#ReadWithCBTB Book Pick: THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE by Shirley Jackson
Book Discussion: Sunday, October 25 at 12:00 PM EST
Guest Host: Riley Sager
Hi Friends!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year… Halloween season, of course! To celebrate Halloween, #ReadWithCBTB is getting a creepy twist: for our next book pick, we’ll be reading and discussing Shirley Jackson’s classic work of Gothic horror—THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE. Here’s a shocking admission: I’ve never read this book, and I’ve always wanted to find the perfect time to read it. Whether you’re a longtime fan of THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE or a newcomer to this classic novel like I am, I hope you’ll join me this month for what’s sure to be a very creepy and spine-tingling reading experience. Originally published in 1959, THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE is considered one of (if not the) greatest haunted house stories ever written. It is also the inspiration for the wildly popular Netflix mini-series of the same name—though that series is not directly based on the book (just so you know going into it, this won’t be the exact same story as that mini-series!). I am so excited to dive into this book, and I hope you guys will join me in reading it this month! If you’re new to #ReadWithCBTB, first of all, welcome—we are so happy you’re here! If you have any questions, you are always welcome to email me at crimebythebook@gmail.com! If you’re a returning #ReadWithCBTB participant, I’m so grateful you’ve chosen to participate again, and I can’t wait to discuss our next book selection with you!
I can think of no better guest host to join us for this Halloween book discussion than our guest host for this month, the amazing Riley Sager. Riley Sager knows a thing or two about writing scary stories: his latest New York Times bestseller HOME BEFORE DARK is an inventive and downright terrifying haunted house story that puts a modern spin on classic horror. Riley is a horror movie buff and a crime writer who weaves his love of all things creepy into his thrillers, and he is the absolute perfect person to join us to discuss the horror classic that is THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE. He also happens to be one of my personal favorite crime writers. I absolutely cannot wait to discuss THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE with Riley, and I hope you will consider joining us for a creepy buddy read and book discussion as we gear up for Halloween!
SO HOW DO YOU PARTICIPATE IN #READWITHCBTB?
Joining in this virtual buddy read and book discussion is easy! Simply read Shirley Jackson’s THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE on your own schedule over the next month (find some suggested places you can buy the book below!), and register via email at the link below. The day before the event takes place (October 24, in this case!), I will send everyone who has signed up via email a direct Zoom link that you can use to tune in for this book discussion. I will also solicit questions from readers via email in advance of the chat, so if you have a question you want to be sure we address in the Zoom conversation, you can submit it early! One important note: if you have already signed up for the #ReadWithCBTB email list, you do NOT need to sign up again. You are already on the list!
It’s totally free to participate in these events—all you’ll need is a computer or mobile device that will allow you access to the internet to tune in for the discussion via Zoom. (Please note: when we discuss these books, we’ll be discussing all of the book. There will be spoilers in these book discussions, which is why we are hosting them via Zoom, rather than Instagram Live. I don’t want anyone accidentally stumbling upon these chats and having the book spoiled for them!)
I can’t wait to start reading with you guys!
REGISTER FOR #READWITHCBTB HERE:
About The Haunting of Hill House:
The greatest haunted house story ever written, the inspiration for a 10-part Netflix series directed by Mike Flanagan and starring Michiel Huisman, Carla Gugino, and Timothy Hutton
First published in 1959, Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House has been hailed as a perfect work of unnerving terror. It is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly pile called Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of a "haunting"; Theodora, his lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable phenomena. But Hill House is gathering its powers--and soon it will choose one of them to make its own.
Suggested Retailers:
Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Bookshop.org
About Guest Host Riley Sager:
Riley Sager is the pseudonym of a former journalist, editor and graphic designer. Now a full-time writer, Riley is the author of FINAL GIRLS, an international bestseller that's been published in 25 languages, and the New York Times bestsellers THE LAST TIME I LIED and LOCK EVERY DOOR. His latest book, HOME BEFORE DARK, is available now. A native of Pennsylvania, he now lives in Princeton, New Jersey.
Connect with Riley on his website, and check out his haunted house story HOME BEFORE DARK!
Home ownership feel like a distant dream? Zillow listings have you convinced you’ll be renting for the rest of your life? The woman at the heart of Carissa Orlando’s debut The September House feels your pain—and she’s prepared to put up with a lot if it means she and her husband can finally have a place to call their own. In this case, that might just mean living in a house that’s haunted. Playful and irreverent, spine-tingling and spooky, The September House puts a fresh spin on the classic haunted house story, delivering an immersive tale about the secrets lurking within one building’s walls, and within the lives of its inhabitants.