The best books on mediumship are James Van Praagh’s Talking to Heaven for a classic introduction, Laura Lynne Jackson’s The Light Between Us for a modern story, and Allan Kardec’s The Book on Mediums for the foundations.
Below are 12 books worth your time, grouped by what you are looking for: stories from well-known mediums, evidence and inside looks, and learning the craft. Each one comes with who it is for, so you can pick the right one tonight.
Key Takeaways
- Start with a story. Van Praagh, Edward, Caputo and Jackson share what readings are like and why they matter to the people in the room.
- For evidence and a skeptical eye, try Gary Schwartz. His experiments are debated, which makes the book worth reading slowly.
- To learn the craft, read Kardec or Kay Reynolds. One is the foundational text, the other a modern practical guide.
- Hold every claim with discernment. Mediumship is not accepted by mainstream science, and we say where a book is disputed.
- Prefer to listen? Our podcast guests below include James Van Praagh, Suzanne Giesemann, Sheila Marie, Concetta Bertoldi, Julie Ryan and Colette Baron-Reid.
What Are Mediumship Books?
Mediumship is the practice of communicating with spirits of the dead, usually to bring messages to the living. Mediums describe receiving impressions as images, sounds, feelings or knowing. Mainstream science has not confirmed that it works, and skeptics point to cold reading and wishful thinking, while many people find real comfort in it.
Mediumship books gather the stories, the research and the training methods behind this work. For the bigger picture first, read our guide to channelers and mediums or our article asking are ghosts real?.
Mediumship Books at a Glance
| Book | Best for | Type | Voice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Talking to Heaven (Van Praagh) | First read | Famous medium | Medium |
| One Last Time (Edward) | What a reading is like | Famous medium | Medium |
| There’s More to Life Than This (Caputo) | Comfort | Famous medium | Medium |
| The Light Between Us (Jackson) | A modern memoir | Famous medium | Medium and teacher |
| Do Dead People Watch You Shower? (Bertoldi) | Plain answers | Famous medium | Medium |
| The Afterlife Experiments (Schwartz) | Research | Evidence | Psychologist |
| The Priest and the Medium (Giesemann) | A medium’s life | Inside look | Former Navy commander |
| Forensic Medium (Marie) | Casework stories | Inside look | Forensic medium |
| Angelic Attendants (Ryan) | Death and transition | Inside look | Medium |
| The Book on Mediums (Kardec) | Foundations | Learning | Founder of Spiritism |
| The Evidential Medium (Reynolds) | Developing ability | Learning | Teacher |
| Messages From Spirit (Baron-Reid) | Everyday signs | Learning | Intuitive and medium |
How Do I Choose the Right Mediumship Book?
Start with the question you are carrying. If it is “what happens in a reading?”, pick Edward or Van Praagh. If it is “is any of this real?”, pick Schwartz and read the critics too. If it is “could I do this?”, pick Reynolds or Kardec.
A few simple guides help:
- Grieving? Try The Light Between Us or There’s More to Life Than This, and go gently. Our article on grief during the holidays may also help.
- Curious but cautious? Start with The Afterlife Experiments, then read what skeptics say.
- Want to practice? Read The Evidential Medium alongside Kardec, and consider a class.
If you want to go further, see our guide to spirit guides, our study guide to The Spirits’ Book and our list of the top spiritual books.
Stories from Well-Known Mediums
These five books are the best-known doors into the subject. They are easy to read, and they focus on love, loss and connection.
1. Talking to Heaven: A Medium’s Message of Life After Death
James Van Praagh (Dutton, 1997)
One of the books that brought mediumship to a wide audience. Van Praagh explains how he says he receives messages and shares stories from readings that brought comfort to grieving families.
It is warm, direct and easy to read in a weekend.
Best for: First-time readers who want a friendly introduction.
2. One Last Time: A Psychic Medium Speaks to Those We Have Loved and Lost
John Edward (Berkley, 1999)
Edward, who later hosted the television show Crossing Over, writes about his own path into mediumship and the messages he says he has brought to people who are grieving.
He also explains how a reading works and what to expect if you ever sit with a medium.
Best for: Readers who want to know what a reading is really like.
3. There’s More to Life Than This
Theresa Caputo (Atria Books, 2013)
Caputo, known as the Long Island Medium, gathers healing messages, stories and insight about the other side. The tone is chatty and big-hearted.
