Families who loved A Nasty Piece of Work and Other Ghost Stories by Lance Salway often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book when your middle-grade reader is seeking the thrill of a good scare but still values stories set in the recognizable world of school, sports, and hobbies. It is an ideal pick for a child who enjoys the feeling of being 'spooked' without the graphic intensity of modern horror, offering a safe space to explore the concept of the unknown within familiar settings. Lance Salway crafts seven distinct ghost stories that blend contemporary realism with the supernatural. Themes of skepticism versus belief, peer pressure, and the consequences of curiosity run throughout the collection. While the ghosts can be unsettling, the primary focus is on how everyday kids navigate unexpected encounters. This collection is a classic choice for developing a child's sense of wonder and healthy caution, serving as an entertaining bridge between younger mysteries and older teen horror.
