1. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
I first saw The a Woman in Black as a play when I was a teenager. I found it really scary so I didn't read the book until many years later. The book is about a young solicitor who is sent to wind up the affairs of a client who lived in Eel Marsh House, unaware of the tragic event which took place there. Before long, he begins to see a wasted young woman, dressed completely in black and soon learns why the locals are so reluctant to speak of her presence. This book isn't about blood, guts or gore. It's a proper ghost story; eerie and unsettling. A perfect read for the autumn and winter nights ahead.
2. Prey by Graham Masterton
This one is definitely not for the faint hearted. I actually read this book over 10 years ago now but it's always stayed with me. A recently divorced man takes a job restoring an old 19th century orphanage. He begins hearing scratching noises in the attic and what ensues is the most terrifying story I've ever read. Masterton has a knack for being able to completely immerse the reader in the story. I couldn't put this book down when I read it but it still makes me shudder thinking of it.
3. The Small Hand by Susan Hill
No one tells a good old-fashioned ghost story like Susan Hill. This one is about a bookseller who takes a wrong turn when returning from visiting a client. He stumbles upon a old derelict house and is so curious he decides to explore. Just as he starts to explore the house, he is aware of the sensation of a small, cold hand slipping into his hand (*shudders*). This one isn't as scary as the two above but it's a bit creepy and also a nice short book which won't take up much time to read.
4. Blood Harvest by S J Bolton
S J Bolton is really a crime writer but the three books of hers that I've read so far have all had a sort of supernatural undertone to them which I really enjoy. This one is about strange happenings in a village with various different things going on at the same time. A psychologist is worried about one of her patients who believes her daughter is alive despite having died years earlier, the new vicar is made to feel very unwelcome and a young boy keeps seeing a girl playing alone in the churchyard. Anything with churchyards is usually a bit spooky, in my opinion. I would highly recommend this book or Sacrifice and Awakening by her also.
Have you read any of these books? Do you intend to read any of them now? I would love to know what you thought of them.