Book Review: The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

Author: Susan Hill

Publisher: Vintage

Publishing Date: 2007

ISBN: 9780099511649

It’s the late twentieth century, on a foggy English evening. In front of you stands a lonely manor house with a dilapidated graveyard and you are required to stay here, alone, to sort through the belongings of the recently deceased owner. Would you stay or turn and go straight back to where you come from. Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black is the story of what happened to young solicitor, Arthur Kipps, when he found himself in this situation.

The Woman in Black opens on Christmas Eve with the Kipps family sitting around the fire telling ghost stories. At this moment, the father, Arthur Kipps, appears quite shaken and abruptly leaves the room – unable to share a dark secret that has haunted him since he was a young man.

"They had chided me for being a spoilsport, tried to encourage me to tell them the one ghost story I must surely, like any other man, have it in me to tell. And they were right. Yes, I had a story, a true story, a story of haunting and evil, fear and confusion, horror and tragedy. But it was not a story to be told for casual entertainment, around the fireside on Christmas Eve."

This experience with his family results in Arthur Kipps reflecting back to his time as a young solicitor when he was sent to attend to the affairs of a recently deceased client, Mrs Drablow. On the instructions of his employer, Arthur travels to Eel Marsh House, the isolated and abandoned estate of Mrs Drablow. However, rumours about this estate are rampant and when he first arrives at the mansion, young Arthur is struck by its hauntingly beautiful appearance.

“I looked up ahead, and saw, as if rising out of the water itself, a tall, gaunt house of grey stone and with a slate roof, that now gleamed steely in the light. It stood like some lighthouse or beacon or martello tower, facing the whole, wide expanse of the marsh and estuary, the most astonishingly situated house I had ever seen or could conceivably have imagined.”

Arthur settles himself in the mansion, but he is not there for long when he begins to hear strange noises and sees visions of a pale, haggard woman dressed in black. After speaking with locals Arthur begins to piece together the tragic history of this English manor and those who once lived there. Arthur is intrigued at first by the strange happenings at Eel House, but eventually he becomes deathly ill and returns to London. However, this is by far the end, as Eel house and the mysterious ‘woman in black’ are not finished with Arthur Kipps.

In The Woman in Black, Susan Hill succeeds in presenting the reader with a classic Victorian ghost story. It is smoothly paced and contains all the ingredients of the genre – a mystery to solve, a lonely manor house and an isolated, foggy location. I would not describe The Woman in Black as ‘terrifying’, however, it is a good, old fashioned ghost story with enough plot twists to keep the reader interested. A good choice for a cold, wintery night.

Book Review: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Author: Cormac McCarthy

Publisher: Picador

Publishing Date: 2010

ISBN: 9780330513005

Imagine living in a world where the majority of civilisation has been destroyed. A world where there is no food or water, no law or justice and no hope. A world where everyday is a fight for survival. This is the world that Cormac McCarthy introduces the reader to in The Road.

"What's the bravest thing you ever did?
He spat in the road a bloody phlegm. Getting up this morning, he said."

The Road is set in post-apocalyptic America at the time of an unexplained catastrophe which has all but destroyed the earth. The story centres on a nameless father and son who are trying to make their way through the bleak ash-covered wasteland that was once America. Armed with only a gun, two bullets and, a shopping trolley containing their meager belongings, the pair battle freezing temperatures, constant hunger and dangerous gangs who, like themselves, are also desperately ravaged by hunger and cold.

"He walked out in the gray light and stood and he saw for a brief moment the absolute truth of the world. The cold relentless circling of the intestate earth. Darkness implacable. The blind dogs of the sun in their running. The crushing black vacuum of the universe. And somewhere two hunted animals trembling like ground-foxes in their cover. Borrowed time and borrowed world and borrowed eyes with which to sorrow it."

The father and son share a strong bond and there is nothing that the father will not do to protect his son. Every choice the father makes, everything he does is in the best interest of his child. Amidst all the brutality, cruelty, savagery and despair the father’s love for his son shines through and gives him a reason to continue on. Through the relationship between the boy and his father, McCarthy succeeds in conveying the message that when all else is gone, it is love that is most important.

"Listen to me, he said, when your dreams are of some world that never was or some world that never will be, and you're happy again, then you'll have given up. Do you understand? And you can't give up, I won't let you."

In The Road, McCarthy has created a world which is bleak and harsh. A world full of horror and sadness. A world where the strong prey on the weak and where the future is grimmer than the present. Through the bleak and depressing content of this book, Cormac McCarthy shows the reader what the world of the future may look like. A world I hope we never have to experience. Although bleak and, at times, depressing The Road is truly an amazing read! Highly recommended.

