Need a gothic horror book

[Rayn]

Need to find a good horror gothic book. My friend used to be a big reader in her teens and hasn't read a book since for twenty years!
She wants to get back into reading so want to buy a her a novel for Xmas. She loves horror and gothic in general but don't want to get anything too heavy as it may put her off!

Any recommnedations? I thought about The corset by Laura Purcell as I love that!

Yes to Laura Purcell - both The Silent Companions & The Corset.

The Stress of her Regard by Tim Powers. Also Hide Me Among the Graves, which is the first of the two books, but I read the Stress of her Regard first, and it's a better book.

Another vote for “The Haunting of Hill House” by Shirley Jackson

I preferred Shirley Jackson's 'Haunting of Hill House' to 'We have always lived in the Castle' but both are good.

Best horror book I've read this year has been ' The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires'. It's very tongue in cheek but also surprisingly gory. But its not gothic

Recently read The Corset by Laura Purcell. Felt that the ending let it down but still a cracking read.

I really enjoyed Mexican Gothic.

Has anyone mentioned Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde. I didn't bother reading it for ages as I figured I knew the story but when I did pick up a copy I loved it. And it's very short!

I was also going to suggest The Bloody Chamber! I found it really unsettling.

@iklboodolphrednosedpaindear

Yes to Laura Purcell - both The Silent Companions & The Corset.

Yes! I thought Silent Companions was scarier - I read it while staying in quite a spooky hotel and then later we drove past a house that had 2 cardboard cut out type people on a balcony (it was in Monterey Bay in California if anyone else has seen them ).

Also Slade House by David Mitchell.

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova.