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Looking for good Gothic fiction

16 replies

Eviesmummy2011 · 03/03/2016 22:25

Hi Everyone. I am looking for gothic fiction. Mainly set around the Victorian era. Aside from the classics I would like some suggestions for books that have been written recently but set in those times. I also like books that are off-shoots of the classics. One of my recent favourites is Nelly Dean by Alison Case which is an off-shoot of Wuthering Heights. I have also read Longbourn and Thornfield Hall. Thanks for your help :-)

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Quogwinkle · 04/03/2016 06:58

Have you read The Taxidermist's Daughter by Kate Mosse? Or Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, Fingersmith by Sarah Waters?

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Clawdy · 04/03/2016 16:19

The Observations by Jane Harris is brilliant, and her other novel, Gillespie and I , is also a wonderful read. Dark,twisty and unputdownable.

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Eviesmummy2011 · 04/03/2016 21:35

Thank you so much both of you. I have The Taxidermists Daughter, Night Circus and Fingersmith but yet to read them so we both have the same tastes and how crazy is this but I bought The Observations today Clawdy lol!!! I will look into the other one too.. and also Jonathon Strange and Mr Norrell. Thank you so much. I do love my Victorian era novels :-) x

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Quogwinkle · 05/03/2016 02:47

I should clarify that the Jonathan Strange is slightly before Victorian Times, set during the Napoleonic wars, but hopefully will still appeal?

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lemonymelanie · 05/03/2016 17:18

First one which springs to mind is The Seance by John Harwood - I will have a think of some others :-)

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lemonymelanie · 05/03/2016 17:29

Passion - a biographical novel of the Romantic poets ( Byron, Shelley and Keats and the equally interesting women who knew and loved them), A Taste of Sorrow, biographical novel of the Brontes and Symphony, bio-novel about the composer Bizet and his actress muse - these are all by Jude Morgan, beautifully written and unputdownable.

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lemonymelanie · 05/03/2016 17:38

Florence and Giles, and The Girl Who Couldn't Read by John Harding :-)

Should have made a list before i posted, but couldn't wait , and now they just keep coming to me! :-)

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Eviesmummy2011 · 06/03/2016 12:26

Thank you so much.. so many brilliant suggestions. I have written them down ready to order off Amazon. Please keep them coming.. the more the merrier. X

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lemonymelanie · 06/03/2016 15:32

Just thought of another one - Mary Reilly, by Valerie Martin - it's a servant's story of Jeckyll and Hyde. I love this genre too :-)

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Eviesmummy2011 · 06/03/2016 20:18

Oh yes I like the sound of that one. How brilliant to find someone who loves this genre too. Have you read Nelly Dean. Thornfield Hall etc? X

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lemonymelanie · 06/03/2016 21:05

Yeah, I've read Nellie Dean, Thornfield Hall and Longbourn ( have written about them elsewhere on this board quite recently actually, somebody started a thread about Longbourn) .

Just about to begin Will and Tom, about a week in the life of the young artist Turner, after I've finally finished my current read, the Bronte Myth ( non fiction). Looking forward to it very much - will report back :-)

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cdtaylornats · 07/03/2016 13:21

The Edinburgh Dead by Brian Ruckley

Edinburgh: 1828

In the starkly-lit operating theaters of the city, grisly experiments are being carried out on corpses in the name of medical science. But elsewhere, there are those experimenting with more sinister forces.

Amongst the crowded, sprawling tenements of the labyrinthine Old Town, a body is found, its neck torn to pieces. Charged with investigating the murder is Adam Quire, Officer of the newly- formed Edinburgh Police. The trail will lead him into the deepest reaches of the city's criminal underclass, and to the highest echelons of the filthy rich.

Soon Quire will discover that a darkness is crawling through this city of enlightenment - and no one is safe from its corruption.

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Eviesmummy2011 · 09/03/2016 10:23

Just ordered The Edinburgh Dead.. sounds just my cup of tea. I have so many books coming thanks to all your suggestions. Brilliant. Thank you. If you think of anymore I would be so grateful :-) Have a good day X

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lemonymelanie · 20/03/2016 15:48

I spotted another one in the library book sale for 20p - Charlotte Markham and the House of Darkling by Michael Boccacino. It looks quite good and is now on the ever growing To Read pile.

Have been sidetracked though by Young Romantics - quite compelling biography of Mary Shelley, Byron and their friendship set. Didn't realise Mary Shelley wasn't even 20 when she wrote Frankenstein. Have also ordered Romantic Outlaws - mother / daughter biography of Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley. Yeah, the pile is growing.....

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Eviesmummy2011 · 20/03/2016 19:44

😂😂😂😂😂😂 You sound just like me lemonymelanie lol. The amount of books I have in my TBR pile is just ridiculous and, almost daily, I add to them. I am now going to look at that book you mentioned by Charlotte Markham. Thank you again.

The Young Romantics book sounds great.. and very interesting. I think I might get that too lol.. you are a bad influence.. but so great to find someone that enjoys the same genre :-)

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Eviesmummy2011 · 20/03/2016 19:46

Haha.. sorry.. just realised that's all the one title and the author is Michael Boccacino lol.. good start lol. I've just ordered it from Amazon.. brilliant! Cheers :-)

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