21. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

During a dinner party six years before this novel is set, someone put arsenic in the sugar bowl used to sweeten blackberries. The only survivors are sisters Mary Katherine (Merricat) and Constance, and their uncle Julian – Julian’s wife and the parents and brother of the girls died. Since Constance usually did the family cooking, she is originally targeted for the deaths, although she is acquitted at trial. After the sensational uproar in the town, the three remaining family members live in self-imposed exile in their family home. Only venturing into town twice a week for groceries, they lead a simple life until their cousin Charles arrives at the house and has no plans to leave. The end result of his visit is disastrous to everyone.

Madness and a slow unraveling of all of the family members make this a chilling read. The characters have a simple, child-like quality to them and are extremely eccentric. A very dark and gothic tale, this is a great read for people familiar with Jackson’s famous story “The Lottery” and her novel The Haunting of Hill House.