Updated 5/30/2023
If you haven’t listened to the podcast Ghost in the Burbs, I highly recommend it. After putting up an ad for ghost stories on her local library bulletin board, Liz Sower begins interviewing neighbors about their paranormal stories, and finds out that the town of Wellesley is really, really haunted.
We learn a lot about Liz and her neighbors from the books on their shelves. After scouring the internet for a master list of all the books mentioned in this podcast, I couldn’t find it so… “be the change you want to see in the world,” right? Some of the books listed here are books mentioned by the characters during the stories. Some are books that Liz recommends at the top of the episode. I also tried to link each book to Goodreads (I get no proceeds from this), and note from which episode of Ghosts in the Burbs each recommendation is taken. Bonus: media and podcast rec’s at the bottom. I’m sure I’ve missed a few, so please reach out if you have any to add!
Books
A Murder in Wellesley: The Inside Story of an Ivy-League Doctor’s Double Life, His Slain Wife, and the Trial That Gripped the Nation by Tom Farmer and Marty Foley [“If You Go Out in the Woods Today,” Episode 8]
The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence by Gavin de Becker [“Revenge,” Episode 31]
The Southern Vampire Mysteries (Sookie Stackhouse) by Charlaine Harris [“The Doll,” Episode 32]
Aurora Teagarden Mysteries by Charlaine Harris [“The Doll,” Episode 32]
The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo [“Impishness,” Episode 42]
Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant [“Out of the Swells #7- Memories”]
The Demonologists by Gerald Brittle [“Loose Ends,” Episode 47]
Fear Street series by RL Stine [“Out of the Swells #8- I’m not saying it was aliens but…”]
I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid [“Out of the Swells #9- The Lake House”]
The Last Days of Jack Sparks by Jason Arnopp [“Out of the Swells #9- The Lake House”]
Come Closer by Sara Gran [“Pacing,” Episode 57]
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown [“Come Again?” Episode 58]
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn [“Come Again?” Episode 58]
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie [“Come Again?” Episode 58]
The Fisherman by Joanthan Langan [“The Nanny,” Episode 60]
The Baker Estate of Ridge Hill Farms of Needham [“The Estate,” Episode 62]
Reprieve by James Han Mattson [“The Estate- Part II,” Episode 62]
A Demon Summer: A Max Tudor Mystery by G.M. Malliet [Lilith– Chapter 10]
The Year of Witching by Alexis Henderson [“Just Kidding,” Episode 63]
Severance by Ling Ma [“Just Kidding,” Episode 63]
The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling [“Earplugs,” Episode 64]
Practical Demonkeeping by Christopher Moore [“Earplugs,” Episode 64]
The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould [“It’s coming.” Episode 65]
The Hamish MacBeth Mystery Series by M.C. Beaton (Death of a Gossip– Book 1) [“It’s coming.” Episode 65]
The Deep by Nick Cutter [“A promise that will surely come back to bit me in the ass.” Episode 66]
The Fear Street Super Chiller Trilogy- Party Summer by R.L. Stine [“A promise that will surely come back to bit me in the ass.” Episode 66]
Chill of Fear by Kay Hooper [“A promise that will surely come back to bit me in the ass.” Episode 66]
MEG Primal Waters by Steve Alten [“A promise that will surely come back to bit me in the ass.” Episode 66]
Rats by James Herbert [“A promise that will surely come back to bit me in the ass.” Episode 66]
Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare [“Tunnels. Episode 67]
The Countryclub Murder Series by Julie Mulhern [“Tunnels” Episode 67]
Off Season by Jack Ketchum [“Out of the Swells #11- The Homestead”]
The Carrow Haunt by Darcy Coates [“Out of the Swells #11- The Homestead”]
Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie [“Your guess is as good as mine.” Episode 68]
The Exorcist House by Nick Roberts [“Your guess is as good as mine.” Episode 68]
The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty (specifically the audiobook read by the author) [“Strange Phenomena Society.” Episode 72]
Authors
Jodi Picoult [“Curses,” Episode 53]
RL Stine [Lilith– Chapter 11]
Everything by Grady Hendrix [“The Nanny,” Episode 60]
Everything by Paul Tremblay [“The Nanny,” Episode 60]
Regularly mentions Nancy Drew
Regularly mentions Agatha Christie
Books by Liz Sower
Claire by Liz Sower
Lilith by Liz Sower
In past episodes, Liz refers to a book list full of recommendations on her website. However, that list isn’t there anymore or in the archives, but that’s ok! Liz has created a new list for us on her own website. From one librarian to another, Liz, you’ve got some great recommendations.
Podcasts
In past episodes, Liz mentions that all of her horror book recommendations come from Books in the Freezer podcast. Way back when, she also refers to a podcast distraction list on her website. You can find that list here. However, there are a few podcasts mentioned in Ghosts in the Burbs that don’t appear on this list. They are as followed:
True Crime
Paranormal
Goosebumps: Welcome to Deadcast
Other Recommendations
Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday Podcast
Media
Liz watches a lot of movies and tv shows during Ghosts in the Burbs, and here are a few that she mentioned. Sorry I didn’t list specific episodes for these, and I’m sure there are more, but this is a start.
TV Shows
- The Dead Files
- Ghost Adventures
- The Walking Dead
- Nostradamus: End of Days
- Ghost Brothers
- The Ghost Town Terror
Movies
- Witches of Eastwick (and it’s killer soundtrack)
- Cabin in the Woods
- The Frighteners
- The Lost Boys
- The Possession
- Arachnophobia
- The Burbs
- Jaws
- Lake Placid
- Tremors
- The Blair Witch Project
- Cabin Fever
- The Ruins
- The Descent
- High Spirits
- My Best Friend is a Vampire
- Once Bitten
- Hocus Pocus 2
- Hell House LLC
- Broken Lizard’s Club Dread
Let me know if I missed any. As always, try to support your public libraries and indie booksellers. Enjoy and happy reading!
Cover image: courtesy of Liz Sower, our Ghostly Queen
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