The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

The first paragraph of Shirley Jackson’s ‘The Haunting of Hill House’ is one of my favourite starts to a book ever, as, without ruining anything, it gently ushers the reader into a strangely poetic and dreamy world of psychological horror. Though horror almost feels the wrong word to use!

I don’t want to give anything away but the plot is simple enough, with a professor of the paranormal inviting strangers to the titular house with a spooky reputation. A lesser writer could have turned this clichéd set-up into a mundane and forgettable read, but Shirley Jackson uses the prosaic set-up to better explore the complex internal horror of the female protagonist. Her thoughts are expressed in such a way that perfectly complements the themes of alienation and loss. This novel is a recognised classic of the genre and due to the masterfully crafted atmosphere will stay with the reader long after the reading.