Haunting Revival: Modern Gothic Horror Novels You Need to Read

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

This book reimagines The Fall of the House of Usher (again, Edgar Allan Poe for the win), complete with creeping fungi, body horror, and a suffocating sense of dread. It’s gothic horror at its finest—decay, madness, and a house that seems alive.

Best of all, it’s a series – so you can linger in the world a little longer.

Dissociating is a valid coping mechanism, okay?

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

A twisted descent into the decaying corridors of High Place, this novel takes gothic horror to 1950s Mexico. In it, Noemí Taboada must unravel the horrifying secrets of a sinister mansion and its grotesque inhabitants.

Think Rebecca meets The Yellow Wallpaper, but with a sinister fungal twist.

Flowers in the Attic by V. C. Andrews

Originally published in 1979, this tragic (and honestly disturbing) novel follows the plight of the four Dollanganger children, who have essentially been imprisoned in their attic by their mother and cruel grandmother after their father’s sudden death.

I’ve only read this book, the first of the Dollanganger series, but apparently the rest of the series are pretty fun (read: twisted, engaging) as well.

Sundial by Catriona Ward

A psychological gothic horror novel that leans heavily into family trauma and buried secrets. It’s a slow-burning, deeply unsettling read that explores the horrors of memory, guilt, and inherited darkness.

And Stephen King calls it “authentically terrifying”, so there’s that.

The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling

A chillingly atmospheric novel some say is similar to Crimson Peak. In this story, a logical, practical woman marries a reclusive doctor, only to find herself trapped in a house filled with dark secrets, forbidden rooms, and something unnatural lurking in the shadows.

House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson

A young woman becomes a bloodmaid to an aristocratic house with disturbing appetites. It’s lush, dark, and perfect for those who love their gothic horror with a side of the macabre.

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

A supernatural-infused gothic thriller set in post-colonial Mexico, this novel follows Beatriz, who marries for security only to find herself trapped in a haunted estate where darkness lurks in every corner. Perfect for fans of Rebecca and The Haunting of Hill House.

The Asylum by John Harwood

The title of this book may tell you everything you need to know if you’re looking for good modern gothic horror novels to immerse yourself in. What more could you want than an asylum?

This gothic psychological thriller, set in the Victorian era, follows a woman named Georgina Ferrars, who wakes up in a private asylum with no memory of how she got there. When she insists she is not insane and demands to leave, the doctor tells her that she arrived at the asylum voluntarily under the name “Lucy Ashton”—and that the real Georgina Ferrars is alive and well in London.

As she struggles to prove her identity, Georgina is caught in a web of deception, betrayal, and dark secrets. The novel unfolds with eerie suspense, featuring elements of mistaken identity, unreliable narration, and gothic horror tropes like hidden letters, family secrets, and a sinister asylum.

Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand

Wylding Hall is a gothic horror novel with a folk-horror twist, following a band called Windhollow Faire, to a remote, ancient mansion by the name of (of course) Wylding Hall. There, they plan to record an album after the tragic death of their lead singer’s girlfriend. While there, mysterious events start happening.

It’s a chilling, atmospheric read—perfect if you like ghost stories, music lore, and slow-burning, psychological horror.

Dracula in Love by Karen Essex

If you’re a fan of gothic novels with strong female protagonists, Dracula In Love is for you. It’s a gothic, feminist retelling of Dracula, told from the perspective of Mina Harker.

Unlike the original novel, which portrays Mina as largely a passive figure, Dracula in Love presents her as an independent woman torn between social expectations and a passion for the vampire.

(p.s. if you’re interested in modern gothic horror novels with heavy romance themes, keep reading: there’s more like this near the bottom of the list!)

The White Devil by Justin Evans

This story takes place in a British boarding school – so if you’re a fan of dark academia, this might be for you.

The story follows Andrew Taylor, a troubled American teenager sent to Harrow, an old and prestigious English school, to reform his behavior. Soon after his arrival, eerie and violent events unfold—starting with the mysterious death of a student. Andrew begins seeing a ghostly figure, and he learns that Harrow has a dark past connected to Lord Byron, the famous poet who once attended the school.

As Andrew investigates, he becomes entangled in a chilling mystery involving forbidden love, a vengeful spirit, and the hidden sins of Harrow’s past.

Blackwater by Michael Mcdowell

Looking for a Southern gothic horror novel? Blackwater might be for you.

Originally published in six volumes, you can now hold the entire story in one printed work. In it, you’ll follow the story of the wealthy Caskey family of Perdido, Alabama who meets a mysterious woman who may or may not have their best interests at heart.

The novel explores themes of greed, power, and the unstoppable force of nature, all wrapped in a richly detailed Southern setting.

Grove Hollow Metamorphosis: A 1980s Gothic Paranormal Romance Novel

Ideal for fans of the 1980’s nostalgia found in shows like Stranger Things, this novel is a gorgeous gothic paranormal romance wherein a young girl falls in love with the Victorian ghost haunting her family’s mansion.

The Violin by Odella Howe

Set in a small New England town in the 1800s, this novel explores themes of grief, loss, and fate through the telling of Elise Knight, the daughter of a violin maker who is offered the chance to revive her dead fiance by making her own one-of-a-kind violin.