13 Ghostly British Novels With Haunted Houses
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There are all kinds of spooky books – tales of vampires, werewolves, witches, and much more – but my personal favourite are the haunted houses. We've all had moments where we feel echoes of the past in a building, so it's not much of a stretch to imagine ghosts lingering in places that were significant to them. In this post, we take a look at some of the best and most interesting British tales of haunted houses.
The Whispering House by Elizabeth Brooks
Freya Lyell is still haunted by her sister Stella’s death five years ago. While visiting Byrne Hall, near the site of the tragedy, she is shocked to find a portrait of Stella in a house she was pretty sure Stella had never visited. Determined to uncover her sister’s hidden past, Freya is drawn into the eerie world of Byrne Hall and its inhabitants—charismatic artist Cory and his unsettling mother. As Freya’s obsession with Cory deepens, the dark secrets locked within the house begin to surface, threatening to unravel everything she thought she knew.
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The Upstairs Room by Kate Murray-Browne
Eleanor and Richard have gone all in on their dream home, but it's already turning into a nightmare. Eleanor feels something off in the house, convinced it's affecting her health, while their daughters grow more agitated by the day. Richard, however, is fixated on their enigmatic lodger, Zoe, who also feels uneasy. As Eleanor's condition worsens, she becomes obsessed with uncovering the dark history of the Ashworth family—and the unsettling name “Emily” scrawled repeatedly on the walls.
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The House of a Hundred Whispers by Graham Masterton
On a misty moor, All Hallows Hall—a crumbling Tudor mansion—holds dark secrets. Once home to Dartmoor Prison's former governor, now dead, his estranged children gather to receive their inheritance. But the house seems alive with eerie noises: creaking floors, hidden passageways, and wind whistling through its ancient priest hole. Just as the family decides to leave for good, young Timmy vanishes—without a trace, from inside the house.
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The Man in the Picture by Susan Hill
This chilling short novel begins when Oliver encounters a mysterious painting of masked revelers at a Venice carnival in his former professor's Cambridge apartment. On this winter night, the professor shares the painting’s chilling secret: it doesn’t just depict life—it traps it. Gazing into its depths risks entanglement with the dark forces lurking within, turning its macabre beauty into a deadly trap.
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The House on Cold Hill by Peter James
Most people know Peter James for his Roy Grace crime novels – but years ago, he lived in a purportedly haunted home in the south of England, and that's what inspired this novel (and its sequel, The Secret of Cold Hill). It follows city dwellers Ollie Harcourt, his wife Caro, and their daughter Jade as they move into the sprawling Cold Hill House in the Sussex countryside. Despite its dilapidated state and the financial burden the goes along with that, they're excited. Ollie thinks its perfect for both his family and his business, but soon after settling in, strange things start to happen. Jade’s friend sees a ghostly woman during a video call. Then Caro sees faces in the window of an upstairs room—one that seemingly doesn’t exist, hiding the house's dark secret.
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Craven Manor by Darcy Coates
Daniel is desperate for a new beginning, so when he receives an offer to be the groundskeeper at an ancient estate, he jumps at the chance, despite its suspicious nature. Craven Manor, abandoned and eerie, feels like a scene from a gothic novel. The mansion is neglected, yet Daniel moves into the cottage behind the family crypt. Soon, strange events unfold—a candle flickers in the empty tower, revealing he's not alone. Craven Manor hides a dark secret, and solving its mystery may come at a deadly cost.
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House of Glass by Susan Fletcher
In June 1914, Clara Waterfield is called to a grand stone house in Gloucestershire to create a paradise in its greenhouse with exotic plants from Kew Gardens. However, upon arriving at Shadowbrook, she senses something is wrong. Despite its beautiful gardens, the house feels abandoned, its rooms shuttered and empty, with an eerie atmosphere lingering. The staff seem frightened, and Clara soon discovers why—something, or someone, walks through the house at night. As she continues to explore Shadowbrook's unsettling secrets, Clara realizes nothing, including those offering help, is as it seems.
