The Turn of the Screw

Written in 1898, The Turn of the Screw is an influential horror novella first published in serial format. Both gothic and horror fiction, this work by Henry James is an ambiguous supernatural adventure wrapped up in a frightening ghost story.
The Turn of the Screw is an exploration of haunted house culture during Victorian times. It's also a self-conscious reflection on isolation and madness. This book is filled with echoes of sexual desire and social unease, and its dark setting is thickened further with a sense of suspicion lingering in the air.

This novella follows a governess caring for two children at a remote estate. She has haunted visions of a man and woman and thinks the children are aware of the ghosts' presence. As the book progresses, questions arise about the visions and her own sanity.

Published ahead of its time, this novella has been adapted several times to differing levels of success. Adaptions include a Broadway play in 1950, a chamber opera in 1954, two films in 1961 and 2020, and a Netflix miniseries in 2020. If you're ready to explore the early days of horror, The Turn of the Screw is among the world's most famous and effective ghostly tales.