Review: Who Killed Dave by Linda Cockburn

Author: Linda Cockburn

Publisher: Together Press

Publishing Date: 2009

ISBN: 9780646501321



From the back cover:

Dave died in mysterious and grotesque circumstances and the murder has caught the imagination of a nation. There’s a television poll running and 46% of voters believe Robyn is guilty. Maybe she did, maybe she didn’t, she wasn’t in any state to remember.

But hey, if you’re pointing fingers then Kaos Court is full of people crazy enough to commit the crime.

This part time masseuse, part time tarot card reader is going to need all her skills to find out who killed Dave, because it’s the only thing standing between her and Detective Mark Hood, a man she could never marry, not when your first name is Robyn. Right?

A whacky whodunit comedy that cartwheels from one chaotic moment to the next.

And who killed Dave? ... You’ll never guess!


Do you enjoy a good murder mystery? Feel as though you have the blood of Sherlock Holmes running through your veins? If so, then grab your magnifying glass and join the residents of Kaos Court to find out 'Who Killed Dave?'.

Kaos Court is a whacky Australian suburban street which houses an array of even whackier residents who range in whackiness from a blind telephone sex operator to Harry the Hermit and Bundy the Pitt Bull. In Who Killed Dave?, Linda Cockburn, takes the reader on a journey through the bizarrely connected lives of these residents.

Who Killed Dave? is narrated by Robin, a psychic masseuse and one of the more balanced residents of Kaos Court. However, trouble seems to follow Robin around and she continually has to navigate her way through a series of bizarre and dangerous situations in her quest to find out who killed Dave - one of the Court's more unpopular residents. Everyone in Kaos Court becomes a suspect in Dave's bizarre murder, including Robin, and to be honest, any one of them are crazy enough to have committed the crime.

Witty and full of surprises, Who Killed Dave? is a tale that is bound to please those with a sense of humour, any fan of crime fiction with a touch of the bizarre or anyone who just wants to have a good laugh at the expense of others. Who Killed Dave? is recommended reading for anyone looking for a light-hearted and raunchy murder mystery.

So, who did kill Dave? You can grab a copy here if you want to find out!

Rating: B


About the Author:

Taken from Together Press

Linda Cockburn is the author of Living the Good Life - Simple Strategies for sustainable Living, also titled Living the Good Life - How One Family Changed their world from their own backyard, published in 2006 by Hardie Grant and 2007 by Snowbooks.

The book details Linda's family's attempt to live six months from a suburban block producing their own food, power, water, transport and creating zero waste. They've been featured on Channel 7's Today, Tonight, Time Magazine, Notebook, That's Life and many others. Linda is a regular contributor to ABC Organic Gardening Magazine.

Linda has almost clocked up enough hours in Australia to be considered true blue, but her pronunciation of 'fish n' chips' still gives away her kiwi origins.

Linda, partner Trevor and son Caleb have moved to Tasmania where they are building a strawbale home without use of concrete, PVC and chemical paints. They've surrounded themselves in goats, sheep, chooks (chickens) and bees and spend most of their time saving on gym fees working out in the garden.

Celluloid Serial Killers by Paul B. Kidd

Author: Paul B. Kidd
Publisher: The Five Mile Press
Publishing Date: 2007
Genre: Non-Fiction, Serial Killers
ISBN: 9781741784275




Australian true crime author, Paul B. Kidd, presents an excellent reference guide on serial killer movies and the fiends who inspired those movies. Kidd has produced a comprehensive and compelling guide to the history of the serial killer movie genre and introduces the real-life serial killers who inspired these movies.

This book is made up of 45 separate chapters, with each chapter covering a different movie. Each section comprises a review of the movie, a movie poster, a biography and picture (if available) of the actual killer. The book offers a very comprehensive coverage of the most influential serial killer movies and a detailed introduction to some of the most depraved serial killers in history, including Fritz Lang's M (1931), Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960), Henry Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) and Zodiac (2007). Kidd also includes some movies which are not based on an actual historical serial killer such as Sea of Love (1989), The Bone Collector (1999) and Blood Work (2002).

Celluloid Serial Killers is presented in an easy to read format and, while the content matter is not for the faint-hearted, it is ideal for both true crime fans and movie buffs alike. After reading this book you may find yourself running out to get a copy of the movies that Paul B. Kidd recommends. A highly recommended read.


