How to Build a Haunted House (Hardback)

The History of a Cultural Obsession

A grand tour of The Haunted House through art, architecture, ghost stories and more

Do you have what it takes to cross the threshold?

Crumbling turrets, crenelated walls, creaking floorboards. We all know a haunted house when we see - or feel - one. That creeping sense of wrongness. An icy shiver stealing down the spine.

But why do certain structures set this super-sensory alarm bell jangling, while others leave us unmoved? Can a house be purpose-built to be haunted? And does a building need a bloody legacy to set the skin tingling?

Tiptoe through the haunted gallery at Hampton Court Palace, encounter the spectral residents of Chillingham Castle and lose yourself in the labyrinthine layout of Winchester Mystery House as Caitlin Blackwell Baines unravels the psyche, the history and the folkloric fabrication that make a haunted house take on a life of its own.

Enter if you dare...

Publication date: 09/10/2025

£22.00

ISBN: 9781805221487

Imprint: Profile Books

Subject: Arts, Language & Literature, History & Classics

How to Build a Haunted House (Accessible EPUBAccessible EPUB)

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How to Build a Haunted House (Ebook)

The History of a Cultural Obsession

Caitlin Blackwell Baines

A grand tour of The Haunted House through art, architecture, ghost stories and more

Do you have what it takes to cross the threshold?

Crumbling turrets, crenelated walls, creaking floorboards. We all know a haunted house when we see - or feel - one. That creeping sense of wrongness. An icy shiver stealing down the spine.

Enter if you dare...

Publication date: 09/10/2025

£19.99

ISBN: 9781805221500

ISBN 10 / ASIN: B0DSR49R5M

Imprint: Profile Books

Subject: Arts, Language & Literature, History & Classics

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How to Build a Haunted House (Audiobook)

The History of a Cultural Obsession

Caitlin Blackwell Baines

A grand tour of The Haunted House through art, architecture, ghost stories and more

Do you have what it takes to cross the threshold?

Crumbling turrets, crenelated walls, creaking floorboards. We all know a haunted house when we see – or feel – one. That creeping sense of wrongness. An icy shiver stealing down the spine.

Enter if you dare…

Publication date: 09/10/2025

£24.99

ISBN: 9781805229322

Imprint: Profile Books

Subject: Arts, Language & Literature, History & Classics

Read by: Patricia Rodriguez

Reviews for How to Build a Haunted House

'With irresistible flair, How to Build a Haunted House is chillingly clever, richly atmospheric, and a feast of gothic curiosity. Baines gives voice to houses that whisper.'

Lucy Rose, bestselling author of THE LAMB

'As someone who lived in one of these haunted houses, I found Caitlin Blackwell Baines' book a remarkable document of the truth. All houses are haunted, but she singles out notable sites of spectral activity and writes about them with a glorious matter-of-factualness'

Philip Hoare, author of LEVIATHAN

'This has that exhilarating quality that you get from the very best non-fiction. Fascinating, intriguing and thought-provoking, beautifully and intelligently written, it's as absorbing and seductive as any fictional ghost story. An absolute must-read'

Bridget Collins, bestselling author of THE BINDING

'A fascinating study of some of the world's most famously haunted houses. From local legends and ghost stories to hugely popular money-making entertainments, Caitlin Blackwell Baines give us the facts, which seldom align with the legends, while communicating the mysterious appeal of haunted places. I finished reading with a strong desire to take up ghost-hunting myself'

Lisa Tuttle, author of MY DEATH

'A curious and curiosity-satisfying dive into the architecture, cultural obsessions and social shifts that go into creating an enduring, localised ghost story. As multi-layered as the very best hauntings'

Heather Parry, author of CARRION CROW

'An authoritative yet accessible examination of some of the most haunted houses in history. Rich in detail, it is wide-ranging and eclectic, and strikes the perfect balance between being both anecdotal and meticulously researched'

Lucie McKnight Hardy, author of BOUND IN BLOOD

'An interesting cultural exploration of some of the best-known houses where things are said to go bump in the night'

Edward Parnell, author of GHOSTLAND

'From New Orleans to the silver screen, these houses are haunted by more than ghosts: Caitlin Blackwell Baines unpicks the spectral stitches of a gothic staple and reveals the political turbulence, commodification of tragedy and commercialisation of fear in this ectoplasmic exploration of the humble haunted house. Every horror fan, coffin boffin and certified creep needs to read this book.'

Alice Slater, author of the instant Sunday Times bestseller DEATH OF A BOOKSELLER

Caitlin Blackwell Baines

Caitlin Blackwell Baines is an art historian and author, specialising in Georgian art and architecture. Born in Toronto, she later emigrated to the UK to pursue an MA from the Courtauld Institute of Art and a PhD from the University of York in art history. Upon completing her studies, she moved to the Isle of Bute off the Western coast of Scotland, and worked as a curator at Mount Stuart, a late Victorian Gothic Revival palace. When she isn't visiting haunted houses and recording her ghost story-themed history podcast, Haunted Homes, Caitlin is based in East Sussex.