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America’s Most Gothic: Haunted History Stranger than Fiction
Instant USA Today Bestseller
From the Bram Stoker nominated author team who penned A Haunted History of Invisible Women, the first book of its kind to investigate gothic tropes that define American lore. Here is the hidden, dark history of what frightens us—and why.
The Gothic. Brooding, atmospheric, chilling, and not always the outpouring of a feverish imagination. Reality can be even stranger as borne out in this lush and ghostly look at real people who lived--and died—amidst the trappings of the Gothic.
Fog clinging to an isolated mansion. A dangerous patriarch or an overbearing matron. Locked doors and forbidden rooms. Whispers of murder and madness. And a woman shadowed by omnipresent threats. You’ve guessed it. You’ve stumbled into a Gothic tale, and it will haunt you like a ghost.
We often think of the enduring tropes of the Gothic in terms of fiction and film—breath-catching escapes that tap into our fears, anxieties, forbidden desires, and unsettling dreams. But what if some of these chilly vibes are rooted in the experiences of real and tragic people who danced a macabre waltz with love and death? That’s why we’re here. Take the case of teenage Mercy Brown, victim—or was it predator?—of Rhode Island’s vampire hysteria of the 1890s. Marguerite de la Roque, a French noblewoman condemned for “sexual crimes” to Canada’s long-lost Isle of Demons. What happened to her and the barren landscape itself is the stuff of legend. And “Mad Lucy” Ludwell, the decidedly peculiar eighteenth-century high-society hauteur driven mad in the Virginia estate she prowls to this day. President Helen Peabody’s spirit still stringently watches over her Women’s College, now part of Ohio’s Miami University. Ghosts of workers lost in horrific conditions while building the Hoosac Tunnel warn of imminent danger. Settle in. There are more.
Welcome to the phantom ships, haunted academic halls, menacing landscapes, and family curses of America’s Most Gothic—a tour of true spectral sightings and disordered minds. But it’s sure to get under your skin. The haunted—and haunting—figures herein want it that way.
From the Bram Stoker nominated author team who penned A Haunted History of Invisible Women, the first book of its kind to investigate gothic tropes that define American lore. Here is the hidden, dark history of what frightens us—and why.
The Gothic. Brooding, atmospheric, chilling, and not always the outpouring of a feverish imagination. Reality can be even stranger as borne out in this lush and ghostly look at real people who lived--and died—amidst the trappings of the Gothic.
Fog clinging to an isolated mansion. A dangerous patriarch or an overbearing matron. Locked doors and forbidden rooms. Whispers of murder and madness. And a woman shadowed by omnipresent threats. You’ve guessed it. You’ve stumbled into a Gothic tale, and it will haunt you like a ghost.
We often think of the enduring tropes of the Gothic in terms of fiction and film—breath-catching escapes that tap into our fears, anxieties, forbidden desires, and unsettling dreams. But what if some of these chilly vibes are rooted in the experiences of real and tragic people who danced a macabre waltz with love and death? That’s why we’re here. Take the case of teenage Mercy Brown, victim—or was it predator?—of Rhode Island’s vampire hysteria of the 1890s. Marguerite de la Roque, a French noblewoman condemned for “sexual crimes” to Canada’s long-lost Isle of Demons. What happened to her and the barren landscape itself is the stuff of legend. And “Mad Lucy” Ludwell, the decidedly peculiar eighteenth-century high-society hauteur driven mad in the Virginia estate she prowls to this day. President Helen Peabody’s spirit still stringently watches over her Women’s College, now part of Ohio’s Miami University. Ghosts of workers lost in horrific conditions while building the Hoosac Tunnel warn of imminent danger. Settle in. There are more.
Welcome to the phantom ships, haunted academic halls, menacing landscapes, and family curses of America’s Most Gothic—a tour of true spectral sightings and disordered minds. But it’s sure to get under your skin. The haunted—and haunting—figures herein want it that way.
444 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2025
63 people are currently reading
6477 people want to read
About the author
Leanna Renee Hieber
66 books1,097 followersAuthor, actress, artist and playwright, Leanna received a BFA in Theatre, a focus in the Victorian Era and a scholarship to study in London. She adapted 19th Century literature for the stage and her one-act plays have been produced around the country. She is a 4 time Prism Award winner for excellence in Futuristic, Fantasy, or Paranormal Romance. Her debut novel, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker, first in the "Strangely Beautiful" saga of Gothic Victorian Fantasy novels (Barnes & Noble Bestseller) won two 2010 Prism Awards (Best Fantasy, Best First Book) has been hailed by Tor Books as a "foundation work of Gaslamp Fantasy" and has been reissued in new, revised editions as STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL. The prequel, PERILOUS PROPHECY and the never before published MISS VIOLET AND THE GREAT WAR finish the quartet (Tor Books). DARKER STILL: A Novel of Magic Most Foul was named an Indie Next title by the American Book Association and a Scholastic book fair "Highly Recommended" title. All books in the Magic Most Foul trilogy are now available as is THE ETERNA FILES trilogy of Gaslamp Fantasy novels (Tor Books). Her new series with Kensington's new Rebel Base imprint, THE SPECTRAL CITY, a Gaslamp Fantasy / Supernatural Suspense became a # 1 Amazon bestseller in Gaslamp Fantasy, Steampunk and Metaphysical Fantasy as well as hitting the top ten across other platforms. The series continues with three novels. Her short fiction has been included in anthologies such as QUEEN VICTORIA'S BOOK OF SPELLS and the MAMMOTH BOOK OF GASLAMP ROMANCE. All her Victorian-set series feature crossover characters. A member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Mystery Writers of America and the International Thriller Writers, she is a proud co-founder of Lady Jane's Salon Reading Series in New York City. A member of Actors Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA, Leanna works often in film and television on shows like Boardwalk Empire and Mysteries at the Museum, works as a ghost tour guide for Boroughs of the Dead tour company and creates unique neo-Victorian and Steampunk jewelry on Etsy. In 2018 Leanna wrote, developed and now tours a one woman show "By the Light of Tiffany: A Meeting with Clara Driscoll" about the talented 19th century artist. Visit http://leannareneehieber.com for free reads, writers' resources, interviews, videos and more, and follow her on Twitter http://twitter.com/leannarenee and FB http://facebook.com/lrhieber.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
January 2, 2026
I knew this wasn’t working for me about two chapters in, but I stubbornly stuck with it just to confirm that I’m not the right reader for this book. Sometimes perseverance doesn’t pay off.
In the interest of full disclosure, I am not into Gothic or paranormal. There are some things I find hard to take seriously other than in fiction, but I do enjoy well-written nonfiction on strangest topics, and this one held quite a promise. “Welcome to the phantom ships, haunted academic halls, menacing landscapes, and family curses of America’s Most Gothic—a tour of true spectral sightings and disordered minds,” promised the blurb, and I was sold.
But in the end it just didn’t work for me.
First of all, my skepticism got the best of me. I’ve read my fair share of fantasy and horror, but I like my haunted stuff to remain strictly in fiction. Unlike the authors of this book, I have never ever seriously considered anyone having “certain energy sensitivities” in any way, as one of the authors of this book describes herself. Reading a passage that goes “I’m energy sensitive. In places with intense residual energy, whether positive or negative, I’ll feel it resonate in one of two ways: I’ll either hear it, like a buzz or an audible note of some kind, or it will manifest physically; a pressure leading to shortness of breath or a pain either in my chest or head” makes me feel annoyingly closed-minded and wonder whether I accidentally picked up a fictional ghost story instead.
Second, I think a bit of tighter editing could have helped.
The book is structured as alternating essays by each of the authors, and something about the writing style reminded me of a blog rather than a book — and with authors’ personalities at times overshadowing the book’s subject. We get to read about quite a few of supposedly haunted locations (“haunted” = “Gothic” here, I suppose, and I decided to stop questioning that approach because to each their own) but despite seeming variety I wanted more depth, more research and exploration over personal interpretation, more on the actual places haunted rather than just focusing on the people and suppositions and a very personal angle with opinions and personal ghost experience galore.
Apparently I gravitate more towards academic rather than performative, and there was abundance of the latter and deficit of the former.
The chapters/essays often become meandering and need tighter focus. As it is, my attention kept wandering and slipping, and I found myself distracted by pretty much anything while reading it. That’s unusual to me; typically I can make myself focus even on topics I don’t care about without much effort, as long as it’s written well. But this one just didn’t connect with me. Remind me to not go on ghost tours, ok?
1.5 stars.
——————
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing | Citadel for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
——————
Also posted on my blog.
In the interest of full disclosure, I am not into Gothic or paranormal. There are some things I find hard to take seriously other than in fiction, but I do enjoy well-written nonfiction on strangest topics, and this one held quite a promise. “Welcome to the phantom ships, haunted academic halls, menacing landscapes, and family curses of America’s Most Gothic—a tour of true spectral sightings and disordered minds,” promised the blurb, and I was sold.
