Everyone loves to get into spooky season by delving into the best ghost stories or rewatching your favorite Halloween movies. For our more literary folks, there are a ton of ways to integrate Jewish books with your regular fall traditions. In fact, many of your favorite Halloween monsters have Jewish roots — though that often descends from antisemitism.
However, many Jewish authors have modernized these stories, and have even reclaimed them for our own. If you’re a lover of Jewish mythology, horror, or bone-chilling stories, there are dozens of Jewish books that are perfect to pick up and devour.
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Whether it’s a lighthearted rom-com or a terrifying novel that’ll make you fear turning off the lights, these page-turners are exactly what you need to enjoy spooky season for truly capturing one of the best times of the year.
If you’re craving some Halloween spirit with a unique twist, dive into these spooky, whimsical, and fun reads by Jewish authors featuring Jewish characters. Here are the top picks to make your Halloween reading list a bit more boo-tifully Jewish!
‘Rules For Ghosting’ by Shelly Jay Shore
Ezra Friedman grew up seeing ghosts, which made life in a funeral home…complicated. His grandfather’s ghost disapproves of everything, especially Ezra’s HRT-induced second puberty, and he’s under constant scrutiny from living and dead relatives alike. So, it’s no surprise Ezra ran as far as he could from the family business.
But when his dream job collapses, and his mom announces she’s leaving his dad for the rabbi’s wife at Passover, Ezra ends up back at the funeral home, now teetering on financial ruin. To help, he steps into his mom’s role, facing long days surrounded by ghosts only he can see—including Jonathan, the charming funeral home volunteer living downstairs, and Jonathan’s late husband, Ben, whose ghost is breaking all the rules by speaking, moving, and stirring up feelings Ezra never expected. As Ezra fights to keep his family — and his heart — intact, he learns that being haunted comes in many forms.
Shelly Jay Shore’s best selling debut novel is the perfect queer, Jewish spooky season tale of self-discovery, family and love.
‘The Tribe’ by Bari Wood
A fan favorite since its release in 1981, “The Tribe” by Bari Wood is a horrifying mystery that deals with the fate of a group of Holocaust survivors and mysterious murders.
When the Belzec concentration camp was liberated in 1945, no one could explain how a group of Jewish prisoners had survived — and even appeared healthier than their Nazi captors.
Thirty-five years later in New York, a group of young men who murdered a rabbi’s son are found gruesomely slain, covered in a strange gray substance. What connects these events? That’s the dark mystery Rachel Levy and Detective Roger Hawkins must unravel, uncovering chilling truths buried deep in the past.
‘Night Owls’ by A.R. Vishny
In this thrilling paranormal YA romance, two estries — owl-shifting vampires from Jewish folklore — must navigate New York’s monstrous underworld to save the girl one of them loves, with help from the boy one of them fears.
Clara and her sister Molly have survived over a century by following strict rules: run their historic theater by day, shift into owls by night, feed on men in secret, and never fall in love. But Molly’s in love with Anat, and she’s ready to risk it all, bending rules Clara insists they keep. Boaz, cursed to encounter the undead at every turn, secretly wishes Clara felt the same way about him.
When Anat vanishes and the city’s dark underworld rises, Clara and Boaz are forced to work together, facing demons and forbidden desires. To save those she loves, Clara must break all her rules — or risk losing everything in this spellbinding debut by A. R. Vishny.
“Night Owls” is a perfect fit for someone looking for modern takes on Jewish folklore who love compelling storytelling and impressive world building.
‘The Dybbuk’ by S. An-sky
For over a century, “The Dybbuk” has continued to captivate and stun audiences across the world. Originally performed in Russian before being translated and performed in Yiddish, S. An-sky’s play continues to be a must-read and must-see for lovers of Yiddish culture and supernatural Jewish tales.
Leah is set to marry the match chosen by her father, a respected man in the shtetl. But just as she stands under the wedding canopy, a chilling presence invades her body: it is the spirit of Hannan, her first love, who died suddenly before he could marry her. Bound by a vow made in life and unresolved love in death, Hannan’s spirit now refuses to leave Leah, bringing curses and strange powers that baffle the town’s elders.
As the community’s leaders and spiritual guides struggle to expel the dybbuk, they are forced to confront deep questions about life, love, fate, and the power of promises that bind even from beyond the grave. “The Dybbuk” is a haunting exploration of love and loss, as dark forces take hold of the living to fulfill a love that refuses to die.
‘Magical Meet Cute’ by Jean Meltzer
Jean Meltzer, the queen of Jewish romance novels, delivered the fun and mystical with her fourth book, “Magical Meet Cute.”
