When you think of female figures instrumental to literary movements and genres, especially the horror genre, you probably first think of Mary Shelley. You might then ponder for a moment, possibly giving some more answers, but for most the name Shirley Jackson might slip the mind. Let me implore you to reconsider and to write her name into your mind as to never forget because truly she deserves to be remembered.

Shirley Jackson is an incredible woman behind such novels as The Haunting of Hill House, The Road Through the Wall and this stellar novel We Have Always Lived in the Castle. She is also the mastermind behind hundreds of short stories, her most notable being The Lottery. Her work is something beyond her time, her active years as a writer spanning from 1943-1965. It is noted that upon publishing The Lottery, she received hundreds of letters from readers who were outraged at her exploration into the darker side of human nature. This method of storytelling not only made her stand out as a horror writer in the 20th century but cemented her as an idol in the genre for legendary writers like Stephen King himself.

But enough of the background checks. You don’t need to know who she is or how she influenced other writers to see for yourself just how astonishing and evocative her writing is. Shirley Jackson’s work has such a strong tone and sense of space, bringing to life the eerie feeling of inanimate objects and abstract ideas – unspoken words, old spaces, familial connections and family secrets. Her word choice is pristine and perfect, the tension and pacing strolling hand and hand through this immersive tale shrouded in mystery, dark shadows and even darker human emotions and instincts.

You may feel compelled to read this two different ways, either very quickly in one quick swoop or slowly, journeying through one page at a time and soaking up every detail right down to the letter. I fall into the second category and in all honesty I’m reluctant to finish it simply because I don’t want to leave this wonderful intense world. Shirley Jackson has cast a spell on me I don’t want to wake from. Or, at least, not until I have another of her books at the ready to dive head-first into.

For the sake of your curiosity, your range and depth as a reader, your skillset and craft as a writer, or the burning feeling in the back of your mind we all know as FOMO, I beseech you to pick up at least one Shirley Jackson piece. We Have Always Lived in the Castle is praised as being her best and I can undoubtedly see why but there are others I’m sure are just as thrilling that can spark your interest and hook you in with one crooked claw. After all, she is the mother of the haunted house trope and what better read is there during the spooky season than one set in a haunted house?