Rating: A


About the Author:

Paul B. Kidd is an Australian true crime author and recognised authority on Australian serial killers and criminals. Kidd is also radio talkback host, research producer and photojournalist. He is the author of approximately sixteen books on various subjects including true crime and fishing. Paul B. Kidd currently resides in Sydney, Australia.



You can purchase this book from the following link:

Celluloid Serial Killers: The History of Serial Killers in the Movies

Book Review - Like Water For Chocolate

Title: Like Water For Chocolate
Author: Laura Esquivel
Published (this edition): 1993
Publisher: Black Swan
Genre: Magical Realism
ISBN: 0552995878

Laura Esquivel’s bestselling novel, Like Water for Chocolate, is a tale of forbidden love, passion, tragedy and food. The narrative is told in twelve chapters and each chapter begins with a traditional Mexican recipe. The storyline weaves around the preparation and consumption of the food produced from these recipes, as the tragedies and secrets of an all-female rural Mexican family unfold.

Like Water for Chocolate is set on a ranch on the border between Mexico and Texas during the Mexican Revolution and tells the story of Tita De La Garza, the youngest daughter of the domineering and controlling matriarch of the family, Mama Elena. Tita, because of Mexican tradition, is forbidden to marry and is sentenced to a life of servitude to Mama Elena and must care for this vengeful and hard-hearted woman until the day she dies.

However, things become complicated when Tita falls deeply in love with a young man named Pedro. Mama Elena refuses to let Tita and Pedro marry and, desperate to remain close to Tita, Pedro marries her sister, Rosaura. From this point on, Tita is forced to live a lonely and loveless life and it is clear that her cooking becomes an outlet for her emotions. Tita transfers her feelings to the dishes she lovingly prepares and Laura Esquivel describes these dishes so vividly you can almost taste them.

Time, distance and Mama Elena keep Tita and Pedro apart for many years. However, a series of tragic events result in the deaths of both Mama Elena and Rosaura and, finally, Tita is reunited with her true love Pedro. However, this reunion culminates in an ending that can only be described as passionate and bittersweet.

Like Water for Chocolate is a passionate and tragic story which combines romance and fantasy. Those who have longed for something they could not have will relate well to this story. It is a story of forbidden love and a cookbook all rolled into one. This book is an entertaining, compelling and highly recommended read.

My Rating: A

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Book Review - Dracula

Title: Dracula

Author: Bram Stoker

First Published: 1897 (This Edition: 2003)

Genre: Gothic Horror

Publisher: Penguin Classics

ISBN: 9780141439846

First published in 1897, Bram Stoker's Dracula is regarded as the classic horror story. The narrative is in the form of journal entries and letters written by the characters.The story of Dracula opens with the journal of Jonathan Harker, a young solicitor who travels to Transylvania to assist Count Dracula in purchasing a London property. As he travels closer to the Count's castle he finds the reactions of the locals quite strange, but disregards them and travels on.

On his arrival at the castle, Jonathan Harker is quite impressed with the Count. However, he begins to make some horrifying discoveries within the walls of the castle and soon finds that he is being held captive by Count Dracula and barely manages to escape the castle with his life.

Meanwhile, strange incidents are occurring in England. A Russian cargo ship washes ashore with its entire crew dead or missing and from this ship a lone wolf escapes into the night, a patient of a lunatic asylum begins to talk of the return of his master and children are being stalked during the night. Soon after the ship incident, two young women, Lucy Westenra and Mina Harker fall victim to the blood-lust of Count Dracula.

These disturbing events prompt the main characters, led by Dr Van Helsing, to form a small band of vampire hunters who vow to end the horrifying reign of Count Dracula. This group embark on a terrifying journey which will eventually take them all the way back to Transylvania.

Dracula explores themes of salvation and damnation, suppressed Victorian sexuality and violence, as well as, good versus evil. While, the beginning and ending of Dracula are filled with fear and suspense, the middle leaves a lot to be desired. There are a few suspense filled moments when you are on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. However, these are few and far between and the pace is very slow.

The characters in the novel conform to the stereotype of the Victorian era in all aspects. The women are presented as fragile, sheltered and vulnerable. The men as brave protectors. However, at times, Mina breaks out of this stereotypical Victorian ideal of what women should be to give the reader a glimpse of a strong and courageous woman.

While not my favourite book, Bram Stoker combines the essential elements of the Gothic Horror genre such as adventure, horror and supernatural themes brilliantly to produce a novel that has withstood the test of time. If you are interested in where Dracula and vampire legends come from this could be the book for you. Overall, I would recommend this book, but be aware that is very slow in some parts.


My rating: B

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