Ghost in the Night

by Tiffany D. Jackson

From mega-bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson comes this highly anticipated follow-up to her middle grade debut Blood in the Water.The Only Black Girl on the Ghost Tour is another spine-tingling, can't-put-it-down mystery, this time set in America's Most Haunted City.Savannah, Georgia is a city on edge when twelve-year-old Harmony arrives with her blues musician father for a summer gig. The recent disappearance of a local boy remains unsolved and the trail has gone cold, leaving the simmering community without answers or closure.Savannah, with its mossy trees and ornate old homes, is also a place rich in history...and ghosts. Ghosts are what pique Harmony's interest. Still reeling from her losses back home, Harmony wants to believe in ghost stories...but isn't sure what's real. When she goes on one of the many ghost tours around town, she takes a photo of what might be a ghost. Or is it a hoax?As Harmony and her new friends look into the truth behind the ghost picture, they stumble into a dangerously tangled web of ambition, lies...and murder.Can Harmony unravel the mystery in time...or will she have to give up the ghost?New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson delivers thrills and chills once more with this layered, evocative mystery that is sure to give readers goosebumps.

Genres: Middle Grade, Mystery, Horror, Mystery Thriller, Ghosts, Audiobook, Thriller

269 pages, Library Binding

First published August 4, 2026

About the author

Tiffany D. Jackson is the New York Times Bestselling author of YA novels including the Coretta Scott King — John Steptoe New Talent Award-winning Monday’s Not Coming, the NAACP Image Award-nominated Allegedly, Let Me Hear A Rhyme, and her 2020 title GROWN. She received her bachelor of arts in film from Howard University, her master of arts in media studies from the New School, and has over a decade in TV/Film experience. The Brooklyn native is a lover of naps, cookie dough, and beaches, currently residing in the borough she loves, most likely multitasking.

Reviews

[Laura Lovesreading]

My name is Harmony Roundtree. I'm twelve years old and i definitely believe in ghosts

In Ghosts In The Night 12-year-old Harmony Roundtree is on a ghost tour in Savannah and when she takes a photo she may have captured a real spirit or a hoax. When her and her two friends investigate the image they realize that the photo links to a local boy's unsolved disappearance and a dark murder mystery.

Where were these kinds of books when I was growing up!?

Ms. Jackson is back with her second middle grade book and as per usual she delivered!

Following ghost enthusiast 12-year-old Harmony was such an enjoyable and she was such a relatable protagonist. The book was a great blend of black history, dealing with grief and loss and a nice bump bump in the night vibes take will have any middle grader being completely enthralled.

This was a super-fast read and one that I would definitely recommend to pre tweens. Whether it is middle grade, YA or a full adult thriller… I will always pick up this phenomenal woman's work.

[Brittany]

3.5

Highly recommend for those of you who have little ones who like to read and loves a good mystery. Harmony was something else and little Robbie was cute. This was a good spooky mystery about a murder gone wrong. A missing child …….. and the mystery of the condemned Myer’s house. Is it haunted ??? Yes or no

[Demetrius]

You can never go wrong with a Tiffany D. Jackson book!

[Shauntelle (shauntellereads)]

This was a well done MIDDLE GRADE book! I immersive read this in about an hour and immediately gave it to my 7th grader to read. Tiffany D. Jackson can do no wrong in my eyes. Her writing depth is 🔥. Please remember this is a middle grade novel so don’t expect this to be like Grown or The Scammer. With that being said, it’s still a great read!

[Aggie]

Thank goodness it’s a short one!

[Magen • Bone Chilling Books]

This was a fun adventure through the city of Savannah! Tiffany D. Jackson is so good at middle grade and young adult books. I can’t wait to have my boys reading this book. It’s perfect for the fall season, too! Spooky, creepy, adventurous, and fun! As an adult, I loved this book.

[Monique B.]

🤭 This was a fun read with the right amount of spooky for a middle aged reader. I couldn't read fast enough to see whether there's a ghost in the house or something/someone else?

Per usual with TDJ's books, I learned a few new things about Savannah, GA. All the refences at the end had me wanting to book a ghost tour but I am too old & paranoid to be scared now! 😅 A few twists in this one are sure to throw off young readers.