“And so, while this book offers stories that may seem idiosyncratic and surprising at first, you will assuredly find Gothic elements in each tale that might be reasonably recognizable: isolation and entrapment, hidden chambers, haunted houses, a woman in peril and a brooding or menacing man, forbidding weather and landscapes, madness, family curses, and, of course, ghosts. All are true to the fluid, atmospheric, untraceable quality of the Gothic.”
But in the end it just didn’t work for me.
First of all, my skepticism got the best of me. I’ve read my fair share of fantasy and horror, but I like my haunted stuff to remain strictly in fiction. Unlike the authors of this book, I have never ever seriously considered anyone having “certain energy sensitivities” in any way, as one of the authors of this book describes herself. Reading a passage that goes “I’m energy sensitive. In places with intense residual energy, whether positive or negative, I’ll feel it resonate in one of two ways: I’ll either hear it, like a buzz or an audible note of some kind, or it will manifest physically; a pressure leading to shortness of breath or a pain either in my chest or head” makes me feel annoyingly closed-minded and wonder whether I accidentally picked up a fictional ghost story instead.
Second, I think a bit of tighter editing could have helped.
The book is structured as alternating essays by each of the authors, and something about the writing style reminded me of a blog rather than a book — and with authors’ personalities at times overshadowing the book’s subject. We get to read about quite a few of supposedly haunted locations (“haunted” = “Gothic” here, I suppose, and I decided to stop questioning that approach because to each their own) but despite seeming variety I wanted more depth, more research and exploration over personal interpretation, more on the actual places haunted rather than just focusing on the people and suppositions and a very personal angle with opinions and personal ghost experience galore.
Apparently I gravitate more towards academic rather than performative, and there was abundance of the latter and deficit of the former.
“Staircases in particular maintain one of the most commonly reported locations of a haunting, as the climbing of a stair was such a countlessly repeated act, it is easy to wear a psychic groove on the paths most commonly trod.”
The chapters/essays often become meandering and need tighter focus. As it is, my attention kept wandering and slipping, and I found myself distracted by pretty much anything while reading it. That’s unusual to me; typically I can make myself focus even on topics I don’t care about without much effort, as long as it’s written well. But this one just didn’t connect with me. Remind me to not go on ghost tours, ok?
1.5 stars.
——————
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing | Citadel for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
——————
Also posted on my blog.
July 22, 2025
Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntary given, and my opinions are my own.
I absolutely love gothic novels, so I knew this was the book for me. Was first drawn to the genre with the Dark Shadows miniseries in the 90s, but because of streaming, I know the 1960s version is so much better.
I was a bit worried that there would be graphic descriptions of murders and possibly even drawings or photos. Thankfully, there wasn't anything like that. Rather, it focuses more on the haunting. For example, it will gave some detail some detail about John Lennon's death,but then talked more about his spirit supposedly haunting the Dakota.
Although I'm not convinced ghosts are real, I recognize there's a possibility they could be. Either way, I enjoy learning about this subject, as it is a part of history. Would definitely recommend this!
I absolutely love gothic novels, so I knew this was the book for me. Was first drawn to the genre with the Dark Shadows miniseries in the 90s, but because of streaming, I know the 1960s version is so much better.
I was a bit worried that there would be graphic descriptions of murders and possibly even drawings or photos. Thankfully, there wasn't anything like that. Rather, it focuses more on the haunting. For example, it will gave some detail some detail about John Lennon's death,but then talked more about his spirit supposedly haunting the Dakota.
Although I'm not convinced ghosts are real, I recognize there's a possibility they could be. Either way, I enjoy learning about this subject, as it is a part of history. Would definitely recommend this!
November 30, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
America's Most Gothic.
Part of the reason I requested this book is because I despise when a book blurb calls a book 'gothic.'
I don't think most marketing/PR divisions of the publishing industry know what this word really means.
Like some readers, I thought this was about haunted tales and urban legends with Gothic elements the author collected from their travels across the US.
Instead, the authors covers historical events with a few urban legends thrown in and reinterpret these tales through a Gothic lens.
I like the authors' writing style; instead of writing each chapter together they took a chapter on their own and applied their personal experience and knowledge to the event being recounted based on the theme.
It's clear the authors take their research and their love of ghostlore seriously.
I respect their passion and dedication for what they do.
I learned a lot including how Ms. Janes is the co-founder of Boroughs of the Dead.
The stories the authors discuss are interesting, moody, atmospheric, always sad and kind of creepy.
But it also makes you think, reflect, and realize how gothic American history and our personal lives really are underneath; maybe that's why history is so traumatic and dramatic and we never really learn from the past and from our mistakes.
I understand the term now but I do hope the publishing industry will stop using it so carelessly on book reviews/blurbs. 😆
Part of the reason I requested this book is because I despise when a book blurb calls a book 'gothic.'
I don't think most marketing/PR divisions of the publishing industry know what this word really means.
Like some readers, I thought this was about haunted tales and urban legends with Gothic elements the author collected from their travels across the US.
Instead, the authors covers historical events with a few urban legends thrown in and reinterpret these tales through a Gothic lens.
I like the authors' writing style; instead of writing each chapter together they took a chapter on their own and applied their personal experience and knowledge to the event being recounted based on the theme.
It's clear the authors take their research and their love of ghostlore seriously.
I respect their passion and dedication for what they do.
I learned a lot including how Ms. Janes is the co-founder of Boroughs of the Dead.
The stories the authors discuss are interesting, moody, atmospheric, always sad and kind of creepy.
But it also makes you think, reflect, and realize how gothic American history and our personal lives really are underneath; maybe that's why history is so traumatic and dramatic and we never really learn from the past and from our mistakes.
I understand the term now but I do hope the publishing industry will stop using it so carelessly on book reviews/blurbs. 😆
Read
October 1, 2025A well-researched, fascinating feast of ghost stories, trivia, and haunted history, AMERICA'S MOST GOTHIC is eerie AND enlightening. Leanna Renee Hieber & Andrea Janes have crafted a truly captivating compendium of forgotten women that's macabre, mesmerizing, and much needed.
August 30, 2025
This one was a miss for me. The cover and synopsis led me to believe I’d be getting a chilling exploration of America’s Gothic past....haunted houses, seances, paranormal hoaxes, even the likes of Houdini taking down fraudulent mediums. Instead, what I found was closer to an academic essay collection, where the authors reinterpret historical events and figures through their own definition of “Gothic.”
That distinction matters. If you’re expecting spooky tales or a deep dive into the origins of Gothic literature and paranormal culture, you may be disappointed. This is less about haunted happenings and more about framing history with a Gothic lens. For me, with more interest in the paranormal side than in literary dissection, it just wasn’t the right fit.
That said, the research is thorough, and readers who enjoy a scholarly take on Gothic tropes and folklore might appreciate it. It simply wasn’t what the cover or description promised, and I wish that had been clearer from the start.
That distinction matters. If you’re expecting spooky tales or a deep dive into the origins of Gothic literature and paranormal culture, you may be disappointed. This is less about haunted happenings and more about framing history with a Gothic lens. For me, with more interest in the paranormal side than in literary dissection, it just wasn’t the right fit.
That said, the research is thorough, and readers who enjoy a scholarly take on Gothic tropes and folklore might appreciate it. It simply wasn’t what the cover or description promised, and I wish that had been clearer from the start.
September 8, 2025
A Masterful and Haunting Look at America's Gothic Soul
I received a NetGalley e-ARC of this book, and the publisher also kindly sent a physical copy.
In Leanna Renee Hieber & Andrea Janes's America’s Most Gothic, we are given a truly remarkable and deeply resonant work that transcends the typical ghost story collection. This book is a five-star triumph of nonfiction, brilliantly exploring the intersection of real American history and the enduring tropes of the Gothic.
Hieber and Janes don't just present a series of spooky tales; they provide a lush, atmospheric, and scholarly analysis of how real tragedy, oppression, and forgotten histories have shaped the haunted landscapes and figures of America.
What makes this book so exceptional is its dedication to the human element behind the hauntings. Rather than sensationalizing death and violence, the authors treat each case with care and respect, focusing on the lives—and often the injustices—of the people involved.
We are introduced to figures like Mercy Brown and “Mad Lucy” Ludwell not as simple specters, but as complex women whose stories are tragic and captivating.
The narrative links their personal sagas to the broader cultural fears of their eras, from patriarchal control to societal madness, making the stories feel both timeless and profoundly relevant.
The analysis of the Gothic as a genre is a highlight in itself. Hieber and Janes skillfully draw parallels between literary conventions and real-life events, demonstrating how the "chilly vibes" of fiction are often rooted in historical trauma.
