The best 'haunted house' tales - part two

So a couple of weeks ago I started telling you about some of my favourite haunted house stories, in honour of the fact that House at the End of the Street was coming out. As the film is now out, let’s complete that list shall we? A torch and a big duvet to hide under are optional but encouraged.

The Shining – Stephen King

Just in case you’re one of the two people who don’t know the plot, let me summarise for you. Jack Torrance decides to become the winter custodian of the Overlook Hotel, bringing his wife and young son Danny with him to the isolated building. Jack has a troubled past and Danny has ‘the shine’, and the Overlook will do anything to use one to get the other...

The Shining really is the classic ‘haunted hotel’ story. In another of his stories, ‘1408’, King wonders how many people had slept in that room? How many died? How many went insane? Hotels always have a past, and The Overlook’s past is a doozy. I really, really recommend you read the book over watching the film. The film is good, but it misses all the nuances that really make this a terrifying story.

The Woman in Black – Susan Hill

Solicitor Arthur Kipps is summoned to a small coastal town to settle the affairs of Mrs Alice Drablow, an elderly widow who lived out in the isolated Eel Marsh House. As he attempts to do his business there, he is impeded by the villagers who seem hell-bent on keeping him away. At Mrs Drablow’s funeral, he spots the titular Woman in Black. However, when he mentions her to others, they become terrified and try even harder to stop him finding out the truth...

Although this book is a beautifully written Victorian/Edwardian ghost story, it was actually published in 1983. You’ve probably already seen the film, seeing as it was Daniel Radcliffe’s first post Harry Potter project, but I really, really recommend you read the book too. It’s only a slim tome, but not a word is wasted. Plus, the ending is what can only be described as a sucker punch to the gut. If you’re not crying by the end, you’re not human.

The Haunting of Hill House – Shirley Jackson

Dr. John Montague rents out Hill House for the summer, hoping to investigate the paranormal phenomena that happens there. Joining him are Luke Sanderson, the heir of the house, Theodora, an artist, and Eleanor Vance. The latter two were invited as they are receptive to the paranormal. During their stay, Eleanor experiences more and more spiritual events, although no one is sure whether they really are being haunted, or Eleanor is slowly losing her mind?

This has been described by many as the seminal haunting story, and it’s easy to see why. The first rule in horror is ‘the monster you see isn’t nearly as scary as the monster you can’t’, and in Haunting we never see what is reaching out to the inhabitants of the house. Also, it’s never explained exactly what is happening to Eleanor. She’s a resentful character, having cared for her invalid mother until her recent death, then being dominated over by her sister, she was desperate to escape her life. Was she really being haunted, or was it all a fake?

I hope you enjoyed my picks, and give at least one a go. Unrelated, Zombie Outbreak are not liable for any nightmares you incur while doing so.

The best 'haunted house' tales - part one

So there’s a new movie coming out, called House at the End of the Street on the 21st of September. Early signs do not look good. Terrible title, posters covered in hot girl du jour (Jennifer Lawrence) wandering around looking scared in a vest top... meh. However, I know I’m going to see this movie. For want of a better term, I’m an utter slut for haunted house stories. There’s just something about them I find fascinating. In order to try and explain this bizarre, slightly unhealthy love, let me run down some of my favourite stories with you. If you love horror, you need to read these.

Apartment 16 – Adam Nevill

In Barrington House, an upscale apartment housing block in London, there’s one apartment that’s been empty for fifty years. No one ever goes in or out, until a night watchman hears a disturbance and investigates, changing his life forever. In the meantime, Apryl has come from America to sort out the affairs of a reclusive great aunt who died in the building, under rumours she had gone mad. She becomes determined to find out what really happened to her, despite the other tenants’ unwillingness to help.

Apartment 16 is great because it places the moments of horror very deeply in the roots of normality. The characters are incredibly believable too. At first I wanted to hate Apryl, with her stupidly spelt name and her quirky Converse boots, but in fact she was fascinating to read about. Well worth a read.

(Side note, I’ve just started reading 77 Shadow Street by Dean Koontz which appears to be almost the same book, somehow. Shall have to do more investigating into that...)

The House Next Door – Anne Rivers Seddons

Col Kennedy lives in Georgia peacefully with her husband, Walter, until a talented architect designs and has built the titular house next door. The house goes through many occupants, all who suffer horrible accidents and fatalities. It seems as if the house feeds off the fears of the families who live inside it, but what can the Kennedys do to stop it?

The House Next Door is somewhat of an anomaly for Seddons, as she is not known for writing horror stories. However, this one is fantastic. What I really love is that she never outright explains what possesses the house. More writers need to give their readers a bit more credit, as she does.

The book's had a Lifetime movie made about it, but don't hold that against it.

Ghost Story – Peter Straub

Four elderly men calling themselves the Chowder Society meet regularly in New York, in order to tell each other ghost stories. They do it to fend off the terror they feel after fifth of their number dies at a party, having apparently been frightened to death. The book centres around the stories they tell each other, and how the fear they feel begins to spread around their entire town. Soon, secrets are revealed and the past needs to be paid for.

This story is a slow mover, but that’s ok because as you’re reading, you don’t realise just how terrified you are until its too late. There are several stories that are related at length that at first, don’t seem to have any relevance to the main plot. Soon though, they all begin to tie together.

Tune in next week for my final three picks!