50 True Stories That Will Scare You to Death: True Crime, Hauntings, Aliens, and More

by Sebastian Krahl, Fábio Lyra (Illustrator)

Terrifying true tales to keep you up at night—from TikTok sensation Sebastian Krahl
This deeply horrifying collection of 50 chilling stories is not for the faint of heart. Collected and told by viral true crime storyteller Sebastian Krahl, these true tales dive into the unexplained, the unsettling, and the unimaginable, with frightening and gruesome real-life accounts of murder, mystery, abduction, hauntings, and so much more.
From popular creator Sebastian Krahl—With over 9.5 million total followers, Sebastian Krahl (@Sebastiank22) is known for his well-researched and detailed recountings of true crime, paranormal encounters, unsolved mysteries, and more.
True, and truly scary—These stories don’t shy away from the darkest corners of reality—read them with the lights on.
Discover stories
A set of haunted bunk beds who turned a family's dreams into a nightmare. A woman whose ghost solved her own murder. A kidnapping victim who was kept in a box for years. An alien encounter from one of the real-life men in black. A murderer who lived in his victims' home for days. A set of creepy reincarnated twins.

Are you scared yet?

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, True Crime, Crime, Paranormal, Nonfiction

304 pages, Paperback

Expected publication July 28, 2026

Reviews

[KaysKillerReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

50 True Stories That Will Scare You to Death by Sebastian Krahl is a beautifully organized and well written collection that genuinely creeps under your skin. Each story is short, but still manages to pack in just enough detail to leave an impact without dragging things out.

I really appreciated how the structure keeps you engaged the entire time. Just as one story ends, another pulls you right back in. It never feels overwhelming or weighed down with unnecessary details.

This would make a great gift for horror lovers, true crime enthusiasts, or anyone curious about the real things that go bump in the night. It is definitely a book that feels better experienced in your hands rather than on a screen, I feel that all the art and layout is missed in the e-format. I will be adding this one to my collection when it releases.

4 stars

[Remi · Rating 4 out of 5]

for me, the illustrations are what make it work so incredibly. Fábio Lyra’s art adds an immediate sense of unease that elevates the short horror pieces.

reading this book unexpectedly brought back a strong sense of nostalgia. it reminded me of being a child, waiting for my piano teacher at music cram school, flipping through short horror story collections just to pass the time. that same feeling of quick, bite-sized dread is very much present here.

these true stories are brief and easy to dip into, making this a good pick for readers who enjoy horror in small doses rather than fully immersive narratives. while not every story left a lasting impression, the combination of eerie subject matter, hauntings, unexplained phenomena, and striking visuals creates a consistently spooky reading experience.

for readers who enjoy illustrated horror anthologies or who feel nostalgic about short-form scary stories, this one delivers exactly what it promises.

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to-read:

some drawings are indeed quite spooky.

*thank you to Callisto for the ARC*

[SkylarrReadsByCandlelight · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection is a fun, fast read that leans more into eerie curiosity than outright terror, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. What I enjoyed most is the global scope of the book. Pulling stories from multiple countries adds a refreshing variety, and it gives the collection a kind of campfire story feel, like you are passing around tales from all over the world.

Some of the stories have definitely been told before, particularly if you are already interested in true crime or urban legends. That said, they are still enjoyable to revisit in this format, especially all in one place. The Men in Black stories were particularly intriguing and added a nice layer of mystery.

Not every entry landed the same way. A few stories felt overly familiar, and one in particular, “Porsche Girl,” felt unnecessary compared to the rest of the collection. By the final section, the stories were still fun, but not especially scary, which might be a drawback depending on what you are hoping for.

One thing I really appreciated throughout the book was the artwork. It adds atmosphere and helps elevate the storytelling experience in a way that makes the book feel more immersive.

Overall, this is a solid pick if you enjoy "spooky", true stories from around the world. It is less about being truly terrifying and more about that nostalgic thrill, like the kind of stories you would tell to try and scare your friends when you were younger.

[Kayla Erdmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for Callisto Publishing and NetGalley for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
The stories in this were sometimes gruesome and a great collection overall. These stories are short enough and manage enough details to creep you out. This book was a quick read that held my interest. 50 True Stories That Will Scare You to Death read similar to the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz which growing up was my favorite horror series. The illustrations by Fabio Lyra are creepy and horrifying adding perfectly to the spooky factor. I feel like the kindle edition didn't do a lot of justice, similar to the novel mentioned above this would be better consumed as a physical book.

[Leah L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the variety in this collection. It moves from true crime to supernatural hauntings and even alien encounters, so you never quite know what kind of story is coming next. That unpredictability kept it fun and engaging for me.

Sebastian Krahl puts together a solid lineup, and the pacing generally works well. The illustrations by Fábio Lyra are a great touch too, they add an extra layer of creepiness without taking over the stories.

Some stories worked better for me than others, but overall it’s a memorable, atmospheric read. If you like dipping into different kinds of eerie tales, this is definitely worth picking up. **4 stars.**

[Donna Maguire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to be added to Amazon UK and US on 28 July 2026 - publication day!

Well I can honestly say that none of these stories did actually scare me t death or I wouldn't be sat here typing up this review but they did intrigue me.

I liked the variety of different stories and that it wasn't just a book that stuck to one topic.

The book was easy to read and I liked the length of the chapters - nice and punchy and keeping to the main story. If there was to be a sequel I would certainly be grabbing a copy!

It is 4 stars from me for this one - highly recommended!

[Jessica Tarnowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a book I ended up reading in one sitting—I was hooked from start to finish. Sebastian KrahI offers a compelling collection of horror and true crime stories. While I was familiar with a few, many were new to me, and I found myself diving into additional research after each section to learn more about the cases and legends. That curiosity really speaks to how engaging the book is. I was genuinely disappointed to reach the end—I definitely wanted more!

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Leah Deckard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't usually have good luck with short stories, but I had a great time with this one. Although I loved the haunted/paranormal section, the missing person chapter was my favorite because the author told the story of Brian Shaffer. As someone from Columbus I greatly appreciated him including Brian's story. I also really liked the graphics at the start of each story.

Thank you to Netgalley, Sebastian Krahl, and Castillo publishing for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback and opinion.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fine. Definitely some of the stories were more impactful than others. I did like that the book was divided into different sections - aliens, haunting, etc. the stories are all very quick reads so you could pick the book up and read for a bit and easily take a break. It was a very quick and easy read. I didn’t find the stories that scary, but many were gruesome. Thank you to NetGalley and Callisto publishing for the ARC

[Izzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a fan of anything macabre, bizarre, or paranormal, especially if it’s based on a true story. I appreciate the meticulous research that goes into each story. It’s mind-blowing how much we don’t know about the world around us, and sometimes, the truth can be stranger than fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and Callisto Publishing for providing me with this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Look, I study this stuff on a regular basis. So while I knew most of the stories in this book already, there were a few that I did not know. In the stories that I did know, there were details I learned that I did not know before. I applaud Sebastian for going the extra mile and doing the research to give the stories the extra credit they deserve. Well written and engaging.

[LittleRead · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish the author had stuck to ghost stories or hauntings rather than adding in true crime as well.. It was a bit too much and all over the place for my liking. but i did enjoy the ghostly encounters and even the alien stories.

[Jodie Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc reader with netgalley.

These stories are great for getting a good scare, some I recognised and some were just utterly shocking!!
Great read and hard to put down.
Great writing by the author

[Madyson Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good collection of horror stories and scary stories for avid lovers of true crime and the unknown, like myself. I throughly enjoyed these and hadn’t heard most of these stories before!