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Topic: Amazon.com's Top Ten Haunted House Novels of All Time......

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Subject: Amazon.com's Top Ten Haunted House Novels of All Time......
Date Posted: 10/12/2007 2:55 PM ET
Member Since: 1/10/2006
Posts: 1,102
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I just saw this and thought there might be others who would be interested:

1. THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE - Shirley Jackson

2. HELL HOUSE - Richard Matheson

3. SHADOWLAND- Peter Straub

4. THE SHINING - Stephen King

5. THE GOOD HOUSE- Tananarive Due

6. THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN IT'S WALLS - John Bellairs

7. THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR - Anne Rivers Siddons

8. THE MAGIC COTTAGE -James Herbert

9. THE HOUSE OF DIES DREAR- Virginia Hamilton

10. THE TURN OF THE SCREW - Henry James

The only one that I have read is THE SHINING. I have THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR  on my TBR pile.

Anyone read any of these? Did you like them? Know of any other haunted house novels? 

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Date Posted: 10/12/2007 3:11 PM ET
Member Since: 2/18/2006
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Diane,

I have The Haunting of Hill House-- I'm having a hard time getting through the first 25 pages but heard it was good.

Hell House--Excellent book (IMO) very well written

The Shining--Excellent book  IMO King is the KING

The House Next Door-- Good book  IMO

I have Turn of the Screw but haven't read it. It's a very short book and it comes with good reviews. Stephen King said he loves this book and The Haunting of Hill House.

I haven't read any of the others but will be checking them out

Christa

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Date Posted: 10/12/2007 6:01 PM ET
Member Since: 6/19/2007
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I read the House With a Clock in its Walls when I was a kid and loved it.  It's a really good story & not just for kids.   The Shining was awesome, I loved the atmosphere.  And The Haunting of Hill House was a classic. I read Mattheson's I am Legend, and have a copy of Hell House that I've been meaning to read for ages.  Also got Turn of the Screw on my TBR list and I will definitely be checking out the others as well.  Thanks for the tips!

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Date Posted: 10/12/2007 7:07 PM ET
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I've read all of them, but of this list my  hands down favorite is The Good House by Tananarive Due. 

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Date Posted: 10/12/2007 9:04 PM ET
Member Since: 7/15/2006
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I don't know why they always list Turn of the Screw on these top ten lists.  It's the most unscary and boring book I've ever read.  Every other sentence ends in an exclamation point as if that will make the sentence extra shockingly scary.  I guess it's one of those books that people feel should be on a list just because it's considered an old "classic".

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Date Posted: 10/20/2007 8:39 PM ET
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I don't know why they always list Turn of the Screw on these top ten lists.  It's the most unscary and boring book I've ever read.  Every other sentence ends in an exclamation point as if that will make the sentence extra shockingly scary.  I guess it's one of those books that people feel should be on a list just because it's considered an old "classic".

I love the story of Turn of the Screw, but the writing is truly dated and tortuous. If it could have been written by someone with a better flair for suspense, it would be a much better read. It's also not quite as shocking to modern readers, true, but the theme still resonates. Kind of reminds me of de la Mare's The Return. Fabulous story; writing kind of ruins it.