The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

The story begins with Eleanor Vance, 32 years old and alone in the world following the death of her mother, Eleanor cannot cope with her selfish sister and brother in law who berate her at every turn. Eleanor thinks her life is improving when she is invited to Hill House by Dr John Montague, a doctor of Philosophy with an interest in the supernatural. Hill House already has a reputation of deaths and suicides and Dr Montague has rented Hill House for 3 months for an experiment, Eleanor is part of the experiment.

‘The Haunting of Hill House’ is not your typical haunted house story, it starts with friendships forming, then to paranoid, you see the slow decline of Eleanor’s mind, there is something in Hill House and only Eleanor can feel it.

The 1963 version of ‘The Haunting’ based on the book is closer to the book compared to the 1999 version of ‘The Haunting’, which was more violent.

An interesting read with plenty of atmosphere and tension.

Reviewed by:  Gyre