The Turn of the Screw (Henry James)

The Turn of the Screw is considered to be among the best ghost stories ever written.  It concerns a governess, charged with the care of two orphaned children in an old manor home, as their guardian (an Uncle) lives elsewhere.  The governess sees two ghosts on the premises, at various times, who she subsequently discovers are previous employees of said Uncle, both now deceased, who (it's implied) committed great acts of evil while in the house, perhaps even with the children the governess is hired to educate.  I'll say no more, for fear of spoiling the ending.

This work certainly succeeds in keeping the reader in suspense- I made the mistake of reading it late at night, and my wife's unexpected entrance into the room almost sent me through the roof.  It was haunting, disturbing, and, in the end, a bit mystifying- the conclusion left the reader in suspense.  Perhaps that was the point, though I would have preferred more closure.  The prose was, at times, difficult to read; save for that, the work is highly worthwhile- for those interested in the macabre.

Rating: A