Glorious Gothic Fiction

Great Gothic fiction is not always a simple thing to find. Some come too predictable and others too full or twists which bring them to the brink of satire or farce. Maintaining the right level of drama, suspense, emotion and mystery can be very difficult. Iconic examples of Gothic literature include Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca and Jamaica Inn, which draw readers into dark landscapes and secrets tangled within the labyrinths of passion, love, and trust. Here are some more examples of great Gothic fiction, chock full of secrets and dark mysteries that got the balance just right.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield is an extremely clever ghost story, with no cheating to reach a satisfying conclusion. The book details the journey of amateur biographer Margaret Lea. She receives a letter from the reclusive author Vida Winter, inviting Margaret to write Vida's life story because of a previous biography that she had written. Vida has been telling everyone different versions of her life story for years, each time swearing that it was the real story. Margaret builds Vida's story through their conversations, trying to discover if Vida is really ready to tell her entire, true history. The two strong women banter and each have secrets to hide. The story is gripping and transformative with everything you might want from a Gothic novel.

Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon and translated by Lucia Graves was a best seller in Spain. This Gothic tale follows one boy's journey through post war Barcelona to find the author of a book that has become dangerous to own, and impossible to forget. Daniel is introduced to forgotten books by his father, beginning his obsession with finding more works by Julian Carax. However, it seems that someone has been destroying copies off the author's works. In his innocent search for books Daniel finds himself embroiled in secrets and tales of doomed love, murder, madness and magic. He needs to solve the mystery around the author or everything and everyone he cares about might be destroyed.

Properties of Light: A Novel of Love, Betrayal, and Quantum Physics by Rebecca Goldstein is a Gothic story of epic proportions that explores passion of mind and body as well as betrayal and physics. Samuel Mallach was a star in the world of physics, but has descended into insanity. Justin Childs is a new professor who falls in love with Mallach's formula first, and then his daughter. Before long Justin realizes that Mallach is manipulating them both in order to gain what he wants. The dynamics of the physics department and the science involved is amazing, holding as much importance to the mystery and intrigue in the plot as the love story. I do not recommend reading for those with no interest or background in science, as the details do play a significant role in the tale.

The Probable Future by Alice Hoffman is as much about family as it is about secrets and mystery. The women in the Sparrow family have unique gifts. It is the youngest, Stella and her disturbing clairvoyance that allows her to see how people are going to die, that is really the center of the story. Stella's 'gift' results in her father being falsely accused of murder and arrested. The crisis bring the estranged women in the family together in order to make things right. The story is unsettling and disturbing while still being elegant and exquisite. There is some familiar flavor in The Probable Future that might remind readers of Practical Magic, in style and location, however the characters and conflicts are different enough to make this book stand out.

The Quincunx by Charles Palliseris a modern novel set in nineteenth century London. This novel is written in the Victorian tradition and contains a plot within a plot rife with family secrets, mystery and the fog enshrouded London streets. Just about every plot twist you might imagine for a Gothic novel set in Victorian London is used, but despite the familiarity of specific details the story does not feel old or rehashed. A young boy just might be an heir to a great estate and needs to stay alive and free from those that would rather he did not live to claim the possible inheritance. Betrayal, insect, secrets, slums, horror, friendships and family secrets fill this story. It is densely written prose, which celebrates the Dickens tradition, but also parodies the very style that it emanates. The book does run over seven hundred pages, so make sure you set aside some serious time to immerse yourself in The Quincunx.

Some of the other authors that you might want to explore in the Gothic genre include; Joan Aiken, Joanna Scott, Victoria Holt, Charles Palliser, Phyllis A. Whitney, Sarah Smith, Barbara Erskine, Isabelle Holland, Susan Ratcliffe, Anya Seton, Madeline Brent, Barbara Michaels, and Ross King.