Faye Kaplan left her life as a lawyer to pursue pottery in upstate New York. Her life is perfect except for one thing: She is not in love.
When antisemitic flyers are posted across her town and she unsuccessfully finds the man of her dreams at a synagogue singles event, Faye drunkenly creates a golem that looks like her perfect husband on her potter’s wheel.
When Greg, a perfect, mysterious sexy stranger, comes to Woodstock the next day, Faye must question whether his appearance is more than a coincidence.
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‘My Roommate Is a Vampire’ by Jenna Levine
Cassie Greenberg is an artist struggling to make ends meet when she stumbles upon an unbelievably cheap apartment in a charming Chicago neighborhood.
Her new roommate, Frederick J. Fitzwilliam, is strange — he’s only around at night, speaks like he’s from another century, and leaves her sweet, thoughtful notes. Just when she’s starting to warm up to him, Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge, and Frederick reveals his secret: he’s a vampire. And he has a proposition for her.
If you’re looking for Jewish representation, laugh-out-loud dialogue that’ll leave you in stitches, and to spend a cozy night in with a fiction debut, Jenna Levine’s novel will leave you enthralled.
‘Interview with a Jewish Vampire’ by Erica Manfred
When middle-aged journalist Rhoda Ginsburg signs up for JDate, the last thing she expects is to meet a vampire. But when she crosses paths with Sheldon, a strikingly handsome Hasidic vampire, she’s instantly smitten. Sure, he may not technically be alive, but at least he keeps kosher! As she falls harder for Sheldon, Rhoda finds herself rationalizing the oddities of dating an undead romantic — after all, who wouldn’t be charmed by his old-world manners and killer smile?
Driven by a desperate need to help her terminally ill mother, Rhoda comes up with a wild, slightly absurd plan: if Sheldon turns her and her elderly friends into vampires, she might just be able to cheat death for her mom. But things quickly go awry when her little old Jewish lady friends go rogue, preying on the younger crowd with newfound undead enthusiasm.
In this witty and delightfully offbeat novel, Erica Manfred weaves wry humor with the classic sexy-vampire romance, exploring the ups and downs of dating a swoon-worthy Jewish vampire. “Interview with a Jewish Vampire” is a hilarious twist on finding love — and a new lease on life — in the most unexpected places.
‘The City Beautiful’ by Aden Polydoros
Alter Rosen came to Chicago dreaming of a better life, hoping to earn enough to bring his family over from Romania and free them from persecution. But his plans are shattered when his best friend, Yakov, becomes the latest in a string of murdered Jewish boys, and Alter’s life takes a dark, supernatural turn.
As Chicago celebrates the wonders of the World’s Fair, Alter is thrust into a chilling mystery. Possessed by Yakov’s dybbuk, he’s forced into a shadowy underworld of lies and corruption — and right back into the orbit of a dangerous boy from his past, one he’s never truly forgotten. With Yakov’s spirit haunting him, Alter has only a few days before the possession takes over entirely.
In a desperate race against time, he and his old flame must track down the killer before they become the next victims. Together, they’re drawn into a harrowing fight for survival, where hidden truths and old loyalties are tested, and where the price of freedom may be higher than Alter ever imagined.
What will become a queer, YA classic, Aden Polydoros’ exploration of grief and desire is a masterclass in historical fantasy and integrating Judaism and fantasy.
‘Fervor’ by Toby Lloyd
The best Jewitch release of the year, Toby Lloyd’s debut, “Fervor” explores a Jewish family concerned that their teen daughter has become a witch.
Hannah and Eric Rosenthal are devout but quirky North Londoners living with their three kids and Eric’s father, Yosef, a Holocaust survivor with stories that could fill volumes. Intellectual and unconventional, the Rosenthals believe in the literal truth of the Old Testament, seeing hints of the divine—and maybe a little evil—in everyday life. As Hannah prepares to publish Yosef’s memoir, uncovering a shocking secret from his time in the camps, her picture-perfect daughter, Elsie, starts to unravel. And then, after Yosef’s passing, she mysteriously disappears. When she reappears, let’s just say she’s… not quite the same.
As Elsie’s new behavior grows ever stranger, Hannah suspects her daughter might’ve taken a dive too deep into mystical waters. But Elsie’s brother, Tovyah, thinks the answer’s simpler: his sister’s unraveling is thanks to a family that’s way too wrapped up in ritual, tradition, and ambition. With everyone disagreeing on what’s causing Elsie’s spiral, they’re left wondering—has their faith become a balm or a burden? And how can they keep the mysterious darkness that seems to be gripping Elsie from swallowing her whole?
