As promised, this week we move into more modern-day (either written in the past twenty years or set in present-day) ghost stories. I've compiled a list of 15 novels that are sure to stand the test of time, and one day, will be called classics in their own right. From eerie apparitions to malevolent spirits, these stories are sure to meet all your spooky season needs!
Enjoy!
1. The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell
Published: 2017 Synopsis: In this Gothic novel, a young widow discovers a wooden figure that seems to come to life, leading to a series of terrifying events in an old mansion.
Awards: 2018 Shirley Jackson Award for Best Novel
2. The Invited by Jennifer McMahon
Published: 2019 Synopsis: A couple builds their dream home on a haunted plot, triggering a chain of supernatural occurrences that threaten their very existence.
3. A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
Published: 2015 Synopsis: This psychological horror novel follows a family dealing with their daughter's apparent possession, as a reality TV crew documents the chilling events. Awards: 2016 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Novel
4. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Published: 2020 Synopsis: Set in 1950s Mexico, a socialite visits a haunted estate to uncover dark secrets and faces terrors beyond her imagination.
5. The Girl from the Well by Rin Chupeco
Published: 2014 Synopsis: Inspired by Japanese folklore, this story follows a vengeful spirit who preys on those who harm the innocent.
6. The Grip of It by Jac Jemc
Published: 2017 Synopsis: A couple moves into a haunted house to escape their past, only to realize that the malevolent forces within are far more sinister than they could have imagined.
7. Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
Published: 2020 Synopsis: A woman returns to the house that inspired her father's bestselling ghost story, only to unearth chilling truths about her family's past.
8. The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor
Published: 2018 Synopsis: Decades after a childhood prank goes horribly wrong, strange chalk figures reappear, leading to a series of terrifying events.
9. The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher
Published: 2019 Synopsis: A woman discovers her deceased grandmother's sinister belongings, unleashing a haunting presence that threatens her sanity.
10. The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon
Published: 2021 Synopsis: Sisters unravel the mysteries of a family estate with a dark history of drowned girls and restless spirits.
11. Horrid by Katrina Leno
Published: 2020 Synopsis: After her father's death, a girl moves into his eerie mansion, uncovering family secrets and sinister hauntings.
12. The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James
Published: 2020 Synopsis: A young woman investigates the disappearance of her aunt in a haunted motel, revealing a connection to a string of unsolved murders.
13. The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
Published: 2020 Synopsis: A tale of revenge and guilt as four American Indian men are haunted by a malevolent entity seeking retribution.
14. A Cosmology of Monsters by Shaun Hamill
Published: 2019 Synopsis: A family grapples with a legacy of horror tied to a haunted house, blurring the line between reality and nightmare.
15. Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark
Published: 2020 Synopsis: Set in 1922, this novella follows a trio of Black women wielding magic against supernatural Ku Klux Klan members.
If you're ready to immerse yourself in the macabre world of modern ghost stories, grab a blanket, a mug of hot cider, and get ready to explore these tomes of terror and suspense!
Want more spooky reads? Goodreads to the rescue with their Best Dark Fiction list of 2020.
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