Tales Around the Jack O'Lantern Books in Order
Part ofTerri Reid Books in OrderSee the Tales Around the Jack O'Lantern books in order by Terri Reid, with quick summaries and background on this Halloween ghost-story tradition.
Last updated: July 8, 2026
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Tales Around the Jack O'Lantern books in publication order
12 books
Tales Around the Jack O'Lantern
by Terri Reid
2014
The O'Reilly family gathers on Halloween night and trades ghost stories by jack-o-lantern light. This first collection is family-friendly, spooky, and a fun side trip from the main series.
Tales Around the Jack O'Lantern II
by Terri Reid
2015
Another Halloween night brings another round of O'Reilly ghost stories. Volume two keeps the eerie fun, the family frame, and the quick fireside feel.
Tales Around the Jack O'Lantern III
by Terri Reid
2016
The third Jack O'Lantern collection returns to the O'Reilly tradition of swapping spooky tales on Halloween. Expect short chills, a little humor, and easy autumn atmosphere.
Tales Around the Jack O'Lantern IV
by Terri Reid
2017
Halloween and ghost stories go together perfectly in this fourth O'Reilly collection. The tales are brisk, creepy in a friendly way, and meant to be enjoyed one after another.
Tales Around the Jack O'Lantern V
by Terri Reid
2018
The family tradition continues with more short ghost stories told around the glowing pumpkin. Volume five is a cozy Halloween pick for readers who like light chills.
Tales Around the Jack O'Lantern VI
by Terri Reid
2019
This sixth collection keeps the Halloween frame and adds another batch of quick supernatural tales. It is a good fit for readers who enjoy spooky stories without going too dark.
Tales Around the Jack O'Lantern VII
by Terri Reid
2020
More O'Reilly storytelling, more ghostly fun, and another Halloween gathering. Volume seven leans into the family tradition that runs alongside Reid's longer mysteries.
Tales Around the Jack O'Lantern VIII
by Terri Reid
2021
The eighth Jack O'Lantern book delivers another set of short haunted tales shared by the O'Reilly clan. It is brisk, seasonal, and easy to dip into.
Tales Around the Jack O'Lantern IX
by Terri Reid
2022
Another year, another glowing jack-o-lantern, and more ghost stories from the O'Reilly family circle. Volume nine keeps the series' playful Halloween spirit intact.
Tales Around the Jack O'Lantern X
by Terri Reid
2023
The tenth Jack O'Lantern collection offers fresh spooky tales in the familiar O'Reilly Halloween frame. It is made for autumn reading and quick chills.
Tales Around the Jack O'Lantern XI
by Terri Reid
2024
Volume eleven brings readers back to one of Reid's most cheerful spooky traditions. The stories are short, Halloween-ready, and tied together by family and storytelling.
Tales Around the Jack O'Lantern XII
by Terri Reid
2025
The latest Jack O'Lantern volume keeps the O'Reilly Halloween tradition going with more family-friendly ghost stories. It is a light, festive way to spend an autumn evening.
Tales Around the Jack O'Lantern books in chronological order
Series background & context
Tales Around the Jack O'Lantern is one of Terri Reid's most inviting side projects. Instead of one long mystery, these books use a simple frame: the O'Reilly family gathers on Halloween night, lights the jack-o-lantern, and starts telling ghost stories. That setup gives Reid room to step away from the main plots and just enjoy the oldest pleasure in the genre, a spooky tale told aloud in the dark.
That is exactly the charm.
The stories are family-friendly by Terri Reid standards, which means they can be eerie and unsettling without tipping into anything too brutal or bleak. Some are meant to chill, some to surprise, and some to leave you with a smile. What ties them together is the sense of occasion. These are autumn books. They are made for October reading, for short bursts, and for readers who like the atmosphere of ghost stories as much as the mechanics of a mystery plot.
Because the O'Reilly clan provides the framing device, the series also works as a pleasant companion to the larger Mary O'Reilly books. Fans get more time in that world, but in a looser, more playful form. The volumes are not really about one ongoing arc. They are about returning to a tradition, hearing a fresh batch of tales, and enjoying the seasonal mood.
If you want something lighter than the main novels, or if you simply like short Halloween reads you can pick up one at a time, this is a very easy series to love. Start anywhere if you want a dose of autumn atmosphere, though reading in order lets you watch the tradition grow alongside the wider O'Reilly world.
Edited by
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