(I am side eyeing Harmony's dad for giving her money to go on all these ghost tours solo though, because my parents would've NEVERRR 🤣)

A bit of Black history on Savannah, along with themes of found family & how to deal with grief makes this book a instant choice for the spooky season!

[Veronika]

Tiffany can do no wrong! I loved Blood in the Water (and basically everything else she’s written) and am excited for her next middle grade thriller/mystery! I am seated! 🪑

[Lois]

4.5 Stars Rounded Up

I quite enjoyed Harmony and her little crew. I’d love to see a kid centered cozy with her as the star.
This was fun and not frightening.

[Mr. Mccane]

I know this is a middle-grade book, but if she writes it, I’m reading it. Plus, I’m going to have grandchildren one day, and I will be ready. 😂

Ghost in the Night is about a little girl who is obsessed with ghosts. While in Savannah, Georgia, she goes on a ghost tour and sees something that may actually be a ghost. So, she and two other children go on an adventure to find out if what she thinks she saw is actually real.

Although this book is geared toward 12-year-olds, I get so much satisfaction knowing that children, Black children in particular, can finally go on book adventures with characters who look like them. I didn’t have this growing up, so I really hope they’re taking advantage of it. This is a great time to grow up reading, and they have one of the best authors writing for them.

If you’re looking for another one, check out her first middle-grade book, Blood in the Water.

[MJ]

I loved this middle grade YA! I was fully invested in Harmonys story and felt like I was playing junior detective with her. Fast paced with plenty of suspense.

[Rayna Swan]

3.5 stars — This is a satisfying middle grade story thats definitely made for its target audience. The FMC, Harmony, is obsessed with photography and ghost. While visiting Savanah, Georgia with her dad , they realize that they’ve entered into a grieving city, that’s on the haunt for a missing boy. Harmony and her father are also grieving losses of their own as well.


I love how Tiffany intertwined culture, truths and some of Savanah’s rich unsettling history.

With that being said, in my opinion, some of the chapters focused too much on the setting and not necessarily the plot. I think we could’ve got more out of the characters if we explored what their grieving process looked like, harmony’s complex friendship dynamics or more from the side character, Myah and her unique gift.

Overall, this would be great for middle schoolers to read during spooky season. 👻

[Sherida L]

Listened in one day. A quick light read.light in the sense of it being YA. I love all of Tiffany’s books for the most part . Blood in water was not my fave and this book was better than that. I was eager to read this one after White smoke. But since the characters were younger, I didn’t feel quite connected. Btw if the characters are 12 is it really YA? I thought YA was 15 and up. 🤔

[Jenna]

🤩4 stars🤩

[Katrina (Catching up on Reviews)]

This was okay. Not something I would read again.

[Reading_Utopia!]

I absolutely adore middle grade and YA novels, and while this one had some interesting themes about grief, ghosts, and family, it didn’t quite resonate with me. The story and characters felt a bit distant, making it hard for me to visualize them like I often do. The story had its moments, but it felt a little scattered.

Plus, the ending fell into one of my biggest pet peeves—the villain monologue trope. Oh, how I despise this! 😩

Overall, it was an okay read, but it just wasn’t quite the right fit for me.

[Carmen Savage]

Tiffany D. Jackson has done it again!

I’m always impressed by her ability to take a mystery and make it about so much more than just finding answers. Ghost in the Night is a story about grief, family, friendship, history, and the things we carry with us even when we’re trying to move forward.

Harmony's curiosity about ghosts isn’t just about wanting to prove they exist, it’s tied to her own experiences with loss and her desire to understand what happens after someone we love is gone. She was very brave when faced with questions that didn’t have easy answers.

The Savannah setting was one of my favorite parts of the book. The city felt alive with its history and secrets. The ghost tour element added just the right amount of suspense, but what really pulled me in was the deeper mystery underneath it all.

In typical Tiffany D. Jackson fashion, I loved how the story explored Black history and the importance of remembering the stories that are often overlooked. She just has a way of weaving important conversations into her books without losing the heart of the characters or the momentum of the plot.

While this is a middle school grade mystery, the emotional themes are ones that readers of all ages can connect with and full of moments that remind us that sometimes the biggest mysteries aren’t just about what happened, they’re about healing and understanding.

I want to thank Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. I gave this story a 5/5 stars as I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to see what she writes next.

