A big old-fashioned English countryside novel which I did not want to put down, this book moved along at a dignified but sprightly pace, a ghost story narrated by a man of science (the doctor). It recalled Wilkie Collins in its setting and the reasoned deductions on the narrator's part but moved much faster and the ending leaves me pondering ghostly things. Well-written and enjoyable. ( )

Dr. Faraday, a local GP in a Warwickshire town, is called out to tend to a sick housemaid at the local manor house, Hundreds Hall. There he meets the Ayres family, the last of a noble line, and sees their once-beautiful estate fallen to ruins through impoverishment and neglect. A relationship forms between Faraday and the Ayres family, and he becomes both doctor and guest to the widowed mother and her two surviving children, who are in their twenties.

Terrible and inexplicable tragedies occur at Hundreds Hall. Injuries, death, and madness plague the family and their guests. Sarah Waters is a dab hand at invoking atmosphere, and much like Shirley Jackson's Hill House, the building itself becomes a place of tension, fear, and power. The book is creepy, not a book to be read when one is alone at night, and it is a well-narrated tale that genuinely captures the essence of its characters.

I would have given the book more stars were I not dissatisfied with the ending, about which I will say nothing more. It's a good book for anyone who likes spine-tingling tales. ( )

A perfect mix of gothic and historical atmosphere! The suspense builds relentlessly. This and Afinity are my favourites of Sarah Waters.

I have intentionally not seen the recent film adaptation, so as not to tarnish my own impressions and love of this book. ( )

It began well and ended well, but I felt it dragged in the middle. 3.5 stars, rounded up. ( )

Honestly, it was exceptionally well written and the story was perfectly tidy, but it just wasn't spooky enough for me. ( )