The chapters are well-researched and engaging, whether they are discussing the eerie plantations of the South, the ghostly halls of haunted universities, or the tragic tales of workers lost in industrial accidents.
The inclusion of topics like the legacy of slavery and institutionalization adds a necessary and powerful layer of depth, elevating this from a simple ghost book to a work of social commentary.
Ultimately, America’s Most Gothic is a must-read for anyone fascinated by the macabre, history, or the enduring power of a good story. It’s a book that is as immersive as a gothic novel but grounded in a compelling reality that is far stranger and more haunting than any fiction.
This is, without a doubt, one of the most intelligent and well-crafted nonfiction books I have read this year, and I cannot recommend it enough.
------------------------------------------
Pros:
* Lush and Atmospheric Prose: The writing style is richly detailed and beautifully evocative, creating a genuinely gothic mood that pulls the reader in.
* Unique and Thoughtful Approach: The book rises above typical ghostlore by connecting real historical events and social issues to the gothic genre.
* Respectful and Humanizing: The authors treat the subjects of the stories with care and empathy, focusing on their lives and the injustices they faced rather than just the haunting itself.
* Excellent Research: The chapters are well-researched and provide a compelling blend of historical fact, folklore, and literary analysis.
* Broad Scope: The book covers a wide range of topics and geographical locations, from New England vampire scares to the history of mental health institutions, keeping the content fresh and engaging.
Cons:
* None. This book perfectly executed its premise. For readers who prefer their historical nonfiction to be dry and purely academic, the theatrical and atmospheric tone might be an adjustment, but for those drawn to the Gothic, it's a feature, not a bug.
I received a NetGalley e-ARC of this book, and the publisher also kindly sent a physical copy.
In Leanna Renee Hieber & Andrea Janes's America’s Most Gothic, we are given a truly remarkable and deeply resonant work that transcends the typical ghost story collection. This book is a five-star triumph of nonfiction, brilliantly exploring the intersection of real American history and the enduring tropes of the Gothic.
Hieber and Janes don't just present a series of spooky tales; they provide a lush, atmospheric, and scholarly analysis of how real tragedy, oppression, and forgotten histories have shaped the haunted landscapes and figures of America.
What makes this book so exceptional is its dedication to the human element behind the hauntings. Rather than sensationalizing death and violence, the authors treat each case with care and respect, focusing on the lives—and often the injustices—of the people involved.
We are introduced to figures like Mercy Brown and “Mad Lucy” Ludwell not as simple specters, but as complex women whose stories are tragic and captivating.
The narrative links their personal sagas to the broader cultural fears of their eras, from patriarchal control to societal madness, making the stories feel both timeless and profoundly relevant.
The analysis of the Gothic as a genre is a highlight in itself. Hieber and Janes skillfully draw parallels between literary conventions and real-life events, demonstrating how the "chilly vibes" of fiction are often rooted in historical trauma.
The chapters are well-researched and engaging, whether they are discussing the eerie plantations of the South, the ghostly halls of haunted universities, or the tragic tales of workers lost in industrial accidents.
The inclusion of topics like the legacy of slavery and institutionalization adds a necessary and powerful layer of depth, elevating this from a simple ghost book to a work of social commentary.
Ultimately, America’s Most Gothic is a must-read for anyone fascinated by the macabre, history, or the enduring power of a good story. It’s a book that is as immersive as a gothic novel but grounded in a compelling reality that is far stranger and more haunting than any fiction.
This is, without a doubt, one of the most intelligent and well-crafted nonfiction books I have read this year, and I cannot recommend it enough.
------------------------------------------
Pros:
* Lush and Atmospheric Prose: The writing style is richly detailed and beautifully evocative, creating a genuinely gothic mood that pulls the reader in.
* Unique and Thoughtful Approach: The book rises above typical ghostlore by connecting real historical events and social issues to the gothic genre.
* Respectful and Humanizing: The authors treat the subjects of the stories with care and empathy, focusing on their lives and the injustices they faced rather than just the haunting itself.
* Excellent Research: The chapters are well-researched and provide a compelling blend of historical fact, folklore, and literary analysis.
* Broad Scope: The book covers a wide range of topics and geographical locations, from New England vampire scares to the history of mental health institutions, keeping the content fresh and engaging.
Cons:
* None. This book perfectly executed its premise. For readers who prefer their historical nonfiction to be dry and purely academic, the theatrical and atmospheric tone might be an adjustment, but for those drawn to the Gothic, it's a feature, not a bug.
October 25, 2025
An exceptional academic survey and discussion of Gothic themes and their origins.
I’ve long been a fan of Leanna Renee Hieber’s fiction, so I was interested to dive into her nonfiction offerings (co-authored here with Andrea Janes), and it did not disappoint.
I loved both the way this was organized and the way the information was conveyed, skating about as close to narrative nonfiction as you can get when telling multiple separate stories.
Hieber and Janes do an excellent job of weaving these vignettes into a cohesive whole, and the selection of topics and bits of history they chose to use speak to a keen sense of what will resonate with readers as well as a lively sense of humor fused with scholarship.
I’ll always be more interested in things like ghost brides and cursed families than battlefields, but the authors managed to hold my interest even through the subtopics that are less to my taste.
In all, a fantastic offering, well balanced between entertainment and scholarship, and exceptionally erudite while also being delightfully spooky.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
I’ve long been a fan of Leanna Renee Hieber’s fiction, so I was interested to dive into her nonfiction offerings (co-authored here with Andrea Janes), and it did not disappoint.
I loved both the way this was organized and the way the information was conveyed, skating about as close to narrative nonfiction as you can get when telling multiple separate stories.
Hieber and Janes do an excellent job of weaving these vignettes into a cohesive whole, and the selection of topics and bits of history they chose to use speak to a keen sense of what will resonate with readers as well as a lively sense of humor fused with scholarship.
I’ll always be more interested in things like ghost brides and cursed families than battlefields, but the authors managed to hold my interest even through the subtopics that are less to my taste.
In all, a fantastic offering, well balanced between entertainment and scholarship, and exceptionally erudite while also being delightfully spooky.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
September 17, 2025
Actual Rating: 2.5/5
Going in, I expected tales of the strange and the unknown. The spine-tingling, and the mysterious. And Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Janes do an absolutely spectacular job on delving into the gothic side of things and speaking up to this book's name, but when you place haunted history on your cover... you are no doubt to draw a crowd more interested in the paranormal...
America's Most Gothic Haunted History: Stranger Than Fiction is extremely well-written for the book that it is. It is creepy, it is dark, and it is a veritable treasure trove of tales of women who lived, experienced, and died by frequent gothic tropes that we encounter in fictional books - those of tragic heroines, doomed romances, lingering spirits... Hieber and Janes bring those tales back to life with a fresh wave of emotions, and of being able to feel that lingering dread through these macabre tales in a masterful collaboration that may keep you up wondering what that noise is in the middle of the night...
If you are interested in paranormal history and an explanation of the tales surrounding them... or more interested in ghosts, this is not the book for you. This book often takes long cuts into exploring the more literary elements and often doubling back to fact-check those against real-world history... which I found somewhat confusing and had to double back multiple-times to reread sections for comprehension. This also somewhat needs to be edited in some places so that it flows better and provides better understanding instead of seemingly switching topics out of the blue. I learned a lot, and this book will definitely find its place among people looking for more logical takes on this subject but for me... the "haunted" part of the title does not particularly line up with what is actually contained within...
This is still a very extensively researched and well-written nonfiction as a whole but was not exactly my desired cup of tea.
Thank you to Kensington Publishing for this copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and the rest of my reviews can be found at: https://littlereapling.wixsite.com/fa....
Going in, I expected tales of the strange and the unknown. The spine-tingling, and the mysterious. And Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Janes do an absolutely spectacular job on delving into the gothic side of things and speaking up to this book's name, but when you place haunted history on your cover... you are no doubt to draw a crowd more interested in the paranormal...
America's Most Gothic Haunted History: Stranger Than Fiction is extremely well-written for the book that it is. It is creepy, it is dark, and it is a veritable treasure trove of tales of women who lived, experienced, and died by frequent gothic tropes that we encounter in fictional books - those of tragic heroines, doomed romances, lingering spirits... Hieber and Janes bring those tales back to life with a fresh wave of emotions, and of being able to feel that lingering dread through these macabre tales in a masterful collaboration that may keep you up wondering what that noise is in the middle of the night...
If you are interested in paranormal history and an explanation of the tales surrounding them... or more interested in ghosts, this is not the book for you. This book often takes long cuts into exploring the more literary elements and often doubling back to fact-check those against real-world history... which I found somewhat confusing and had to double back multiple-times to reread sections for comprehension. This also somewhat needs to be edited in some places so that it flows better and provides better understanding instead of seemingly switching topics out of the blue. I learned a lot, and this book will definitely find its place among people looking for more logical takes on this subject but for me... the "haunted" part of the title does not particularly line up with what is actually contained within...
