10 Gothic books about witches

There are witch books, and then there are witch books that feel like lighting a candle you probably shouldn’t have found, in a house you definitely shouldn’t be in.

If your dream reading scenario involves a cursed grimoire, questionable ancestors, and women who don’t whisper when they should be screaming, you’re in the right haunted hallway. This isn’t your light-and-fluffy witchy fiction. These are gothic. Grim. Gorgeous. Full of doomed romance, ancient grudges, and women who keep being told “no” and respond with hexes.

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What’s the vibe?

Think Crimson Peak meets The VVitch meets Practical Magic if the Owens women had trauma bonding sessions instead of margarita nights. These books feel like a Lana Del Rey song got lost in the woods with a broken compass and a pocket full of grave dirt. They’re not cute witchy, they’re cursed. They’re not spooky season kitsch, they’re ancestral reckoning. If you grew up on Hocus Pocus but stayed for The Haunting of Bly Manor, this is your reading list.

Gothic Books About Witches

Let’s get into the spellbook. If you’re craving more eerie, candlelit reads beyond witches, our collection of gothic books is its own kind of haunted house. Below are 10 witchy reads soaked in atmosphere, haunted history, and the kind of feminine power that makes people nervous. Each one brings something slightly different, from historical horror to romantasy to feminist rage-but they all share the same core: magic with consequences.

The First Witch of Boston by Andrea J. Catalano

A healer. A firebrand. A woman way too bold for Puritan Boston. Margaret Jones arrives in the New World with nothing but love, stubbornness, and a past full of secrets. Spoiler: it doesn’t end well. Based on the real diary entries and court records of the first woman executed for witchcraft in Massachusetts, this one reads like historical fiction laced with grief and powder burns.

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The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox

Moving into a haunted house to escape scandal? Never a good idea. Lydia Montrose discovers that her new home isn’t just creaky floorboards and suspicious whispers, it’s hiding power she didn’t ask for and truths she can’t unsee. Gothic, ghostly, and romantic in that “are we kissing or are you cursed?” kind of way.

Grab The Witch of Willow Hall on Amazon or read our The Witch of Willow Hall book review

Autumn of the Grimoire by J.L. Vampa

Meet Agatha: one of four ancient witches tied to the seasons, and the only one cursed with a book that bosses her around. When she’s forced to marry a royal himbo with secrets darker than his wardrobe, Agatha becomes the reluctant main character in a plot involving court politics, blacklisted rebels, and a prophecy she might just burn down.

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The Witch of Painted Sorrows by M.J. Rose

Paris. 1890s. A haunted mansion. A painter possessed. Sandrine runs from her terrible husband and straight into the arms of La Lune, a seductive 16th-century witch who isn’t done with the world yet. Sensual, supernatural, and drenched in perfume and blood.

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The Unmarked Witch by Miranda Lyn

Magic is tattooed onto your skin, unless you’re Raven. Unmarked. Unclaimed. Potentially lethal. This gothic fantasy throws her into deadly trials, court drama, and a romance that might cost her more than her freedom. High stakes, high magic, and very high potential for chaos.

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The Last Witch of Edinburgh by Marielle Thompson

The Last Witch in Edinburgh by Marielle Thompson weaves a tale of witchcraft, queer love, and resistance against patriarchy in an alternate 1824 Edinburgh. Nellie Duncan finds solace and purpose at a women’s apothecary, discovering her magical heritage and the power to defy patriarchal violence. When tragedy strikes, she must embrace her destiny to confront ancient enemies and fight for women’s power. Set against the backdrop of Scottish folklore, this atmospheric novel blends witchcraft and emotional depth.

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The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco

Tea accidentally raises her dead brother from the grave and is suddenly that girl, the one everyone fears but no one understands. She trains in dark magic, necromancy, and court politics while telling her side of the story in a narrative that reads like a confession and a prophecy rolled into one.

Grab The Bone Witch on Amazon or read our The Bone Witch book review

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

Suffragettes with spells? Yes please. The Eastwood sisters join the movement to win women the vote, and maybe, if they’re lucky, their magic back too. Harrow’s prose is lush, lyrical, and charged with that quiet fury you feel in your bones. You’ll want to underline every line.

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The Witches of Blackbrook by Tish Thawer

Three witches. One soul. Reincarnation drama. A paranormal romance with gothic leanings, this one follows sisters reunited after lifetimes apart, tangled in a prophecy that refuses to stay buried. Great for readers who like their magic with a little bit of fate and a lot of candles.

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Island Witch by Amanda Jayatissa

Set in colonial Sri Lanka, Amara is the daughter of a demon priest and accused of witchcraft after strange attacks rock her village. Rich with folklore, dreams, and secrets, this one blends cultural horror with supernatural suspense. Moody, mysterious in the best way.

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Final Thoughts

Got some favorite gothic books about witches that made you want to howl at the moon? Drop it in the comments. And if you’re still craving more atmosphere, we’ve got you! Check out all our gothic book recommendations here or even more book about witches here.

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