[Bookworm]

Received an ARC from Scholastic. Had potential, but characters kind of one-dimensional. Dialogue felt like adult trying to write as a kid. No real plot twists. Don't feel I know the character. Some stuff aren't really explained.
Again, definitely has potential.

[Bbecca_marie]

Ghost in the Night 🕯️👻✨Review✨ thank you so much partner  @scholastic @storygramtours for the gifted copy!

Ghost in the Night
by Tiffany D. Jackson
out now!

About the book 👇🏽

Savannah, Georgia, with its mossy trees and ornate old homes, is a place rich in history...and ghosts. Ghosts are what pique Harmony Roundtree's interest. Still reeling from her losses back home, Harmony wants to believe in ghost stories...but isn't sure what's real. When she goes on one of the many ghost tours around town, she takes a photo of what might be a ghost. Or is it a hoax?

With two new friends, Harmony sets out to investigate... and stumbles upon clues leading to an unsolved murder. The deeper she digs, the more Harmony realizes that what she saw on the ghost tour might be connected to a shocking crime. But making connections can be dangerous--even more dangerous than ghosts.

My thoughts 💭:

Tiffany D. Jackson has written some of my absolute favorite books, so of course I was excited to pick this one up and it did not disappoint! I get excited when I find books that I love at my age that are also almost suitable for my own kids. I have some spooky boys on my hands, so I already know that in a few years they’ll be dipping into my book collection! There’s definitely more going on beneath the surface of this story, but I thought it was delivered in a way that would be easy for younger readers to understand while still keeping them invested in the mystery. The ghostly elements, unsolved murder, and setting made this a fun and spooky read. I didn’t always agree with some of the decisions the adults made, but I actually appreciated that aspect of the story. It shows that adults make mistakes too and that communication can make all the difference. There are some great conversations and lessons tucked into this mystery. Another win from Tiffany D. Jackson! I can’t wait until my little spooky readers are old enough to steal this one from my shelf.

What to Expect👇🏽
👻 Spooky
🔎 Mystery
🫂 Found Family
💬 Communication + life lessons

Happy reading 📖✨👻🕯️

[Ty]

This was a very enjoyable middle grade horror novel that I think young readers will really enjoy. I liked the horror elements and I feel like these characters were quite brave to go on ghosts tours at night in Savannah, Georgia. I liked that the story also touched on other things, like Harmony dealing with the grief of losing her grandmother and how missing black people can be overlooked when a white person, specifically young white woman, goes missing. We also got a little history about Savannah woven into this story. I enjoyed this and would definitely recommend for the upcoming spooky season!

[books_over_bs]

Spooky Vibes

Keeping in mind that this is a middle grade level book, I thought it was very well done. There was a murder mystery and a missing child plot. The suspense was good. It also had a creepy feeling to it. The kids working to solve the crimes were so smart and sure of themselves. I loved them. I also really enjoyed the cultural education that was mixed in throughout the book. The truth came out with an interesting plot twist. I didn’t see it coming. This was an enjoyable read. As a former teacher, I would’ve loved to read this with my students.

[Kisa “Key” Ashanté]

A solid middle grade mystery from an author who always delivers.

Tiffany D. Jackson is one of my favorite writers, so anything she releases is an automatic read for me. Ghost in the Night was no exception. Even though I was clearly not the intended audience (and that became very obvious while reading) I can absolutely see how perfect this story is for middle grade readers.

It’s a quick, engaging read (I finished it in a single day) and it holds your interest from start to finish. Jackson knows how to build tension and atmosphere in a way that’s accessible for younger readers without losing her signature sense of mystery. The pacing is tight, the characters are easy to follow, and the plot has just enough spooky elements to keep kids hooked without being overwhelming.

While it didn’t speak to me the way her YA novels do, it’s exactly the kind of story that will resonate with its intended age group... curious, imaginative readers who love a little thrill.

Thank you Scholastic for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Barb reads......it ALL!]

A solid 4 🌟s! I absolutely love Tiffany D Jackson's teen books and now she's turned her talents to middle grade readers! Lucky kids! This murder mystery (murder off the page) combined with a ghost loving Harmony is terrific. Set in the very ghostly city of Savannah!

[chasc.taylor_reads]

This one is okay and definitely best for the middle grade audience it’s intended for.

