The title comes from a Robert Burns poem of the same name and concerns a young professor who takes a trip to the English countryside and discovers an old whistle in a churchyard. It is inscribed in Latin with the phrase, 'Who is this who is coming?' and though the professor's curiosity is piqued at the discovery, he quickly realizes that finding the 'who' will be a more frightful prospect than he anticipated.

Carmilla by J. Sheridan LeFanu (1872)

This novella predates the debut of the world's most famous vampire by a few years, but provides chills aplenty for the reader. The lead character is a young woman named Laura, who falls under the sway of a mysterious girl named Carmilla whose designs on her are more sinister than mere companionship. Eerie and atmospheric, Carmilla combines all the best of the gothic into one satisfying vampiric read.

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux (1910)

This classic ghost story, told in the style of a detective novel, is a tale of murder, blackmail, and music. Young soprano, Christine Daae enjoys a fabulous debut upon the Paris stage and credits the development of her talent to a mysterious, unseen teacher. Is he a voice from heaven? A ghost? Or something even stranger?

"The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes (1902)

On certain nights, when the moon shines down on pitted country roads, a ghostly highwayman comes to an inn. Who is he looking for? Find out his story by reading this poem of love, murder, and revenge.

"The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allen Poe (1846)

Never was there a more potent tale of the consequences of speaking before one thinks. The horrifying consequences of a perceived slight are laid bare in Poe's famous story of revenge beneath the streets of Italy. You'll never hear the ringing of bells the same way again.

"Goblin Market" by Christina Rossetti (1862)

This creepy poem of solitary girls, temptation, and goblins has discomfited audiences for years. Taking the dangers of forbidden fruits quite literally, Rossetti tells the story of two sisters caught up in an eerie battle with the supernatural, which leaves you guessing about the girls' fate until the end.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (1886)

Set against the backdrop of Victorian London, this science fiction mystery is just as powerful now as it was when it was first published. The story of man's dual nature coming into physical conflict never stales. You'll want to give yourself a long, hard look in the mirror after reading this one - could it be your baser instincts are taking over?

"The Lady of Shalott" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1842)

Fairies, knights, and curses, it's all here in this Arthurian tale of love and woe. The Lady of Shalott, a beautiful maiden consigned to weave eternally is shaken from her task by the sight of a handsome knight trotting by her lonely room. She makes a decision to flee, but it comes with an awful price.