The Recommended Reading Order for Apryl Baker’s Ghost Files
To fully experience Mattie Hathaway’s terrifying journey from a traumatized foster kid to a powerful supernatural force, you must read the books in order. The series follows a tight, continuous chronological storyline where each volume builds directly upon the events and revelations of the last. Below is the recommended order to read the series:
- The Ghost Files (2013) – The core introduction to the series. Mattie Hathaway must break her lifelong rule of ignoring the dead when the ghost of her murdered foster sister, Sally, appears begging for help.
- The Ghost Files 2 (2014) – Mattie's powers expand as she investigates a haunted house in New Orleans, gets caught in the sights of a demon named Silas, and begins to uncover the dark truth about her bloodline.
- The Ghost Files 3 (2014) – Following a dramatic encounter that heals her hands, Mattie grapples with her terrifying link to Silas. She faces vengeful spirits who hold her responsible for their deaths.
- The Ghost Files 3.5 (2015) – A companion novella focusing on Mary Cross (who can hear but not see the supernatural) and Caleb Malone (Eli’s brother) as they protect a toddler from shadow entities.
- The Ghost Files 4: Part 1 (2016 / 2018) – The beginning of the end. Mattie is pitted against a malevolent ancient entity that rises every 150 years to devour children's souls.
- The Ghost Files 4: Part 2 (2017 / 2018) – The direct continuation of Book 4. Mattie is forced to seek help from the demon Silas to stop the fallen angel serial killer, risking her very soul in the process.
- The Ghost Files 5 (2017 / 2018) – The explosive series finale. Mattie must fully embrace her dual nature as a Reaper and a Demon to defeat the Fallen Angel Deleriel and make her final choice between Dan and Eli.
- Silas: A Ghost Files Novella (2019) – A prequel/backstory companion novella that exposes Silas's true motivations, his history as a demon, and the manipulation of the Crane and Dubois bloodlines that led to Mattie’s birth.
Chronological vs. Publication Order: Where Do the Novellas Fit?
Unlike some sprawling fantasy sagas, the Ghost Files series is highly linear. However, the placement of the two novellas—The Ghost Files 3.5 and Silas—often raises questions for new readers.
Understanding Book 3.5
The Ghost Files 3.5 is a self-contained story set in the same universe. It shifts focus away from Mattie to follow Mary Cross and Caleb Malone. While Caleb is the brother of Mattie's close ally Eli Malone, the story is not mandatory to understand the main plot of Book 4. You can read it directly after Book 3 for a complete experience of the universe, or skip it entirely if you only want to follow Mattie's primary arc.
When to Read "Silas"
Though published last in 2019, Silas acts as a deep dive into the backstory of the series' most mysterious demon. While chronologically his actions predate the entire series (dating back to the breeding of Mattie's parents' bloodlines), you should absolutely not read this novella first. Reading it early will spoil major plot twists regarding Silas's identity, Mattie’s heritage, and the overarching conflict of the final books. The best place to read Silas is after finishing the series finale, The Ghost Files 5, as a satisfying epilogue that answers lingering questions about the puppet master behind Mattie's destiny.
A Detailed Breakdown of the Ghost Files Books
To help you navigate the dark waters of Mattie's world, here is what each installment brings to the table and why it matters to the overarching story:
The Ghost Files (Book 1)
This is where it all begins. We meet sixteen-year-old Mattie Hathaway, a foster kid who has spent her life trying to ignore the dead. Her ability to see ghosts was unlocked at age five when her biological mother tried to slit her throat. When her beloved foster sister Sally is murdered, Mattie must break her rule and team up with Dan Richards, a young police officer, to track down a serial killer. This book establishes the dark tone, Mattie’s sharp-tongued defense mechanisms, and the terrifying reality of the spirits that inhabit her world.
The Ghost Files 2 (Book 2)
The sequel takes Mattie away from her familiar surroundings and plunges her into New Orleans. Here, she assists a group of ghost hunters in a notoriously haunted house. The horror elements ramp up as she encounters demonic entities and meets Silas, a powerful demon who takes a strange, protective interest in her. This book shifts the series from simple ghost hunting to a deeper supernatural conspiracy, raising the first major questions about Mattie's true parentage and destiny.
The Ghost Files 3 (Book 3)
Following a near-fatal climax in the second book that left her hands ruined, Silas heals her, forging a permanent mystical bond between them. In this book, Mattie must deal with the consequences of this demonic alliance. She is haunted by angry spirits who believe she has turned to the dark side. Meanwhile, Eli Malone, a young man with his own supernatural legacy, becomes a major figure in Mattie’s life, complicating her feelings for Dan.
The Ghost Files 3.5 (Novella)
This novella serves as a brief interlude. It shifts focus to Caleb Malone and Mary Cross. Mary is a survivor of kidnapping and torture who is left with the unique curse of hearing, but not seeing, the supernatural. When two shadow entities begin stalking a young child across the street, Mary and Caleb must team up to save him. It provides excellent world-building regarding the Malone family and the nature of supernatural attachments.
The Ghost Files 4: Part 1
The fourth book was split into two parts due to its length and the complexity of the plot. Part 1 introduces the "Devourer of Souls," a monstrous entity that wakes every 150 years to feast on the souls of children. The investigation takes Mattie to Charlotte, North Carolina, where she faces her most dangerous case yet. The book ends on a massive cliffhanger that leaves Mattie's fate hanging in the balance.
The Ghost Files 4: Part 2
Picking up immediately where Part 1 left off, this volume sees the stakes escalate. The entity is revealed to be a fallen angel serial killer, and Mattie is forced to make a desperate deal with Silas. To save the innocent children of Charlotte, she must risk her own soul, setting up the pieces for the grand finale.
The Ghost Files 5
The final book of the main storyline ties up all the loose ends. To defeat the Fallen Angel Deleriel and save a child, Mattie must fully embrace her supernatural heritage. She learns that she is a hybrid entity—part Reaper, part Demon, and part human. This book resolves the love triangle between Mattie, Dan, and Eli, forcing Mattie to make a heartbreaking choice about who she will trust and love.
Silas: A Ghost Files Novella
The companion novella focuses on Silas, the demon grandfather of Mattie. It pulls back the curtain on his history, explaining how he manipulated the Crane and Dubois families over generations to ensure Mattie would be born with the exact combination of traits needed to defeat Deleriel. It is a darker, more rare look at the series' events from the perspective of an anti-hero who is willing to condemn his own family to save the world.
What to Know Before You Start Reading
Before diving into the eerie world of the Ghost Files, there are a few stylistic and thematic elements readers should keep in mind:
- A Blend of Spooky Horror and YA Romance: The books feature genuine scares, psychological tension, and some graphic descriptions of paranormal violence, balanced by typical YA tropes like love triangles and teenage snark.
- The Love Triangle and the Age Gap: One of the most discussed aspects of the series is the romantic dynamic. Mattie is 16 at the start of the series. Her initial love interest, Dan, is a 20-year-old police officer. While some readers find this age gap uncomfortable, the author has defended the dynamic as a key element of Mattie's complex path to maturity, which is eventually contrasted with her relationship with Eli Malone.
- A Continuous Journey: None of the main novels (excluding Book 3.5) work as standalones. Cliffhangers are common, especially at the end of Book 4: Part 1, so it is highly recommended to have the next book ready to go.
- On-Screen Adaptation: The series' cinematic potential was recognized when Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions optioned the rights for a potential motion picture adaptation, highlighting the cinematic, fast-paced quality of Baker's writing.