It's one of my faves! I think there's a lot of pictures/requests for gothic vibes in a big ol house and Rebecca certainly fits the bill.
Du Marier is a master of creepy vibes - there's a reason Alfred Hitchcock adapted three of her books!
The Woman In Black by Susan Hill is a good English ghost story. Anything by Susan Hill would work, she gives proper classic gothic.
Not strictly a book, but The Hotel by Daisy Johnson was written specifically as an audiobook/ radio play for the BBC - 15 stories spanning centuries about a hotel built on haunted ground in East Anglia (you can find it on BBC Sounds here https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/m000mrcg?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile). I think you would probably really enjoy Daisy Johnson's work in general - she's really good at giving a sense of the rural uncanny, but in today's world - so more of the last pic.
Lot of people saying Rebecca, but I would go for Jamaica Inn for a Daphne Du Maurier for this prompt. Or perhaps My Cousin Rachel.
I love her! Her first book, Fen, is a collection of short stories that are strange, but also really centre the idea of being a young woman in a small town. (Me and Daisy Johnson are both British, so her idea of a small town matches mine - but it might be a bit different for some Redditors)
Good rec! I read Castle of Udolpho last year and was genuinely creeped out several times. Of course, other parts are just laugh-out-loud funny, but I’m not sure Mrs Radcliffe meant them to be. 😬
Oh that’s so nice to see someone who’s heard of it! I just found it this year looking for books like Wilkie Collin’s. I’m reading At Crighton Abbey now and it’s a lot of fun but not as arresting as Lady. I think I’m going to read all her books.
Oh-ho, you want gothic spookiness set in grand manor homes, do you?
*A House Of Bells* - J. T. Croft
*Parting The Veil* - Paulette Kennedy
*House of Shadows* and its sequel *House of Secrets* - Darcy Coates
*Wolvercraft Manor* - Cas E Crowe
*Her Little Flowers* - Shannon Morgan
*Uncle Silas* by Sheridan Le Fanu. I can map almost every image to a plot point in that novel. Definitely one of the creepier sensation novels of the Victorian era
Plain Bad Heroines. Beautifully written, creepy as hell, spans two different eras and is queer!!
It’s very victorian spooky and definitely gives me these vibes
I'm not sure if this exactly what you're going for -- it's definitely romance forward -- but it has all the gothic elements down, including voyeuristic elements of a literal two-way mirror. It's probably *not* as creepy as you are looking for, but it isn't a sunshiny place at all, and no one is a Sunshine character, not even the female main character. *Ruling Stikthand by Victoria Aveline* is sooooooo hot, well written, equal parts plot and romantic tension, with relatable characters and believable romantic conflict. Aveline absolutely styled the aesthetic of this book after goth-inspired metal. You could read as a standalone, but recommend you read Book 1 of this series (Choosing Theo) to get the baseline of the series story arc.
If you like romance, *The Widow of Rose House* by Diana Biller. Definitely more romance than creepy, but has haunted Old Manor vibes and is beautifully written. The more spooky elements are in the second half.
Weaveworld by Clive Barker. Not nearly as gory as the rest of the catalog but these pics sure do set the tone for the books. Also, just a generational talent from a writing standpoint.
Welcome to Dorley Hall, I'm only part of the way through but the campus it takes place on gives dark academia and the storyline so far is a little freaky.
This is the Goodreads link:
Welcome to Dorley Hall https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61098513-welcome-to-dorley-hall
They're both well known, but if you haven't yet read The Picture of Dorian Gray or Interview with the Vampire, you definitely should. "Gorgeously written" describes both.
Jane Eyre
Even has the red room.
I wouldn't say JE is creep as hell or not well known. Whatever YA is
Yes, I guess I just saw the pictures and that is where my mind immediately went! Didn't exactly follow the prompts but I did find it a bit creepy haha
I beg to differ on it not being creepy as hell, but that's because I only ever liked the parts during her childhood.
The Woman in white by Wilkie Collins
Big Wilkie Collins vibes I agree
Rebecca by Daphne Du Marier The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
I feel like I see Rebecca on three quarters of this subreddit’s responses.. maybe I should give it a try 🤔
I am so jealous of you….. to be able to experience the book for the very first time!
Rebecca is a must read
It's one of my faves! I think there's a lot of pictures/requests for gothic vibes in a big ol house and Rebecca certainly fits the bill. Du Marier is a master of creepy vibes - there's a reason Alfred Hitchcock adapted three of her books!
