Louise meets David and sparks fly, but alas, David is already married to Adele and it turns out he is also Louise's new boss. Louise gets drawn into David and Adele's strange world when she meets Adele and begins a friendship. But not all is as it seems and Adele is using Louise to further a strange plan. I really don't want to say too much about this book. For one thing it just can't be described well, and for another, it needs to be experienced without preconceptions. If you are like me and tend to read the end of the book first, you really need to refrain to get the full effect. The last couple of pages will change everything you think you know about Louise and David and Adele. 
Eight people receive invitations to a small island off the coast of England. When they arrive they are met by a cook and butler, but their hosts have not yet arrived. It soon becomes clear that they are all, including the cook and butler, being accused of murder, and a nursery rhyme alludes to all of their deaths. Very soon, people are being killed and we are trying to figure out who the murderer is. I did not figure out who the killer was and had to wait for the reveal at the end. It's a masterful book!
Idlewild Hall was a boarding school for troubled girls. For the girls who lived there in the 1950's, the place was spooky and there were rumors of hauntings from troubled events even before their time. In 2014, the Hall is being restored. Fiona's sister was found murdered on the grounds 20 years before and Fiona decides to write a story about the place. Even though her sister's boyfriend was tried and convicted for her murder, Fiona feels like the story is unfinished. She will eventually uncover all the secrets of Idlewild - the recent and the ancient. I have recommended Simone St. James before. Her books are almost too scary for me, with angry ghosts who have the ability to influence the world around them. St. James is very good at writing atmosphere and mood and she inevitably causes that shiver to run up my spine!
Shirley Jackson is the queen of the Gothic horror novel. The Haunting of Hill House is another story where a group of strangers arrives to spend time at an isolated location. Dr. Montague is investigating the supernatural and invites others who have had experiences with the paranormal. Theodora and Eleanor accept and travel to Hill House along with Luke, who is the heir to the house. After their arrival, they all begin to experience unexplained noises, writing on walls, and other odd events. The house seems to not only be haunted, but also seems to be trying to possess them, particularly Eleanor. The brilliance of this book is that we are never sure whether the hauntings are real or just the imaginings of already disturbed minds. Even at the end, after tragedy strikes, we aren't sure. I was first introduced to Shirley Jackson in Junior High when The Lottery was included in our reading curriculum. It was my first experience with the thrill that can be achieved with reading disturbing books while safe at home. I didn't discover her longer works until adulthood and have enjoyed both Hill House and We Have Always Lived in the Castle. 
Jack and Grace have the perfect marriage. Jack is wealthy and Grace is charming, but their friends have a hard time getting to know them better. Again, I don't want to give too much away about this book. I have told single friends that they probably shouldn't read it because they would never trust anything a potential romantic interest said ever again! Even after years of marriage, I still looked sideways at my husband as I was reading it. Do we ever truly know what someone else is thinking or what their motivations are? I generally don't like to give "trigger warnings" but I will say that the premise of this book is very disturbing. I did enjoy reading it, but beware!What are your favorite spooky, creepy reads? I need something new to make my spine tingle this year.
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