[Evangeline Munster]

“To all the girls with a grandma as a best friend”

My life feels like a circle of grief and it’s books like this that provide me so much comfort in the acknowledgement of it.

“I miss her. She was like my best friend. Nothing feels the same without her. House don’t feel the same. Food don’t taste the same. Holidays, birthdays, nothing. And I guess I’m just trying to figure out how I’m supposed to go on when I don’t know how to move on from all that I know.”

This book touched me on a really personal level and I feel so lucky to have experienced it. The way it addresses grief in such a special way and showing the characters steps towards moving forward through community but also fully embracing that grief while also having a genuinely interesting plot line was brilliant.

This will be a fantastic book for my middle grade readers (and all readers in general) and I will certainly be recommending it.

[Dee Dee]

Amazing middle grade book and I loved the audio! Read with my 11yr old and I thinks he’s turning into a thriller fan 🤭 proud mama

[Fadeless Pages]

Review of advanced copy received from NetGalley

This is my second read by Tiffany Jackson and I was actually impressed. I rarely venture off in the YA genre but this read was worth it. There was enough action and suspense to keep my attention. The pacing was perfect and the plot evident, simple and straight to the point. Overall, I enjoyed Ghost in The Night and look forward to reading more from this author.

[Christina]

Tiffany never misses.

[Lisa M.]

2.5 🌟. Not a fan of this one. Too many casual force feeds of spirits, haints, talking to the dead. Putting my teacher hat on, I would be skeptical about sharing this book [with those concerns] with my students. I like the idea of solving a mystery but this one was much heavier than Blood under the Water.

[Ashley]

Thank you to NetGalley and Schoalist for access to this eARc. All opinions are my own.

Onto the review!

A follow-up to her previous book, Blood in the Water, Ghost in the Night follows another Black girl on a scary story as she goes on tour with her musician father for the summer.

Our main character is a little Black girl who, after the death of her grandmother before the start of the book, has become obsessed with ghost tours. She goes on one in every city she and her father stop in on his tour. Her mother is also deceased before the beginning of the story leaving the two to have only each other.

Until they stop in Savannah, Georgia, one of the most haunted city in the USA. They stay with a friend of her dad’s and the woman’s son. He’s a couple years younger than Harmony, the main character.

You also can’t talk about ghosts and hauntings in a city like Savannah without bringing up the horrid events that happened due to slavery and the way deceased slaves were treated. With no respect. I like that this wasn’t shied away from but also wasn’t laid out in all its graphic horror. It’s important to teach children young but we don’t have to scar them with the graphic depictions of what the torture of slaves was like. It wasn’t ignore though, it was very well handled.

All that to say…

This one wasn’t as good as the first. The haunting/ghost storyline felt far too distant from the eventual murder mystery line. There’s also a missing boy and a missing girl and the missing boy storyline feels almost forgotten at some points during the story.

I really enjoy this author usually and her last book was really good. I enjoyed it, found the characters complex and enjoyed the mystery. This one, it never felt like it found its stride. It was always two parallel stories running beside each other but they never fully meshed for me.

The characters are interesting though. I will say that she has created another cast of complex characters in this book. They are probably the strongest aspect of it. Harmony is a little Black girl who is always the only Black person on the ghost tours. Myah is a Black girl who works for free at her dad’s photo printing store as a form of punishment for something she did and Robby is the son of Harmony’s father’s friend. He’s ten but acts like he’s older than and different from all the other kids around.

No lie, he did get a little tediuous but that’s just true to life when it comes to people who think they’re the smartest in the rom.

I love her casts, I love that Black people are never just side characters. I love that they aren’t there to play side kick to white characters.

She does amazing at this aspect of story telling.

This one however, the relationship themes weren’t well done for me. Harmony says some things ot her father that are absolutely atrocious and never really apologizes for them in a meaningful way. The idea of found family and suddenly being forced into the big sister role was something that felt almost hamfisted in because it was just abrupt. Even though this book is much longer than the previous, it feels like it didn’t know what to do with all the extra page space.

For me, this book gets a 2 ⭐ rating. Which I hate to do. There was a lot I liked in the previous book and I had high hopes for this one. Unfortunately, it just didn’t live up to the skill level she’d had when she wrote the book before it.

I love this author,so I’ll still check out whatever she writes next, and hope it’ll be a better book.