Elif Notes
  • Home
  • Literature
  • Blog
  • Books & Reviews
No Result
View All Result
ElifNotes
  • Home
  • Literature
  • Blog
  • Books & Reviews
No Result
View All Result
ElifNotes
No Result
View All Result
Home Books & Reviews

17 Best Modern Gothic Novels To Read in 2022

by Elif Harris
July 16, 2022
in Books & Reviews
Best-modern-gothic-novels-elifnotes

In the infinite world of literary genres, Gothic novels are the ones that trapped us in its labyrinth the most. Be it classic or modern, Gothic novelists are not afraid of anything โ€” they embed social criticism within the genre, they depict the dark side of human nature and they deal with the bigger issues of real life horrors, that is racism and sexism. In fact, it is this Gothic genre that gave the world first science-fiction Frankenstein and broke J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter.ย 

The birth of Gothic as a full-blown literary genre dates back to the second half of the 18th century. It emerged within the framework of English Pre-Romanticism and in contrast to the ideals of the Neoclassical period such as balance, rationality and beauty. With its Irrational, supernatural, uncanny and other suchย Gothic elements, the genre instantly gained immense popularity among the readers. The mysterious aspects of human existence, the terror of the unknown, the medieval entourage, and an atmosphere of horror and mysticism in the classic as well as modern Gothic novels become the source of the sublimeโ€”producer of the strongest emotions one can experience.ย 

Further, let me clear that Gothic literature isnโ€™t just castles infested by dark attendance, archaic prophecies and dark settings. The monsters and the uncanny, we read about in Gothic novels, have a deep symbolic connection to reality. It is the ordinary events that are overwhelmed by marvelous and supernatural events, causing disturbance and a feeling of love for the grotesque of which the most rational part of us struggles to admit existence. But this is exactly where the true nature of the human soul lies. That is, instincts that are almost always hidden in the eyes of the beholder.ย 

Literary figures from Horace Walpole, Mary Shelley and Ann Radcliffe to Edgar Allan Poe and Bram Stoker have been celebrated for their classic Gothic works. While the modern Gothic writers include Daphne du Maurier, Toni Morrison, Diane Setterfield, Kate Morton, Sarah Waters and many others.

Best-modern-gothic-novels-to-read

17 Most Popular Modern Gothic Novels You Must Read

As the Gothic literature underwent transformations, it evolved as a literary form capable of a deeper questioning of social values and contradictions. Towards the end of the 19th century, a new mode of Gothicism emerged in literatureโ€”a modern Gothic. These modern Gothic writers have an option to nod to classic Gothic tropes while subvert the expectations of readers by taking the narrative in a different direction. The modern Gothic writers mainly focused on the non-rural areas, refracting contemporary issues through the lens of Gothic literature. Here is the list of the Best 17 Modern Gothic novels that aptly define the genre.ย 

1. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

ADD TO CART

An exciting new approach to modern Gothic novels, Mexican Gothic is a poignant gothic horror. It maintains classic Gothic tropes but remains true to its time and place. Set in 1950s Mexico, the bookโ€™s main strength lies in its heroine, Noemi, who is a glamorous, headstrong socialite. After receiving a disturbing letter from her cousin, she rushes to her rescue and ends up encountering an abhorrent evil. Borrowing all the main elements of gothic fiction, Mexican Gothic brings a Victorian Era manor wrapped in a creepy atmosphere and freezing climate. Also, it paints a grotesque and horrific picture of the eugenics obsessed English family.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia in Mexiacn Gothic deftly deals with the subjects of colonialism, sexual abuse and racism. Itโ€™s a genre-bending ghastly treat with some fresh blood, that has inspired a new wave of gothic novels in past few years. One of the best modern gothic novel to must-have on your gothic shelf!

Check it on: Amazonย | Audible

Support local bookstores: Bookshop

2. Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

ADD TO CART

In contrast to Mexican Gothic, the theme of Our Wives Under the Sea is about love, loss and grief intertwined with a mystery of a catastrophic and claustrophobic deep-sea mission. Itโ€™s a mash-up of cosmic horror and sapphic romance told through a gothic lens of sublime.

