Advertisement
Books

Michelle Paver’s top 5 Gothic thrillers

‘Wakenhyrst’ author Michelle Paver counts off her five favourite gothic thrillers

The Haunting of Hill House

by Shirley Jackson

‘Some houses are born bad’ writes Jackson – and yet four people decide to stay in this one overnight. The unease builds masterfully to a shocking yet strangely satisfying climax. This is quite simply the best haunted house novel ever written.

Rebecca

by Daphne du Maurier

This plays with key elements of Gothic – the intrusion of the past into an enclosed and atmospheric present – in a brilliantly original way. And Mrs Danvers is terrifying.

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
Advertisement

The Aspern Papers

by Henry James

A bit of a stretch to call this a thriller, as there’s more suspense than dread, but it’s a taut and absorbing tale of a researcher’s quest to extract a precious hoard of letters from an old lady and her niece in a crumbling Venetian palazzo.

The Brimstone Wedding

by Barbara Vine (aka Ruth Rendell)

Two women, one old and one young, gradually share their secrets in a compelling story laced with superstition. I love the fenland setting, which just happens to be within a stone’s throw of where I set my own Gothic tale.

Read more Top 5s here

The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner

by James Hogg

A devout Calvinist is corrupted by a demonic alter-ego, and turns to murder. First published in 1825, this starts slowly but develops into a nightmarish tale of the evils of religious dogmatism.

Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver is out now (Head of Zeus, £14.99)

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty

Never miss an issue

Take advantage of our special subscription offer. Subscribe from just £9.99 and never miss an issue.

Recommended for you

Read All
Mum-of-two shares experience of 'dehumanising' DWP benefits system: 'It could kill somebody'
Image of Naomi Lihou
Benefits

Mum-of-two shares experience of 'dehumanising' DWP benefits system: 'It could kill somebody'

UK's 'cruel' benefits system is 'ruining lives' and 'violating human rights', Amnesty report finds
keir starmer walking
Benefits

UK's 'cruel' benefits system is 'ruining lives' and 'violating human rights', Amnesty report finds

Widower of disabled woman in bitter, years-long legal battle after DWP denied him benefits
Department for Work and Pensions

Widower of disabled woman in bitter, years-long legal battle after DWP denied him benefits

Transphobia and homophobia are terrible for the economy, report finds
London Trans+ Pride
LGBTQ+ rights

Transphobia and homophobia are terrible for the economy, report finds

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue
4.

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue