Ghost Story / by Peter Straub

In the small town of Milburn, four old men share a tradition of telling ghost stories to pass the time on the long, cold winter nights. The four--Dr. John Jaffrey, Lewis Benedikt, Sears James and Ricky Hawthorne--have been friends all their lives, the quartet known as The Chowder Society, all well-recognized as upstanding citizens of their community. Until recently, the foursome had a fifth member named Ed Wanderley who passed away a year previous under some rather strange conditions. Ed had been found dead in an upstairs bedroom of Dr. Jaffrey's home during a party, his grey hair completely white and his face frozen in a look of shocked horror, as if he'd been frightened to death.

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The the year succeeding their friend's death has not been pleasant for the remaining Chowders who've all suffered horrible nightmares and other unpleasant occurrences. When Jaffrey dies only days after the one-year anniversary of Ed's death of an 'apparent suicide', thought to have jumped off a bridge, terror really strikes the hearts of Lewis, Sears and Ricky who decide to take action against whomever or whatever is seemingly out to get them. Wanting to keep things secret, they summon the nephew of their late friend Ed, Donald Wanderley, an expert on the occult and other paranormal phenomenon, to investigate what's plaguing them and hopefully put an end to the growing presence of terror in their lives.

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Straub's Ghost Story, originally published in 1979, is one of the most thrilling--and chilling--horror novels of the twentieth century. Combining elements of the paranormal and occult with long dead and buried secrets, it is a book rich in both character detail and terror-driven suspense. The real strength of the story lies in the bond between the friends, the close-knit group confronted by a mutually regrettable past and a present evil coming back to haunt them. The plot, though complex at times, does include all of the key devices necessary for a classic ghost/horror tale: subtle warning signs, death, eerie links to the afterlife and the 'principle of evil' embodied within demonic forms and/or otherworldly beings. It's a great book to get into during say, a really rainy weekend. (FIC STRAUB)

The Haunting of Hill House / by Shirley Jackson

A tale of subtle, psychological suspense, Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House has unnerved readers since its original publication in 1959. Stephen King among others has claimed it to be one the finest horror novels of the twentieth century.


"Hill House, not sane, stood by itself against its hills, holding darkness within . . ." p. 1

A nineteenth century mansion built by a man named Hugh Crain, Hill House manor was originally intended to be a home for Crain and his family. But now, long after the ill-fated plans have self-destructed and years of neglect have enshrouded the house with ruin and decay, the daunting structure has essentially lain uninhabited for decades. Dr. John Montague is an expert on paranormal phenomenon and has acquired access to Hill House in hopes of finding scientific evidence of the supernatural. Accompanying Montague are three additional visitors. Eleanor and Theodora are two young women personally pre-selected by Montague in light of each's prior 'telekinetic' experiences. Luke Crain is the official heir to Hill House, and though he could care less about it, is willing to allow Dr. Montague's liberal use of the house in exchange for a generous sum of money.

Almost immediately upon settling in, all four inhabitants begin to experience strange events. Awkward sounds, abrupt temperature changes, ghostly apparitions, 'blood' spattered on walls and other odd, unexplained occurrences increasingly consume the atmosphere. Dr. Montague and his collection of fancy equipment constantly monitor the activity, sensing 'alternative' energy sources and "supernatural manifestations" nearly around the clock. Eleanor especially tends to experience singular phenomena to which the others remain oblivious, perceiving identifiable shapes in mirrors and able to communicate with 'voices'--"the dead are not silent in Hill House"--around her. As the time passes, the situation escalates with Eleanor seemingly a magnet for the supernatural, singularly attracting eerie sensations and interacting with the 'other' side. Slowly she begins interpreting aspects of the house's indescribably horrific past, coming to terms with her own daunting reason for deciding to accept the "invitation" to Hill House. Though the others are less prone to similarly engaging episodes, the physical horror of Hill House ominously manifests itself, distorting reality and stretching the bounds of the physical in increasingly dark, chilling and harrowingly intense ways. Soon all four discover that the 'visitor' status they've assumed may not be mutually understood by house's 'caretakers'.

The Haunting of Hill House remains one of the most important horror novels of all time and certainly one of the most singular haunted house tales ever written. It is certainly worth mentioning that at no time do we or the characters actually see any sort of visible ghostly manifestation; the phenomena are limited to cold spots, spectral banging on the walls and doors, messages written on walls, and torn, blood-spewed clothing in one room.  Truly, Jackson's writing itself is haunted, and she herself almost surely was in some manner. There is a degree of insanity in every page; the characters often engage in dialogue that is childish of a sort and certainly different from normal adult conversation. Eleanor is an especially appealing character to me because I share many of her doubts and fears and no one rivals Jackson in the ability to paint a deeply moving, psychologically deep portrait of the tortured soul. The ending itself is striking and perfectly fitting, I feel, and does much to keep the spirit of this wonderful novel in your mind and soul for a long time. This is not a novel to cast aside and forget; long after you have finished the book, Eleanor and Hill House will haunt your mind and soul. (FIC JACKSON)