In this novel, the critically acclaimed author of Salt Slow, Julia Armfield features an F/F relationship. Using alternating dual narrative, Our Wives Under the Sea narrates the story of two wives (two protagonists) Leah and Miri. Marine biologist Leah has just returned from an underwater expedition that went awry. However, there is something unsettling and โ€œdifferentโ€ about her. Leahโ€™s chapter recounts the terrifying six months of missing in the deep sea. Whereas in Miriโ€™s chapters, the present day struggles of their undulating relationship is explored.ย 

The romance is intense and intimate.ย โ€œThe deep sea is a haunted houseโ€ and everything that happens on the surface has a symbolic and metaphorical meaning. Like most gothic horror novels, the story starts slow and gradually escalates the degrees of fear into horror โ€“ although psychological.ย 

Check on:ย Amazonย |ย Bookshopย |ย Audible

3. Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield

Add to Cart

A winding tale full of twists and turns, Once Upon a River is one of the best modern Gothic novels. It is wistful, beautifully written, perfectly paced, slow and meandering on the surface, like the river in its title. The art of storytelling is at the heart of this book. Once Upon a River features a tale of an ancient inn on the River Thames where an extraordinary event takes place. Filled with vivid characters and beautiful description, the plot of this Gothic book remains a steady driving force that helps you devour almost five hundred pages.

Check it on: Amazon | Audible

Support local bookstores: Bookshop

4. The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths

add to cart

An atmospheric, modern Gothic thriller, The Stranger Diaries depicts a gripping and meticulously structured tale. It is set in South Sussex, England, and told from multiple points of view. However, the story takes place on a British high school campus and centers on the murder of one of the main charactersโ€™ colleagues. With its intriguing plot, fascinating characters, and a perfect blend of modern mystery and Gothic influence, The Stranger Diaries is one of the compelling page-turners.

Check it on: Amazon | Audible

Support local bookstores: Bookshop

5. The Ancestor by Danielle Trussoni

Add to cart

A bewitching gothic suspense novel, The Ancestor takes the reader into a world of dark family secrets and the burden of family inheritance. Set in a crumbling castle in the Italian alps, the story goes on to explore the deep mysteries of human genetics where the true legacy lies. The protagonist of the story receives a letter disclosing that she is the last person left of her ancient bloodline. In her journey to unravel the secrets, what she gets and loses contributes to the story. Undoubtedly, itโ€™s a chilling tale that beautifully blends science, horror, and mystery to create a wholly original Gothic novel.

Check it on: Amazon | Audible

Support local bookstores: Bookshop

6. The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

Add to cart

The International # 1 Bestseller, The Distant Hours is a modern Gothic novel that enthralls the reader with its atmospheric story. The book features memorable characters beset by love and betrayal, and haunted by memory. Morton has used dual perspectivesโ€”the past and present timelinesโ€”as a writing framework. Moreover, the plot contains numerous twists and turns as past events alternate with the present ones. It is an enchanting Gothic mystery and a captivating exploration of dark secrets. Grab this book quickly and uncover the truth of what happened in the โ€˜distant hoursโ€™ of the past!

Check it on: Amazon | Audible

Support local bookstores: Bookshop

7. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurierย 

add to cart

One of the best modern Gothic novels, Rebecca is Daphne du Maurierโ€™s highly acclaimed book with a chilling story. Itโ€™s a tempestuous Gothic romance that draws on the glamour of country society, the fascinating, mysterious and brusque characters, and the impending catastrophe that permeated the pre-war years. Rebecca is a true classic book which has been read on different levels. Besides, the book is still open to various interpretations, as many great works are.

Check it on: Amazon | Audible

Support local bookstores: Bookshop

8. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

Add to cart

Sarah Watersโ€™ The Little Stranger is an eerie and captivating haunted house story. With its painful tale of post WWII England with a touch of the paranormal, this modern Gothic novel pulls you in and holds you firmly in its grip. Its deep, subtle and poignant story of class division, deterioration, and ghosts engross you till the end. Besides, the book creates an entire atmosphere of suspense, terror, dark secrets and malevolence. A creative book with a wonderfully descriptive setting and true characters.

