Yes, doglover, not suitable for chidren really, but great literature. My favourite is The Juniper Tree, truly spooky. I would love to see a movie made from that tale.
Now of course, Hansel and Gretel was made for the consumption of childs, not the other way around.
I'm a little late here, but I have two recommendations.
"The Fifth Child" by Doris Lessing
"The Magic Toyshop" by Angela Carter
These are both under 200 pages. I read them in an EN-500 class on the gothic novel last year. The first involves a baby boy who just ain't right. Cats wind up dead, siblings have bruises on their necks etc. And it just gets worse.
"Toyshop" is both beautiful and scary at the same time. A teenage girl is sent to live with her messed up uncle who owns a toyshop in London. In the basement are life sized puppets, including one of her in a wedding dress. He makes her perform in his own homemade plays with the puppets, including "Leda and the Swan." She plays Leda, and is ravaged by a swan. I won't give any more away.
