Guest post written by This House Will Feed author Maria Tureaud
Maria Tureaud is an editor and acclaimed author of middle grade and adult fiction. Born and raised in County Clare on the west coast of Ireland, she now lives with her husband and son in New Jersey and can be found online at AuthorMariaTureaud.com.
About This House Will Feed: Amidst the devastation of Ireland’s Great Famine, a young woman is salvaged from certain death when offered a mysterious position at a remote manor house haunted by a strange power and the horror of her own memories in this chillingly evocative historical novel braided with gothic horror and supernatural suspense for readers of Katherine Arden’s The Warm Hands of Ghosts and The Silence Factory by Bridget Collins. Released January 27th 2026.
I’m so happy to see that Gothic and horror are having their moment once again, and with more debut authors to choose from than ever before, it lightens the heart to think that so many readers will have the opportunity to be introduced to my first love: Gothic historical fiction.
I find it interesting that one of the consistent themes in reviews for This House Will Feed is surprise that most of the horror comes from the historical events that allow Maggie’s story to unfold. To fans of Gothic historical fiction, the source of that horror should come as no surprise, as the very hallmark of a true Gothic tale is that the horror is grounded in reality, whether it’s an event, or something supernatural that can be explained away once the main character has all the information. At its core, Gothic horror bleeds into psychological thriller, blurring the lines between reality and human nature in ways that should leave the reader in a state of contemplation.
To that end, I’d like to introduce you to six other Gothic books — not all Gothic historical fiction — that utilize either history, folklore, or human nature to tell a story; books that would fall apart without those elements, ones with the ability to spark conversation and leave you staring at the wall as you parse through every twist and turn.
Conjure Women by Afia Atakora
One of my favorite reads of 2020, Conjure Women utilizes the uncertainty of post-Civil War-era to weave a story, in dual-timeline, that uses the supernatural to complement the realistic struggle of former slaves as they strive to find their identities in a kind of limbo between slavery and freedom. The history is horrific, the supernatural is creepy, but the spotlight shines brightly on character development and the resilience of people in the face of adversity.
Parting the Veil by Paulette Kennedy
I’m an avid Kennedy fan, and her 2021 debut was a standout release for me. It’s packed with all the hallmarks of a traditional Gothic — a heartbreaking past, a sexual orientation that was most definitely frowned upon in the 1809s, a ramshackle estate, a broody love interest, and things that go bump in the night. The twist in this book will have you re-reading for clues — and those clues are there — only to marvel at the beautiful way the entire story came together.
The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas
Like Parting the Veil, The Hacienda sports all the hallmarks of a classic Gothic, giving us a slow burn that turns to a gallop as we race to the end. A spectacular story that dives into colonization, forbidden romance (we stan a questionable priest!), and the energetic imprint of real-life horror turning into something supernatural, this book uses historical events to delve into the horror aspects that make this novel a must-read.
She Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran
Taking a slight detour into the world of YA, She Is a Haunting takes no prisoners, planting us firmly into the ominous from page one. With a classic slow burn that allows the creepiness and supernatural to slowly seep into our veins, we’re as surprised as Jade when we find ourselves in the thick of it. With a complicated family dynamic, and secrets that threaten to drown the house, She Is a Haunting utilizes the in-between and disconnect of living in the diaspora — something that resonates for me as an immigrant — as the catalyst for the horror, and it’s executed flawlessly.
White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson
Another YA, White Smoke isn’t the first book one thinks of when the term “Gothic” is tossed around. However, for me, this was an obvious Gothic. We have the house, things that go bump in the night, the slow, creeping horror, a complex character, and a twist firmly rooted in reality. This book had all the ingredients I love, including an “is it/is it not” thread as the haunting of the house echoes a haunting of another kind: Mari’s addiction. The reality twist in this book preyed upon a very real fear of mine, so needless to say, I was left breathless by the end!
Hokuloa Road by Elizabeth Hand
Swerving back into the world of Adult, Hokuloa Road jets us into modern day Hawaii to give us a Gothic steeped in folklore, mystery, and terror. Not a conventional Gothic, it still carries the hallmarks, where the setting (in this case, a compound instead of a crumbling mansion) fuels the supernatural forces, and the goal of those forces is to protect the land, and its people, from the incursion of tourists and those who would destroy the land for profit. This one not only left me staring at the wall, but rocking back and forth. I don’t scare easily, but this one left me reeling.
