The Mist in the Mirror

Susan Hill’s THE MIST IN THE MIRROR (1992) is an old-fashioned ghost story. Typical in construction of a Victorian era tale, the story contains a story within a story. An unnamed narrator meets Sir James Monmouth for the first time in their gentleman’s club where talk is of a ghost having been seen in a wing of the house. The narrator, dismissive of such a thing, is told by Sir James he has a manuscript he has written, “an account of certain—events,” which he begs the man to read. The following day, with Sir James absent, the narrator is provided with “a trio of quarto-sized notebooks, bound in plain black leather. The manuscript was written in a neat, elegant script, as easily legible, once my eye became familiar with it, as any printed book.” It is Sir James Monmouth’s story.Sir James’ life is not an ordinary or easy one, but one plagued by loneliness since childhood. At the age of five he is sent abroad from England after the death of his parents who he cannot recollect or about whom he knows nothing. Living in Africa with a Guardian, he receives an education “less than adequate” finding “some solace and company in books.” With his guardian Sir James travels to India and Ceylon with the expectation he learn the tea trade. At the age of seventeen, Sir James finds himself suddenly alone with the death of his Guardian and for the next twenty years Sir James becomes a wanderer, a traveler throughout India, Africa, “Burma, Singapore, Malaya, and finally the remotest areas of China.” In so doing he is following in the footsteps of a previous trekker, Conrad Vane, whose journeys Sir James has read about and is determined to follow. It isn’t until his advancing middle years that Sir James decides to return to his homeland of England for the first time—and what he discovers there is quite unlike anything he has seen elsewhere in the world.Susan Hill (born in 1942) is most known for her highly successful and most definitely chilling ghost story, THE WOMAN IN BLACK (1983), which has been filmed twice (the 1989 BBC serial is less known than the 2012 movie starring Daniel Radcliffe, but is far superior) and has been turned into a stage play which has seen continuous performance since 1987. She writes both ghost stories and tales of mystery and detection.In THE MIST IN THE MIRROR Hill’s writing style has a flow to it, filled with description, and she is very capable of creating scenes of great atmosphere—making the most of dark, shadowy settings suggestive of gothic landscapes and readers are likely to feel the dread which slowly embraces Sir James as he decides to more fully investigate and write about the life of his hero, Conrad Vane. Reminiscent of a scene in the 1931 film of DRACULA when Jonathan Harker is traveling to Castle Dracula and an innkeeper tells him, “No. No. You musn't go there,” whenever Sir James mentions Conrad Vane and the research he is doing into the man’s life, people constantly warn him to abandon his pursuit of knowledge of Vane and to leave him alone. “No one… wants to revive the memory or disturb the shade of Conrad Vane. No one will speak to you of him—no one could possibly be of any use to you. No one who knows.” Exactly what anyone knows of Vane and the purpose of the multiple warnings are vague and never specific.As Sir James, “firm and determined,” presses on both in his attempt to learn more of Conrad Vane as well as his own childhood, Hill slowly ratchets up the suspense and sense of dread. When reading and researching Vane’s life, Sir James repeatedly has the feeling of being watched. More frightening is the recurring sight of a small boy in various locales always looking frail and distressed, frequently sobbing, sometimes looking at Sir James or something over his shoulder with hateful eyes, and always disappearing before Sir James can approach him.As Sir James gets closer to what he has reason to believe is his childhood home in the remote and nearly unoccupied village of Kittiscar in North Yorkshire, Hill introduces two new characters, Viola Quincebridge and her husband Lionel. Viola is a most fascinating, loving as well as lovable character, generous in her outreach to Sir James in moments of need and with an air of mystery about herself which adds to the gothic charm of the novel.THE MIST IN THE MIRROR is very much written in the mode of an M. R. James ghost story in which setting and atmosphere plays a primary role. The supernatural aspects of the story, although present, are more implied and left to the reader’s imagination than made explicit. Kittiscar Hall, appropriately enough, is remote, decaying, and with a nearby cathedral long abandoned and crumbling. Other than the reappearing vision of the tormented boy Sir James both fears and wishes he could help, there are no bloody visions, no paranormal sights of ghastly, threatening, pernicious terror—none of the usual, graphic, horrific tropes of a ghost or haunted house story. A mirror plays a slight role in the ghostly goings-on in the tale as the title of the novel implies, but even it and whatever it might conceal is literally shrouded in mist.THE MIST IN THE MIRROR, from beginning to end, is a story of increasing anxiety accompanied by an impenetrable aura of ambiguity. At the conclusion of Sir James Monmouth’s manuscript, Hill returns to her unnamed narrator for a brief postscript leaving the narrator, as well as the reader, pondering Sir James’ story. The expression used to describe far too many novels of horror as being “a slow burn” has become a trite cliché of recent times, but it does apply to THE MIST IN THE MIRROR. In fact, some readers are likely to find no “burn” in the novel at all. The appeal of THE MIST IN THE MIRROR, then, is likely to be left to each reader’s individual taste and preferences.

This was maybe not her strongest book, but if Susan Hill wants to keep writing old ghost stories, I will keep reading them.

The descriptive verbiage will place the reader on the moors and old estates with eerie accuracy. Haunting and creepy, this book will keep you guessing until the end.

I like everything I've ever read by Susan Hill. Her writing is simple but really elegant, and it helps pull me into the story. I will always be a fan. This story is similar to Woman in Black (the book) in terms of period and setting, and there's no better place to put a good ghost story.

This book was a good ghost story which is what the author says it is. It was very atmospheric and reminded me of an old movie one could watch on television, one that has a scary theme but is old fashioned and not too graphic in content.I liked the descriptions of places. The plot of the story is a tiny bit thin on the ground. However, it kept my attention. The protagonist catching glimpses of the sad, ghostly child was a good ploy and also the device where he looks in the mirror and cannot see his reflection.The end is a bit unsatisfying and hauntingly sad. He does find out who he is but there is not one member of his family left alive and he never does realise his dream to settle down with a wife and have a family of his own.

It throws out every cliche in the British Ghost Story Handbook.Old houses,aristocratic families,exploration of the Empire,ghostly children, gentleman's clubs( not strip joints) and unspeakable evil figure prominently.I loved it !I virtually inhaled it.In other words it's not very original but it's beautifully assembled.It doesn't really make a lot of sense and it's strictly for aficionados of the genre.Susan Hill is almost certainly the best practitioner working in the ghost story genre.This isn't her best.Id' say the best are Woman In Black and The Man In Picture. however if you liked those books , it's safe to say you'll like this.

This is a very good terror story and cautionary tale of "pick who you choose to emulate". Sir James Monmouth is at first seduced into following in the footsteps of an explorer, then ensnared by the explorers evil legacy in his middle years when he returns to London. This is not a "happy" book, but Susan Hill really knows how to set a scene, whether it be a beautiful landscape, a feeling of comfort in a safe place, or absolute darkness and terror.

Unraveling the past, James Monmouth is haunted by chilling screams and a sobbing child. What can I say. Susan Hill never disappoints me. She truly captured a mesmerizing old-styled story of atmospherics and mystery. This was not as scary or haunting as The Woman in Black (my favorite). I just snuggled in with this book and let Hill take me away to the foggy streets of London and the shadowy moors of the countryside. And that sobbing, ragged little boy!

I don't mind giving this book free to anyone who wants it. It irritates me so much, I don't want it in my sight!

I like Susan Hill but expected to have more chills - wouldnt recommend

Excellent product.