Horror Subgenre Challenge! - hosted by dexlud

Gothic Horror
The origins of gothic horror date back to the late 1700s and early 1800s. Early writers like Mary Shelley and E.T.A. Hoffman helped usher in an age of dark fiction that is still going strong. The early gothic novels usually offered a mix of romance and horror, with a little death on the side. These were deep and complex stories, often infused with heavy social overtones.

Interesting books in this subgenre: Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley. The Devil’s Elixirs, by E.T.A. Hoffmann. The Haunting of Hill House, by Shirley Jackson. The Woman in Black, by Susan Hill. The Silent Companions, by Laura Purcell.
All books added
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

The Phantom of the Opera

Gaston Leroux

208 pages • first pub 1909 (editions)

fiction classics horror dark mysterious medium-paced
What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher

What Feasts at Night

Sworn Soldier #2

T. Kingfisher

5 hours, 2 minutes • first pub 2024 (editions)

fiction horror lgbtqia+ dark mysterious tense medium-paced
When I Arrived at the Castle by E.M. Carroll

When I Arrived at the Castle

E.M. Carroll

72 pages • first pub 2019 (editions)

fiction graphic novel horror lgbtqia+ dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

Starling House

Alix E. Harrow

320 pages • first pub 2023 (editions)

fiction fantasy dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey

Just Like Home

Sarah Gailey

344 pages • first pub 2022 (editions)

fiction horror thriller dark mysterious tense medium-paced
The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole

The Castle of Otranto

Horace Walpole

40 pages • first pub 1764 (editions)

fiction classics horror dark mysterious medium-paced
A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand

A Haunting on the Hill

Elizabeth Hand

326 pages • first pub 2023 (editions)

fiction horror dark mysterious tense medium-paced
A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

A House with Good Bones

T. Kingfisher

247 pages • first pub 2023 (editions)

fiction horror dark funny mysterious medium-paced
Count Karlstein by Philip Pullman

Count Karlstein

Philip Pullman

5 hours, 9 minutes • first pub 1982 (editions) user-added

fiction fantasy young adult adventurous dark fast-paced
The Once Yellow House by Gemma Amor

The Once Yellow House

Gemma Amor

216 pages • first pub 2023 (editions)

fiction horror dark emotional mysterious fast-paced