Humorous Supernatural Fiction

Dorothy Scarborough was an academic and author who had a particular interest in the supernatural. The following collection, first published in 1921, features stories that have a strong comical or satirical focus.

A vampire and a ghost being friends is unheard of. It makes no sense. The two factions have despised one another for all eternity. But...Leo the vampire and Minna the ghost have battled together side-by-side, they're sisters-in-arms, they're best friends, and they'll have to work together to vanquish a deadly new threat. Summoned to the Ghostly Realm for the murder of the Orphanmaster, Leo must complete three tasks to prove herself worthy of her unlife, each more treacherous than the last. C

To prevent the chaos and destruction they could impose upon the world, an age-old system has been in existence forcing beings of darkness and power to use humanity's legal systems. Snug safely under a "blanket of ignorance", most humans remain unaware of the existence of supernatural beings and the legal disputes which involve them. A select few professionals are required to participate and assist in the resolution of paranormal conflicts. Martin Sandberg is one of those professionals. This is his story.

When a new danger threatens the children of the Gadbadnagar, only Deepu can sense it. His granny, Ninja Nani, aka the Mystery Hero, doesn't believe him, but Deepu knows there's something very strange going on in Mrs Godbole's tuition class. His friends are acting like sleep-deprived zombies and why do the people caught on camera during a jewellery store heist look a lot like them? Will Nani and Deepu save his friends before it's too late? Will Deepu be eaten by zombies? Or will he "gasp!" turn into one?

Belle-on-Sea is getting ready for the Night of the Hungry Ghosts, the spookiest time of the year. Mr Vanderpuff's bake will be the centrepiece of the whole parade, but he needs a new creation and he’s totally stumped. To make matters worse, salty old seadog, Captain Lufty, and his Hat Rat, Barry, have warned that something is coming to Belle-on-Sea. Something terrible. When a ghost train is seen rattling into town, and people start to go missing – first the librarian, then the Mayor – Bridget and Tom begin tracking the train’s tracks, delighted to be in the thick of another mystery.

A mysterious cowboy is stalking the eccentric Trapnell siblings. Is he a supernatural entity or a hired killer? To complicate things, the will making them heirs to their billionaire father’s estate is missing and a relative has returned from a watery grave. Last time, the Trapnells saved the world from destruction. This time they may not be able to save themselves. Black Willows is a darkly funny Southern-fried adventure, complete with Voodoo, arson, and alligators.

Was macht ein Vampir beim Psyologen? Dr. Schwartenfeger leitet nicht nur die Bürgerinitiative "Rettet den alten Friedhof", sondern hat auch einen unheimlichen Patienten in Behandlung: einen Vampir. Was hat er mit dem Patienten vor? Anton stellt Nachforschungen an: Schließlich muss er wissen, ob Dr. Schwartenfeger den Vampiren wohl gesinnt ist.

Twelve-year-old Emma is excited to spend a weekend away at best friend Samantha's house for an epic sleepover with Sam and her out-of-town cousins. But things take a turn for the spooky when Emma's peculiar new book, Tales from the Scaremaster, shows it has a mind of its own - and weaves a story starring Emma and some cousins hiding a very creepy secret!

Lukas Boston suffers a bad start to his day. There's a ghost standing in the corner of his bedroom, Lukas got too drunk the night before and he can't remember his new girlfriend's name, and when he opens his window for a breath of fresh air, a sniper puts a bullet in Lukas' wall. His landlady is going to hate that. Welcome to the world of Lukas Boston, a private investigator who attracts cold-blooded killers, hot-blooded women, and really unhelpful ghosts.

“You really nailed it” - words every paranormal chef on The Kitchen Witch Wars would love to hear. But for some on the show, this statement proves the final nail in their coffin! Unfortunately for them, amateur witch Christelle Seabright finds she must once again hang her hat as TV show host and become a homicide detective. The paranormal TV execs only care about ratings, and contestants continually trying to kill one another off has made The Kitchen Witch Wars a hot new program. But if the culprit is not exposed, how long before a judge—or even the host—ends up on the menu? More ...

