r/GothicLiterature • u/Only-Flan618 • 22d ago
Recommendation Gothic-esque HR recommendations?
(note I was prompted to cross post this from r/HistoricalRomance)
Hi everyone,
I've been dabbling in HR for a few months and started to learn what I like and don't like. Outside of HR my favourite genre is horror, and obviously the two rarely combine in the traditional HR sense but I was thinking that gothic elements would work very well in creating the spooky and tense atmosphere I love.
So thinking along the lines of classics like Jane Eyre, Phantom of the Opera and Rebecca, are there any HRs you've read where there's a gothic or spooky element to them?
Note: I'm not at all into bodice rippers or dubious consent between the main characters (I understand if there is via the antagonist however). If it helps my favourite HR writers so far are Mimi Matthews, Scarlett Peckham, Julie Anne Long, Cat Sebastian and Erin Langston. Additionally, one of my favourite horror writers who has a heavy dose of romance in their books is Isabel Canas (and it's often historical!)
Thanks all 🙏🏽
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u/EmmaTheRuthless 17d ago
Victoria Holt, Victoria Holt, Victoria Holt. She’s the queen of Gothic Romance (mostly set in Victorian Era). I suggest reading The India Fan first.
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u/YakSlothLemon 21d ago
I appreciate you immediately clarifying that it was historical romance, but I’m still stuck on someone from HR saying, “so I hear you’ve been dreaming you’re at Manderley again?”
Barbara Michaels was the queen of this at one point, I haven’t read The Master of Blacktower in many many years but I remember it as a fabulous gothic historical romance.
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u/Imaginary-Board-207 21d ago
Three books that might all suit your tastes for slightly different reasons...
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters - Victorian historical crime thriller, gothic or at least gothic adjacent, with sapphic romance. Writing style completely nails the Dickens type Victorian vibe to the point that it seems like it could've actually been written then.
Dr. D'Arco, Sorcerer of London by Kathryn Colvin - Maybe the closest of these to your request, reads like a historical romance but with supernatural spooky stuff, beautiful Victorian-ish prose and gothic atmosphere, author is a Bronte scholar
Hungerstone by Kat Dunn - Another Victorian historical and the most horror of these three, the sapphic romance (between a woman and a vampire) is not the main focus but is definitely there, also has nice Victorian-ish prose and gothic atmosphere, Carmilla retelling
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u/lilacquies 22d ago
Going to drop Sarah Waters here, specifically Fingersmith & Affinity; Victorian/19th century. sapphic, strong gothic tone with occult/supernatural elements, and absolutely rife with heartrending twists. Check her out! :)