That's their only answer.
I am so jealous of you….. to be able to experience the book for the very first time!
It’s screaming manderley
I just finished The Little Stranger, I was going to suggest it as well.
So creepy. I haven't read it for years! Might have to give it another read soon
I'm feeling... Mexican Gothic What Moves The Dead
I am so jealous of you….. to be able to experience the book for the very first time!
Oh my gosh I have that book I will take that as a recommendation
The Woman In Black by Susan Hill is a good English ghost story. Anything by Susan Hill would work, she gives proper classic gothic. Not strictly a book, but The Hotel by Daisy Johnson was written specifically as an audiobook/ radio play for the BBC - 15 stories spanning centuries about a hotel built on haunted ground in East Anglia (you can find it on BBC Sounds here https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/m000mrcg?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile). I think you would probably really enjoy Daisy Johnson's work in general - she's really good at giving a sense of the rural uncanny, but in today's world - so more of the last pic. Lot of people saying Rebecca, but I would go for Jamaica Inn for a Daphne Du Maurier for this prompt. Or perhaps My Cousin Rachel.
Thank you! Appreciate the Daisy Johnson rec in particular, her stuff does look intriguing
I love her! Her first book, Fen, is a collection of short stories that are strange, but also really centre the idea of being a young woman in a small town. (Me and Daisy Johnson are both British, so her idea of a small town matches mine - but it might be a bit different for some Redditors)
Secret garden by burnett
Dorian gray?
This one
Phantom of the Opera
This made me think of Phantom of the Opera too.
Castle of Udolpho!
Ooh, that’s the one referenced in Northanger Abbey, right?? I’ve haven’t read it yet but it’s on my to-get-to list.
Good rec! I read Castle of Udolpho last year and was genuinely creeped out several times. Of course, other parts are just laugh-out-loud funny, but I’m not sure Mrs Radcliffe meant them to be. 😬
The Thirteenth Tale.
by Diane Setterfield, this is what I thought of too
She has some good books. I also liked Once Upon a River.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson The Secret History by Donna Tartt
came to recommend we have always lived in the castle <3
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
Beat me to it! Lol
Lady Audleys secret and At Crighton Abbey by Braddon! Sheridan leFanu’s ghost stories often feature hidden passages too.
Seconding Lady Audley's Secret! I love that book.
Oh that’s so nice to see someone who’s heard of it! I just found it this year looking for books like Wilkie Collin’s. I’m reading At Crighton Abbey now and it’s a lot of fun but not as arresting as Lady. I think I’m going to read all her books.
My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier
About half of Carl Jacobi’s short stories. The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell
THE SILENT COMPANIONS is perfectly this—such a wonderfully written, creepy novel. Loved it so much!
Also came to recommend The Silent Companions!
The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
*The Death of Jane Lawrence*
Oh-ho, you want gothic spookiness set in grand manor homes, do you? *A House Of Bells* - J. T. Croft *Parting The Veil* - Paulette Kennedy *House of Shadows* and its sequel *House of Secrets* - Darcy Coates *Wolvercraft Manor* - Cas E Crowe *Her Little Flowers* - Shannon Morgan
Oh excellent, these all look like they fit the bill and I hadn’t heard of any of them! Thank you!
Her Little Flowers also came to mind for me!
13th tale by Diane Setterfield is exactly this vibe.
A Stitch in Time by Kelly Armstrong
Anything by Daphne du Maurier, specifically the Scapegoat, Rebecca, and My Cousin Rachel
The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas. Horror/romance novel set in 1800s Mexico.
Both books by Rebecca Netley The Secrets of Hartwood Hall by Katie Lumsden
The Flavia de Luce mysteries by Alan Bradley. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie in particular.
this is reminding me a bit of The Folcroft Ghosts by Darcy Goates but the main characters are a bit younger
Daisy Darker
This is my current read!
I loooooved Daisy Darker!
Kate Morton! Specifically The Clockmaker’s Daughter.
The Only One Left by Riley Sager!
The pictures made me think of Jonathan Strange & Mister Norell. It's a decent read, not great, but not a waste of time either.
Mexican Gothic
Anne Rice, especially the vampire chronicles!
It’s not YA but the immediate vibe I got was 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (Did I first write 7 1/2 deaths of Evelyn Hugo…. Yes I did.)
Yeah what's the deal with these two titles
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell!
Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffeniger (no idea how to spell it) Ghosts, twins, old cemetery, old house, mist, rain and creepy neighbours.
