While we all love a cozy fall read, sometimes we're in the mood for something a bit more sinister. If you want a novel that blends horror with a good dose of yearning, then the Gothic genre is the perfect way to kick off autumn.Â
You'll definitely want to read these by candlelight, preferably on a stormy night while mysterious footsteps echo from inside your attic.
The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas
The Hacienda is both an absolute masterpiece and a quintessential piece of modern gothic fiction. Set after the Mexican War of Independence, The Hacienda follows Beatriz who is whisked off to a crumbling estate after her marriage. It's got everything we loved about Crimson Peak, including walls that ooze blood and a terrifying sister figure.
Midnight Rooms by Donyea Coles
Another tale of a new bride sent to a mysterious mansion. This one leans a little bit more Brother's Grimm, "don't eat the faerie fruit" than traditional horror, but is still a wonderful piece of gothic fiction. Basically, if you want a solid mix of Pan's Labyrinth and Crimson Peak, you should pick this one up.
The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi
This is another gothic novel that mixes fae mythology with traditional gothic elements. The Last Tale of the Flower Bride feels like a fever dream in the best way possible. When a man goes with his wife to her childhood estate, he is forced to reckon with the fact that his wife may not be exactly who he once thought.
The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller
If you loved the romantic beginning of Crimson Peak and want a book that feels more like that, look no further than The Widow of Rose House. This novel seamlessly blends together love story and ghost story, with just enough gothic horror to make this list.
The Death of Jane Lawerence by Caitlin Starling
The Death of Jane Lawerence broke my heart in the worst way. This gothic fantasy is set against the backdrop of the post-war England and centers around a marriage of convenience with one condition: Jane is never allowed to set foot in her husband's manor.Â
Savage Blooms by S.T. Gibson
The newest novel from one of our all time favorite authors is a queer, gothic romance set in the Scottish Highlands. Childhood friends chasing down a legend stumble into a storm that strands them with a manor’s unsettling mistress and her enigmatic groundskeeper. If you loved the lush erotic tension of Crimson Peak but wished it had more fae bargains, this one’s for you.
House of Hearts by Skyla Arndt
House of Hearts brings dark academia with a gothic edge. When Violet Harper transfers to her best friend’s elite boarding school to prove her death wasn’t an accident, she finds secret societies, a vengeful ghost, and a dangerous attraction to the brother of her prime suspect.
The Djinn Waits 100 Years by Shubnum Khan
Set in a crumbling seaside mansion in South Africa, this novel blends ghost story, love story, and mystery. When Sana discovers a locked room and the diary of a young woman who died a century ago, she awakens both old secrets and the djinn who has haunted the house ever since.
A Land So Wide by Erin A. Craig
Though set in a forest, this one still FEELS like Crimson Peak in my soul. The townspeople of Mistaken are trapped by monstrous creatures, but one woman is determined to confront the monsters to save the man she loves. It's dark, atmospheric, and perfect for fall.
Diavola by Jennifer Thorne
This one leans fully into gothic horror. And, it's one of our personal favorites of that genre. Diavola is all about family vacations gone wrong, resentments, rivalry, eerie warnings, and a cursed villa in Italy.
Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
A modern gothic masterpiece for those of us who grew up next to cow pastures rather than crumbling seaside cliffs. Starling House follows Opal, a weary young woman drawn to a cursed mansion, its haunted heir, and the dangerous secrets threatening to consume them both.
The House at Watch Hill by Karen Marie Moning
Karen Marie Moning’s new Gothic fantasy evokes the same dread as Crimson Peak. When a grieving woman is summoned to a decaying mansion to gain her inheritance. But, haunted by riddles, shadows, and a dangerously alluring groundskeeper, she discovers she's bound by something sinister.
The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell
A chilling Victorian ghost story in the same vein as The Turn of the Screw, The Silent Companions follows a widowed bride trapped in a hostile manor, where locked doors hide uncanny wooden figures that seem disturbingly alive. As superstition curdles into terror, Elsie realizes some things never stay silent.
Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver
In Edwardian Suffolk’s, young Maud grows up under the thumb of her tyrannical father. When the discovery of a painted medieval devil unleashes dark forces, Maud must confront centuries of obsession, witchcraft, and hauntings. One of our more backlist picks, Wakenhyrst blends folklore and gothic horror as one girl fights to claim her independence.
