8 Great Tales That Feature Supernatural and Otherworldly Houses

Horror is having a moment. From masterful spins on classic gothic tales to daring new explorations of supernatural and psychological horror, readers are chomping at the bit for spooky tales. Perhaps it’s the state of the world, the ability of horror to let us face down and conquer our anxieties. Or perhaps it’s for the escapism, the thrill, pure and simple. But whatever the reason, the horror genre is thriving, and with it, a bounty of books that draw on that evergreen literary device, the haunted house.

Haunted houses never go out of style. Most times they can serve as a reminder for the protagonist, the place where echoes of bad deeds are kept until they are set right. Other times the house itself is innately evil, the physical manifestation of the darkest sides of humanity, of our worst fears. Either way, the results are tantalizing, and as I sat down to write my own gothic mystery, I had oh so much fun voraciously reading the classics and the latest in the genre.

Below are eight of my favorite tales of otherworldly houses that helped inspire my debut Wildwood.

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Riley Sager, The Only One Left

Set in a crumbling estate about to topple into the Atlantic on the coast of Maine, this tale follows a home-health aide’s terrifying assignment to care for a woman accused of unspeakable crimes decades earlier. Full of tilting hallways, eerie paintings, and strange sounds in the night, this story is perfect for those seeking a modern rendition of the gothic haunted house.

Silvia Moreno Garcia, Mexican Gothic

A young woman travels to a remote villa, after receiving a cryptic message from her cousin, begging for help. The villa becomes almost a living organism, trapping Noemi within its ever-changing walls, and causing readers to want to claw their way out.

This one is perfect for those looking for a lyrically told tale, that also uses the genre to explore deeper issues, like colonization, racism, and abuse.

Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House

No list would be complete without including Shirley Jackson’s classic, gothic tale, which follows four people investigating a paranormal house, and the horror that ensues as the lines between the supernatural and psychological breakdown are blurred.

This story is perfect for those seeking a true classic of the gothic horror genre.

Marcus Kliewer, We Used to Live Here

A family arrives at night, claiming they used to live in Eve Palmer’s house, and could they please look around? Against her better judgement, Eve lets them in. They don’t leave. And worse still, their presence seems to awaken the house, revealing secrets in an impossible-to-escape labyrinth that is both physical and mental.

I almost couldn’t finish this novel; it was that terrifying. Kliewer’s debut is perfect for those who want mind-bending horror, one that feels so real and horrifying, you won’t ever want to move into a new house, for fear it will transform into something you can’t escape.

Sarah Pearse, The Sanatorium

Dead bodies pile up at an old sanatorium turned boutique hotel in Sarah Pearse’s debut novel of the detective Elin Warner series. This story, with its gorgeously rendered atmospheric setting and its locked room tension, is what inspired me to write my own gothic tale.

Pearse’s famed debut is perfect for readers looking for a blend of thriller and gothic horror, which is my personal favorite combination.

Carissa Orlando, The September House

Orlando’s highly praised debut takes a new and clever take on the classic haunted house. The premise? A couple purchases their dream house at a shockingly low price, only to discover it’s haunted. However instead of fleeing, the couple decides to stay, it’s their house after all, who cares if the walls drip with blood every September?

This one is perfect for readers looking for humor and humanity mixed in with their horror.

Catroina Ward, The Last House on Needless Street

A brilliant tale that includes truly mind-blowing twists, Ward’s acclaimed novel follows a man, his daughter, and a talking cat, living in an isolated and dilapidated house. While not haunted in the classic way, this house is terrifying in its realness, the sense that a place like this probably does exist, somewhere out there.

This story is perfect for readers looking for an unsettling tale that keeps you guessing and explores themes of trauma and identity. This one really stuck with me, and while difficult to read at points, the ending was oddly uplifting.

Henry James, The Turn of the Screw

Another true classic, The Turn of the Screw follows a governess who moves to a remote estate to care for two young children, Miles and Flora. The estate is eerie, and the governess is plagued by half-seen phantoms, oddly quiet yet beautiful children, and whispers of dark things that happened in the house before her arrival.

This story inspired a movie adaptation called The Innocents, which is one of my favorite horror movies. It inspired countless other books, as well, for example, Ruth Ware’s The Turn of the Key. James’ novella is perfect for readers looking for a classic tale of the genre, and for one of the first stories to introduce the unreliable narrator.

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From ghostly horror to horrors of the human mind, from crumbling estates and sanatoriums to seemingly mundane homes with darkness beneath the floorboards, these eight books are a fantastic representation of the breadth of the genre. Happy Haunted House reading!

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