Many readers come away feeling that their loved ones are still close.
Best for: Readers who are grieving and want comfort in a friendly voice.
4. The Light Between Us: Stories from Heaven. Lessons for the Living.
Laura Lynne Jackson (Spiegel & Grau, 2016)
A medium and former high school English teacher tells how she came to trust a gift she once hid, and shares stories from readings that carry lessons about love and purpose.
It is a modern, well-written memoir that sits comfortably beside the classics.
Best for: Readers who like a thoughtful, story-driven memoir.
5. Do Dead People Watch You Shower?
Concetta Bertoldi (Harper, 2007)
A question-and-answer book in which Bertoldi takes on the things people really want to ask a medium, from “can they see me?” to what the other side is like.
The tone is light and funny, with real heart underneath.
Best for: Curious readers who want straight answers with a smile.
Evidence and Inside Looks
These four books take a closer look at the evidence, the casework and the passage of death. Read the claims with care, and enjoy the stories.
6. The Afterlife Experiments: Breakthrough Scientific Evidence of Life After Death
Gary E. Schwartz, PhD, with William L. Simon (Atria, 2002)
A University of Arizona psychologist describes experiments in which he tested mediums under controlled conditions. He believes the results point to the survival of consciousness.
Skeptics dispute his methods and conclusions, which makes it a good book to read slowly and judge for yourself.
Best for: Readers who want the research side of the story.
7. The Priest and the Medium
Suzanne Giesemann (Hay House, 2009)
Giesemann, a former Navy commander who became a medium, tells the true story of medium B. Anne Gehman.
It is a close, human look at what a life in mediumship can be like.
Best for: Readers who want to see the work through one medium’s eyes.
8. Forensic Medium: The Power of the Unseen
Sheila Marie with B. J. Meehan (Shilka Publishing, 2023)
Sheila Marie works as a forensic psychic medium and describes how she assists law enforcement and families. She also writes about the emotional toll of this work and the role of compassion.
Results in this field are hard to verify, so read it as one practitioner’s account.
Best for: Readers drawn to true-crime and missing-person stories.
9. Angelic Attendants: What Really Happens As We Transition From This Life Into The Next
Julie Ryan (Clement, 2017)
Ryan, a Catholic psychic medium, writes about what she says happens at the time of death, including deathbed visions and the angels and guides who help souls cross over.
It is a gentle read for anyone sitting with a dying loved one or thinking about the passage.
Best for: Readers facing a loss or exploring the moment of death.
Learning and Understanding Mediumship
These three books help you understand how mediumship is taught and how to read the signs around you.
10. The Book on Mediums: Guide for Mediums and Invocators
Allan Kardec (Weiser; first published 1861)
The foundational text from the founder of Spiritism, written as a guide for people who work with spirits. Kardec sets out the kinds of mediumship, how to develop it and how to question what you receive.
It is old and formal, but it still shapes how many mediums are taught.
Best for: Serious students who want the roots of the tradition.
11. The Evidential Medium: A Practical Guide for Developing Mediumship
Kay Reynolds (Mind Blown LLC, 2020)
A hands-on guide to developing evidential mediumship, in which the aim is to give specific, checkable details instead of general messages.
It focuses on practice, ethics and learning to trust what you receive without inventing it.
Best for: Readers who want to develop their own ability step by step.
12. Messages From Spirit: The Extraordinary Power of Oracles, Omens, and Signs
Colette Baron-Reid (Hay House, 2008)
Baron-Reid, an intuitive and medium, explores the signs, omens and symbols many people say spirit uses to guide us, and how to read them in daily life.
It is less about formal mediumship and more about noticing the messages around you.
Best for: Readers who want to tune in to everyday signs.
An Honest View of Mediumship
Scientists have not settled whether mediums receive information from the dead. Skeptics point to cold reading, shared cues and the wish to hear from someone we love. Many mediums and clients describe readings as accurate and healing.
Use these books as guides, not authorities. Be wary of anyone who pressures you, asks for large sums or claims to remove curses. If something does not feel true to you, set it down. Nothing here replaces medical or mental health care; if you are struggling with grief, please reach out to a doctor or counselor, or call or text 988 in the US.
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Hear It From the Guests
Prefer to listen? These Next Level Soul Podcast conversations feature authors from this list talking in their own voices.
