Earlier this month, Heather wrote about a book called The Man in the Picture on her blog, A High and Hidden Place. The cover art caught my eye, and then when I saw that it was written by Susan Hill, author of The Woman in Black, I knew I had to get it, and it would be the perfect book to read by the fire on a cold winter’s night. Well, I didn’t get the cold part, since it’s been in the 50s here at night (the teens for you Celsius folk) but I did get a great fireside tale.

Oliver is visiting his old Cambridge professor, Theo, who has a tale to tell, or rather, a desire to unburden himself of a sinister story. A Venetian painting of a carnival scene is the subject of this tale of horror, and Hill once again creates a world that shimmers with foreboding and menace. She perfectly captures the essence of a horror story without cutting any corners or taking any cheap shots, and succeeds in giving the reader – in this case, me – a full-bodied reading experience in a single evening by the fire.