I can't stop thinking about Nosferatu, and I know why. Robert Eggers obviously created a cinematic masterpiece, but it's the gothic horror theme that I appreciate more than anything. Some of my favorite films in this genre are Bram Stoker's Dracula, Sleepy Hollow, Candyman, and 2010's The Wolfman. But it's not movies that made me fall in love with them; it's books.
I wish I would've embraced being a 'weird' Black girl who loved cutesy things as much as she enjoyed reading about monstrous creatures, but there's always now. If you're a proud fan of supernatural, morally gray characters, and psychological warfare, I have more than a few surprises for you. Here are all the gothic horror books you should pick up ASAP!
Scroll to see all the gothic horror books to read after watching Nosferatu!
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1. HUNGERSTONEby Kat Dunn (February 18, 2025)
Lenore has been married to the successful steel magnate Henry for a decade, but there doesn't seem to be anymore love between them. Still, they put on a united front to travel to the moorlands and that's when it happens — tragedy.
One accident unites the couple with Carmilla, an intriguing woman who's appearance changes depending on the time of day. The longer she's in their lives, the more Lenore feels inexplicably drawn to her. But, the timing of Carmilla's presence coincides with young girls developing insatiable appetites accompanied with a perplexing illness.
Also, Lenore doesn't feel like herself anymore. Rather, she's questioning if she's been honest about who she is all along. She thinks she wants to rekindle the passion in her marriage, but she can't ignore Carmilla's influence on her...
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Kidan Adane's an heiress who's trying to outrun the fate of living among vampires, but is drawn back in when her sister June vanishes. Kidan decides accepting her place as a student at Uxlay University is the only way to seek revenge against the house vampire she 'knows' took June — Susenyos Sagad.
He's as dangerous as he is enchanting, but Kidan will quickly discover that he's not the most dangerous being she needs to worry about. In fact, she'll confront the morally ambiguous students, faculty, and families that are tied to Uxlay as she searches for answers about June's whereabouts.
However, there'll be no turning back once she discovers the truth.
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Patricia Campbell is a housewife who was certain she was going to have an amazing life with her husband and kids, but they're too busy for her. The only things that are consistently present are her volatile mother-in-law, her never-ending checklist, and the true crime book club she's a part of.
Life begins to imitate art when Patricia is left scarred after a terrifying attack by a neighbor lands her in the hospital. Shortly after, she meets James Harris and begins to welcome his presence. As soon as she lets her guard down, she can't help but feel alarmed at news of young Black children going missing.
And the night she sees something so terrible no one will believer her is when she Patricia decides to take matters into her own hands.
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The disappearance of a young boy creates a suspicion in Mears considering nothing like that has ever happened in the small town he lives in. Before long, people he once knew begin to change into darker versions of themselves and he rushes to create a group of survivors/hunters to stop this unnatural takeover. But he'll have to find the source first and it just make take everything he's ever held dear.
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When a young girl is discovered brutally murdered in the town of Hemlock Grove, PA, whispers about what's truly going on begin to stir since she was found near what's left of the Godfrey Steel mill. There's also rumors that someone could've escaped from the biotech building that the Godfreys are also in charge of.
On the other side of suspicions about them lie accusations that a young Gypsy named Peter Rumancek is responsible. After all, he's been telling people he's a werewolf. It doesn't come as a shock when he and Roman Godfrey become best friends as they try to uncover what happened.
But fate has something different planned for them and it'll change who they thought they were.
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Life for Nena and Néstor is full of grief in 1840s Mexico. With threats of Mexican land being taken over by settlers, Nena's seen it all. Plus, she's been attacked by an evil spirit before.
At some point, she and Néstor are separated without any contact. The latter believes his love has been lost and has been trying to drown himself in vices to forget what he thinks could've happened to her.
So when they finally see each other a few years later, their meeting is anything but pleasant. One's running from possibly marrying someone she doesn't love while the other is trying to reconcile his habits.
But nothing is more troubling than the fact the evil spirit is still out there and is looking to wreak more havoc on anyone who's unfortunate to cross its path.
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7. Thirst by Marina Yuszczuk
Thirst breaks from tradition by attempting to humanize a female vampire and her desire to live despite her nature. Escaping from Europe, she takes up residence in Buenos Aires and assimilates into its culture.
Years later, another young woman finds herself coming to terms with what motherhood means to her now that she's watching her own mother's life slip away. When she and the female vampire from long ago connect, something sparks between them and their lives take on a new meaning.
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Louis has been alive for a long time and is ready to tell his story to a young, eager journalist. He begins with the early telling of his former life when he was still a 'good' man in Louisiana who happened to cross paths with the manipulative Lestat. Unable to grapple with becoming a 'monster,' he remembers trying to survive off animals but never could satisfy his thirst.
Louis remembers giving in to vampirism and even the sweet Claudia who he gingerly took under his wing instead of harming her. However, the familial love they have for each other is cut short when they commit an unspeakable crime against Lestat and are forced to flee the opulent space they called home.
And lastly, Louis remembers what it was like to love Armand but feel unable to cope with knowing he did nothing to stop his band of vampires from seeking their own private justice against those he loved.
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All Marion Shaw's ever known is what it feels like to be poor. Though she's dreamt of finding somewhere else to start over, she lacks the motivation to do so until she discovers an opening for a bloodmaid.
