Friday free-read.

The Circular Staircase
By Mary Roberts Rinehart

The story: Rachel inherits the care of her orphaned niece and nephew, Gertrude and Halsey. Gertrude and Halsey are home from college for the summer, so Rachel rents an East Coast beach house for summer vacation. Horror ensues.

Why you want to read it: Throughout this book, I kept thinking… this reminds me SO much of that movie The Others. I realize the cover makes the book look ancient, but The Circular Staircase feels so current!

My thoughts: This book may be set in the early twentieth century, but it has all the haunting language and imagery that you would expect from a contemporary horror film. Not only does the quick plot hook you into the mystery, the author really locks you in with the suspense

The Circular Staircase tugs at your mind, and it definitely gets your heart pumping. All in all, I think it is perfect for a snowy night in; especially if you want a scare!