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bbrown1987's review
4.0
Although a fairly short book I have to say I could not put it down once I got started.
The book is rather creepy and the tension builds well, those that have seen The Spiral Staircase with Dorothy McGuire will notice some differences when it comes to reading it. Not a great master piece but certainly not the worst book I have read.
A tense quick read!
The book is rather creepy and the tension builds well, those that have seen The Spiral Staircase with Dorothy McGuire will notice some differences when it comes to reading it. Not a great master piece but certainly not the worst book I have read.
A tense quick read!
1outside's review against another edition
4.0
It was definitely an improvement on ELW's [b:Fear Stalks the Village|11581738|Fear Stalks the Village|Ethel Lina White|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1371471437s/11581738.jpg|16523042]. This time the author didn't go with the village detective story format, but went about as full Gothic horror as she could in the 1930's. A thrilling page-turner, which is nevertheless undercut by the leading character's many annoying moments, and it's clear that the irrationality of her behaviour is there just to serve the plot.
I also continue not being a fan of White's tendency to foreshadow. Just....don't, woman. don't.
But I have to say this whole set-up definitely fit her style of writing much better than Fear.
And the pacing great. Perfect. Just made for being transformed into a film. (Which it was, in 1946...I think I'll watch it at some point.)
Consider this a weak 4, but a 4 nonetheless. I had fun, and that's what counts.
I also continue not being a fan of White's tendency to foreshadow. Just....don't, woman. don't.
But I have to say this whole set-up definitely fit her style of writing much better than Fear.
And the pacing great. Perfect. Just made for being transformed into a film. (Which it was, in 1946...I think I'll watch it at some point.)
Consider this a weak 4, but a 4 nonetheless. I had fun, and that's what counts.
anatrnd's review against another edition
4.0
коли починала читати книжку, навіть не думала, що вона мені настільки сподобається! навпаки відчувала розчарування, що така красива обкладинка, але такі нудні перші сторінки. початок справді трохи затягнутий: забагато описів, замало дій, персонажі всі якісь неприємні. зате потім...
книжка неймовірно атмосферна (і, до речі, «...сходи» нагадали мені своїми атмосферою та сеттінгом виставу в театрі), я давно вже не відчувала стільки емоцій. моментами ставало страшно (в анотації сказано про фільм жахів, і я дійсно почувалась, як при перегляді хоррору) та було тривожно за головну героїню, тому що авторка всю книжку тримає читачів у напрузі, і це чудово.
загалом, мені дуже сподобався цей трилер (та, це більше трилер, ніж детектив), і я вже починаю шукати, де купити іншу видану українською книжку авторки. єдиний недолік «гвинтових сходів» для мене - книжка, швидше за все, на один раз. ну і фінал можна було б зробити не настільки різким. але все одно книжка <3
книжка неймовірно атмосферна (і, до речі, «...сходи» нагадали мені своїми атмосферою та сеттінгом виставу в театрі), я давно вже не відчувала стільки емоцій. моментами ставало страшно (в анотації сказано про фільм жахів, і я дійсно почувалась, як при перегляді хоррору) та було тривожно за головну героїню, тому що авторка всю книжку тримає читачів у напрузі, і це чудово.
загалом, мені дуже сподобався цей трилер (та, це більше трилер, ніж детектив), і я вже починаю шукати, де купити іншу видану українською книжку авторки. єдиний недолік «гвинтових сходів» для мене - книжка, швидше за все, на один раз. ну і фінал можна було б зробити не настільки різким. але все одно книжка <3
korolevakotykiv's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bunnieslikediamonds's review
3.0
This vintage murder mystery takes place during one really, really, long night. A homicidal maniac is lurking around the countryside strangling women left and right, while the residents of a nearby manor do their best to get themselves killed. The plucky and supremely annoying help, Helen, is busy sticking her nose where it does not belong. Mrs Oates, the affable cook, is getting shitfaced in the pantry. The master of the house, a.k.a. the Professor, is O.D'ing on sleeping pills, while the sinister new nurse, who may or may not be a gent posing as a lady, is battling with the Professor's equally sinister old mother. There is also a horny daughter-in-law, a love-sick doctor and a couple of more characters who get lost in the crowd.
The characters are nuts and the plot terrible, but it's crazy enough to be entertaining. Everybody is somehow both terrified and very relaxed about the murders. When news of the umpteenth murder reaches them, the typical reaction is: "You don't say." The victim is casually described as "the pretty sluttish girl who used to dust under Lady Warren's bed". The dialogue is hilarious. Helen and Evil Nurse, looking for a new place to hide the rum from the cook:
- How could she get at the brandy?
- You forget everyone is not a midget like yourself. Mrs Oates is not as tall as I am, but she has a reach like a gorilla.
Good fun, this one.
,
The characters are nuts and the plot terrible, but it's crazy enough to be entertaining. Everybody is somehow both terrified and very relaxed about the murders. When news of the umpteenth murder reaches them, the typical reaction is: "You don't say." The victim is casually described as "the pretty sluttish girl who used to dust under Lady Warren's bed". The dialogue is hilarious. Helen and Evil Nurse, looking for a new place to hide the rum from the cook:
- How could she get at the brandy?
