Can you recommend the best modern haunted house novels?

Sure. 'The Woman in Black' by Susan Hill is a good start. It has a simple yet spooky plot. A young solicitor visits a remote house and encounters the malevolent presence of a woman in black. It's a short read but very effective in creating a haunted house atmosphere.

Another good one is 'The Little Stranger' by Sarah Waters. It's set in a dilapidated mansion. The novel is not just about the spooky happenings in the house but also about class and social change. The sense of unease and the possible supernatural presence in the house make it a great haunted house novel.

One of the best is 'The Haunting of Hill House' by Shirley Jackson. It's a classic in the haunted house genre. The story creates a sense of unease and mystery as the characters experience strange occurrences in the old, spooky house. Another great one is 'House of Leaves' by Mark Z. Danielewski. It has a unique format that adds to the overall disorientation and horror of the haunted house concept. And 'Mexican Gothic' by Silvia Moreno - Garcia is also excellent. It combines elements of Mexican folklore with the haunted house trope, making for a truly terrifying read.

Sure. 'The Shining' by Stephen King is a must - read. The Overlook Hotel, which is like a haunted house on a grand scale, has a life of its own. King's vivid descriptions of the hotel's halls and rooms make it seem both real and terrifying.

Another great one is 'House of Leaves' by Mark Z. Danielewski. This novel plays with the layout of the text to add to the sense of unease and mystery, and the haunted house in it is filled with all sorts of strange and terrifying things. It's a complex and immersive read.

A lesser - known but very good haunted house novel is 'The Little Stranger' by Sarah Waters. It takes place in a dilapidated mansion, and as the story unfolds, strange and disturbing events start to occur, blurring the line between the real and the supernatural.

You might also consider 'The Little Stranger' by Sarah Waters. It has a slow - burning sense of horror that builds around a large, dilapidated house. The characters are well - drawn and the mystery of the haunted house unfolds in a way that is not too overwhelming for those new to the genre.

Henry James' 'The Turn of the Screw' is an old but excellent haunted house fiction. It's a psychological horror story where the line between the real and the imagined is blurred, especially when it comes to the apparitions in the old house.

Also, 'The Little Stranger' by Sarah Waters. It's set in a dilapidated English country house. The story unfolds slowly, revealing the secrets of the house and the family that lives there. The sense of decay and the unknown in the house makes it a great haunted house fiction.

I would recommend 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's relatively short and easy to understand. It has all the elements of a haunted house story in a sense, with the old man's house being the setting for the narrator's descent into madness and the presence of an 'unseen' horror, which is the old man's 'vulture - like' eye. It gives a great introduction to the spooky and psychological aspects of haunted house tales.