Each of the subgenres Gardner incorporates in Mickelsson's Ghosts suggests social issues. The mystery story implies a concern with social order; the ghost story with spiritual order; the academic novel with the responsibility of those who live the life of the mind; and the philosophical novel with the relation of ideas to the actual life man lives. Other concerns are specific to the texture of Gardner's unique blend of these elements.

Set in 1980, this book reflects Gardner's concern with political order. The presidential contest between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan is viewed by many of the characters as a dreary but crucial choice for the republic. Although he fails to vote (and this itself casts doubt on his judgment), Mickelsson interprets the election results as "mounting evidence that the American people had gone mad." Gardner also treats the issues of toxic and nuclear wastes.

The book...