characters that haunt the narrative
I'm including books where a character's presence is minimal and every character, conflict, and theme leads back to them. Their absence feels loud. Their past decisions shape the present.
Open for recommendations that meet these parameters đź’“ I haven't read all the books in this list but feel fairly confident about their inclusion here, if you believe one of these doesn't fit feel free to discuss in the comments
created by FitzChivalry
last updated February, 2026
Comments
I love this trope so much I have a 50% overlap with this list. I have two recs- In my dreams I hold a knife by Ashley Winstead Looking for Alaska by John Green
thank youu đź«°đź«°đź«°đź«° In my dreams I hold a knife sounds right up my alley
Spoilers for Looking for Alaska * * * * * * * * * * * do you remember how much Alaska appeared in the book? I'm trying to decide if she was gone enough time to meet the standard but I read this a million years ago
Same but I think she was there for the first half of the book
ugh :( too bad, cause it almost fits perfectly. I wanted to add Wuthering Heights too but eventually didn't for the same reason. In My Dreams I Hold a Knife fits too a t though, already added it 🔥🔥🔥
Aww that's too bad. Also I didn't realize DunMeshi had this trope. I need to read it now.
Edit: Speaking of manga you should add Bungo Stray Dogs. 130+ chapters and we're still getting haunted
