very cold people: new england gothic
the darker side of new england. crumbling colonial-era brick, run down coastal towns, abandoned factories, dilapidated mills, foggy orchards, cold dark waters, whispers of witchcraft, venerated institutions, secret societies, and uneasy echoes of the past.
created by leylines
last updated August, 2026
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notes: • recommendations welcome! all i ask is that they are set primarily in new england (massachusetts, rhode island, new hampshire, vermont, maine, connecticut) • if you see something that doesn’t fit, please let me know • aiming for a mix of classics and contemporary works
i hope you enjoy your stay! 🦞🌲🏛️🍁🌊🍂⛰️🫐⚓️🍎
During your stay here, dishes will be passed to be shared, both sweet and savory.
Expect October ale and strawberry cordial alongside tarts, pies, flans, and puddings. Turnovers, trifles, breads, fondants, salads, pasties, and cheeses will alternate with beakers of greensap milk, mint tea, rosehip cup, and elderberry wine.
The menu also features hot cornbread with hazelnuts and apple baked into it, as well as a salad of celery, lettuce, shredded carrot, and white button mushrooms, accompanied by beakers of hot mint and dandelion tea.
All these fresh delights and drinks are served from the Redwall kitchens.
We cordially invite you to discover the cozy, comforting world of Redwall.
Ahh I love this list thank you!! I have one quibble and one offering:
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The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is explicitly set in Sleepy Hollow in New York 😂 - near Tarrytown in the Hudson Valley; I don’t think that could even generously be called NE! (And as a Hudson Valley resident I want to keep our one famous story 😤)
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you might want to consider North Woods by Daniel Mason! It has sort of a gothic feel overall even though it’s not horror - there are ghosts and seances and such, and the history of the area is super important. It’s also set in one house over time, and a creepy house setting is very gothic!
Edited because I had a real moment and didn’t see one of my recs is already here 😂
leylinesOP
ooo youre so right about sleepy hollow, removing it now—i believe i saw that when i was researching and added it anyways because i immediately forgot 😭
looking into north woods from another rec and i believe it’s perfect, adding now!
This might be on the outside edge of gothic lit but North Woods by Daniel Mason is set in Maine (its def New England but im p sure it's specifically Maine). It is really really cool and has gothic elements and i would say it fits BUT that might be me.. i definitely recommend though, it might fit!!
