Someone just walked across my grave: YA lit with creepy graveyard scenes

You can’t talk about the scary and the macabre without mentioning books that have an edge of your seat scare you silly graveyard scene.  And this is definitely the month for talking graveyards.  So take a walk with me through the graveyard, if you dare . . .

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

I feel like I shouldn’t even have to say something about this book, but I will.  Nobody Owens would probably be a normal little boy, if he wasn’t being raised in a graveyard by ghosts.  Magical and at times terrifying, this is the ultimate graveyard book.  They call Gaiman a master storyteller for a reason and this is one of reasons why.  You’ll be afraid to turn the lights out.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.” When Blue sees Gansey in the graveyard on St. Mark’s Eve she’s not sure which one he is, but part of the gloriousness that is The Raven Boys is trying to figure it out.  This is one of my favorite books of the year.  Read it. Read my review here.

Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Alice should have listened when her father told her not to go out at night.  Now Alice has fallen down the zombie hole and there is no turning back.  An interesting twist on zombie novels with hints of Alice in Wonderland, check this one out. A blink, a breath, a second; everything changes in the graveyard. Read my review here.

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

“These are the secrets I have kept. This is the trust I never betrayed. But he is dead now and has been for nearly ninety years, the one who gave me his trust, the one for whom I kept these secrets. The one who saved me . . . and the one who cursed me.” Here we read the journal of Will Henry, an orphan who is an apprentice to a monster hunter (or is he simply just a monster?)  This has some wicked graveyard scenes and is generally just a great horror story for this time of the year.

Rotters by Daniel Kraus

It’s a book about grave robbers, there are graveyards.  Again, terrifying and disturbing and a great read for this time of year.  I believe I have mentioned it before.  Sorry, but it is a GREAT read for this time of year – I would hate for you or your teens to miss out.

Creepers by Joanne Dahme

Moving to a new town is hard enough, but what happens when your bedroom window overlooks the cemetery?  When the body of her ancestor goes missing from underneath her tombstone, 13-year-old Courtney finds herself trying to solve a very creepy mystery.

Going Underground by Vaught

Working a less than typical after school job as a grave digger, Del meets Livia.  Will may choose to reveal the secrets of his past, but that may just be digging himself into even a bigger hole.

Poltergeeks by Sean Cummings

I have not actually read this book, but somebody recommended it to me on Twitter and it sounds like fun.  You can read about it at Goodreads.

Know any more good graveyard books? Please leave us a comment and add to our list. Thank you.

Filed under: Booklists, Graveyards, Horror, Reader's Advisory, YA Lit