This is still a very extensively researched and well-written nonfiction as a whole but was not exactly my desired cup of tea.
Thank you to Kensington Publishing for this copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and the rest of my reviews can be found at: https://littlereapling.wixsite.com/fa....
October 9, 2025
I'm giving this 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
I was very drawn to this title as I've always enjoyed reading haunted history books and love all things gothic. It wasn't quite what I was hoping for. It focused more on each location in the style of a short essay as opposed to a ghost story format. I did however love learning thie history of these places and found it to be an interesting read.
This is a well researched and insightful collection of gothic folklore. If you enjoy history then this is a good spooky season read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I was very drawn to this title as I've always enjoyed reading haunted history books and love all things gothic. It wasn't quite what I was hoping for. It focused more on each location in the style of a short essay as opposed to a ghost story format. I did however love learning thie history of these places and found it to be an interesting read.
This is a well researched and insightful collection of gothic folklore. If you enjoy history then this is a good spooky season read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
November 3, 2025
Being a collection of essays by two authors it can be a bit inconsistent, and what is gothic Americana isn’t totally clear. This could be a question of essay order…
Every chapter is interesting in its own right, and at the end of some topics I found myself saying “is that it?” Wanting more.
I’m sure most people who pick this up will find the topics covered interesting, and the tidbits of history enlightening.
Every chapter is interesting in its own right, and at the end of some topics I found myself saying “is that it?” Wanting more.
I’m sure most people who pick this up will find the topics covered interesting, and the tidbits of history enlightening.
October 25, 2025
I don't usually read nonfiction, but I was feeling in the halloween spirit when I saw this on the shelf. I'm glad I did. This book hooked me from the very first page and it gave me a really fun trip through America's haunted history. It was interesting to see where some of the horror tropes we all know came from. It's definitely opened me up to reading more nonfiction in the future.
September 18, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
I thought this book would read more like a narrative, or even a podcast episode of Lore than a series of personal essays by the authors. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed overall the stories from history that contributed to the American Gothic zeitgeist. But some of the stories fell a little flat, especially in the beginning. The book really hit it's stride in the Lemp family saga, the truly stranger than fiction story of Karl Tanzler, and the various stories of women entombed in walls. These essays really focused strongly on the story itself and not much commentary was needed to add Gothic details.
Part 1 of the book was fell the most flat for me. Maybe because I felt like it was a lot of context about what Gothic means to the authors instead of the stories themselves. I actually felt like it would be better as podcast script than a book, at times.
Overall, it was a good read to kick off the fall.
I thought this book would read more like a narrative, or even a podcast episode of Lore than a series of personal essays by the authors. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed overall the stories from history that contributed to the American Gothic zeitgeist. But some of the stories fell a little flat, especially in the beginning. The book really hit it's stride in the Lemp family saga, the truly stranger than fiction story of Karl Tanzler, and the various stories of women entombed in walls. These essays really focused strongly on the story itself and not much commentary was needed to add Gothic details.
Part 1 of the book was fell the most flat for me. Maybe because I felt like it was a lot of context about what Gothic means to the authors instead of the stories themselves. I actually felt like it would be better as podcast script than a book, at times.
Overall, it was a good read to kick off the fall.
October 3, 2025
Netgalley ARC-Clearly the author is very passionate about her topics, but they need to be edited to tighten the stories up a bit. It's got potential though so I can give it a few stars.
October 14, 2025
I expected this book to be a collection of essays or stories on the American Gothic tradition; instead it is a collection of essays on the authors' definition of "Gothic" and how it relates to them. I absolutely love Gothic literature; the Bronte's are some of my favorite writers, and child-friendly writers like Louisa May Alcott wrote some deliciously creepy stories as well (that's actually how she made most of her money). I expected drama, hauntings, psychological manipulation; instead this book feels more like a discussion of someone's interests.
August 3, 2025
My thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing- Citadel for an advance copy of a book that tells about the ghostly presences that fill this country, of people unfairly forgotten, or of places that modern political leaders are trying to make us forget, and what it tells of our sense of place in this modern world.
My dad's mother was called Nan by everyone in the extended family, and also was considered a witch. Even the most Irish Catholic of us knew that Nan was touched by something, and was in touch with things we couldn't see, nor understand. Nan was born in Ireland, but looked like a citizen of the world. I remember being on a subway with her, and a woman sitting down next to her, speaking in some language I still don't know, Nan going It will be better and other things like that. Four stops later the woman got off, and I asked Nan who she was. No idea, but she had problems, I think she's better now. Nan saw ghosts, also. Some she didn't like to talk about, some that she was happy that they seemed to be around. Nan passed too early, something I think she knew was going to happen, and the whole family has never been the same. So I have an understanding of ghosts, though I don't have Nan's sense of them. I would like too, but maybe I couldn't handle that responsibility. I have read many books on hauntings, but few have left me with feeling the way I did at the end of this. Not just a book about haunted places, haunted people, but a haunted reality we find ourselves in. America’s Most Gothic: Haunted History Stranger than Fiction by Leanna Renee Hieber & Andrea Janes is a look at literature, a social study, a biography of people who should be celebrated, and a look at the dark secrets people still don't want to deal with, but casts a dark shadow on us all.
The book seems almost from the beginning like a guide to haunted places. Starting on an island in Newfoundland with a woman left behind by her evil guardian for loving another man. A gothic romance plot for sure. However this was a real life event, and from here the authors level up their narrative into being far more than just oh this place is haunted, and that place is haunted. The author switch off chapter by chapter each writing almost personal essays dealing with places where people passed and strange events that followed, or places that have been omitted from history. Like Florida sugar plantations, where the current government in Florida discusses slavery as a jobs training program, and how happy the slaves were. They look at famous women, an actress who rivaled the best male actors in portraying characters in Shakespeare, and the life that she lived. And others, many unfairly forgotten. The authors discuss the real strength of Gothic literature, calling things out, pointing out things in society that keep others down, and how more of that might be needed today.
I enjoyed the authors previous book A Haunted History of Invisible Women: True Stories of America's Ghosts mainly for its stories about ghosts, and really women who were passed over in history. This book is similar, but there is more to it, a bit of anger, a bit of despair, and a lot of hope. I have never thought of Gothic literature in the way these authors do, and in reading this I suddenly had different thoughts about the books I have read, many they mention here. The essays are also more personal, talking about their lives, and how the lives of these ghosts, or forgotten women share much, and what this means to them. The essays are all good, different in ways, sometimes more annoyed by circumstances, sometimes sad. Always hopeful.
Ghosts get a bad rap, and it is good to see authors using the idea of the ghosts that are around us to show the world as it is. Not many books on the paranormal make me think of modern politics, two hundred year old stories, and my Nan, this did. A really great read, one that can be read straight through, or essay by essay. Perfect for these times, ghost lovers, and gothic fans, who I am sure will accept the challenges the authors present, and the spirit they give it.
My dad's mother was called Nan by everyone in the extended family, and also was considered a witch. Even the most Irish Catholic of us knew that Nan was touched by something, and was in touch with things we couldn't see, nor understand. Nan was born in Ireland, but looked like a citizen of the world. I remember being on a subway with her, and a woman sitting down next to her, speaking in some language I still don't know, Nan going It will be better and other things like that. Four stops later the woman got off, and I asked Nan who she was. No idea, but she had problems, I think she's better now. Nan saw ghosts, also. Some she didn't like to talk about, some that she was happy that they seemed to be around. Nan passed too early, something I think she knew was going to happen, and the whole family has never been the same. So I have an understanding of ghosts, though I don't have Nan's sense of them. I would like too, but maybe I couldn't handle that responsibility. I have read many books on hauntings, but few have left me with feeling the way I did at the end of this. Not just a book about haunted places, haunted people, but a haunted reality we find ourselves in. America’s Most Gothic: Haunted History Stranger than Fiction by Leanna Renee Hieber & Andrea Janes is a look at literature, a social study, a biography of people who should be celebrated, and a look at the dark secrets people still don't want to deal with, but casts a dark shadow on us all.
The book seems almost from the beginning like a guide to haunted places. Starting on an island in Newfoundland with a woman left behind by her evil guardian for loving another man. A gothic romance plot for sure. However this was a real life event, and from here the authors level up their narrative into being far more than just oh this place is haunted, and that place is haunted. The author switch off chapter by chapter each writing almost personal essays dealing with places where people passed and strange events that followed, or places that have been omitted from history. Like Florida sugar plantations, where the current government in Florida discusses slavery as a jobs training program, and how happy the slaves were. They look at famous women, an actress who rivaled the best male actors in portraying characters in Shakespeare, and the life that she lived. And others, many unfairly forgotten. The authors discuss the real strength of Gothic literature, calling things out, pointing out things in society that keep others down, and how more of that might be needed today.
