23 Gothic Books To Read That Are New To 2026
Are you searching for new gothic books to read? I don’t know about you but I am SO excited for these gothic books being released in 2026!
I LOVEEEE all things gothic. Seriously, my favourite movie is Coraline, my favourite fictional character is Morticia Adams and I’m truly incapable of choosing my favourite book but my bookshelf is definitely gothic in its own right.
I have previously been an exclusive classic reader- I know. I think after years of reading for research, and then reading a million articles for every book I read, I forgot that books can just be books. That they can just be fictional escapes. This is something I have been reminding myself of more and more in recent times, and my enjoyment of reading has only become greater with this.
One of my goals this year was to read books released in 2026. And the first 5 star read of the year was exactly that. A Forest, Darkly by A.G. Slatter is a witchy, gothic fiction fairy-tale that was published in February 2026 and it was, pretty much instantly, a new gothic hit. I LOVED it and I cannot stop raving about it.
And that got me thinking, what other gothic books are being released in the year 2026?
This post is all about gothic books to read that are new to 2026, so get your wallets ready- you are going to want to pre order these.
The 9 Best Vampire Books for Adults to Sink Your Fangs Into| A Blood Suckers Guide
Some links in this post are affiliate links. This means that if you click through and purchase a book, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support the blog and allows me to keep sharing recommendations.
New gothic fiction releases in 2026
If you’re searching for new gothic fiction releases in 2026, this is your month-by-month guide to the year’s most atmospheric, haunting, and darkly romantic books.
From crumbling estates and cursed families to sapphic vampires and gothic fantasy worlds, 2026 is shaping up to be a strong year for the genre. Whether you prefer classic haunted-house energy or modern genre-blending gothic, there’s something worth pre-ordering.
Below, you’ll find the most anticipated gothic releases of 2026, organised chronologically so you can plan your reading year properly.
Free Printable Book Bingo Cards For Readers Looking for Something New
January 2026
The Book of Blood and Roses
By Annie Summerlee
A decadent sapphic vampire romance layered with court politics, desire, and danger. Rich in gothic atmosphere, this one leans into obsession, power, and slow-burn tension.
Why it belongs on your TBR: Lush prose, morally complex characters, and strong gothic romance elements.
February 2026
21 Affordable Cozy Reading Nook Ideas For The Perfect Sanctuary
A Forest, Darkly
by A.G. Slatter
A Forest, Darkly by A.G. Slatter- An Enchanting 5 Star Review.
Talk about gothic books to read. A grumpy, isolated, aging witch, Mehrab, exists in a forest just outside of Berthta’s Forge, in a little cottage where she spends her witchy days.
A 5 star must read.
Weavingshaw
by Heba Al-Wasity
Set in a cursed estate where family legacy binds generations together, this gothic fantasy blends folklore, magic, and creeping dread. The house itself feels alive — always a promising sign in gothic fiction.
The Faithful Dark
by Cate Baumer
A queer gothic fantasy set within a rigid religious city. Forbidden love and political intrigue combine with oppressive architecture and moral decay.
February trend: Expect romance-infused gothic and fantasy crossover titles.
March 2026
Bitterbloom
By Teagan Olivia King
Bitterbloom leans further into the fairy-tale side of gothic fiction, offering a dark fantasy filled with beauty, brutality, and haunting atmosphere. With its emphasis on transformation, longing, and emotional intensity, it captures that signature gothic feeling where love and danger blur together.
Only Spell Deep
By Ava Morgyn
A darkly enchanting gothic fantasy set against a backdrop of secrets and simmering magic, Only a Spell Deep blends political intrigue with romantic tension and a creeping sense of unease. The novel centres on dangerous loyalties, hidden histories, and the kind of slow-burn yearning that gothic fiction does best.
April 2026
We Call Them Witches
By India-Rose Bower
When three women in the isolated town of Blackthorn begin experiencing inexplicable phenomena- livestock dying, strange marks appearing on their skin, whispered voices in the woods- the community reacts in the only way it knows how: with fear disguised as righteousness.
Vile Lady Villains
By Danai Christopoulou
I am so excited for this and I am definitely going to pre order!
Set across a decaying seaside city where reputation is currency and scandal is sport, the novel follows three women publicly condemned for crimes they may- or may not- have committed. A widow accused of poisoning her husband. A socialite implicated in a disappearance. A reclusive heiress who never leaves her shuttered estate.
May 2026
The Library After Dark
By Ande Pliego
A claustrophobic thriller set inside a legendary library with a deadly past. Gothic fiction loves a confined, secretive setting — and this novel leans heavily into psychological dread and dark secrets.
Perfect for: Readers who enjoy gothic suspense with literary flair.
June 2026
Why the Summer Reading Log is Actually Elite (+ Free Printable)
Hunger and Thirst
by Claire Fuller
In Hunger and Thirst, isolation becomes both sanctuary and punishment. The novel follows a reclusive woman living on the edge of a crumbling coastal landscape, where food is scarce, water unreliable, and memory even less dependable. When a stranger arrives claiming to know her past, the fragile ecosystem she has built — both literal and emotional — begins to fracture.
Rottenheart
By Kat Dunn
Rottenheart centres on a once-prestigious family whose ancestral home has quite literally begun to sink into the marshland surrounding it. When the estranged heir returns after years away, she discovers the estate is not just structurally unsound — it’s rotting from generations of moral corruption.
