The Turn of the Screw

The Turn of the Screw is a classic ghost story by Henry James, first published in 1898. The story centers on a young governess, who is given charge over two beautiful, seemingly perfect orphan children. Isolated on a country estate, the governess begins to see two figures, a man and a woman, at odd times and places. None of the other staff or the children acknowledges or even appear to see them. Describing their appearance to the housekeeper, however, the governess learns that they resemble the former governess and her lover, who died under mysterious circumstances. Could they be ghosts, returning to take the souls of the children? Subtle, ambiguous, and genuinely spooky, The Turn of the Screw is a must-read for those who like their frights with a touch of class.