Sometimes the best horror stories are the ones where we never fully understand what’s happening, and a great example of this is Henry James’ 1898 gothic novella, The Turn of the Screw. Atmospheric and eerie, this ghost story will have you questioning whether the apparitions experienced by the narrator are real or whether her psyche is slowly unraveling before her.

An unnamed young governess is hired by a man to take care of his niece and nephew in his country home, Bly. The niece and nephew, Flora and Miles, have been through significant trauma already: they have been orphaned, and their previous governess died suddenly. Before too long, the governess starts seeing the spectre of the previous governess and another former worker, Peter Quint, who is also now deceased. Convinced that Quint’s ghost is taking control of Miles, the governess finds herself embroiled in a mysterious and sinister situation.

This is one of the most famous ghost stories of its time, and for good reason. It has the perfect setting and just the right amount of detail to leave the reader questioning what’s truly happening and what’s just in the governess’s head. James himself doesn’t reveal the truth by the end, leaving it open to the interpretation of the reader, so it’s ultimately up to you whether this is a ghost story or a work of psychological horror.

I have seen the Netflix reimagining of this story, The Haunting of Bly Manor (a follow-up series to The Haunting of Hill House). It’s interesting to compare the details that were changed with those that remained the same. One aspect that I really liked was the decision to place the story in the 1980s while the original took place roughly a century earlier. It brought the story just close enough to modern day to feel familiar while remaining distant enough to feel like an authentic ghost story being remembered and retold. I didn’t like, however, the added romantic subplot. Not every story needs a romantic detour, and this one is honestly better without it.

If you’re looking for a good spooky novella to read on a stormy night that can bleed into a Netflix binge, this is a good one to check out. It’s fairly short, thoughtfully written, and offers an interesting glimpse into the kinds of ghost stories people once told and passed along.