The woman in black by Susan Hill – is a ghost story in the very classic style.  More Edgar Allan Poe-ish and less Stephen King-ish, the writing style pulls you back into a different time right from the very beginning when Arthur Kipps starts a frightening story that he cannot even share with his family.

That being said the tale is descriptive and atmospheric but only mildly chilling, not scary like I have imagined.

As a young lawyer Arthur is sent to a little isolated village to take care of the burial and legal papers of an old lady living in a strange house in the swamps. There he witnesses the appearance of the woman in black which is supposed to haunt the place and brings unrest and diseases to those who see her.

Frightened and in disbelief the young lawyer returns to his duties, only years later to be stroked by the curse of the woman in black.

So, with a horrible ending the story has a true Victorian feeling that is worth seeking out if you’re a fan of ghost stories.