For Readers: Blog

Windswept Moors and Byronic Heroes

Characterized by gloomy atmospheres, heightened emotions, and brooding love interests, these gothic romances are the perfect picks for a misty morning or a dreary night. As the cold weather settles in, cozy up with a chilling read. 

In The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas, Beatriz hopes that her new marriage to Rodolfo will be the end of her troubles. Since the Mexican War for Independence, when her father was killed and her home destroyed, her life has been chaotic. However, she does not find the peace she craves at Hacienda San Isidro. Ghostly voices and haunting visions begin to plague her waking and sleeping hours. With Rodolfo away on work and an antagonistic sister-in-law, Beatriz can only turn to the parish priest, Andrés, for help. Forbidden romance, apparitions, and folk tales abound in this otherworldly debut. [e-book | print | audiobook]

Enlightenment is Sarah Perry’s most recent sweeping novel, which blends the gothic with the scientific. Right before the turn of the 21st century, life in a small English village is made easier for two wayward individuals when they find friendship with each other. Thomas Hart and his goddaughter Grace are both torn between their commitment to their church community and their desire to explore the world at large. Their wish is unexpectedly granted through the mysterious uncovering of letters written by 19th century astronomer Maria Vaduva, who is also rumored to haunt a nearby estate. This is a story of friendship, love, and discovery. [e-book | print | large type]

The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years by Shubnum Khan. Akbar Manzil was once a beautiful coastal estate in South Africa. However, by the time that Sana and her father move in, it is a crumbled ruin. Joining them as tenants are a variety of interesting characters, including a mournful djinn who once loved a woman who lived there a century ago. While exploring the mansion, Sana becomes obsessed with Akbar Manzil’s history – particularly that of Meena Begum, the original owner’s second wife and the object of the djinn’s affections. The more Sana searches, the more secrets she uncovers. Told in dual timeline, The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years is an emotional saga that is perfect for fans of Louise Erdrich and Isabel Allende. [e-book | print | audiobook]

In contemporary gothic romance circles, Hester Fox is a name that is impossible to ignore. The Last Heir to Blackwood Library has got everything you need in a quintessential gothic romance: dusty libraries, stormy moors, mysterious ancestors, and a beautiful ingénue. After World War I, Ivy Radcliffe unexpectedly finds herself inheriting an estate in Yorkshire: Blackwood Abbey. At first she’s thrilled, but as rumors of a curse drift up from the nearby village and strange things start happening, the abbey starts to take on a more sinister light. Ivy must seek out a medieval manuscript penned by a corrupt monk if she’s to save her new home. [e-book | print | audiobook]

Eye of the Beholder by Emma Bamford is inspired by the 1958 Alfred Hitchcock film Vertigo. Maddy is a professional ghostwriter who is hired to craft the memoir of a renowned and mysterious cosmetic surgeon. She’s flown out to stay at the doctor’s remote home in the Scottish Highlands for the duration of her writing. While there, she falls in love with Dr. Reynold’s business partner, Scott. When he falls to his death, she is devastated. Just as she’s moving on from her heartbreak, Maddy sees Scott—alive—in London. Did he really perish? If not, why was she lied to? Check this out if you like thriller authors like Ruth Ware and Riley Sager. [print]

Most known for her historical romances, Chanel Cleeton tests out the gothic in The House on Biscayne Bay. After the death of her parents, Carmen travels to Biscayne Bay in southern Florida to reconnect with her estranged sister and her husband. With World War II looming on the horizon and the house’s dark history lurking in the past, Carmen’s time in the bay is uneasy. Will she be able to solve the mystery before her own life is endangered? Cleeton subverts classic gothic imagery by setting her novel under the bright light of the Floridian sun. This is a good primer for historical fiction readers interested in trying out gothic novels or for gothic readers looking for something a little different. [e-book | print]

⏤Emily