Nightmare House was a pleasant surprise. Pleasurable, one might even say charming, because it’s an old-fashioned gothic ghost story filled with many elements I know and love—family secrets, hidden rooms, eerie apparitions, and hints of occult influence—all delivered in a smooth, accessible narrative. Surprising because this is the first novel in The Haunted reading list […]
Reviews
Review: Ghost Story – A Tale of Two Readings
The movie version of Ghost Story (1981) made a pleasantly chilling impact on my psyche when I was a pre-teen. I’m not sure of the exact year, but I discovered the movie via HBO on a heat-soaked summer evening during a sleepover with my best friend. We were looking for a scary movie, but not […]
Review: Paranormal Activity – Smart, Simple, Scary Filmmaking
What is there to say about the original 2007 Paranormal Activity movie that hasn’t already been said? Let’s start here. I love this movie. It scared the bejesus out of me in 2007 and it still gives me the creeps today. But let’s be very clear. This is not a ghost story or a haunted house […]
Review: Hell House? Hell No
This feels like blasphemy. First, because I love Richard Matheson’s other work. Bid Time Return (and his screen adaptation, Somewhere In Time) will always hold a cherished place in my heart while What Dreams May Come is beloved in my household. Matheson’s Twilight Zone episodes are among my favorites, especially Night Call. After watching Will […]
Review: The Haunting of Hill House – A Fresh Look at an Old Friend
This is the haunted house story I thought I knew. Four strangers converge on a notorious and isolated estate in order to witness, investigate, and analyze purported supernatural phenomena. The house itself, built at odd angles and witness to generations of tragedy, is a brooding and enigmatic fifth character. Strange occurrences happen. Things go bump […]