Phone calls in the wee hours of the morning don't usually concern English nobility being dragged through mirrors by ethereal hands. For Alistair and Witherton, hunters of the supernatural, it's a prime opportunity to confront their first ghost....

Sandman Slim has reached the far edge of Tenebrae: the desolate home of the lost dead. Alone and with no clue how to get back home, he collides with a caravan of the damned, led by the ruthless Magistrate. Slim didn't land in Tenebrae by chance. When he tried to open Heaven, he sent a tsunami across the universe, and now the afterlife is falling apart. The angels know Slim is close by, and they have put a tempting bounty on his head.

Bambi Simmons is the perfect woman. She is tall, slender and blonde with everything going for her. But she also has a very dark secret that only a few unfortunate people have learned. When an officer comes too close to the truth, she totally has to take care of business. Embark on a different sort of vampire tale in this dark comedy by Joel M. Andre that features his beloved detective Lauren Bruni.

Be very Afraid when the Ghosts are Spooked! When Shelby's sister Harriet isn't acting herself and the ghosts of Mad River Old Town are in hiding, she knows something isn't quite right. Follow that with two inquisitive strangers, Shelby's in the fight for her sister's life. Just in time for Halloween! Join Shelby along with the ghosts of Mad River as they tackle an evil entity set to take over someone's body and soul.

Her life is overdue, and tonight she has to pay. Rachel Dankworth finds her name on a library due date card. The fine? Her entire existence. “You shouldn’t be alive,” the card whispers at midnight. “You stole someone else’s story.” Nineteen years ago, Rachel survived falling through ice when she should have died. Now the Emberwick Library has come to collect—with interest. Text crawls beneath her skin like living tattoos. Her body flickers transparent at the edges. She’s being erased, word by word, paragraph by paragraph. “You’re nineteen years overdue,” warns Dexter, ...

The housing market is depressed. But not as depressed as anyone who spends a night at 668 Langford Place. The decaying mansion next door - number 666 - will soon see the return of Bog-Muggoth, an ancient, evil demon that makes the Amityville Horror seem like Casper the Friendly Ghost. But Bog-Muggoth isn’t making his haunted house call alone. Other vile gods from beyond time and space will be joining in the festivities to make the world their oyster - and leave it an empty shell.

I’m out at a Halloween bash when Anthony, my obnoxious apartment manager, busts into my place and lets the dog and cat out. I'd gladly have killed him, but someone beats me to the punch. Now, I’m searching for my beloved fur baby and trying to figure out who killed my obnoxious slumlord. It’s probably for the best I don't know that Theodore, my cat, and his furry pals are running loose in the neighborhood sniffing out Anthony's killer in the middle of Halloween madness. What could possibly go wrong?

Sandman Slim returns in a stunning, high-octane thriller filled with the intense kick-ass action and inventive fantasy that are the hallmarks of New York Times best-selling author Richard Kadrey. The request from Thomas Abbot, the Augur of the Sub Rosa council, couldn't come at a better time for James Stark, aka Sandman Slim. For a man who's most recently met Death - and death's killer - a few months of normal life is more than he can handle. He needs a little action, and now Abbott wants Stark and Candy to investigate the disappearance of a young boy.

A smart, kick-arse urban fantasy from a new master of the genre. Killing Pretty is the seventh book in the fantastic Sandman Slim series. James Stark has met his share of demons and angels, on Earth and beyond. Now he's come face to face with the one entity few care to meet: Death. Someone has tried to kill Death - ripping the heart right out of him - or rather the body he's inhabiting. Death needs Sandman Slim's help: he believes anyone who can beat Lucifer and the old gods at their own game is the only one who can solve his murder.

Aidan and Olivia live in a creaky old house on the edge of a dirty, swampy lake. Craving some excitement, they convince their parents to let them camp out by the lakeshore under a full moon, with only their dog for company. Aidan loves to scare his sister and has plenty of funny tricks up his sleeve for their campout. But the twins are about to find out that the creepy old book that washed ashore, Tales from the Scaremaster, has a mind of its own - and its mind is set on scares beyond Aidan's wildest dreams!