Let's start with a list of authors of gothic romances, then maybe do a post on each author with a list of her/his books?

Not all of these are as well known as some others, and mostly it's off the top of my head, but feel free to add. There are hundreds!

Veronica Bale
Jennifer Blake, aka Patricia Maxwell
Rebecca Brandewyne
Madeline Brent, aka Peter Donnelly
Charlotte Bronte
Emily Bronte
Paula Cappa
Virginia Coffman
Dorothy Daniels
Daphne du Maurier
Dorothy Eden
Barbara Erskine
Caroline Farr
Jane Aiken Hodge
Victoria Holt, aka Jean Plaidy, aka Philippa Carr
Susan Howatch
M. M. Kaye
Susanna Kearsley
Katheryn Kimbrough, aka John Kimbro
Norah Lofts, aka Juliet Astley
Elizabeth Meyette
Barbara Michaels, aka Barbara Mertz, aka Ellizabeth Peters
Kate Morton
Ann Radcliffe
Deanna Raybourn
Willo Davis Roberts
Regina Maria Roche
Anya Seton
Diane Setterfield
Mary Shelley
Mary Stewart
Simone St. James
Nicole St.John
Sharon Wagner
Constance Walker
Horace Walpole
Phyllis Whitney
Jennifer Wilde, (Tom Huff) also wrote as Edwina Marlow, Beatrice Parker,







And gazillions more!

Daphne du Maurier, Jane Aiken Hodge, Dorothy Eden and Jennifer Wilde?

Reply to post #2 (show post):
Oh, yes to all of the above! Will add them to the list and even try to alphabetize to make it easier!

I think we should also start a discussion about settings - to go beyond the obvious Cornwall coast/Yorkshire moor settings that are so prevalent in gothic romance. I love books set in exotic locations, and I even choose my reading material based upon where the book is set from time to time!

Reply to post #4 (show post):
I do the same thing, choose by settings. Or sometimes the reverse -- I'll reject a book because I'm not interested in the setting.

One of the settings often mentioned is the American Deep South, especially New Orleans, and I'm going to add Jennifer Blake, aka Patricia Maxwell to the author list. She has a set of six gothics available at $0.99 to $1.99 for Kindle.

Great list! I would like to add:

M.M. Kaye
Caroline Farr
Barbara Erskine
Deanna Raybourn
*Update- Madeline Brent aka Peter O'Donnell

Thanks!

Person of Interest linked me to a great blog on my post about The Ivy Tree! It's called My Love-Haunted Heart, and it's worth visiting for the cover art alone!

She also linked me to the Gothic Lending Library, which is also worth a visit!

Terrific! Terrific! Terrific!

This is becoming so much fun!

Reply to post #6 (show post):
Adding to the list.

Also adding Susanna Kearsley and Diane Setterfield.

If we are adding modern authors - and I am all for adding modern authors, then I think Simone St. James would qualify. In addition, The Distant Hours by Kate Morton would probably also qualify - I haven't read all of Morton, so I can't speak to the rest of her books.

Reply to post #10 (show post):
I think we should absolutely include "modern" authors. The more we read and discuss in this genre, don't you think we'll start seeing how the art form has changed and how it's stayed the same? That sort of thing fascinates me just as much as the books themselves. ;-)

For instance, I read Kearsley's The Rose Garden just a few weeks ago and would definitely class it as gothic romance (with time-travel as well).

The book I just finished, Southern Ghost, by Carolyn Hart, definitely felt like a Southern Gothic read, although there isn't any romance - just mystery. BUT, it's the 8th of an on-going series; it could be read as a stand-alone, no problem, but the rest of the series isn't at all gothic, so I don't know that Hart really qualifies. Maybe just if someone wants the atmosphere but not the romance...

Reply to post #1 (show post):
Great list.

Kearsley!! She's been on my TBR forever. Maybe now I'm finally going to get around to her ...

For those who are still interested in this discussion group, it looks like Open Road Media has picked up at least part of the Phyllis Whitney backlist! There are 8 kindle editions scheduled for publication on the 4th of July!

Title list:

The Moonflower

The Turquoise Mask

Hunter's Green

Black Amber

Poinciana

Blue Fire

Vermilion

Domino

If anyone is interested in a midsummer gothic buddy read of one of these, let me know! I think I am most interested in Black Amber or Hunter's Green, but I'd be up for any of them!

I'm definitely interested in Black Amber and the July release will give me time to find a print copy and get it here to AU (Whitney is an unknown here, so no local copies of her work).