If you loved
The Various Haunts of Men
Susan Hill · Book · 2004
You were drawn to The Various Haunts of Men because of the unsettling way deep-seated small-town secrets collide with obsessive, lonely investigations.
Films on the same thread
The Lady Vanishes
Alfred Hitchcock · Film · 1938
Explores: Missing Person, Amateur Detective, Conspiracy.
Like The Various Haunts of Men, this film captures the disorienting feeling of a missing person case where the truth is obscured by a wall of silence and deception.
The Wicker Man
Robin Hardy · Film · 1973
Explores: Religious Conflict, Isolation, Loss of Innocence.
The Various Haunts of Men features an investigator confronting a community that denies the truth, a central tension that is masterfully mirrored in this chilling, isolated folk horror tale.
Mindhunters
Renny Harlin · Film · 2004
Explores: Serial Killer, FBI Training, Profiling.
The Various Haunts of Men highlights the psychological toll of an investigation, a theme that drives this story as profiling trainees face their own internal demons amidst a deadly game.
Hot Fuzz
Edgar Wright · Film · 2007
Shares 2 threads with The Various Haunts of Men: Small Town Secrets, Police Procedural.
While more comedic, this film shares the core premise of The Various Haunts of Men: a dedicated outsider uncovering gruesome, hidden truths buried within a deceptively quiet village.
Series on the same thread
Midsomer Murders
Anthony Horowitz · Series · 1997
Shares 2 threads with The Various Haunts of Men: Small Town Secrets, Police Procedural.
If you appreciated the procedural focus of The Various Haunts of Men, you will find this series a perfect companion for its depiction of persistent detectives unearthing rural crimes.
Vera
Ann Cleeves · Series · 2011
Shares 2 threads with The Various Haunts of Men: Police Procedural, Mystery.
Vera Stanhope’s obsessive nature and personal isolation echo the character-driven depth of The Various Haunts of Men, grounding the procedural elements in a raw, authentic look at human struggle.
Manhunt
Ed Whitmore · Series · 2019
Shares a thread with The Various Haunts of Men: Police Procedural.
This series mirrors the relentless investigative spirit found in The Various Haunts of Men, focusing on the painstaking, often lonely work required to track down elusive and dangerous criminals.
Prime Suspect
Lynda La Plante · Series · 1991
Shares a thread with The Various Haunts of Men: Police Procedural.
Much like the protagonist in The Various Haunts of Men, Jane Tennison’s career is defined by an all-consuming obsession that persists despite the social and structural barriers she faces.
Podcasts on the same thread
Up and Vanished
Tenderfoot TV · Podcast · 2026
Shares 2 threads with The Various Haunts of Men: missing persons, small town secrets.
The Various Haunts of Men excels at exploring the mystery of vanished people, a fascination that this podcast pursues with the same rigorous, investigative dedication to uncovering hidden truths.
S-Town
Serial Productions · Podcast · 2024
Explores: small-town isolation, eccentricity, social decay.
This deep dive into a cloistered community captures the same atmosphere of social isolation and buried secrets that made The Various Haunts of Men such a haunting reading experience.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Various Haunts of Men a standalone story?
The Various Haunts of Men is the first book in a series featuring the Simon Serrailler character. While the mystery of the missing woman is resolved within this title, the personal lives of the police officers and their families continue to develop throughout subsequent installments in the sequence.
What is the central premise of The Various Haunts of Men?
The Various Haunts of Men follows a young police officer who becomes deeply invested in the case of a lonely woman who has disappeared. Despite pressure to abandon the investigation, the officer refuses to drop the case as they pursue the truth behind her sudden absence.
How long is The Various Haunts of Men?
The Various Haunts of Men is a novel published in 2004 by Susan Hill. The length varies by edition, but it is a full-length crime fiction work that establishes the investigative tone and character dynamics that define the start of the Simon Serrailler series.
Should I start the series with The Various Haunts of Men?
Yes, The Various Haunts of Men is the recommended starting point for readers interested in this series. It introduces the primary investigative team and the specific style of crime writing employed by Susan Hill, providing the necessary context for the character arcs that follow in later books.