By LINDY RYAN
Lock your doors and light your candles, horror fans. From George Morris De’Ath comes THE HAUNTING OF MORSLEY MANOR, a deliciously unhinged ghost story where nothing stays buried—not even the dead. World-famous paranormal investigator Eric Thompson’s career is on life support after a botched case left most of his crew in body bags and his best friend out the door. But when a mysterious woman hires him to host an investigation at the notorious, long-forbidden Morsley Manor, Eric jumps at the chance for redemption. More than shadows await him, however. Inside the manor’s rotting walls lurk grisly apparitions, blood-soaked secrets and a darkness that blurs the line between the living and the dead.
The Haunting of Hill House meets The Woman in Black in George Morris De’Ath’s THE HAUNTING AT MORSLEY MANOR, a gleefully macabre gothic horror. RUE MORGUE recently had the opportunity to sit down with the author to chat about his new book, coming this September from Rising Action.
THE HAUNTING AT MORSLEY MANOR blends classic gothic atmosphere with modern paranormal investigation. What inspired you to combine those two worlds?
No clue. It’s a weird thing, talking about a book you wrote eight years ago! But here’s what I do remember: I’ve always been obsessed with classic horror—the fog, the candlelit corridors, the doomed inheritances—and I also love the current horror renaissance we’re in across books, TV and film.
To me, every story has been told already—it’s just about how you mix the ingredients. So, I mashed together everything I love: dusty gothic tropes, modern ghost-hunting culture and a few experimental modernisms to see what kind of monster would crawl out. It’s like a horror smoothie, or maybe more like a Frankenstein monster of a book stitched together with old-school scares and new-school madness. Honestly, it was just fun.
Your protagonist, Eric Thompson, is a complex mix of charm, cynicism and trauma. What drew you to his character, and how did he evolve during the writing process?
Eric fascinates me because he’s kind of famous, but not too famous. He can still sit alone in a restaurant and not get recognized—just enough anonymity to brood properly. There’s this loneliness to him that’s both tragic and self-imposed. He wants to connect with people, but people keep him at arm’s length like he’s contagious with bad luck. What I love is the contradiction: he’s sociable, he can be disarmingly charming—but there’s always grief behind the grin. He’s pragmatic, even a little desensitized, but never quite tips into cold. And yes, there’s a supernatural gift involved: a bit witchy, though he’d never ever want to join a coven. Eric doesn’t crave power, he craves connection. That became the soul of the book without me even realizing it at first.
THE HAUNTING AT MORSLEY MANOR Author George Morris De’ath
This novel doesn’t shy away from gruesome imagery or emotional horror. Without spoiling anything, what was the most challenging scene to write?
First of all, my favorite death scene? The head one. You know the one. Let’s just say it’s a satisfying, melon-splitting moment of justice. But the hardest parts to write weren’t the gory bits—it was the emotional horror. Navigating toxic relationships—romantic, familial, platonic—was the real challenge. I wanted to explore emotional manipulation and domestic abuse with nuance and respect. Getting that right was the thing that kept me up at night, editing and re-editing. Hopefully I did those moments justice.
Oh, and there’s a particular neck-snap scene that’s weirdly beautiful … tragic, but kind of poetic. That one stuck with me too.
Themes of grief, guilt and the supernatural intersect powerfully in the story. What do you hope readers take away from it?
I want readers to appreciate life: warts, ghosts, grief and all. But beyond that, it’s not really for me to dictate. One of the best parts of writing is hearing what people think a book is about, especially when it’s something I never consciously intended. I write one thing, and you read something else entirely, and then we meet somewhere in the middle. That’s the magic. That’s the conversation. That’s what makes all of this fascinating.
If Morsley Manor were real and you had to spend a night inside, would you do it? And what item would you bring for protection?
Absolutely. I’d bring party vibes. They’d either love me or murder me on the spot for being too much. I’d bring my little red zircon witch ring I got for my 18th birthday—it’s seen things. That and maybe a good ol’ circle of salt. Classic. I’d be safe as a kitten. Meow.
You set up a lot in this book: certain characters, prophecies, a modern coven. Will all this return?
Oh my, yes. This book is planting seeds like a cursed gardener. The prophecy? That’s a slow burn that’ll unravel across many, many books, right up to my final one. And I know which characters you’re referring to—Eric and … them. Trust me, they’ll meet again, and when they do, it’s going to be cataclysmic. But not for a while yet. I’m playing the long game. And the coven? They’re getting their own trilogy down the line. Modern witches fighting for control and power. Can’t wait.
What can readers expect next from you?
My next book is called Something on Your Mind and it’s coming May 2026. It’s part of the same universe but a new story. It’s wild—hallucinations, a brain tumor, a devil-on-your-shoulder type entity, pills, a pink bunny. Total chaos. I love it.
I’m also in talks for more books (can’t say too much yet), but I’ve got seven more already written and ready to go. All connected. All part of the grand, weird, haunted web. Stay tuned.
Lastly, give me three words to describe THE HAUNTING AT MORSLEY MANOR.
Campy. Creepy. Controversial. In the best, most unhinged way possible.