“Fervor” spins a thrilling modern folk tale of family drama with a supernatural twist.
The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero
When Ilana Lopez is sent to Prague to stay with her aunt, she’s caught between her dream of becoming a violinist and her parents’ wish for a more stable career.
Things get interesting when Ilana stumbles upon a hidden Jewish cemetery and meets Benjamin, the ghost of a sweet boy who’s been around for over a century. As she restores his grave, Benjamin reveals a magical Prague filled with roaming spirits and kisses warmer than expected.
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But Benjamin isn’t the only one drawn to her music. Rudolph Wassermann, a shadowless man with his own strange powers, offers Ilana magic to be with Benjamin and follow her passion. When she learns the dark truth of Wassermann’s interest — and Benjamin’s fate — Ilana knows she must free the boy she’s come to love, even if it means letting him go forever.
“The Ghosts of Rose Hill” is a love letter to R.M. Romero’s Latin American and Jewish heritage, weaving a spellbinding story of magic, history, and the power of love.
‘The Keep’ by F. Paul Wilson
The first book of F. Paul Wilson’s “the Adversary Cycle,” readers have returned to “The Keep” for over 40 years, and it even was even turned into a cult classic horror film.
So begins the desperate plea from a Nazi commander stationed in an isolated castle deep in the Transylvanian Alps. His troops are being picked off one by one in the dead of night, each corpse left bloodless and horribly mutilated, a grim warning to those still alive.
In response, the Nazis send in an elite SS unit to eliminate the threat — but they’re confronted by something beyond their worst nightmares. Desperate, they enlist a local expert on folklore — a Jewish scholar — to help unravel the eerie mystery unfolding in the shadows. Meanwhile, an enigmatic stranger, driven by visions and an unshakable sense of purpose, is racing toward the castle, where he believes his fate awaits.
What follows is a chilling clash: on one side, the dark forces unleashed by humanity’s own cruelty, and on the other, an ancient, unstoppable terror that defies all comprehension. The real battle, it seems, is only just beginning.
‘This Spells Disaster’ by Tori Anne Martin
In Tori Anne Martin’s witchy, Jewish queer love story, is the perfect cozy read. “This Spells Disaster” is a perfect fit for readers of the fake dating trope and supernatural romance.
Potion maker and self-described “messy witch” Morgan Greenwood is sure she was hexed at birth. She drunkenly offered to fake-date her dream woman, Rory Sandler—the spellcasting champion—and somehow, Rory agreed! But as they gear up to keep up the ruse at the New England Witches’ Festival, things start to feel all too real. Then, Morgan realizes she might’ve accidentally given Rory a love potion instead of a calming draft, breaking a major Witch Council law.
Now, she has to keep up the act, fool Rory’s family, and somehow break the love potion—by proving they’re totally wrong for each other. But each day, Morgan’s finding herself more enchanted by Rory and wondering if maybe, just maybe, the magic between them isn’t fake at all.
‘Treif Magic’ by John Baltisberger
With arguably the best title on the list, “Treif Magic” kicks off John Baltisberger’s “Book of Ze’ev” series, which combines the supernatural, necromancy, Judaism and magic.
Ze’ev Kaplan isn’t exactly your run-of-the-mill prayer leader — in fact, he’s not a prayer leader at all, no matter what his friends, family, or girlfriend might think.
By day, he blends right in; by night, he’s the Jewish Community of Texas’s secret weapon against demons and dark forces. What starts as a “routine” exorcism takes a turn when he uncovers a dastardly necromancer’s plot to unleash chaos. This sinister sorcerer will stop at nothing, and anyone in his path is fair game.
Now, it’s up to Ze’ev to put an end to this unholy cult’s twisted magic in the heart of Texas. Can he dodge death and stop the rise of Treif Magic, or is he destined to be the next casualty of their dark arts?
‘Ninth House’ by Leigh Bardugo
Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the last person you’d expect to see at Yale. Raised by her hippie mom in L.A., Alex’s life was a wild mix of sketchy boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and darkness. By 20, she’s the only survivor of a brutal, unsolved triple homicide. Just when she thinks her story’s over, she’s offered a second chance: a full ride to one of the world’s top universities. But there’s a catch.
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Arriving at Yale, Alex is tasked with keeping tabs on the university’s secret societies — eight eerie “tombs” where the elite dabble in magic and power. But as she digs deeper, Alex realizes these occult rituals go far beyond the usual Ivy League mystery.
Leigh Bardugo’s love letter to her own time at Yale, “Ninth House” is the supernatural crime-fighting novel that you won’t be able to put down.
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