A Haunting on the Hill: A Novel By Elizabeth Hand

"Alice's Madness" by award-winning author Elizabeth Hand is the first authorized return to the unsettling world of Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House. This novel, acclaimed by The New Yorker, The Washington Post, and Harper's Bazaar, blends Jackson’s chilling legacy with Hand’s contemporary voice to create an "eerily beautiful, strangely seductive, and genuinely upsetting" tale of isolation and longing.

Holly Sherwin, a struggling playwright, sees a glimmer of hope when she receives a grant to develop her play Witching Night. Seeking the perfect retreat, she discovers Hill House during a weekend getaway. The mansion, shrouded in mystery and almost hidden in a remote village, seems like an ideal place for her to focus on her work.

Despite her reservations, Holly convinces her girlfriend Nisa to join her, and they rent the house for a month. Soon, a troupe of actors with their own personal ghosts arrives to help with the play. As they settle into the house, its eerie nature reveals itself: strange creatures stalk the grounds, unsettling noises reverberate through the halls, and time appears to warp.

Tensions rise among the group as the house’s sinister presence becomes increasingly apparent. It becomes clear that Hill House harbors something ancient and malevolent, and it is no longer content to remain alone. With its haunting atmosphere and psychological depth, "Alice's Madness" is a compelling homage to Jackson’s classic, blending contemporary flair with a classic horror sensibility, and capturing the essence of dread and despair that fans of the genre cherish.