The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

I just finished reading The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters and I enjoyed it so much I wanted to tell someone about it! It's a ghost story set in Britain in the 1940s. The members of the Ayres family, who have had money for generations, are struggling to keep their ancestral home in shape. Their struggles are narrated by a local doctor, who is the son of one of the family's maids. He arrives at the house serendipitously, but becomes increasing entangled in the family's troubles. Ms. Waters has crafted wonderfully rich characters, and the plot really draws you into their world. This book especially appealed to me in its handling of the genres of the gothic, historical fiction, and mystery. Booker shortlisted, 2009.