I enjoyed the authors previous book A Haunted History of Invisible Women: True Stories of America's Ghosts mainly for its stories about ghosts, and really women who were passed over in history. This book is similar, but there is more to it, a bit of anger, a bit of despair, and a lot of hope. I have never thought of Gothic literature in the way these authors do, and in reading this I suddenly had different thoughts about the books I have read, many they mention here. The essays are also more personal, talking about their lives, and how the lives of these ghosts, or forgotten women share much, and what this means to them. The essays are all good, different in ways, sometimes more annoyed by circumstances, sometimes sad. Always hopeful.
Ghosts get a bad rap, and it is good to see authors using the idea of the ghosts that are around us to show the world as it is. Not many books on the paranormal make me think of modern politics, two hundred year old stories, and my Nan, this did. A really great read, one that can be read straight through, or essay by essay. Perfect for these times, ghost lovers, and gothic fans, who I am sure will accept the challenges the authors present, and the spirit they give it.
July 28, 2025
[Advance copy from netgalley for review consideration]
“America’s Most Gothic” is a highly-anticipated title in nonfiction horror from Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Janes. The book goes through different cases of women through places in America. For instance, they have a chapter devoted to Florida called ‘Swamp Goth: Southern Gothic in the Sunshine State’ and they right away point out that while most people aren’t quite sure whether to put Florida into the field of is it Southern, much less it is Gothic, and then much less ‘is it Southern Gothic,’ the answer is a resounding yes for readers familiar with the landscape and history. My first thing would be to say… look at the works of Tananarive Due (who the authors cover in this chapter, and do a good job of). Born and raised in Florida, and having deeply personal horrors related to that state, including the legacy of transatlantic slavery in her ancestry, as well as a mother and father who fought front and center in the Civil Rights movement of the 50s and 60s, but then with the tragic and horrifying murder of one of her male relatives, Robert, while he was sent to the Dozier School in the early parts of the 20th century, killed at 15 years old, something the family wouldn’t find out for years later, and which she spent almost 8 years working on as her award-winning novel, “The Reformatory.”
And the other thing Florida calls to mind with Southern Gothic is of course, the immortal and incomparable Zora Neale Hurston, who grew up in the all-Black township of Eatonville, and upon which so much of her work is centered, dedicated, and also where she did so much in terms of collecting folk songs and stories of the Black people there to preserve them for future generations, including supernatural tales and beliefs.
So, okay I’ve said it in a long-winded way, but yes, Florida is absolutely Gothic and it is absolutely Southern Gothic.
And, as one of the authors points out, when she was driving near St. Augustine, she came on a back road called Old Dixie Highway (this might be a bit reductive to people reading my review, but Dixie is basically code for ‘We like the Confederacy here.’) She found properties there like Dummett Plantation, Florida having a very complex history with transatlantic slavery, of course.
The authors explain that sugar plantations are in northeast Florida and they include … well, you can read more of this chapter to find out, and I don’t want to ‘spoil’ things for people who are not as familiar.
Florida is also the place of history of Seminole Native Americans, who people should know a LOT more about.
The authors do an *EXCELLENT* job of connecting the links between transatlantic slavery and the history of the Gothic as a genre. Definitely spend a lot of time on this chapter, readers!
Within this book, there are stories of terrible things that happened to women, and legends of ghosts, or how they became ghosts, and it makes for riveting reading.
This is currently, as it stands, my favourite nonfiction horror book of the year so far.
One of the praise quotes from horror writer Jonathan Maberry does an excellent job distilling the fact that this book, while talking about terrible things and murders that happened to women studied here, it’s immersive, treated with care, and very interesting to read each case.
Other highlights inlcude the chapter on Melrose Hall, which is quite good.
The book also addresses the very painful but important to know history of women sent to institutions because they were deemed “not stable.”
There are also ‘famous’ ghosts like Resurrection Mary of Chicago.
Overall, highly recommended and very well done, AND totally a great book to include for Halloween displays.
“America’s Most Gothic” is a highly-anticipated title in nonfiction horror from Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Janes. The book goes through different cases of women through places in America. For instance, they have a chapter devoted to Florida called ‘Swamp Goth: Southern Gothic in the Sunshine State’ and they right away point out that while most people aren’t quite sure whether to put Florida into the field of is it Southern, much less it is Gothic, and then much less ‘is it Southern Gothic,’ the answer is a resounding yes for readers familiar with the landscape and history. My first thing would be to say… look at the works of Tananarive Due (who the authors cover in this chapter, and do a good job of). Born and raised in Florida, and having deeply personal horrors related to that state, including the legacy of transatlantic slavery in her ancestry, as well as a mother and father who fought front and center in the Civil Rights movement of the 50s and 60s, but then with the tragic and horrifying murder of one of her male relatives, Robert, while he was sent to the Dozier School in the early parts of the 20th century, killed at 15 years old, something the family wouldn’t find out for years later, and which she spent almost 8 years working on as her award-winning novel, “The Reformatory.”
And the other thing Florida calls to mind with Southern Gothic is of course, the immortal and incomparable Zora Neale Hurston, who grew up in the all-Black township of Eatonville, and upon which so much of her work is centered, dedicated, and also where she did so much in terms of collecting folk songs and stories of the Black people there to preserve them for future generations, including supernatural tales and beliefs.
So, okay I’ve said it in a long-winded way, but yes, Florida is absolutely Gothic and it is absolutely Southern Gothic.
And, as one of the authors points out, when she was driving near St. Augustine, she came on a back road called Old Dixie Highway (this might be a bit reductive to people reading my review, but Dixie is basically code for ‘We like the Confederacy here.’) She found properties there like Dummett Plantation, Florida having a very complex history with transatlantic slavery, of course.
The authors explain that sugar plantations are in northeast Florida and they include … well, you can read more of this chapter to find out, and I don’t want to ‘spoil’ things for people who are not as familiar.
Florida is also the place of history of Seminole Native Americans, who people should know a LOT more about.
The authors do an *EXCELLENT* job of connecting the links between transatlantic slavery and the history of the Gothic as a genre. Definitely spend a lot of time on this chapter, readers!
Within this book, there are stories of terrible things that happened to women, and legends of ghosts, or how they became ghosts, and it makes for riveting reading.
This is currently, as it stands, my favourite nonfiction horror book of the year so far.
One of the praise quotes from horror writer Jonathan Maberry does an excellent job distilling the fact that this book, while talking about terrible things and murders that happened to women studied here, it’s immersive, treated with care, and very interesting to read each case.
Other highlights inlcude the chapter on Melrose Hall, which is quite good.
The book also addresses the very painful but important to know history of women sent to institutions because they were deemed “not stable.”
There are also ‘famous’ ghosts like Resurrection Mary of Chicago.
Overall, highly recommended and very well done, AND totally a great book to include for Halloween displays.
September 10, 2025
Disclosure Statement: I received a copy of this book from the authors. My opinions are entirely my own and have not been influenced by the authors or the publisher in any way.
I wasn't always a fan of the Gothic, to be honest. My first foray into the genre was through Jane Eyre in high school, a book I found to be completely insufferable, with characters I hated and a plot I found tedious and unavoidably melodramatic. It took actual decades for my impressions of that novel to begin to change, and certainly a decade before I was willing to go into a Gothic novel on my own. To my surprise, what I found was a genre rich with meaning and politics, books that were angry at injustices and eager to fight back at systemic issues pertaining to all manner of issues, be they racial or sexist in nature, be they about class differences and issues or the structures of power.
Along the way, I've read a lot of different treatises on the Gothic, about what it is as literature, what it does as contemporary and historical culture, and how we should think about the Gothic as a historic and contemporary genre. But it's rare that I find a book that seems to break new ground into the Gothic and its impact on culture.
I don't think America's Most Gothic: Haunted History Stranger Than Fiction is about trying to change our feelings about the Gothic as a genre, but instead helping to draw a greater throughline connecting Gothic literature as a form of documenting the real way we narrativize history. The book is full of brilliant analysis not just of the genre itself, but of the ways in which human history cannot help but be Gothic, as our understanding of the Gothic is shaped by historical record but also how our understanding of the Gothic gives us frame of reference to pull apart historical record. The book supposes that how we should view history should also be informed by the way we view art, and how art is composed is ultimately derived as well from how history is composed. It's the intertwining of these disciplines and the resulting framework through which we should consider our connection to history that makes this book so good.