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The Silent House by Fergus Hume
Fergus Hume was a talented and prolific author of the Victorian and Edwardian era – but these days, you don't hear much about his work, apart from maybe The Mystery of a Hansom Cab. This novel, sometimes called The Silent House of Pimlico, follows Lucian Denzil, a young barrister drawn into the mystery of a murder in a notorious, haunted house. As Lucian investigates, he uncovers a web of deceit involving identity theft, a fraudulent marriage plot, and hidden motives. With the help of various characters, Lucian untangles the mystery, exposing the true culprit behind the crime and revealing the shocking secrets of the house's occupant.
It also worth pointing out that since the book is set in London, the cover really doesn't fit the story. It's also worth mentioning that because most of Hume's work was done in the late 1800s and early 1900s, it's generally in the public domain. If you're on a tight budget and you don't have time to track it down with your library, you can head over to Project Gutenberg and read a great many of Hume's novels for free.
Not sure how to get Project Gutenberg books on your Kindle? You can select the EPUB3 or Kindle format and then go HERE to the “Send to Kindle” page to add it to your device.
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The Greatcoat by Helen Dunmore
In the winter of 1952, newlywed Isabel Carey moves to the East Riding of Yorkshire with her husband, Philip, a doctor often away for work. Feeling isolated and adjusting to rural life, Isabel one night finds an old RAF greatcoat in a cupboard for warmth. Soon after, she’s startled by a knock at her window—outside stands Alec, a young RAF pilot wearing a similar coat. As their passionate affair unfolds, Isabel is drawn into Alec's mystery, leading to a truth far more unsettling than she could have imagined.
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The Unquiet House by Alison Littlewood
After losing both her parents, Emma Dean craves a new beginning. Inheriting a house deep in the Yorkshire countryside seems like the perfect escape. Though Mire House is cold and dreary, Emma feels an instant connection. Soon, Charlie Mitchell, the grandson of the house’s original owner, arrives, but Emma doubts his intentions. When ghostly figures appear, she wonders—is Charlie trying to frighten her, or does the house itself hold darker secrets?
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The Witching Hour by Syd Moore
After moving to a coastal town, widowed teacher Sarah Grey is rebuilding her life with her young son, Alfie. One night, after a drunken séance, Sarah begins seeing terrifying visions. At first, she dismisses them—until Alfie starts seeing them too. Believing they’re being haunted by the spirit of a 19th-century witch, Sarah dives into local folklore, discovering the witch’s sinister reputation. But when old letters surface, Sarah realizes nothing is as it seems, not even the ghost haunting her home.
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Ghost Hunters by Neil Spring
It's 1926, and Sarah Grey has an unusual new job as the assistant to Harry Price, the famous ghost hunter known for debunking fraudulent hauntings. Confident in his ability to expose another hoax, Harry and Sarah head to the famously haunted Borley Rectory, where objects reportedly fly unprovoked and a spectral nun haunts the grounds. However, as the night wears on and no trickery is uncovered, they are forced to face a chilling possibility: Borley’s ghost might be real—and they’re about to meet it firsthand.
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The Woman in the Mirror by Rebecca James
For over two centuries, Winterbourne Hall has loomed over the Cornish countryside, shrouded in fog and darkness. In 1947, Alice Miller arrives as the new governess for the de Grey twins, hoping the family will heal her past wounds. But the children's sweet façade turns malicious, their father grows cruel, and the manor itself seems to shift ominously, threatening Alice’s sanity.
In present-day New York, art curator Rachel Wright discovers she’s the heir to Winterbourne, a lineage she never knew. But when she arrives in Cornwall, she uncovers a legacy of madness, greed, and unrequited love. Winterbourne’s true mistress will not tolerate any woman claiming her place—and those who try will face the hall's inherited vengeance.
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