Would You Follow the Ghost Upstairs?
A haunted-house survival test with one very bad hallway decision
Hi Bookish Friends! đđ»
I know the correct answer is simple.
Do not follow the ghost upstairs.
We all know this.
The movies know this.
The books know this.
The creepy music knows this.
And yetâŠ
If I heard a whisper from a dark hallway, I would probably grab a flashlight, ignore every survival instinct God gave me, and call it âresearch.â
This is why I write spooky books, and I should not be left alone in old houses.
So todayâs question is:
Would you follow the ghost upstairs?
Hereâs the setup:
Youâre home alone.
Mostly.
The house has been making weird noises all week.
At first, you blamed the pipes.
Then the furnace.
Then the cat.
Except you donât have a cat.
Now the hallway light flickers every night at 10:31.
Your sister has been acting strange.
She stares at corners.
She answers questions no one asked.
She hums a song your grandmother swears she heard as a child.
Then one night, you see her standing at the bottom of the stairs.
She points up.
And from the dark hallway above you, a voice whispers your name.
So⊠what do you do?
A) Follow the ghost because obviously it wants to tell you something.
B) Research the house, the family, and every old newspaper article you can find.
C) Wake someone up and tell them exactly what happened.
D) Move out immediately and let the ghost enjoy the mortgage.
Kimâs Very Scientific Thriller Verdict
If you picked A, you are brave, nosy, and probably haunted by chapter five.
If you picked B, excellent work. You understand that libraries, archives, and newspaper clippings are where the good secrets live.
If you picked C, emotionally healthy choice. Rare in YA thrillers, but we love to see it.
If you picked D, honestly? Fair.
Sometimes the smartest person in the horror story is the one who says, âNope,â grabs snacks, and leaves.
I also did a poll so you could see what your fellow thriller readers picked.
Love This Kind of Setup
This is one of the reasons I wrote Ask the Girl.
Lila knows something is wrong.
She knows her sister Rose isnât just acting strange.
She knows there is something old and ghostly and dangerous hiding under the surface.
But knowing the truth and getting people to believe you are two very different problems.
And honestly?
That might be scarier than the ghost.
Because ghosts are terrifying, yes.
But not being believed when youâre trying to save someone you love?
That sticks with me.
The Real-Life Part
A lot of spooky stories are really about being heard.
Kids and teens notice things.
They notice when someone changes.
They notice when a friend pulls away.
They notice when something feels off.
But sometimes adults miss it.
Or explain it away.
Or say, âIâm sure itâs nothing.â
Books give us a way to ask:
What if it isnât nothing?
What if the person everyone doubts is the only one paying attention?
What if the ghost isnât the scariest part of the story?
So now I need to know.
Reply with A, B, C, or D and tell me whether youâd follow the ghost upstairs.
I promise not to judge.
Unless you picked A.
Then I will judge lovingly, from a safe distance, with snacks.
What Iâm Reading
This week, Iâm reading Metamorphosis: A Grove Hollow Novel by Shelby Nicole, and it has the kind of atmosphere that makes every creak in the house feel suspicious. It has creepy mansions, 80âs vibes, and falling in love with a Victorian ghost and having to make tough choices.
You know the kind.
The book where you look up from the page and suddenly your laundry pile looks like a Victorian ghost with unresolved family trauma.
Read my full review here as part of the Toppling Stacks Tours book tour, along with other amazing book bloggers and bookstagrammers.
So if your TBR pile is already glaring at you from across the room⊠I apologize in advance. Sort of. đ
Warmly,
Kim
P.S. Next time, weâre talking about whether youâd trust the popular girl who says, âI swear, you can trust me.â Which, in thriller language, is basically a warning label.