I'm sitting here chilled to the bone, despite it being a very warm late summer night. I know my heart is pounding, and there were times my mouth went dry, and my skin prickled, and I felt deliciously, awesomely scared while reading this book. It is the slimmest of ghost stories, 160 pages, the first one read for RIP 3, and this first one has been everything I heard it was, and more. It scared me, in the nerve-wracking, skin-tightening way The Haunting of Hill House scares me. I can't read this book alone. In fact, I couldn't read it last night before bed, because I was afraid I wouldn't sleep. And here I am, finished the book tonight, and I'm not sure how I'm going to sleep.
For ghosts, chills, things that go bump in the night, for hair-raising terror, read The Woman in Black by Susan Hill. This is an traditional ghost story, that is a fantastic frightening way to begin RIP 3. The word haunting has taken on a new meaning, with this book. It really is terrifying, especially what the ending signifies. You know I'm not going to tell you the plot! Just - if you are looking for a good ghost story, this is one of the best I've come across. It does start out a little slow, but only because it is setting the atmosphere so very well. I keep going over the book in my mind - I did just finish it - and it is still giving me little chills.
May your first book for this challenge be as (good) frightening!!! This book is a treasure.
I am very glad my kitty was beside me while I read it, and my husband was on the same main floor. I'm very glad my house has people in it tonight. And isn't that the very best way to finish a ghost story, looking over your shoulder and wondering what that noise was?
12 comments:
I could never read a book like this. Too scary, and I literally cannot sleep!
OOooo - sounds like fun! Isn't that the book Kristen read while we were at your place? And did you get the pictures yet?
wow Susan, you're making me want to run to get a copy of this one! I love a good ghost story.
How could I not read this one after a review like that?! I love books that scare the crap out of you and it's hard for me to find books that actually do that...I'll check this one out for sure!
Susan, really glad you enjoyed this one, I read it many (too many!) years ago and it has always been one of my favourites. There was a really creepy TV adaptation done over here, and it's been on stage in London for goodness knows how long, so you can see how popular it is!
Oh goodness, you've reminded me of just how scared I was when I read this. I'm glad it's early morning and I might have forgotten by the time night falls!
jeane: if you ever were to read horror/ghost stories, this is a good one!
patricia: yes, Kristen read this when you were here. she didn't seem too bothered by it, thought of it as a 'college book'. Yes, we got the pictures - I'll call you this weekend( the kids had so much fun looking at them all). Some are really wonderful shots, thank you for the copies for the in-laws!!!
nymeth: good! it is deceptively small, but oh, such a good ghost story. It's still haunting me two days later- yes, pun intended!! lol
chris: I hope you can find it there! she's a British author....it's so good, and if you have to read it by flashlight again (heaven willing you DON'T), I dare you to try it!!!! in the dark....when you can't see anything..... lol
brideofthebookgod: you mean there is a tv version? and if you say it's creepy, it must be. I'll have to look out for it then. Though some of the images are burned into my brain now! It really is so well-written, isn't it?
table talk: did you like it? I did get to sleep that night, but even now,two days later, certain images keep coming back and giving me chills!! which i love of course, eerie stories are one of my first loves.
You made me try to run out and go buy a copy, but Borders didn't have it. :(
So I bought The Haunting of Hill House, which is awesome so far, but I really wanted both of them. I love being scared...well, you know what I mean! lol
eva: let me know if you can't find it. I may try to get another copy for a book give-away then. It is a British book, so might not be available in the US? I'm glad you're enjoying the Haunting of Hill House. I just discovered I don't have any copies of her books,which means I somehow gave them away and now I need to get copies again! I love The Haunting of Hill House....so creepy frightening.
Okay, I've been wanting to read this one forever. It is now a must read for October, I can see.
emily: you, who live in a haunted farm house (ok, the church is haunted, but you are out in the country!) have to read this book!!! It is still chilling me, a week after I read it!!
I'm going to go pick this up at the library tonight! I can't wait.
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