If you've read Hieber and Janes's last book together, this shouldn't be any surprise; they do a lot of the same work here that they did there, but with a focus on a central thesis statement that life mirrors the Gothic far more than we might think, and that by understanding the Gothic that much better, we might become better practitioners of history and of confronting the historic record. In addition, I think understanding the way the Gothic frames issues of power, class, race, gender, and more, we might better understand the ways in which history has stolen away agency and authority from those who would need it most, and better frame our need for action in contemporary politics and meaning-making.
I'll be a diehard reader of these two until they stop writing books. Their work is thoughtful, clever, sometimes outright hilarious, but always always always on point.
I wasn't always a fan of the Gothic, to be honest. My first foray into the genre was through Jane Eyre in high school, a book I found to be completely insufferable, with characters I hated and a plot I found tedious and unavoidably melodramatic. It took actual decades for my impressions of that novel to begin to change, and certainly a decade before I was willing to go into a Gothic novel on my own. To my surprise, what I found was a genre rich with meaning and politics, books that were angry at injustices and eager to fight back at systemic issues pertaining to all manner of issues, be they racial or sexist in nature, be they about class differences and issues or the structures of power.
Along the way, I've read a lot of different treatises on the Gothic, about what it is as literature, what it does as contemporary and historical culture, and how we should think about the Gothic as a historic and contemporary genre. But it's rare that I find a book that seems to break new ground into the Gothic and its impact on culture.
I don't think America's Most Gothic: Haunted History Stranger Than Fiction is about trying to change our feelings about the Gothic as a genre, but instead helping to draw a greater throughline connecting Gothic literature as a form of documenting the real way we narrativize history. The book is full of brilliant analysis not just of the genre itself, but of the ways in which human history cannot help but be Gothic, as our understanding of the Gothic is shaped by historical record but also how our understanding of the Gothic gives us frame of reference to pull apart historical record. The book supposes that how we should view history should also be informed by the way we view art, and how art is composed is ultimately derived as well from how history is composed. It's the intertwining of these disciplines and the resulting framework through which we should consider our connection to history that makes this book so good.
If you've read Hieber and Janes's last book together, this shouldn't be any surprise; they do a lot of the same work here that they did there, but with a focus on a central thesis statement that life mirrors the Gothic far more than we might think, and that by understanding the Gothic that much better, we might become better practitioners of history and of confronting the historic record. In addition, I think understanding the way the Gothic frames issues of power, class, race, gender, and more, we might better understand the ways in which history has stolen away agency and authority from those who would need it most, and better frame our need for action in contemporary politics and meaning-making.
I'll be a diehard reader of these two until they stop writing books. Their work is thoughtful, clever, sometimes outright hilarious, but always always always on point.
December 3, 2025
Some spooky, interesting stories are laid out in this sister book to A Haunted History of Invisible Women: True Stories of America's Ghosts, this one with the aim of examining how classic tropes of Gothic fiction appear in or are born out of American history. The premise of this book seemed like it should have been a slam dunk for my interests, and given that I enjoyed A Haunted History of Invisible Women, I jumped right into this. The writing is conversational but not too casual, and the authors are clearly passionate about this subject matter.
Unfortunately for me the structure of this book let the premise down. The book is broken into sections, each one supposedly focused on a specific Gothic trope: crypts, family curses, foreboding houses, etc. Each section then has a number of chapters that is dedicated to a specific story that exemplifies the trope. Each chapter is essentially a self contained essay that describes the story at hand with additional commentary. This structure makes each of the stories and tropes feel completely disconnected from each other, rather than a continuous flowing narrative about Gothic storytelling traditions and how they relate to American culture at a higher level. Having finished it, I feel like I read about a lot of mysterious historical stories with Gothic parallels, but didn't actually learn much about the history of the Gothic genre in America or the development of certain tropes over time, which is what I was hoping for.
On a more personal note, I (somebody who enjoys some spookiness in my stories but doesn't believe ghosts are real) couldn't stop myself rolling my eyes a little whenever the author who is a believer wrote about her sensitivity to paranormal energy or ghostly experiences generally. There's also occasional tracts where the authors lecture the reader about the importance of accepting the inherent mystery of paranormal phenomena and how trying to puncture holes in ghost stories isn't a helpful or useful practice, which just felt wildly self-defensive. I don't believe that anybody who would pick up a book like this would be that kind of person so why am I being called out like this? And a minor pet peeve; a good chunk of the stories presented in this book are ghost stories first and foremost. A handful of ghost stories would be fine, but some chapters seemed to completely forget about the Gothic angle of the book and just discuss the story as a ghost story; ghost stories and Gothic stories have a lot of overlap yes, but they are not the same thing.
It's certainly not a bad read if you're looking for a dose of creepy history, and I found myself on Wikipedia partway through several chapters to double check that some of these were indeed real. But if you're looking for some deeper cultural analysis of the Gothic genre, this may not be the right place to find it.
Unfortunately for me the structure of this book let the premise down. The book is broken into sections, each one supposedly focused on a specific Gothic trope: crypts, family curses, foreboding houses, etc. Each section then has a number of chapters that is dedicated to a specific story that exemplifies the trope. Each chapter is essentially a self contained essay that describes the story at hand with additional commentary. This structure makes each of the stories and tropes feel completely disconnected from each other, rather than a continuous flowing narrative about Gothic storytelling traditions and how they relate to American culture at a higher level. Having finished it, I feel like I read about a lot of mysterious historical stories with Gothic parallels, but didn't actually learn much about the history of the Gothic genre in America or the development of certain tropes over time, which is what I was hoping for.
On a more personal note, I (somebody who enjoys some spookiness in my stories but doesn't believe ghosts are real) couldn't stop myself rolling my eyes a little whenever the author who is a believer wrote about her sensitivity to paranormal energy or ghostly experiences generally. There's also occasional tracts where the authors lecture the reader about the importance of accepting the inherent mystery of paranormal phenomena and how trying to puncture holes in ghost stories isn't a helpful or useful practice, which just felt wildly self-defensive. I don't believe that anybody who would pick up a book like this would be that kind of person so why am I being called out like this? And a minor pet peeve; a good chunk of the stories presented in this book are ghost stories first and foremost. A handful of ghost stories would be fine, but some chapters seemed to completely forget about the Gothic angle of the book and just discuss the story as a ghost story; ghost stories and Gothic stories have a lot of overlap yes, but they are not the same thing.
It's certainly not a bad read if you're looking for a dose of creepy history, and I found myself on Wikipedia partway through several chapters to double check that some of these were indeed real. But if you're looking for some deeper cultural analysis of the Gothic genre, this may not be the right place to find it.
September 27, 2025
America’s Most Gothic is a charming blend of storytelling, folklore, and history. After an introduction explaining why the authors, Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Janes, connect these American ghost and folktales to the Gothic, they share the tales with a wealth of interesting background and related facts, theories, and stories.
For example, in the first story, The Bear Woman, about a Frenchwoman marooned on a Canadian island in 1542, only a few paragraphs were devoted to the story, with the remaining pages devoted to pondering the location of the island and even the identity of Marguerite de la Rocque, positing on the weirdness of Canada (that checks out), and comparing the loneliness, solitude, and despair bordering on madness that Marguerite experienced to postpartum depression - which she may have suffered from in addition to literally being alone on a deserted frozen isle after her lover, ladies’ companion, and baby died.
Each of the stories in America’s Most Gothic received similar treatment, from ghost ships to haunted houses to cursed families, and I am here for it. This is a storytelling that is all too familiar and real - tangent upon tangent but always coming back to the theme - until a snarky aside is needed or another bit of trivia opens another side door, and I promise we’ll only pop into this room for a minute before we get back to the action, but did I tell you…?
Most of the stories were new to me, but even the few I was familiar with gave me more than I had ever heard about them. This book is definitely for anyone who is curious to know more about the story behind the story - but also anyone who just likes a good story - and in particular a story about a woman who survives the scary house, the isolation, the oppression, the patriarchy - which brings me to possibly my favorite thing about America’s Most Gothic.
These stories aren’t told in a vacuum. The authors are living in the same dark timeline we are, and they acknowledge that not only in the introduction but also by ending the each story with a note of hope or advice, so while these stories are from previous times or turmoil which breeds the gothic sensibility, they’re very much of and for our time as well.
They end the book with not only the citations of their amazing research (down the rabbit holes I go!) but also with thoughtful recommendations for more modern gothic fiction and non-fiction (mostly by women!)
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the advance copy for my honest review.
For example, in the first story, The Bear Woman, about a Frenchwoman marooned on a Canadian island in 1542, only a few paragraphs were devoted to the story, with the remaining pages devoted to pondering the location of the island and even the identity of Marguerite de la Rocque, positing on the weirdness of Canada (that checks out), and comparing the loneliness, solitude, and despair bordering on madness that Marguerite experienced to postpartum depression - which she may have suffered from in addition to literally being alone on a deserted frozen isle after her lover, ladies’ companion, and baby died.