Check it on: Amazon | Audible

Support local bookstores: Bookshop

9. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle

Add to cart

One of the widely read books of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Hound of Baskervilles is a combination of mystery and Gothic horror. At times extremely creepy and at others balanced out with humor, the modern gothic mysterious book keeps the reader straddling the line between the real world and the possibility of the supernatural realm. The suspense, ingeniously thrilling plot, and a perfect blend of action has made this modern Gothic mystery an incredibly perfect novel of its genre.

Check it on: Amazon | Audible

Support local bookstores: Bookshop

10. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

add to cart

A precursor of all the haunted house tales to be written yet, Jacksonโ€™s The Haunting of Hill House is great modern classic horror. Moving at a moderate pace, this psychological thriller draws on the locked rooms and dark corridors in the unconscious mind. With its chilling atmospheric setting, this modern horror novel has a tendency to captivate the reader from the very first page until the last one. The book is one of the Gothic masterpieces whose influence on the genre is incontestable.

Check it on: Amazon | Audible

Support local bookstores: Bookshop

11. Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand

add to cart

An entertaining ghost story, Wylding Hall is a tale told in the form of several band membersโ€™ interviews about what happened 40 years ago during their three months stay at Wylding Hall, an old, half crumbling, and haunted mansion in Hampshire, England. The book plays out like a documentary with the Gothic mystery at its heart. Various band members and associates describe the gradually threatening and chilling chain of events that led to their music albumโ€™s creation and associated tragedy.

Check it on: Amazon | Audible

Support local bookstores: Bookshop

12. The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware

add to cart

Written in Ruth Wareโ€™s signature suspenseful style, The Turn of the Key is an unputdownable modern Gothic novel. If you enjoy a Gothic suspense story set in a remote place and a smart haunted house, this book is definitely for you! It features the unsettling events and spellbinding menace which makes this book also a good psychological thriller. The reader is brought along the events that result in the protagonists being charged with murder through a written letter. The intricacy of the plot is spectacular and each twist and turn is set up methodically with no stone left unturned!

Check it on: Amazon | Audible

Support local bookstores: Bookshop

13. The Diviners by Libba Bray

add to cart

Well-written, whimsical, and creepy, The Diviners is an amazing blend of historical fiction, gothic tropes, murder mystery, and romance. The story follows a cast of realistic and unforgettable characters in 1920s jazzy New York. When gruesome murders start to appear in the city that never sleeps, they begin to secretly investigate them and quickly discover that some paranormal and magical elements are behind all this. The book incorporates actual slang from the 1920s and its captivating plot and vibrant characters make the story utterly amazing.ย ย ย 

Check it on: Amazon | Audible

Support local bookstores: Bookshop

14. The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

add to cart

Alternating between 1950 and 2014, The Broken Girls is a modern Gothic thriller set in Vermont. A ghost story and a mystery all rolled into this cinematic book. Twenty years ago, someone murdered Fiona Sheridanโ€™s sister. The murderer dumped her dead body on the grounds of Idlewild Hall, a former school for wayward girls. Now, someone has plans to reopen the school, and Fionaโ€”who canโ€™t let go of the pastโ€”uses her credentials as a journalist to uncover every dark secret the school has to hide. What she explores contributes to this creepy tale.

Check it on: Amazon | Audible

Support local bookstores: Bookshop

15. The Widowโ€™s House by Carol Goodman

add to cart

Have you ever seen a book played out perfectly as a movie as you are reading it? Thatโ€™s exactly what happened when I was reading this gothic contemporary. The Widowโ€™s House is a chilling modern Gothic novel from the bestselling author of Gothic fiction. Building on psychological suspense and eerie ghost stories, this book has an uneasiness that you can almost feel. Itโ€™s twisty, mysterious, and keeps you guessing as to what is actually going on. Itโ€™s compelling, well-written and enjoyable for Gothic lovers!

