Haunted since its construction by fraudulent dealings, accusations of witchcraft, and sudden death, the House of the Seven Gables is now home to shop-keeper Hepzibah Pyncheon and her brother Clifford, who has just completed a thirty-year sentence for murder. Their wealthy but unpleasant cousin, Judge Pyncheon, arrives for a visit, hoping to find the deed to the house, but his plans fall apart when someone is murdered.

The House of the Seven Gables is a Gothic novel written in the mid-1850s. Hawthorne explores themes of guilt, retribution, and atonement, and colors the tale with suggestions of the supernatural and witchcraft. The book was well received upon publication and later had a strong influence on the work of H. P. Lovecraft. It has been adapted several times for film and television.