She's not sure what it means but she ventures to the House of Hunger anyway. There she becomes indoctrined in a new way of life that's led by the charming and horrifying Countess Lisavet. Somehow, Marion's caught her eye and they develop a consensual mistress-servant relationship.
But there's much more to the House of Hunger than Marion knew about and she'll have to use all of her wits to pay attention or she'll never be able to leave.
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Jemma Baker decides to leave Chicago to pursue a job working for the Duchon family in New Orleans. It feels like an answered pray until she realizes how colorist they are.
Despite being Black, the Duchons have no problem feeling like they're superior because of their wealth and lighter skin. Jemma doesn't understand why they act the way they do until she realizes they're a cursed family who's relying onher to free them.
Soon, Jemma will have to use her gift to unlock secrets about the Duchons but she'll discover something dark that seeks to threaten her life if she's not careful.
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55-year-old Francine Thwaite has never left her childhood home in England's Lake Manor, but she doesn't mind. She fills her days interacting with the ghosts in the manor, especially her 'friend' Bree. However, Francine's sister Madeleine returns home and disrupts the quiet reality Francine had with a reimagining of what really happened there.
Suddenly, Francine's forced to realize the Thwaites weren't always so kind and have a sinister past that she may not be able to escape.
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In the 1970s, young women who dare to have sex before marriage and get pregnant are sent to Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida. It's a way for families to hide their shame and pretend like 'sinful' stains no longer exist.
When young Fern is sent there to contend with Miss Wellwood, she realizes there are other girls who's situations mirror her own. While their backgrounds differ, their pregnant bellies and controlled reality do not.
The girls are given a chance to rewrite the rules when Fern receives an occult book that introduces them to witchcraft. As they being casting spells and realizing how powerful they are, a growing realization that there's a price to learn for increased knowledge dawns on them.
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Clem's worst fears come true when she rushes to her daughter Erin's hospital bedside after a hiking trip went wrong. What's even scarier is that Erin refuses to believe that's her name and has no recollection of Clem being her mother.
Resolved to get to the bottom of things, Clem ventures to the Orkneys where her daughter was before the accident took place. She encounters tales of someone being tied to a murder and witchcraft long before she or Erin were born.
The deeper she digs, the more Clem questions what's capable of being true in a world that doesn't always believe in the occult.
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Playwright Holly Sherwin hasn't seen much success until she's granted the chance to bring Witching Night to the big stage. To gain inspiration, she takes a mini vacation where she discovers Hill House. It's a sprawling mansion who's presence is felt even from it's partially hidden location.
Holly and her girlfriend Nisa decide to live there a month along with those who will make Witching Night a success. As everyone grapples with their own inner terrors, Hill House comes to life.
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In 1929, Lenora Hope's family were found murdered and everyone was sure she did it. Yet, she goes free when there's not enough evidence to convict her. As such, she's remained tucked away behind the walls of Hope's End.
When health aide Kit McDeere is assigned to assist Lenora in 1983, she's not sure what to expect since the previous nurse abruptly left. What Kit finds is an older mute woman who's only form of communication involves a typewriter.
Soon, Lenora surprises Kit by telling her she's ready to recount what happened the night her family was murdered. Insisting she wasn't responsible for her family's death, Kit helps Lenora document what happened.
The more Kit writes, the more she realizes Lenora may not be a victim after all.
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Gaspar and his father are still grieving the death of both mother and wife when they decide to journey to the home tied to her ancestry. Their mission is to understand the origins of the Order which is the family she left behind.
They quickly realize this cult is menacing and tied to Gaspar's fate. Choosing to run from them, Gaspar and his father try their hardest to avoid something terrible coming to past.
Alternating between the present and the future, readers will come to understand how the Order was created and if Gaspar is destined to join them.
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17. Rouge by Mona Awad
Belle's known for prioritizing her skin's health and spends time creating skincare content. However, she's forced to deal with her mother Noelle's death and travels to Southern California to confront what happened to her.
When Belle sees a woman wearing red at her mother's funeral, she's confused about who she is. Her confusion deepens when the woman alludes to what may have happened to her mother and somehow leads Belle to La Maison de Méduse, a cult-like spa Noelle frequented.
Once there, Belle realizes there's a reason she and her mom shared the same obsession with looking at themselves in the mirror because there's more behind the glass than she bargained for.
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While at the Brookhants School for Girls in 1902, Flo and Clara develop an obsessive bond with each other as well as Mary MacLane. The latter's written a moving bestseller that details her life and leads the young girls to create the Plain Bad Heroine Society.
After meeting at an apple orchard, Flo and Clara are discovered murdered by yellow jackets while holding copies of Mary MacLane's work. Soon, the Brookhants School for Girls shuts down after more people die while there.
Years later, writer Merritt Emmons has written a book about the history of Brookhants that's set to be adapted into a horror movie. With lesbian actress Harper Harper set to play Flo and Audrey Wells starring as Clara, production gets the green light to arrive at the school.
However, it's hard to tell where the past ends and the present begins when Merritt, Harper, and Clara arrive. What is clear is that history has a way of repeating itself.
Are you in need of more shocking twists and turns? Check out the thriller books we've already pre-ordered!
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