Hell House by Richard Matheson

Hello everyone.

Growing up in New York makes me appreciate fall, not that we are having autumn like weather in coastal North Carolina, it was 95 today. In upstate NY though, fall is in full swing. That means three things; high school football rivalries, beautiful leaves, and apple everything. Each fall, one Saturday morning, my dad would return home with buckets and buckets full of apples he had just picked. These were not any run of the mill apples either, they were Macintosh. Now if you've only had a "mac" from the grocery store, I am so sorry, you are missing out. Real "macs" are small, fairly firm, quite tart, and taste very apple-y. They were my dad's favorite so naturally they are my favorite too. Not only great for eating but perfect for baking. Cool weather was a signal that a visit to the cider mill was in order, cider, donuts, and candy apples of every variety were soon to follow. Just for the record, despite what my sisters say, blue candy apples are the best.

Another signal of fall was the start of fires in the large stone fireplace in our basement. We spent hours down there on cloudy afternoons watching movies. One that we loved, even though it really scared us, was The Legend of Hell House (the original version). Not only was the story creepy but it had an odd soundtrack that I can still hear. I was surprised last month to find out that, like many other movies, it had been a book first. I had to get my hands on it and read it immediately.

Hell House was written by Richard Matheson, published in 1971. The author also wrote the movie. Both stories center on a very haunted old mansion. Years ago a group of people went to the house to investigate; all were killed or driven mad except one person. Now, the house is about to be examined again, this time by a small cast of characters. Lionel Barrett and his wife, Edith, are attending the gathering. Lionel has developed a machine he believes can clear all the spirits from the house, making it usable once more. He is going to test his miracle machine during this visit. Joining the couple are just two other people. Florence Tanner, a medium, and Fischer, another medium and the only person to survive the last visit to Hell House. The story moves quickly and is filled with atmosphere. If you've seen the movie, don't hesitate to read the book. While you'll certainly recognize the story line, there are some notable differences, like a lake close to the house, where people tend to drown. In addition, the novel is much more sexual than the movie, not in a vulgar or overdone way. While I doubt this book would give you nightmares, it is still a spooky but fun read.

You know how books will sometimes advertise other titles by the same author in the back of the book? Well, Hell House has that page and I was shocked. Probably the most shocked I was throughout the whole experience! Talk about being a versatile writer, Richard Matheson also wrote the stories and screenplays for.... Duel (one of hubby's favorites)...I am Legend, he also wrote...wait for it....nah I can't tell you. Okay I will, the author of Hell House, the iconic haunted house movie (and book) wrote the novel and movie Somewhere In Time. You know the time travel, love story with Christopher Reeve. Now that is someone who can write anything!