Arthur Kipps, a young solicitor, travels to a remote coastal village to settle the estate of Alice Drablow, a deceased widow who lived in isolation at Eel Marsh House. The manor sits at the end of a long causeway that disappears beneath the tide twice daily. While sorting through legal documents, Kipps encounters a gaunt figure dressed in funeral attire. Local residents refuse to discuss her, though her sightings coincide with the sudden deaths of village children. Kipps eventually uncovers the history of Jennet Humfrye, a woman whose profound grief over a lost child transformed into a vengeful haunting.
This ghost story appeals to readers who value atmosphere over graphic violence. It targets audiences looking for the technical elements of the Victorian gothic tradition, such as isolation, fog, and psychological tension. Readers finish the book with a clear understanding of how sustained bitterness disrupts the boundaries between the living and the dead. The narrative provides a clinical look at the mechanics of a curse and the lasting consequences of unresolved trauma within a specific cultural setting.
Balanced in tone; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Curious Generalist. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1983
- Language
- EN