Check it on: Amazon | Audible

Support local bookstores: Bookshop

16. The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perrey

add to cart

Set at the end of the19th century, The Essex Serpent is Sarah Perryโ€™s award-winning novel inspired by true events. In this book, Perry manages to explore the minds of her protagonists creating a very introspective story.

The book tells the story of Cora Seaborne, a recently widowed, who has a burning curiosity when it comes to natural sciences. As she leaves London in search of greater freedom and fossils, a legend of the Essex serpent grabs her attention. As a result, she journeys to learn more about the serpent and makes new acquaintances. The marshy Essex scenery, the ominous atmosphere, the magic realism and the brilliant characterization make the story stand out.

Check it on: Amazon | Audible

Support local bookstores: Bookshop

17. Beloved by Toni Morrison

add to cart

The only Gothic novel on this list by a black female author, Beloved by Toni Morrison, is based on the true story of Margaret Garner; an enslaved African-American woman who killed her daughter to spare her a life of slavery.

Beloved revolves around a former slave, Sethe traumatized by her experience and grief of loss. Her house is forever haunted by the presence of her baby, whom she killed to protect from slave hunters. One day, when a mysterious young woman appears on her doorsteps, a reincarnated version of her dead daughter confronts her. From there onwards, Sethe enters into a strangely parasitic relationship with her.

Nobel prize-winning author Toni Morrison makes the Gothic genre completely American and modern, which is traditionally rooted in 18th century Europe. A perfect example of a Southern Gothic novel, Beloved is a must-read not because her writing is hauntingly beautiful but the way she uses trappings of Gothic fiction to discuss the real-life horrors of slavery and racism and her reckoning with the past.

ย 


If youโ€™re a Gothic lover, I highly recommend you to read all these modern Gothic novels. They are perfectly scary, gruesome, and mysterious as well. But if youโ€™re new into this genre, Iโ€™ll suggest you begin with the classic Gothic novels as they are perfect for initiation into this kind of literature.ย 

If you liked this post, be sure to check out these gothic novels:

  • Best Southern Gothic Novels That Are Deliciously Haunting
  • Gothic Mysteries Youโ€™ll Wish you Discovered Soonย 
  • The Ultimate Guide to Amazing Gothic Gifts
  • Best Gothic Novels That Are Female-Centric
  • Dark Academia Books With Gripping Gothic Vibes
  • Gothic Romance Books That Are Truly Chilling
  • Amazing Gothic Accessories For Your Study Room
  • Must-Read Books For Black History Monthย 
Tags: Book RecommendationBook ReviewsGothic BooksGothic GenreGothic HorrorGothic NovelsGothicismMystery Thrillers
ShareTweetPin10

Related Posts

Books-like-verity-by-collen-hoover
Books & Reviews

12 Books Like Verity, including Colleen Hooverโ€™s Layla

November 25, 2022
Best-YA-Gothic-Books-For-Spooky-Season
Books & Reviews

Spine-Chillingly Exciting YA Gothic Books of 2022 Perfect for Spooky Season

October 9, 2022
books-just-like-it-ends-with-Us-2
Books & Reviews

25 Books Like โ€˜It Ends With Usโ€™ That Are Equally Heart-Wrenching Yet Uplifting

February 3, 2023
books-like-the-love-hypothesis
Books & Reviews

Books like The Love Hypothesis with STEM heroines

July 28, 2022
immigrant-heritage-month-books-recommendations
Books & Reviews

22 Powerful Books to Read During Immigrant Heritage Month

November 22, 2022
best-books-like-the-maze-runner
Books & Reviews

15 Best Dystopian Books like โ€œThe Maze Runnerโ€

November 22, 2022
Load More
Next Post
the-paying-guests-book-review

The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters: Summary, Review & Quotes

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

best-book-of-all-time-2022

  • About Us
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • Feedback
  • Terms & Conditions

ยฉ 2022 Elif Notes - Your Guide to Literature

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Literature
  • Blog
  • Books & Reviews

ยฉ 2022 Elif Notes - Your Guide to Literature