The Midnight Club

Christopher Pike's The Midnight Club is set in a hospice center where terminally ill teenagers gather at midnight and tell frightening stories to each other. The book's premise allows for some interesting contemplations of mortality, and especially the way the characters use a mixture of denial, acceptance, and spiritual rituals to cope with it. Pike's book was written for young adults and while they will enjoy it most, the story's mature concerns will have appeal for adults too.