Encarta defines the gothic novel as a “type of romantic fiction that predominated in English literature in the last third of the 18th century and the first two decades of the 19th century” which “emphasized mystery and horror and was filled with ghost-haunted rooms, underground passages, and secret stairways.”
The gothic is widely acknowledged as the forerunner of the modern mystery novel.
In the twentieth century the gothic was revived by Daphne du Maurier. Rebecca (1938) is in many ways a re-working of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre.
Du Maurier inspired a substantial body of writers of the 1950s, 60s and 70s, a list which includes Joan Aiken, Victoria Holt, Barbara Michaels, and Mary Stewart.
This was where many female baby boomers, myself included, turned once they had checked off every title on the Nancy Drew list. There was no such genre as “Young Adult” or “Teen” fiction in those days and the adult mystery section was definitely off-limits to this 60s teenager.
Author Diane Setterfield has been hailed for breathing new life into an old form with The Thirteenth Tale the next title for discussion by the Usual Suspects Mystery Reading Group, scheduled for Sunday, March 16th.
A story with echoes of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, at 406 pages it might prove a bit daunting for the mystery reader used to a slimmer volume, but I found it a thoroughly engrossing story.
I actually “read” this book via compact discs, which at nearly 16 hours playing time was a big investment of time, and I often carried an unfinished disc from my car player into the house to resume the story. The narration is done by two separate readers, a clever way of carrying the story which centers on two women and their loss of twin sisters.
There is a very clever little website devoted to this book which includes a Q&A session with the author, a reading guide for the book, traditional English recipes (!) and a bibliography of the finest gothic tales to be had.
Hope you can join us on Sunday at 2. New members are always welcome.