Gothic Book Club Anniversary Recap

Here's how we entertained ourselves over the past year

The Gothic Book Club celebrates its first anniversary this month, and I’m so happy that we’ve managed to pack in so many groundbreaking and memorable reads over the past year. It’s all down to your participation and enthusiasm, so from the very bottom of my fractured and gnarled little heart, thank you!

The Gothic Book Club is an exploration of the bizarre, the uncanny and the sinister. It’s not a horror book club, because the Gothic expands beyond horror. It can be found in the everyday, in fact, that’s where it often resides.

To remind you, here’s a list of all the wonderful titles we have explored since Sep ‘23.

Sep ‘23 - The Gormengast Trilogy (All three books!)

We went in heavy with the sublime and unforgettable series by Mervyn Peake. This was a personal favorite which set the tone and feel of the Gothic Book Club in such a magnificent way. I have so many fond memories of reading this with you all, and have formed some genine friendships as a result. One beatiful outcome was that one of Mervyn Peake and Maeve Gilmore’s grandchildren reached out to thank us all for sharing so much love and appreciation of Gormenghast. If that wasn’t encouragement to continue, then I don’t know what is.

Oct ‘23 - We Have Always Lived in the Castle - Shirley Jackson

While The Haunting of Hill House is an undisputable classic of the gothic / haunted house genre, it felt like We Have Always Lived in the Castle gets a little less time in the spotlight. Ever eager to root for the underdog, this proved to be a superb way to punctuate the weight and effort of the Gormenghast books, providing a sinister and subtle insight into the mastery of Jackson’s work. I’ll forever love this title and will never stop recommending it to people.

Nov ‘23 - The Little Friend - Donna Tartt

Our deepest foray into the Southern Gothic genre, Donna Tartt’s ‘difficult second novel’ is one which, for me personally, resonated in a stronger manner than her debut The Secret History. The latter had a resurgence on TikTok over the last year or so, but it fizzled out quickly and very little was ever mentioned of Tartt’s subsequent output. The Little Friend is a claustrophobic slow burner, filled with dusty, biblical threats, reminiscent of Flannery O’Conner and Carson McCullers at their finest.

Dec ‘23 - The Secret of Ventriloquism - Jon Padgett

What to say about Jon Padgett? The New Orleans native is a huge celebrant and custodian of contemporary weird fiction. From his work with Grimscribe Press, to his frequent collaborations with Thomas Ligotti, Padgett is a writer’s writer, who maintains an uncanny ability to disorientate, disturb and fascinate in equal measure. This was the title which generated the most ‘What the heck am I reading here?’ messages from you all. Evergreen recommendation.

I aim to meet up with Jon later in the year. I’ll let you know how it goes. If I return.

Jan ‘24 - The Road - Cormacc McCarthy

January is a tough month, and I’m a masochist, so how better to kick off the year than with McCarthy’s most harrowing and brutal novel? An exercise in sparse, linguistic trauma, this is dystopian fiction at its absolute finest. A gut-punch of a book, which utilizes some magnificent forms which accentuate the narrative with such skill and impact. An experience which few readers will ever forget.

Feb ‘24 - Lent - Jo Walton

Now this was FUN! My first experience with Jo Walton, but one which made me a lifelong fan. As soon as I read Lent, I wanted to talk about it with people and, well it just so happened that I was running a little book club at the time. As this coincided with the season, it was a no-brainer to delve into Lent in February. This was a Dante-esque descent into hell itself, which managed to be playful, grotesque and devilishly smart all at once. The last few chapters broke my heart and left me feeling envious at the skill with which they were written.

Mar ‘24 - Hawk Mountain - Conner Habib

Conner Habib is just an awesome human being in so many ways. His magnificent podcast Against Everyone With Conner Habib exists somewhere on the intersection of the occult, the esoteric and the spiritual, with a regular rotation of guests from the world of culture, art and beyond. You feel like you’re learning something when you listen to Conner, and his fiction is no different. Hawk Mountain is a terrifying and dark journey through obsession, guilt, emotion and perspective. What a debut! No wonder it caused such a stir amongst the literary community when it was released.

April ‘24 - Interview With The Vampire - Anne Rice

Anne Rice was always going to be a part of the Gothic Book Club. The Vampire Chronicles have been a beloved part of my life since the ‘90s and it’s such a delight to see a renewed sense of love for these stories as a result of the new TV show. The Vampire Lestat is one of the best central characters to every feature in an ongoing series of books, and the world which Rice creates is the epitome of decadence, debauchery and death. A yearning for the possibilities of immortality and the despair at the actualization of it. This won’t be the last time we read her work together.

May ‘24 - Mordew - Alex Pheby

Alex Pheby is an uncelebrated master of modern fantasy and I’m genuinely excited to see what he has lined up next. A successor to the crown of weird fiction, his vast and complex worlds are exemplary. Pheby takes tropes we may recognize (there’s a lot of Gormenghast, Dickens and Le Guin contained within Mordew) and distills them into his own brew; one filled with magic and menace. A sinister, sprawling dungeon of a story. The second book, Malarkoi, is also fantastic. I am in eager anticipation of the final instalment of The Cities of the Weft trilogy, and feel it will be placeed up there with the likes of China Mieville’s Bas Lag books in terms of legacy.

June ‘24 - The House on the Borderland - William Hope Hodgson

Psychedelic horror set in rural Ireland? Bring it! Hope Hodgson is a tragically underappreciated writer who created many original and groundbreaking worlds. The House on the Borderland could be described as cosmic horror and was beloved by writers such as Alan Moore and H.P. Lovecraft. This novel serves as a wonderful way to familiarize yourself with Hope Hodgson’s work, whilst setting the tone for so much 20th century fantasy which followed.

July ‘24 - The Third Policeman - Flann O’Brien

Speaking of bizarre stories set in Ireland, The Third Policeman may have seemed like a leftfield selection, but once it got going, I heard from a lot of book club members who were like ‘Ahhhhhh, okay, I get it now,’ and that was really satisfying. A spooky little shaggy dog story, delivered with O’Brien’s remarkable wit and wonder, this is a book which warrants multiple readings, and I’m so pleased with the response this title received.

Aug ‘24 - Rosemary’s Baby - Ira Levin

A traditional turn as we enter the fall. Rosemary’s Baby is well-known as a movie, but the original novel by thriller writer Ira Levin is somewhat less celebrated. A masterclass in tension and terror, this is a commentary on so many issues, carefully crafted into a satanic panic fuelled gaslighting bonanza. A throttling and exhausting experience. Palm-sweatingly uncomfortable, with a stunning ending.

So, what’s been your favourite from the first year of the Gothic Book Club?

I hope you have made some friends and discovered some titles which will stay with you forever. It’s a small community we have here, but I am so grateful for each and every one of you who take the time to share your love in these weird and wonderful books. It means the world.

And, to celebrate our one year anniversary, I’m going to place some focus upon an absolute favorite of mine; Sacrament by Clive Barker. This is a truly magnificent piece of work, of which I will provide a proper introduction very soon.

In the meantime, grab yourself a copy and lets get to it!