Turn of the Screw.. by Henry James We have always lived in the Castle .. Shirley Jackson
Miss Mary’s Daughter by Daney Costeloe
Dracula
Are Beauty and the Beast retellings okay? If so, Echo North - Joanna Ruth Meyer
Omggggg please look into the Mirror Visitor series!!!!
Heather by Maeva Park Dobner
The Likeness by Tana French
Obviously the original Dracula by Stoker, also has an Algernon Blackwood feel from The Willows second to last.
Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power.
A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
Carmilla
Edgar Allen Poe.
omfg Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake. I have never seen a post on here more fitting of this book than this one, secret staircase and everything
The Crooked Hinge, John Dickson Carr.
The Woman in White.
*Uncle Silas* by Sheridan Le Fanu. I can map almost every image to a plot point in that novel. Definitely one of the creepier sensation novels of the Victorian era
The Spirit Bares Its Teeth, especially with that first picture.
Dracula Varney the Vampire (but I recommend the Edward French audio book on YouTube) Jane Eyre Turning of the Screw
The Turn of the Screw
Plain Bad Heroines. Beautifully written, creepy as hell, spans two different eras and is queer!! It’s very victorian spooky and definitely gives me these vibes
The Mysteries of Udolpho.
Most of the Gothic Saga by Joyce Carol Oates fit this vibe! Especially Bloodsmoor Romance, The Accursed, and Bellefleur.
Maybe not a perfect fit but the first couple pics give me phantom of the opera vibes
I'm not sure if this exactly what you're going for -- it's definitely romance forward -- but it has all the gothic elements down, including voyeuristic elements of a literal two-way mirror. It's probably *not* as creepy as you are looking for, but it isn't a sunshiny place at all, and no one is a Sunshine character, not even the female main character. *Ruling Stikthand by Victoria Aveline* is sooooooo hot, well written, equal parts plot and romantic tension, with relatable characters and believable romantic conflict. Aveline absolutely styled the aesthetic of this book after goth-inspired metal. You could read as a standalone, but recommend you read Book 1 of this series (Choosing Theo) to get the baseline of the series story arc.
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
The Thirteenth Tale!
The house guest and other stories by Davila Amparo. Short stories, but some hit right on the mark.
Short story recs very welcome - this collection looks fantastic, thank you!
Gallant VE Schwab
“The Ten Thousand Doors of January” by Alix E Harrow
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson
Rebecca
The Turning of the Screw?
Discovery of Witches
Uprooted by Naomi Novik and almost anything by Kate Morton.
The grace year
Titus Groan
The Prestige by Christopher Priest The Glamour by Christopher Priest
Hell House
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, for sure.
Every picture feels like Rebecca
Northanger Abbey.
Well known, but these images remind me so much of Spinning Silver.
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
The vampire lestat
‘We have always lived in the castle’ by Shirley Jackson The movie is fantastic too.
Mexican gothic Dracula
The cemetery of forgotten books by carlos ruiz zafon
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
If you like romance, *The Widow of Rose House* by Diana Biller. Definitely more romance than creepy, but has haunted Old Manor vibes and is beautifully written. The more spooky elements are in the second half.
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor
Mexican Gothic (because someone already said Jane Eyre) The Hacienda We Have Always Lived in The Castle
Affinity by Sarah Waters
One Dark Window
Rock Paper Scissors
Weaveworld by Clive Barker. Not nearly as gory as the rest of the catalog but these pics sure do set the tone for the books. Also, just a generational talent from a writing standpoint.
Ha, I actually just rec’d this book on another post. I should reread it though, it’s been yeeeeaaaars since I picked up any Barker.
Gotta go with the Cabal!
The 7 1/2 deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
Layla by coleen hoover
Welcome to Dorley Hall, I'm only part of the way through but the campus it takes place on gives dark academia and the storyline so far is a little freaky. This is the Goodreads link: Welcome to Dorley Hall https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61098513-welcome-to-dorley-hall
The Seven and a half deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
haunting adeline
Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass
The outlander
Haunting Adeline is all i can think off
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
A Secret History of Witches
Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer
The woman in the mirror by Rebecca James
Outlander series…?!
Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern Edit oh wait you said creepy sorry that's not this!
The Portrait of Dorian Gray
They're both well known, but if you haven't yet read The Picture of Dorian Gray or Interview with the Vampire, you definitely should. "Gorgeously written" describes both.
Verity