Kate Cherrell's Debut Gothic Horror Novel 'Begotten' Arrives This May

'Begotten', the impressive debut novel from rising star of paranormal TV and authority on all things Victorian and morbid, Kate Cherrell, will be published on May 13 and is available to pre-order now.

Best known for her work exploring Victorian death culture on her website Burials & Beyond, and for her appearances on paranormal television shows including BBC Three's 'Paranormal' with Sian Eleri, 'Jonathan Ross Haunted Homecoming', and 'Jack Osbourne's Haunted Homecoming', Kate now channels that expertise into every corner of this novel.

'Begotten' draws heavily from 19th-century gothic literature but adds a modern psychological twist, especially in how it explores trauma and gender roles. The dialogue is sharp, especially from some of the more oppressive characters, and the use of diary entries and letters creates a creeping sense of doubt. 

With strong Shirley Jackson vibe throughout, 'Begotten' is a psychological gothic horror set in the late Victorian era. The story follows Alice, a woman whose already fragile grip on reality begins to fracture as she returns to Duncain, a crumbling estate thick with secrets. The book delves into themes of isolation, inheritance, grief, and the fine line between madness and haunting.

As the story unfolds, the reader is left to wonder whether the horrors faced by Alice are the result of spiritual interference, psychological collapse, or something even more insidious. It's this refusal to clarify that gives the book its unsettling power.

Kate's background in Victorian spiritualism is evident throughout, but it's never overbearing. Rather than turning the story into a lecture on mourning jewellery or parlour séances, the historical detail is woven into the fabric of the novel - with séances, trances, mourning rituals, and even regurgitated ectoplasm appearing in ways that feel grounded and believable, making this an appealing read for any fan of the paranormal or spiritualism.

'Begotten' isn't a jump-scare or Stephen King-style horror novel. It's not a ghost story in the traditional sense, nor is it particularly bloody or violent. Instead, its horror comes from claustrophobia, from atmosphere, and from the uncertainty about what is and isn't real.

Some readers will crave answers the novel deliberately withholds. But for fans of psychological horror, or for those who enjoy gothic stories where the house, the history, and the character's mind all seem to blur together, 'Begotten' delivers exactly the right kind of unease.

There are deliberate gaps in logic, sudden shifts in tone, and an absence of tidy resolution where more traditional horror might offer answers. But this isn't a book about ghosts in the conventional sense. It's about control, confinement, and how women's voices have historically been dismissed, contained, or silenced.

Kate Cherrell's 'Begotten' is deeply atmospheric, psychologically intense, and rooted in a sharp understanding of historical spiritualism and how these forces could be used to manipulate, especially at a time when women’s voices were often deemed emotional or unstable.

Whether the horrors in the novel are ghosts, madness, or manipulation is for you to decide. 'Begotten' is available in paperback from May 13 and is available to pre-order now from Amazon. It is a great read for anyone interested in literary horror, gothic fiction, or the lingering echoes of Victorian beliefs.