Vervain Hollow
By Catriona Silvey
Set in a remote village surrounded by dense woodland, Vervain Hollow explores what happens when a community’s superstitions are more binding than its laws. When a young woman begins to question the rituals that have governed the town for centuries, she uncovers a pattern of disappearances no one dares to discuss.
July 2026
Merciful is the Dark
by Sophie Clark
Merciful Is the Dark unfolds in a war-scarred world where holiness and horror are nearly indistinguishable. At its centre is a demon hunter trained to see evil as something cleanly defined – something that can be tracked, named, and destroyed. But when a battlefield encounter binds her fate to someone she was raised to fear, the rigid lines between salvation and damnation begin to fracture.
August 2026
Reliquary
by Hannah F. Whitten
This gothic fantasy follows Claire, a grieving woman who accepts an invitation to stay with her late fiancé’s wealthy family on their isolated private island. What initially seems like an opportunity for belonging quickly becomes unsettling as the family’s strange connection to the sea and the house built into the cliffs begins to reveal darker secrets.
The Halls of the Dead
By S.M. Hallow
Set in a necromancy-shadowed version of Victorian London, this queer gothic horror romance centres on Irene Shallcross Haley, a woman who practices forbidden magic passed down through grimoires bound in human skin. When the woman she loves is executed for witchcraft, Irene attempts the impossible: bringing her back from the dead.
September 2026
The Knave and the Moon
By Rachel Gillig
This sequel continues a dark romantasy story set in a fractured kingdom where faith, power, and prophecy intertwine. After a cathedral collapses and political alliances shift, a mysterious man with no name appears at a series of royal tournaments — possibly the key to overthrowing a tyrant king.
Kiss Slay Replay
By Rachel Harrison
At first glance, the premise feels almost playful: a woman finds herself trapped in a repeating cycle where every attempt to escape her circumstances leads to another disastrous relationship — and occasionally another suspicious death.
But the humour gradually darkens as the story progresses.
Each repetition peels back another layer of the protagonist’s life: the expectations placed upon her, the simmering resentment she carries, and the strange sense that the world itself may be pushing her toward violence.
Instead of haunted houses, the gothic energy here comes from psychological entrapment. The cycle becomes its own prison — one where the line between victim and villain blurs with every reset.
The result is a darkly comic but unsettling story about identity, rage, and the uncomfortable possibility that some monsters are made slowly, over time.
October 2026
Please Enjoy Your Stay
By Tara Goedjen
Set in a castle-like hotel in the Austrian Alps, this gothic crime thriller revisits a decade-old murder and the oppressive architecture that refuses to let the past rest.
Our Strange Duet
By Erin A. Craig
No cover available upon this dates publication.
A dark reimagining inspired by The Phantom of the Opera, this novel follows a young opera singer whose rise to fame is shadowed by the mysterious figure haunting the theatre. As her voice captivates audiences, the unseen presence guiding her career becomes increasingly possessive.
Sleepers in the Snow
By Joanne Harris
On a remote moor, a solitary house stands beneath a humming power line. Snow covers the surrounding land for months each year, preserving the past in quiet layers.
When a visitor arrives hoping to catalogue the belongings of the home’s former owner, they discover journals, photographs, and strange relics scattered throughout the rooms. Each item tells a fragment of a story- one that suggests the house has witnessed more than its walls should remember.
November 2026
The Lost Souls of Saint Oda’s
By Jess Armstrong
When a journalist is sent to investigate a forgotten convent perched on the edge of a windswept coast, she expects little more than a quiet human-interest story. Instead, she finds a place where the past clings to every stone corridor. The sisters speak cautiously about former residents who vanished decades ago, and strange rituals still linger beneath the surface of daily prayers. As the investigation deepens, the convent’s buried history begins to surface—along with the unsettling feeling that some of its “lost souls” were never truly laid to rest.
This Never Happened
By Jessica Clem
Returning to her childhood estate after years away, a woman attempts to reclaim the narrative of a tragedy that once consumed her family. The house stands untouched, filled with relics of the life that ended abruptly one winter night. But as she sorts through letters, diaries, and half-forgotten memories, the story she thought she knew begins to fracture. Rooms seem subtly changed, neighbours offer conflicting recollections, and the house itself feels like a silent witness guarding the truth. The closer she comes to understanding what really happened, the more the past twists into something darker than she ever imagined.
December 2026
December is traditionally a quieter month for new book launches, but gothic readers often see a few late-year surprises as publishers quietly release dark fantasy and horror titles before the new year.
While most of the major gothic releases of 2026 arrive in the autumn season- particularly in September and October when atmospheric fiction thrives- December still offers a moment to catch up on the year’s most haunting stories. It’s also a time when smaller presses and indie gothic authors frequently release eerie winter tales filled with isolated houses, snow-covered landscapes, and lingering ghosts.
As publishers finalise their winter catalogues, additional gothic releases may still be announced for December 2026. If you’re building your gothic reading list for the year, keep an eye on this space- late-year additions often become hidden gems that gothic readers discover after the Halloween rush.
This post was all about gothic books to read that are new to 2026.
Happy reading!
Related posts
How To Start A Reading Journal and 64 Creative Page Ideas
Iconic Books: The Jess Mariano Reading List That Every Gilmore Girl’s Fan Will Love
A Solo Winter Reading Challenge To Spend Better Time With Yourself
Spooky Short Story Collections Guaranteed To Keep You Up At Night
