Haunted Houses features classic authors like H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, Bram Stoker, Henry James, and many others.
High Point: “The Turn of the Screw” by Henry James
Low Point: “The Spook House” by Ambrose Bierce
Authors: Various (D.K. Publishing, editors)
Publication Date: 2020
Genre: Fiction
Project Gutenberg: Not available
LibriVox: Not available
Movie/TV Adaptation: The Innocents (Turn of the Screw) (1961); The House of Usher (1960); The Canterville Ghost (1944); The Yellow Wallpaper (2021)
Haunted Houses is a fun anthology best read at the rate of one or two stories at a time. Giving yourself a short break will enhance the pleasure of these classics.
The stories vary in their levels of interest, but none are really bad. They come from classic authors such as H.P. Lovecraft, Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe and H.G. Wells. Some are truly spooky (“The Turn of the Screw” by Henry James); some are outright creepy (“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Gilman); and some are pure fun (“The Canterville Ghost” by Oscar Wilde). And the last story (“The Open Window” by Saki) has a twist that is the perfect way to conclude the anthology.
Once you’ve been through the entire range, Haunted Houses is a book you might want to revisit from time to time. Like a good movie, you’ll notice new things the second time through.
