Mordegān-i ʿEmārat-i Bīst va Panjum Persian 2025

The Dead of the Twenty-Fifth Mansion" by Siamak Golshiri is a horror-mystery novel published in 2025 by Cheshmeh Publishing. With its eerie atmosphere, gripping narrative, and concise prose, the book offers a unique experience of contemporary Iranian literature.

At the center of the story is a solitary man, trapped in depression and despair after the death of his wife. His loneliness and grief push him to the brink of psychological collapse, until he meets a mysterious woman who changes the course of his life. She leads him to an old, enigmatic mansion on Twenty-Fifth Street—a place that seems to belong to another world. In this house, he encounters secrets from the past and a curse that has affected his ancestors, a curse that eventually transforms him into a half-human, half-beast. The thirst for blood, old wounds, and the scent of death turn him into a being constantly on the verge of losing control.

In this narrative, the mansion itself is more than just a setting—it becomes a living character. With rooms full of the past, doors leading to memories, and nightly sounds from the upper floors, the house elevates the story to a metaphorical level. Here, the past wanders like a restless spirit, erasing the boundary between reality and nightmare.

Golshiri’s writing style in this novel, as in his other works, is simple, intimate, and free of linguistic embellishments. By avoiding unnecessary adverbs and adjectives, he focuses on scene-building and dialogue, creating psychological spaces rather than direct descriptions. This style draws readers deep into the story’s world, providing a personal and tangible experience.

What elevates this novel beyond mere horror is its inner themes. The Dead of the Twenty-Fifth Mansion explores both individual and collective unconsciousness—a journey into suppressed instincts, dormant memories, and the eternal struggle between desire and law. The novel places humans on the edge between humanity and monstrosity, where love, grief, anger, and fear intertwine.

This book can be seen as a continuation of Golshiri’s earlier works, particularly the Vampire series aimed at young adults. With The Dead of the Twenty-Fifth Mansion, he extends his exploration of shadows and nightmares to adult readers, continuing his commitment to portraying the psychological complexities of contemporary human experience.