15 books about mysterious old houses

Spooky!

Reading is the perfect way to let go of the world around you and just let yourself sink in to a completely new world. There are tons of world’s to explore, but one of the quirkiest is reading books about old houses. Why? Because old houses always have secrets buried in them – sometimes quite literally – and they let us explore the dark side of the human existence. If you’d like to add a bit more darkness and fantasy to your life, here are 15 books about mysterious old houses that you might want to read.

1. Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart

The book has a mysterious old house, secrets and a bit of romance. Perfect book for a quick read.

2. The Lake House by Kate Morton

A horrific event takes place in a beautiful setting, changing the lives of the characters for good. The book is beautiful in its sombre mood.

3. The Unseen by Katherine Webb

Katherine Webb’s book is full of romance, murder and occult happenings. It is gripping and the haunted house at the centre of it all will keep you captivated.

4. The Dream House by Rachel Hore

We all have our image of the perfect house. Unfortunately, some dream houses don’t turn out to be as loving and fun as you might have hoped.

5. Black Rabbit Hall by Eve Chase

An idyllic holiday home in Cornwall is at the heart of Black Rabbit Hall. The book takes place in a beautiful summer that changes one family forever.

6. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

The Thirteenth Tale is the first book Setterfield published and it remains a great showcase of her talent. It’s a fantastic gothic novel with a super mysterious old house at the heart of it.

7. The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House by Stephanie Lam

Another fantastic debut novel, The Mysterious Affair at Castaway House is a gripping book ladled with mystery, secrets and romance.

8. The Shadow Hour by Kate Riordan

Fenix House is the mystery house at the centre of this gripping novel. It’s a recent book about a young woman and her attempt to recover from a personal tragedy.

9. House of Echoes by Barbara Erskine

If you like secretive houses and historical fiction, the House of Echoes is definitely worth a read. The book has plenty of drama, secrets and ghosts to keep you on your toes.

10. House of Silence by Linda Gillard

Meeting your partner’s family for the first time is always nerve wrecking, but even more so when the family home doesn’t seem quite normal. Christmas at the House of Silence is definitely unexpected and spooky.

11. Secrets of the Sea House by Elisabeth Gifford

The Secrets of the Sea House is another great historical novel. The story takes place in an old vicarage and the beautiful scenery of the island is breathtakingly well painted on the pages of the book.

12.The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

The book is often said to be the first mystery novel in the world. The book is filled with secrets and ghosts. While the book was published in 1859, it remains perfect book to read even in the modern world – you simply want to know the story of the Woman in White.

13. The House of Stairs by Barbara Vine

The House of Stairs is a classic crime novel with a quirky outlook on 60s London. You’ll be utterly captivated by the mysterious house. If the writing seems familiar, you might have read some of the other books by Barbara Vine, or Ruth Rendell who’s used the pen name for some of her books.

14. The Girl in the Photograph by Kate Riordan

You won’t be able to put down this clever book about a woman who has only left a faded photograph behind. But why is no one talking about her? You must find out by reading this fantastic book.

15.The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

Great atmospheric book about an eccentric family living in a house that seems to be falling apart. It’s impossible to tell much about this gothic novel without giving away the great secrets – you better just read it for yourself.

Admittedly, adding 15 new books to your bookshelf might not sound like the most affordable idea. The good news is that books don’t have to cost a fortune and there are ways to enjoy them without breaking the bank. Online book sites like Waterstones offer plenty of deals on VoucherBin. Utilising these offers can help you enjoy the books for less and ensure you get to explore the secrets in the above houses.

Furthermore, once you’ve read your book, you can always sell it forwards and earn a bit money. There are plenty of people browsing for second-hand books on the internet and selling your books doesn’t take a lot of time and money. For more tips, check out websites like WeBuyBooks.co.uk.

Hopefully, you’ll find the above books entertaining and a little bit spooky!