The weather has been unseasonably cool this month and, in spite of my summer-loving self, I find my thoughts turning towards fall. I love fall, though I also dread it. But only because winter comes after and I hate winter. I don’t have anything against winter itself. I just hate being cold.

Fall is a great time of the year for those who love The Gothic. The world turns towards Gothic things at this time of year more than any other thanks to Halloween and Dia de los Muertos. The weather takes on a Gothic chill too with the drop in temperature and the slow, tortuous demise of the leaves and plants around us.

Here are a few books coming out this fall that ooze with Gothic elements and I just can’t wait to get my hands on them!

Trigger Mortis | Anthony Horowitz

A new James Bond story! OK, it’s not WRITTEN by Ian Fleming. But it has some original content from Ian Fleming. This is probably going to be really good. Anthony Horowitz wrote a fantastic book about Sherlock Holmes where he did the ultimate homage by channeling his best Conan Doyle.

The Witches: Salem, 1692 | Stacy Schiff

I don’t think American literature will ever tire of stories about women from the times of the Salem Witch Trials. This non-fiction piece is written by Pulitzer Prize winner Stacy Schiff and tells her story as she travels to Salem, Massachusetts to uncover the mysteries of the infamous witch trials. And it comes out on Oct. 27, just days before Halloween. Those marketing people sure know what they’re doing…

Girl Waits with Gun | Amy Stewart

Ok this may not be overtly Gothic. But it is a sort of detective story which absolutely places it in the Gothic category. I also totally love the title of this book!  Here’s the back cover copy from Amazon:

“Constance Kopp doesn’t quite fit the mold. She towers over most men, has no interest in marriage or domestic affairs, and has been isolated from the world since a family secret sent her and her sisters into hiding fifteen years ago. One day a belligerent and powerful silk factory owner runs down their buggy, and a dispute over damages turns into a war of bricks, bullets, and threats as he unleashes his gang on their family farm. When the sheriff enlists her help in convicting the men, Constance is forced to confront her past and defend her family — and she does it in a way that few women of 1914 would have dared.”

Ash & Bramble | Sarah Prineas

I absolutely love, adore and crave books that twist fairy tales around (you can’t get much more Gothic than that!). I love them and wish I could think of a unique idea to do my own fairy tale twisting! This book is from the YA category and I’m super excited for it to come out. It’s a twist on the tale of Cinderella, and a totally different take than the one you get from Gregory Maguire (which I still love ever so much!).

What books have you jumping for joy and anticipation this coming season?