Each of the stories in America’s Most Gothic received similar treatment, from ghost ships to haunted houses to cursed families, and I am here for it. This is a storytelling that is all too familiar and real - tangent upon tangent but always coming back to the theme - until a snarky aside is needed or another bit of trivia opens another side door, and I promise we’ll only pop into this room for a minute before we get back to the action, but did I tell you…?
Most of the stories were new to me, but even the few I was familiar with gave me more than I had ever heard about them. This book is definitely for anyone who is curious to know more about the story behind the story - but also anyone who just likes a good story - and in particular a story about a woman who survives the scary house, the isolation, the oppression, the patriarchy - which brings me to possibly my favorite thing about America’s Most Gothic.
These stories aren’t told in a vacuum. The authors are living in the same dark timeline we are, and they acknowledge that not only in the introduction but also by ending the each story with a note of hope or advice, so while these stories are from previous times or turmoil which breeds the gothic sensibility, they’re very much of and for our time as well.
They end the book with not only the citations of their amazing research (down the rabbit holes I go!) but also with thoughtful recommendations for more modern gothic fiction and non-fiction (mostly by women!)
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the advance copy for my honest review.
September 22, 2025
A good spooky season read for someone looking for stories with a bit of analysis behind them that you haven't already seen in dozens of other ghost story compendia.
The authors of this book have compiled a collection of ghost stories, folklore, and what I'd describe as "weird history" filtered through a literary lens. The uniting factor is how well these stories conform to different aspects of the literary gothic. This struck me as a fresh take on what is often well-trod ground. There are some stories those who are interested in ghosts and paranormal lore will likely be familiar with (Resurrection Mary, Mercy Brown) and others that were new to me, and I read A LOT in this area. The history is well-researched and sensitively retold. The authors take care to focus on who the subjects of these stories were, sharing their histories compassionately rather than focusing on lurid details for a cheap thrill.
People who are looking for straight historical ghost stories may find themselves disappointed by this collection. Many chapters read more like personal essays, focusing on the authors' opinions and own supernatural experiences. Chapters are arranged topically and may focus on several stories with a similar theme (e.g. shipwrecks). In some places they can be a little meandering. I had the sense that a lot of this would be well-suited for a podcast. Tales tend to focus on the eastern US with a couple of forays into the midwest and south, so this isn't necessarily the America-wide survey the title might imply.
For those who've read the book and were intrigued by the first story of Marguerite de la Rocque, it's the basis for the novel Isola by Allegra Goodman published earlier in 2025.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
The authors of this book have compiled a collection of ghost stories, folklore, and what I'd describe as "weird history" filtered through a literary lens. The uniting factor is how well these stories conform to different aspects of the literary gothic. This struck me as a fresh take on what is often well-trod ground. There are some stories those who are interested in ghosts and paranormal lore will likely be familiar with (Resurrection Mary, Mercy Brown) and others that were new to me, and I read A LOT in this area. The history is well-researched and sensitively retold. The authors take care to focus on who the subjects of these stories were, sharing their histories compassionately rather than focusing on lurid details for a cheap thrill.
People who are looking for straight historical ghost stories may find themselves disappointed by this collection. Many chapters read more like personal essays, focusing on the authors' opinions and own supernatural experiences. Chapters are arranged topically and may focus on several stories with a similar theme (e.g. shipwrecks). In some places they can be a little meandering. I had the sense that a lot of this would be well-suited for a podcast. Tales tend to focus on the eastern US with a couple of forays into the midwest and south, so this isn't necessarily the America-wide survey the title might imply.
For those who've read the book and were intrigued by the first story of Marguerite de la Rocque, it's the basis for the novel Isola by Allegra Goodman published earlier in 2025.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
October 1, 2025
America’s Most Gothic: Haunted History Stranger than Fiction by Andrea Janes and Leanna Renee Hieber is more than a collection of eerie tales—it’s a thoughtful journey into the shadows where folklore and history intertwine. With a storyteller’s grace and a historian’s care, the authors peel back layers of legend to reveal the real lives and forgotten voices that linger behind America’s most haunting myths.
What makes the book stand out is its blend of atmosphere and empathy. The stories never feel like sensational ghost lore; instead, they carry the weight of the people who lived, suffered, and sometimes were silenced in history. The feminist perspective woven throughout brings a refreshing depth, reminding us that behind every ghostly figure was once a woman or man with a story worth hearing.
The writing is vivid yet accessible, capturing the reader with Gothic elegance while staying grounded in fact. At times chilling, at times poignant, the book balances the thrill of the supernatural with the humanity of its subjects. It’s a work that not only entertains but also enlightens, encouraging us to look at Gothic tales not just as curiosities, but as reflections of very real struggles, injustices, and hopes.
A captivating read for lovers of Gothic literature and haunted history alike, America’s Most Gothic is both unsettling and deeply moving—a reminder that the past never quite lets go.
What makes the book stand out is its blend of atmosphere and empathy. The stories never feel like sensational ghost lore; instead, they carry the weight of the people who lived, suffered, and sometimes were silenced in history. The feminist perspective woven throughout brings a refreshing depth, reminding us that behind every ghostly figure was once a woman or man with a story worth hearing.
The writing is vivid yet accessible, capturing the reader with Gothic elegance while staying grounded in fact. At times chilling, at times poignant, the book balances the thrill of the supernatural with the humanity of its subjects. It’s a work that not only entertains but also enlightens, encouraging us to look at Gothic tales not just as curiosities, but as reflections of very real struggles, injustices, and hopes.
A captivating read for lovers of Gothic literature and haunted history alike, America’s Most Gothic is both unsettling and deeply moving—a reminder that the past never quite lets go.
October 5, 2025
I have long been drawn to the Gothic, not only on the page, but in the real places where history begins to feel uncanny: the ruined asylum, the shuttered mansion, the family graveyard left untended. As someone who spends much of my time reading and researching literary landscapes, America’s Most Gothic felt like a book written precisely for that fascination.
Hieber and Janes take familiar Gothic tropes such as haunted halls, ominous patriarchs and reveal how deeply they are rooted in American history. These aren’t just ghost stories: they are the human tragedies, injustices, and forgotten lives that gave rise to the myths. Mercy Brown, the so-called vampire of Rhode Island, or “Mad Lucy” Ludwell wandering her Virginia estate, are treated not as grotesques but as women whose lives still echo with pain and resilience.
The book is atmospheric and yet grounded in rigorous research. I found myself pausing often. It reminded me that the Gothic is not simply a genre of shadows and fog; it is a mirror of cultural fears and buried histories.
By the end, the book had wrapped me in its spell.
For readers who, like me, are endlessly curious about the places where history, folklore, and atmosphere meet, this is a book to savour.
It lingers like the chill of a ghost at your shoulder: unsettling, thoughtful, and strangely beautiful.
Thanks to the authors and Kensington Publishing Corp for my ARC!
Hieber and Janes take familiar Gothic tropes such as haunted halls, ominous patriarchs and reveal how deeply they are rooted in American history. These aren’t just ghost stories: they are the human tragedies, injustices, and forgotten lives that gave rise to the myths. Mercy Brown, the so-called vampire of Rhode Island, or “Mad Lucy” Ludwell wandering her Virginia estate, are treated not as grotesques but as women whose lives still echo with pain and resilience.
The book is atmospheric and yet grounded in rigorous research. I found myself pausing often. It reminded me that the Gothic is not simply a genre of shadows and fog; it is a mirror of cultural fears and buried histories.
By the end, the book had wrapped me in its spell.
For readers who, like me, are endlessly curious about the places where history, folklore, and atmosphere meet, this is a book to savour.
It lingers like the chill of a ghost at your shoulder: unsettling, thoughtful, and strangely beautiful.
Thanks to the authors and Kensington Publishing Corp for my ARC!
November 5, 2025
**My thanks to Kensington Publishing for providing me with an advanced review copy via NetGalley**
3 stars
While I overall am glad that I read this meditation on how American folklore and the way we tell history has been heavily influenced by and clearly follows many tropes of the gothic mode, I feel that this collection was entirely too long for its intended purpose. Hieber and Janes’ chapters meander quite a bit, intermingling the retelling of American ghost stories and what is known of the real history that inspired them with personal meditations on the authors’ personal history with the supernatural and ethical storytelling. This more personal style could have worked well had it been more tightly edited; as it was, it took longer than I’d prefer to get at the meat.
I’d recommend this book to fans of all things spooky who want the real-life subjects of their ghost stories treated ethically and with compassion. This is a book concerned with how we, culturally, choose to remember and mythologize our tragedies, and while it can be a little unfocused at times, both its project and the stories it imparts are worthwhile to read.
