The Woman In Black, by Susan Hill is an 1983 novel that is soon to be a major movie. The story itself is a classic tale of a mysterious haunting in an old England town. Arthur Kipps, the main character is sent on business as his firm’s solicitor to manage a client’s papers after her death. He leaves the busy bustle of London for Crythin Gifford, a town surrounded by countryside, marshes, and near the sea. There, he stays at Eel Marsh House, where the late Mrs. Alice Drablow resided.
Strange things begin happening, and when Kipps attempts to get to the bottom of it, the people of the nearby town say nothing. Only once he begins organizing the papers, when the haunting worsens, does he start to piece the puzzle together of why these things are happening. He is driven out of Eel Marsh house, after almost dying and becomes ill before returning home to London several days later. Once back, he believes he has escaped that horrible place, but it doesn’t end there.
This book is a great read. Compelling, edgy, with a classic eery feel. I reccomend this to anyone who loves a good scare. The movie, starring Harry Potter’s Daniel Radcliffe comes out February 3,2012.
This article was featured in the Prospector Winter 2011 Print Edition.
Comment Policy: Comments are welcomed and encouraged. However, the editorial board reserves the right to edit or delete, without notice, any comments submitted to the blog. For more details, see our full Comment Policy.