Hello everyone,
I hope you are having a good week. In honour of the fact that it is Halloween next week, today I am sharing a list of my favourite books with scary settings.
Some of my favourite books have strong Gothic vibes and you will see some of those included in this list, while others are either haunted or implied to have a kind of ghostly presence lurking inside. In other cases, it is simply the atmosphere which makes it so haunting.
So without further ado, let us get straight to the list!
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
So Gothic that it says so in the title, this was my scary season read in 2021, and it brought so many unsettling moments. The house where most of the story took place was fearsome, with its inhabitants either highly disturbed, afflicted by a fungal disease, or possessed by their surroundings.
The book had its flaws such as a desperately rushed final act, but the atmosphere was actually quite a terror to behold and that is the most abiding memory.
The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell
Just last week this one was named on a list of the 50 scariest books, and I can certainly say that is justified. Containing three timelines, it takes place in a house that is haunted by deadly statues which materialise and multiply with horrific consequences. They leave death and destruction in their wake, and there is a rather high body count by the end.
The house itself is situated in a town that seems to exist within a state of perpetual gloom, so this is just about as spooky as it gets. It is also a very cleverly written novel that poses some fascinating questions, not least at the end.
Beast by Matt Wesolowski
I mention the Six Stories series habitually on here, but they are just so good for so many reasons. One of their common themes is that they all have hints of the supernatural and contain secluded settings, often wooded areas or rural outposts that are full of atmosphere, making it seem almost conceivable that they are indeed haunted by mysterious creatures.
One thing that is for sure is that these are places linked to where a crime has been committed, and perhaps the most well realised of these settings was in Beast, where the setting is described in such a way that you could all but immerse yourself within it.
The Lost Ones by Anita Frank
This was a haunted house story that I absolutely loved. There was a huge element of mystery and so many fascinating characters, all of whom played a part in a complex and captivating narrative that provided a lot of twists.
The concept of the ghosts was executed very well, especially through the eyes of protagonist Stella Marcham and the intriguing Annie Burrows. Lots of strange incidents happen to heighten the tension and lift the atmosphere, which never really relented.
Harrow Lake by Kat Ellis
I did not love this book, but there was so much to like and admire about the setting. Harrow Lake is like the town that time forgot, and once the main character Lola arrives there and begins to stay with her grandma, there is a distinct sense of foreboding.
There are a lot of classic horror elements on show and the atmosphere is decidedly eerie, where sometimes you are not sure if what you are reading is truly happening. There is no wi-fi or telephone connection, and the haunting nature of the story grows with the threat of Mister Jitters, an entity said to be responsible for a lot of mysterious events.
Let’s Chat
Have you read any of those books and if so, what did you think? What are some of the most haunting books that you have read? Let me know in the comments!
Happy reading :)
Stephen Reads Books 