Books like All the Lovely Bad Ones

If you liked All the Lovely Bad Ones, read The Dollhouse Murders, Wait Till Helen Comes, or The Cursed Moon — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like All the Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn (Horror · grades 5–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of ghosts, family, and mystery. The 10 titles below are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level, and each linked to the curricula, states, and grades where it’s assigned, with primary sources.

These are reading-level matches, not just topical ones — so the picks stay grade-appropriate for a grades 5–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to All the Lovely Bad Ones

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Why each is a match

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The Dollhouse Murdersgrades 4–7
Shares themes of ghosts, family, and mystery, both on the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
Wait Till Helen Comesgrades 4–7
Shares themes of ghosts and family, both on the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award list, and same genre (Horror). Amazon →
The Cursed Moongrades 3–6
Shares themes of ghosts and family, same genre (Horror), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →
The Ghost of Graylockgrades 5–8
Shares themes of ghosts and mystery, same genre (Horror), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →
Fowl Playgrades 3–6
Shares themes of family and mystery, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →
Cryptid Huntersgrades 5–8
Shares themes of family and mystery and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →
Front Desk640L
Shares themes of family, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon →
Parachute Kidsgrades 3–7
Shares themes of family, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon →
Refugee800L
Shares themes of family, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–9). Amazon →
Shiloh890L
Shares themes of family, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →

Books like All the Lovely Bad Ones for younger readers (K–2)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps K–2— same scoring, different audience.

  • The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner · 490L — Shares themes of family and mystery.
  • Picture Purrfect (Bodega Cats #1) by Hilda Eunice Burgos · grades 2–5 — Shares themes of family, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (2–5).
  • Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary · 750L — Shares themes of family and both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list.
  • Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume · 470L — Shares themes of family, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (2–5).
  • Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of mystery and overlapping grades (2–8).

Books like All the Lovely Bad Ones for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 3–5— same scoring, different audience.

  • The Crossover by Kwame Alexander · 750L — Shares themes of family, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–8).
  • The Ghost's Grave by Peg Kehret · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of ghosts, same genre (Horror), and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of family, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–8).
  • City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab · grades 4–7 — Shares themes of ghosts and family and overlapping grades (4–7).
  • Final Word (The Winterton Deception #1) by Janet Sumner Johnson · grades 3–7 — Shares themes of family and mystery and overlapping grades (3–7).

Books like All the Lovely Bad Ones for middle school (grades 6–8)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 6–8— same scoring, different audience.

  • The Crossover by Kwame Alexander · 750L — Shares themes of family, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–8).
  • The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon · 1090L — Shares themes of family and mystery and overlapping grades (8–12).
  • The Ghost's Grave by Peg Kehret · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of ghosts, same genre (Horror), and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of family, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–8).
  • City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab · grades 4–7 — Shares themes of ghosts and family and overlapping grades (4–7).

Books like All the Lovely Bad Ones for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 9–12— same scoring, different audience.

Book data last updated 2026-07-07. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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