Sarah Waters - The Little Stranger

Review by Maggie Perkovic on show 18th March.
IN A DUSTY POST WAR SUMMER IN RURAL WARWICKSHIRE A DOCTOR IS CALLED TO A PATIENT AT LONELY 'HUNDREDS HALL'. HOME TO THE AYRES FAMILY FOR OVER TWO CENTURIES, THE GEORGIAN HOUSE, ONCE GRAND AND HANDSOME, IS NOW IN DECLINE, ITS MASONRY CRUMBLING, ITS GARDENS CHOKED WITH WEEDS AND THE OWNERS, MOTHER, DAUGHTER AND SON, STRUGGLE TO KEEP PACE WITH A CHANGING SOCIETY.
BUT WHAT IS THE SINISTER PROBLEM HAUNTING THEM? IS IT SIMPLY THE DYING WAY OF LIFE OR IS THE HOUSE TRULY HOLDING SOMETHING EVIL IN ITS FABRIC. DR FARADAY A VERY DOWN TO EARTH AND PRAGMATIC GP IS DRAWN INTO THE FAMILY ALMOST AGAINST HIS WILL BUT EVENTS HAPPEN TO ENSURE THAT WHAT HAPPENS AT 'HUNDREDS HALL' WILL CHANGE ALL THEIR LIVES FOR EVER.
I WAS ENGROSSED WITH THIS STORY RIGHT FROM THE START, THE ATTENTION TO DETAIL, THE DESCRIPTION OF A LOVELY OLD BUILDING FALLING INTO DECAY THROUGH LACK OF MONEY AND THE STORY OF THE FAMILY AND THE VILLAGE AND INDEED EVENTS AFTER THE WAR, THE START OF THE HEALTH SERVICE FOR EXAMPLE, ARE WOVEN SO EXPERTLY THE READER IS TRANSPORTED TO THAT ERA WHERE A JOB IN SERVICE IS NOT AS POPULAR AS ONE IN A FACTORY AND WHERE THE NEW INCOMERS IN THE VILLAGE HAVE MORE MONEY THAN BREEDING WHICH CAUSES RESENTMENT OF COURSE.
IT IS QUITE SPOOKY AND DARK AND THE ENDING COMES AS A SHOCK BUT A LAST PAGE IN THE BOOK SAYS "NOT THE END"! WHO KNOWS, MAY BE A SEQUEL?? WELL DESERVED.