The Woman in Black is, without a doubt, one of the most captivating and chilling stage productions I’ve ever seen—and I’ve watched it multiple times.

Despite having never read the book before, I went in with high expectations, knowing its reputation as a classic ghost story. I was slightly apprehensive that it might not live up to the tension and terror of the play, but I needn’t have worried—Susan Hill’s writing is utterly mesmerising. Her prose weaves an unsettling, slow-burning dread that seeps into every page, drawing the reader into a world thick with mist, isolation, and an ever-present sense of unease.

While it’s not horror in the modern, jumpscare sense, its eerie build-up and gothic storytelling are masterful. The creeping suspense, the ominous silence, and the gradual revelation of the Woman in Black’s tragic, vengeful presence make for a deeply unsettling read. And that damn rocking chair? The way it creaks ominously in the darkness, an unseen force setting it in motion—it’s an image that will haunt my mind forever.