Edgar Allan Poe started the haunted house genera, with The Fall of the House of Usher. There are many characteristics that can be borrowed from this, to create the best haunted house story. One would be how the house seems to have a pervasive effect on the narrator from the very beginning on the story, making him feel uncomfortable and shaken. This makes the story feel edgy and tense from the start. Second is how sanity is wavering when the narrator spends the night in the house and sees the twin sister. This makes the reader begin to wonder if the character's point of view can be trusted, or if there is more. The third is how Poe does not give to much back story or details, and the ones he did give where swept under the rug. This lets the reader's imagination wander and create sometimes the worst case scenarios. Fourth is the storm that rages as the narrator stays the night in the house of Usher. Storms are both physically and mentally unsettling creating more tension within the spooky house. Finally the haunted house story must absolutely have a creepy butler that shows up at strange times. This just add enough mystery to him to make him an interesting but essential character.
