This is the first I've read of this writer, I believe. Not sure I'd consider this horror. Its very subtle. Its eerie, rather than creepy or scary. The first story, "The small hand", was a bit slow paced for my taste. It drags on, which is unfortunate for a story this short. I felt the story was a bit ill contrived and, not satisfyingly explained.

"Dolly" is the better of the 2 stories, imo. I really enjoyed reading this one and would have probably rated it higher as a stand alone book. As a doll collector myself, I appreciated the unique take on this story :) ( )

Eerie and atmospheric, and disturbing as hell.

Avoid Dolly if you like or collect dolls -- your pleasant, innocent pastime will be forever spoiled. ( )

I have never read a Susan Hill novel before this one and based on the two novels within have to say I am going to have to check out "The Woman in Black."

I do love to read ghost stories and thought that she did a very good job in telling the two stories contained with, "The Small Hand" and "Dolly." Anyone that knows me knows that I loathe dolls and stuffed animals (creepy glassy little eyes) so I was looking forward to reading both stories.

Small Hand (5 stars)- Adam Snow (main protagonist) comes to a deserted home and garden and while there can feel a small hand gripping his while he wanders the estate. I loved the setting and atmosphere and felt as if I was reading an older Gothic story such as "The Turn of the Screw". You honestly don't know if the man is crazy or is this really happening. I really did love the ending and thought the entire story was creepy.

Dolly-(3 stars)- Also reminded me of "The Turn of the Screw" since it revolves around two children, Edward and Leonara, who are spending the summer at their Aunt's home. The aunt and the housekeeper really do not know how to deal with children and in the housekeeper's case dislikes children. Leonara is given a doll as a birthday present which she smashes which leads to events that take place later in the novel. The cousins are pretty much on their own and it soon becomes apparent that Leonora is a budding sociopath, just like her mother. Honestly unlike with Small Hand and even though I loathe dolls I wasn't scared by this story at all. I felt like Ms. Hill lost momentum from Small Hand to this one. If you want to read a truly creepy story about an inanimate object read Stephen King's "The Monkey."

Due to me not really caring for Dolly but loving Small Hand I ended up giving this combined novel 3.5 stars.

Please note that I received this novel for free via the Amazon Vine Program ( )

From Amazon:

The Small Hand:
Antiquarian bookseller Adam Snow is returning from a client visit when he takes a wrong turn and stumbles upon a derelict Edwardian house with a lush, overgrown garden. As he approaches the door, he is startled to feel the unmistakable sensation of a small, cold hand creeping into his own, almost as though a child has taken hold of it. Shaken, he returns home to find himself plagued by nightmares. But when he decides to investigate the house’s mysteries, he is troubled by increasingly sinister visitations.

Dolly:
After being orphaned at a young age, Edward Cayley is sent to spend the summer with his forbidding Aunt Kestrel at Iyot house, her decaying estate on the damp, lonely fens in the west of England. With him is his spoiled, spiteful cousin Leonora. And when Leonora’s birthday wish for a beautiful doll is denied, she unleashes a furious rage which will haunt Edward through the years to come.

My Thoughts:
Here are two deliciously spooky, suspenseful ghost stories from Susan Hill. The stories are independent of each other, without any common characters, so can be read in any order. Both stories have a very traditional feel and are spiced up with three-dimensional characters and "I've got to know what happens next" suspense. The protagonists of the short novels were somewhat similar: both were single men in their early forties whose jobs had something to do with antique/historical objects. The short novels themselves both had similar aspects - such as the use of exotic locations - in the details, but the ghost stories themselves were nicely different. For example, one story wraps up fairly neatly, while the other leaves many unanswered questions. Solid and well written. It may be a little old fashioned but I liked that. The writing style is simple and powerful. It was a good scary story and was well told. 5 well earned stars. ( )

An awesome pick from my SantaThing Santa this past Christmas! It's always lovely to be surprised by a book that wasn't on my radar but is totally in line with my interests (in this case female novelists and haunted house stories!). This probably won't be one of my enduring favorites, but it was a fun, quick read. ( )