The House on the Hill

Another respectable offering from Kelpie paperbacks - a series well worth investigation. Philip Gilmore is horrified to learn that he is to live, temporarily, with his 'stuck-up' spinster Aunt Jane and his cousin Susan, product of a 'posh' school. He goes reluctantly and his churlish behaviour swiftly antagonises his cousin and saddens his introspective, gentle aunt. An empty room, with a ghostly nocturnal 'guest' who switches on non-existent lights, draws Philip and Susan into a convoluted family history in which he learns much about himself that he does not like. His relormed behaviour, Aunt Jane's newly-discovered happiness and the belated conclusion to a family mystery begun 50 years earlier, provide an engaging and well-paced story with a chilling climax. First and second-years will enjoy this hugely; make sure it's on your library or classroom shelf.