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Quick answer: If you loved The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, try We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson, The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, The Woman in Black by Susan Hill, The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters, Hell House by Richard Matheson and The Shining by Stephen King.
Shirley Jackson’s 1959 novel begins with one of the most famous opening paragraphs in horror: no live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality. Four people arrive at Hill House to investigate its reputation: Dr. Montague, a scholar of the supernatural, Theodora, a bohemian artist, Luke, the heir to the house and Eleanor, a lonely woman who has never belonged anywhere. As the house works on them, Eleanor comes to feel that she belongs there. The picks below share the subtlety, psychological depth and quiet menace that made Jackson’s novel a classic.
Table of Contents
Why Readers Love The Haunting of Hill House
Readers love The Haunting of Hill House because it is genuinely frightening without gore. Jackson writes scenes of knocking on doors, cold spots and whispers that feel scarier because they’re ambiguous, and she lets us wonder whether the haunting is in the house or in Eleanor’s mind. Eleanor is a deeply sympathetic character whose desperate need for a home makes the ending devastating. The writing is elegant, and the dialogue between the guests is witty and sharp. Stephen King has called it one of the great haunted-house novels, and it inspired generations of writers, as well as Netflix’s 2018 series.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick below shares at least one thing readers loved about The Haunting of Hill House: its characters, its mood, its setting or the questions it raises. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious choices, and we noted the genre and who each book suits best in the table, so you can scan for the right fit before you read the blurbs.
We kept every description spoiler-free and flagged mature content where it matters, since some of these books are written for adults and others suit teens. If you’re not sure where to start, the tips near the end of this list match each pick to what you loved most. The FAQ at the bottom answers the questions readers ask most often.
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Genre | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| We Have Always Lived in the Castle | Shirley Jackson | Gothic fiction | More Shirley Jackson |
| The Turn of the Screw | Henry James | Classic horror | Ambiguous ghosts |
| The Woman in Black | Susan Hill | Gothic horror | A traditional ghost story |
| The Little Stranger | Sarah Waters | Gothic fiction | A slow, literary haunting |
| Hell House | Richard Matheson | Horror | A more explicit haunted house |
| The Shining | Stephen King | Horror | Isolation and a haunted hotel |
| House of Leaves | Mark Z. Danielewski | Experimental horror | Houses that defy logic |
| Mexican Gothic | Silvia Moreno-Garcia | Gothic horror | A modern gothic mansion |
| The Silent Companions | Laura Purcell | Gothic fiction | Creepy Victorian ghosts |
| Rebecca | Daphne du Maurier | Gothic classic | Houses that haunt |
| Dracula | Bram Stoker | Classic horror | The classic gothic horror |
| The Grip of It | Jac Jemc | Horror | Modern haunted-house unease |
| The Death of Jane Lawrence | Caitlin Starling | Gothic horror | A dark, gory update |
| Ghost Story | Peter Straub | Horror | Slow-burn dread |
| The Elementals | Michael McDowell | Horror | Southern gothic haunted houses |
1. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
Merricat Blackwood lives in a decaying family house with her sister Constance and uncle, isolated from a hostile town, and a cousin’s arrival disturbs their routine. It’s darkly funny and eerie, with an unforgettable narrator.
2. The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
A governess at a remote estate comes to believe that her two young charges are haunted by the ghosts of former servants. It’s a short, ambiguous classic that has been debated for over a century.
3. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
A young solicitor is sent to a remote house on the English coast to settle a dead woman’s affairs and is haunted by a spectral woman in black. It’s short, atmospheric and chilling.
4. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
A country doctor becomes involved with an aristocratic family and their decaying mansion in post-war England, and strange events start to escalate. It’s elegant and unsettling.
5. Hell House by Richard Matheson
A physicist, two mediums and a survivor attempt to investigate a mansion where earlier teams died or went mad. It was strongly influenced by Hill House, and is more graphic.
6. The Shining by Stephen King
A writer takes a job as the winter caretaker of the Overlook Hotel with his wife and psychic son. It’s a landmark of horror, and King has often praised Jackson’s influence.
7. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
A family discovers that their house is bigger on the inside than the outside, and a manuscript about it tells the story. It’s a famously strange, challenging novel.
8. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
A socialite goes to a remote Mexican mansion to check on her cousin and discovers sinister secrets. It’s atmospheric, with more graphic content in the final chapters.
9. The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell
A young widow discovers a mysterious painted wooden figure in her husband’s crumbling estate, and the figures seem to move. It’s a spooky and well-plotted ghost story.
10. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
A young bride arrives at Manderley and lives in the shadow of her husband’s first wife. It’s a landmark of suspense.
11. Dracula by Bram Stoker
Jonathan Harker travels to Transylvania and discovers the Count’s plans to move to England. It’s told in letters and diaries, and remains a masterpiece of suspense.
12. The Grip of It by Jac Jemc
A couple moves to a house in a small town and finds that something is wrong with the walls and with each other. It’s eerie, strange and a modern take on Jackson’s themes.
13. The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling
A practical woman marries a doctor in a marriage of convenience and finds that his house hides terrible secrets. It’s gory and atmospheric.
14. Ghost Story by Peter Straub
Four old men share ghost stories and a long-buried secret, and something starts to come for them. It’s chilling and atmospheric.
15. The Elementals by Michael McDowell
Two families spend a summer at Gulf Coast beach houses, one of which is slowly being swallowed by sand and something else. It’s strange and creepy, and a cult favorite.
How to Pick Your Next Ghost Story
- Want more Jackson? We Have Always Lived in the Castle.
- Want short classics? The Turn of the Screw and The Woman in Black.
- Want modern haunted houses? The Grip of It and The Death of Jane Lawrence.
- Want a bigger scare? Hell House and The Shining.
- Want something experimental? House of Leaves.
- Watch the series. Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House is loosely inspired by the novel.
Shirley Jackson’s Other Work
If you’ve read Hill House, try her other books. We Have Always Lived in the Castle, narrated by eighteen-year-old Merricat Blackwood, is a darkly funny story about two sisters living in isolation after a family tragedy. The short story The Lottery is one of the most famous American stories ever written. Her collections, including The Lottery and Other Stories, show her range, from domestic comedy to horror. Jackson also wrote funny memoirs about family life, such as Life Among the Savages, which surprise readers who only know her as a horror writer.
The Netflix Series and the Book
Mike Flanagan’s 2018 series The Haunting of Hill House took its title, setting and some character names from Jackson’s novel but told a very different story, following a family across decades. If you loved the series, the book offers a shorter, quieter and more ambiguous experience. If you love the book, you may be surprised by how different the series is. Both explore grief and family trauma, and both reward careful attention. Many readers enjoy reading the book and then watching the series, or the other way around.
What Makes a Great Ghost Story?
The best ghost stories rely on suggestion rather than explanation. A door that opens by itself, a noise on the stairs or a figure at the edge of a photograph can be more frightening than a monster. Great ghost stories also tie the haunting to the character’s emotions, so that the ghost reflects grief, guilt or longing. Jackson, Henry James and Susan Hill all follow this approach, which is why their stories remain popular. If you like the form, look for classic ghost-story anthologies, which collect the best short tales from the Victorian era onward.
Reading Tips for Classic Horror
Classic horror is often quieter than modern horror. Expect slow openings, formal dialogue and a focus on atmosphere. Try reading at night with a single lamp, or in a cozy chair during a storm, because setting can make the experience richer. Notice the details, such as the way characters speak about the house or the way Eleanor’s thoughts change, because they often hint at what is to come. And if you find the ambiguity frustrating, read a summary of critics’ interpretations afterward. Understanding the debate is part of the pleasure.
Questions to Discuss After Reading Hill House
Hill House is full of ambiguity, which makes it a rich book for discussion. Is Hill House truly haunted, or are the events caused by Eleanor’s mind? Why is Eleanor so drawn to the house? What role do Theodora, Luke and Dr. Montague play in the group’s dynamic? How do the famous opening and closing lines frame the novel? Does the ending feel tragic, inevitable or liberating? Different readers have very different answers, and listening to them is one of the book’s pleasures.
Related: books like The Shining and best thriller books for book clubs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What book is most like The Haunting of Hill House?
We Have Always Lived in the Castle is also by Jackson, and Hell House is the most direct homage. The Turn of the Screw and The Woman in Black are the best classic matches.
Is The Haunting of Hill House scary?
It’s more chilling than gory. Jackson relies on atmosphere and ambiguity.
How does the book differ from the Netflix series?
The series changes the story, following a family across decades. The book is a shorter story about four people at Hill House.
Is The Haunting of Hill House suitable for teens?
Yes, for mature teens. It has no graphic content, but deals with loneliness and mental fragility.
What should I read after Hill House?
Try We Have Always Lived in the Castle, then The Little Stranger or The Woman in Black.