Life After Death and Beyond with James Van Praagh
James Van Praagh talks mediumship, the life review, letting go of control and choosing love over fear. Watch the full episode and read the show notes.
How to Speak with Your Loved Ones Beyond the Veil with Suzanne Giesemann
Former Navy commander and medium Suzanne Giesemann talks about Wolf’s Message, signs from loved ones and trusting spirit. Watch the full episode and read the show notes.
Forensic Mediumship, FBI Cases, & Missing Persons with Sheila Marie
Forensic psychic medium Sheila Marie on assisting law enforcement and families, the emotional toll of intuitive work, and compassion. Watch the full episode and read the show notes.
How Your Deceased Loved Ones Communicate with You with Concetta Bertoldi
Medium Concetta Bertoldi shares how she grew up with her gift, how she has evolved, and a message from loved ones in spirit. Watch the full episode and read the show notes.
What Happens at Deathbed Visions with Julie Ryan
Julie Ryan shares what she says happens at deathbed visions, how angels and guides support us, and how she came to her work. Watch the full episode and read the show notes.
Humanity’s Bright & Challenging Future Unfolds with Colette Baron-Reid
Psychic Colette Baron-Reid shares why certainty must come from within, why not to wait for the world to settle, and why she is hopeful. Watch the full episode and read the show notes.
Watch More on Next Level Soul TV
Next Level Soul TV is our own home for films, series and teachings on these questions. Here are six to start with.
Go Deeper with NLS Mastery: Awaken the Inner Medium
Open your spiritual senses through mediumship and learn how true mediumship differs from intuition, with grounding, boundaries and discernment built in. Nikki Dutta teaches it in Awaken the Inner Medium, part of NLS Mastery. Watch the course preview below.
Sources and Further Reading
Spirituality for the Rest of Us™
Movies, teachings and community on Next Level Soul TV.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best mediumship book for beginners?
Many readers start with James Van Praagh’s Talking to Heaven or Laura Lynne Jackson’s The Light Between Us. Both are easy to read and tell stories of readings and what they meant.
What is mediumship?
Mediumship is the practice of communicating with spirits of the dead, usually to pass on messages to the living. Mediums describe receiving images, sounds, feelings or a sense of knowing. Mainstream science has not confirmed it.
What is the difference between a medium and a psychic?
A psychic claims to sense information about people, places or events. A medium claims to communicate with those who have died. Many practitioners do both.
Which book is best for learning to become a medium?
Kay Reynolds’ The Evidential Medium is a practical modern guide, and Allan Kardec’s The Book on Mediums is the classic. Our Next Level Soul Mastery course Awaken the Inner Medium with Nikki Dutta is another way to begin.
Is there scientific evidence for mediumship?
Gary Schwartz’s The Afterlife Experiments describes research he believes supports it, but other scientists dispute his methods and conclusions. Researchers disagree, so read widely and judge for yourself.
What is evidential mediumship?
Evidential mediumship aims to give specific, checkable details such as names, memories or events, instead of general messages. Kay Reynolds’ book focuses on this approach.
Which mediumship book is best if I am grieving?
The Light Between Us and There’s More to Life Than This are gentle places to start. Read slowly, take breaks, and consider speaking with a grief counselor if the loss feels heavy.
What is forensic mediumship?
Forensic mediumship is the practice of working with law enforcement or families on missing-person and crime cases. Sheila Marie describes her work in Forensic Medium. Results are hard to verify, so read it as one practitioner’s account.
What is the oldest classic book on mediumship?
Allan Kardec’s The Book on Mediums, first published in 1861, is one of the founding texts of Spiritism and is still widely studied.
How do mediums say they receive messages?
Many describe seeing images (clairvoyance), hearing words (clairaudience), feeling sensations or emotions (clairsentience) or simply knowing (claircognizance). Each medium describes it a little differently.
How do I choose a reputable medium?
Be careful with anyone who pressures you, asks for large sums or claims to remove curses. Look for specific details you can check, and trust your own sense of what feels true.
Can I hear mediums instead of reading about them?
Yes. James Van Praagh, Suzanne Giesemann, Sheila Marie, Concetta Bertoldi, Julie Ryan and Colette Baron-Reid have all spoken on the Next Level Soul Podcast. Their episodes are linked in the Hear It From the Guests section above.
Where can I learn more about mediumship?
Our guide to channelers and mediums covers the history, the major teachings and how to evaluate what you hear.