3 stars
While I overall am glad that I read this meditation on how American folklore and the way we tell history has been heavily influenced by and clearly follows many tropes of the gothic mode, I feel that this collection was entirely too long for its intended purpose. Hieber and Janes’ chapters meander quite a bit, intermingling the retelling of American ghost stories and what is known of the real history that inspired them with personal meditations on the authors’ personal history with the supernatural and ethical storytelling. This more personal style could have worked well had it been more tightly edited; as it was, it took longer than I’d prefer to get at the meat.
I’d recommend this book to fans of all things spooky who want the real-life subjects of their ghost stories treated ethically and with compassion. This is a book concerned with how we, culturally, choose to remember and mythologize our tragedies, and while it can be a little unfocused at times, both its project and the stories it imparts are worthwhile to read.
August 18, 2025
America’s Most Gothic: Haunted History Stranger than Fiction written by Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Janes, authors of A Haunted History of Invisible Women, explores gothic themes that can be found in American Lore.
This non-fiction work with a focus on women takes a scholarly yet personal approach to hauntings, folklore and the influence of historical events on areas.
I learned many things from reading this title and now understand that the word "Gothic" can be applied to many more situations, settings, and subjects than I had ever imagined.
Ghost ships, Mary Virginia Wade of Gettysburg, Octagon House, Charlotte Cushman, the Dakota, and the Seattle Underground are some examples of the subjects discussed within these pages.
Thank you to Kensington Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Kensington Publishing Corp
September 30, 2025
#AmericasMostGothic
#arc #netgalley
#nonfiction #supernatural #History #gothic #hauntings
This non-fiction work with a focus on women takes a scholarly yet personal approach to hauntings, folklore and the influence of historical events on areas.
I learned many things from reading this title and now understand that the word "Gothic" can be applied to many more situations, settings, and subjects than I had ever imagined.
Ghost ships, Mary Virginia Wade of Gettysburg, Octagon House, Charlotte Cushman, the Dakota, and the Seattle Underground are some examples of the subjects discussed within these pages.
Thank you to Kensington Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Kensington Publishing Corp
September 30, 2025
#AmericasMostGothic
#arc #netgalley
#nonfiction #supernatural #History #gothic #hauntings
October 22, 2025
🕯️ Review: America’s Most Gothic by Leanna Renee Hieber & Andrea Janes
📖 A Haunted History Stranger than Fiction.
This book is an invitation into the eerie corners of American history. I have always been fascinated with the haunted history all around us. This well researched and wonderfully explained guide to some of the most unforgettable and haunting stories you can find. They’re echoes of real lives marked by tragedy, mystery, and resilience. I loved the variety of stories and the detail in each story.
What I loved most: the authors’ reverence. These stories aren’t sensationalized—they’re honored. The writing is perfect for candlelit reading and quiet reflection.
👻 Perfect for fans of Gothic fiction, historical mysteries, and anyone who believes truth can be stranger—and more haunting—than fiction.
This was an adventure in story that I loved.
Thank you to Kensington Publishing, NetGalley and the author for allowing us to enjoy this DRC. I am also thankful for the printed copy. I will treasure it.
📖 A Haunted History Stranger than Fiction.
This book is an invitation into the eerie corners of American history. I have always been fascinated with the haunted history all around us. This well researched and wonderfully explained guide to some of the most unforgettable and haunting stories you can find. They’re echoes of real lives marked by tragedy, mystery, and resilience. I loved the variety of stories and the detail in each story.
What I loved most: the authors’ reverence. These stories aren’t sensationalized—they’re honored. The writing is perfect for candlelit reading and quiet reflection.
👻 Perfect for fans of Gothic fiction, historical mysteries, and anyone who believes truth can be stranger—and more haunting—than fiction.
This was an adventure in story that I loved.
Thank you to Kensington Publishing, NetGalley and the author for allowing us to enjoy this DRC. I am also thankful for the printed copy. I will treasure it.
October 30, 2025
An uneven collection of essays about "haunted" or at least creepy places in America. One of the strongest articles was about the New England vampire craze in the late 1700s and 1800s. Some of the places sound like deliciously scary places to visit, although I have zero belief in the supernatural.
One of the chapters was about a 19th century actress Charlotte Cushman. Cushman was gay, had a series of relationships with a variety of women, sometimes at the same time. The chapter didn't include the best Cushman story though. She was playing Romeo, a frequent part for her. A theater patron who disapproved of her taking a male role hissed loudly during the performance. Cushman stopped the performance, took the arm of the young actress playing Juliet and escorted her off stage. Cushman then returned to the stage, fixed the patron with a cold stare and said, "If the gentlemen in this theater do not remove this man, I will." A half dozen patrons bum rushed him out to loud cheers and the play resumed.
One of the chapters was about a 19th century actress Charlotte Cushman. Cushman was gay, had a series of relationships with a variety of women, sometimes at the same time. The chapter didn't include the best Cushman story though. She was playing Romeo, a frequent part for her. A theater patron who disapproved of her taking a male role hissed loudly during the performance. Cushman stopped the performance, took the arm of the young actress playing Juliet and escorted her off stage. Cushman then returned to the stage, fixed the patron with a cold stare and said, "If the gentlemen in this theater do not remove this man, I will." A half dozen patrons bum rushed him out to loud cheers and the play resumed.
November 2, 2025
“America’s Most Gothic” was not what I was expecting. I was expecting a series of rather traditional ghost stories with details about connections to gothic tropes. Much to my delight, the book is MUCH more than that.
Authors Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Janes both have experience leading ghost tours and both claim to be sensitive to paranormal activity. They are also really good at providing background on each of the stories in the book: what can be verified about the story itself? What is probably false? As they alternate telling the stories, each makes connections to the gothic form. Ultimately, these ghost stories, with their meticulous research, humanize the specters. Thus, the reader is left learning about and honoring forgotten individuals in our history.
This book is great for readers who enjoy ghost stories, gothic literature, and histories that uncover forgotten episodes.
I received an advance review copy for free from Netgalley and Kensington Publishing, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Authors Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Janes both have experience leading ghost tours and both claim to be sensitive to paranormal activity. They are also really good at providing background on each of the stories in the book: what can be verified about the story itself? What is probably false? As they alternate telling the stories, each makes connections to the gothic form. Ultimately, these ghost stories, with their meticulous research, humanize the specters. Thus, the reader is left learning about and honoring forgotten individuals in our history.
This book is great for readers who enjoy ghost stories, gothic literature, and histories that uncover forgotten episodes.
I received an advance review copy for free from Netgalley and Kensington Publishing, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 1, 2025
I picked this book up with the hopes I would get some interesting myths and legends about America's most gothic, haunted, or chilling locations. However, I don't feel it really played out that way.
The summary made me believe I was walking into a book which would tell me stories in a haunting, lingering sort of way. Yet the way it was conveyed felt very conversational and not as atmospheric. It feels like a collection of essays by the authors, each trading off to discuss a story, person, or event. We don't get much exploration into America's potentially haunted past, but rather interpretations by the authors.
It may be non-fiction and historical, as the stories seem to be based in true events but I would not lump this into horror or Halloween. I don't think, with the way it's written, it feels scary.
I probably give it 3.5* but I'm rounding up for the sake of the scholarly study which seems to have gone into this book..
The summary made me believe I was walking into a book which would tell me stories in a haunting, lingering sort of way. Yet the way it was conveyed felt very conversational and not as atmospheric. It feels like a collection of essays by the authors, each trading off to discuss a story, person, or event. We don't get much exploration into America's potentially haunted past, but rather interpretations by the authors.
It may be non-fiction and historical, as the stories seem to be based in true events but I would not lump this into horror or Halloween. I don't think, with the way it's written, it feels scary.
I probably give it 3.5* but I'm rounding up for the sake of the scholarly study which seems to have gone into this book..
September 21, 2025
Going into this book, I thought I was picking up a general historical tour of America's spookiest places, but it turned out to be so much more. What I got instead was a sociological and literary deep dive into gothic tropes, how they've shaped culture, and how they continue to influence both literature and travel today.
It was a fairly fast-paced read, but perhaps that's because I genuinely love all things gothic. I flew through it, but found myself pausing and re-reading certain sections simply to sit with an idea or track down more about the places mentioned. I'd love to have a conversation with the authors. I can only imagine the depth of research that went into weaving together this historical, sociological, and literary analysis this seamlessly.
Highly recommend! Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader copy from the publisher.
It was a fairly fast-paced read, but perhaps that's because I genuinely love all things gothic. I flew through it, but found myself pausing and re-reading certain sections simply to sit with an idea or track down more about the places mentioned. I'd love to have a conversation with the authors. I can only imagine the depth of research that went into weaving together this historical, sociological, and literary analysis this seamlessly.
Highly recommend! Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader copy from the publisher.
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