- You forget everyone is not a midget like yourself. Mrs Oates is not as tall as I am, but she has a reach like a gorilla.
Good fun, this one.
,
vtlsnkv's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
fictionfan's review
3.0
Amusing in parts...
An insane murderer is rampaging through the countryside, killing young women. Helen, a young woman, has taken a job with the Warren family in their manor house right slap bang in the middle of where the murderer is doing his thing. But she's perfectly safe, because there are lots of other people in the house with her. Except that, for one reason or another, gradually all the other people either leave the house or become incapable of helping. Soon Helen is on her own... or is she??
There are good things about this book and overall it's a light, entertaining read for the most part, although I did find myself beginning to skim in the last third, feeling that I was more than ready for the thriller ending. It has a nice Gothic feel to it, with the rambling old house and a bunch of eccentric and not very likeable upper class characters, whom White, via Helen, has some fun showing up as arrogant snobs and relatively useless members of the human race. The servants come off much better, though they're not exactly saints either. To call Helen curious would be an understatement – she pokes her nose in everywhere and always has to be where the action is. The cook likes to drink her employer's brandy, while her husband's main feature is his laziness. But still, they all have good hearts, which is more than can be said for the Warrens. On the whole, I enjoyed the characterisations although unfortunately Helen annoyed me intensely throughout.
My first real problem is with Helen's position in the household. I have no idea what she's actually employed to do. She refers to herself as “the help” but beyond dusting the bannisters occasionally so she can eavesdrop on conversations, I couldn't work out her duties. If she's supposed to do housework, then how come she'd never been in the Professor's study before that night? If she's a maid, she most certainly wouldn't don an evening gown and eat her meals with the family, as she does. In fact, I can't think of any servant other than a governess or a companion who would ever have eaten with the family in a household like this one, and she's neither of those. So right from the start, credibility was gone.
It is assumed by everyone that Helen is to be the murderer's next victim – no idea why. Perhaps she was the only remaining young woman in the district. The assumption is also that he'll come for her this dark and stormy night (despite him having committed another murder just that afternoon – prolific!). So Professor Warren puts all kinds of safety measures in operation which everyone then promptly ignores, even Helen, who doesn't seem to be able to remember basic things like don't open the door to potential murderers late at night. Gradually all the people who could have protected her either leave the house or become incapacitated in one way or another, until she is left only with horrible old Lady Warren, whose hobby is throwing things at menials, and Lady Warren's even more horrible nurse, whose hobby is tormenting Helen. It's a fun premise, but it takes far too long to get there. The ending when it finally came sadly didn't surprise me – it had seemed increasingly obvious as time went on, both whodunit and what form the denouement would take.
I didn't dislike it as much as this critical review is probably suggesting – for the most part, it held my attention and was quite amusing. But I'm afraid my recommendation is half-hearted at best. 2½ stars for me, so rounded up.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
An insane murderer is rampaging through the countryside, killing young women. Helen, a young woman, has taken a job with the Warren family in their manor house right slap bang in the middle of where the murderer is doing his thing. But she's perfectly safe, because there are lots of other people in the house with her. Except that, for one reason or another, gradually all the other people either leave the house or become incapable of helping. Soon Helen is on her own... or is she??
There are good things about this book and overall it's a light, entertaining read for the most part, although I did find myself beginning to skim in the last third, feeling that I was more than ready for the thriller ending. It has a nice Gothic feel to it, with the rambling old house and a bunch of eccentric and not very likeable upper class characters, whom White, via Helen, has some fun showing up as arrogant snobs and relatively useless members of the human race. The servants come off much better, though they're not exactly saints either. To call Helen curious would be an understatement – she pokes her nose in everywhere and always has to be where the action is. The cook likes to drink her employer's brandy, while her husband's main feature is his laziness. But still, they all have good hearts, which is more than can be said for the Warrens. On the whole, I enjoyed the characterisations although unfortunately Helen annoyed me intensely throughout.
My first real problem is with Helen's position in the household. I have no idea what she's actually employed to do. She refers to herself as “the help” but beyond dusting the bannisters occasionally so she can eavesdrop on conversations, I couldn't work out her duties. If she's supposed to do housework, then how come she'd never been in the Professor's study before that night? If she's a maid, she most certainly wouldn't don an evening gown and eat her meals with the family, as she does. In fact, I can't think of any servant other than a governess or a companion who would ever have eaten with the family in a household like this one, and she's neither of those. So right from the start, credibility was gone.
It is assumed by everyone that Helen is to be the murderer's next victim – no idea why. Perhaps she was the only remaining young woman in the district. The assumption is also that he'll come for her this dark and stormy night (despite him having committed another murder just that afternoon – prolific!). So Professor Warren puts all kinds of safety measures in operation which everyone then promptly ignores, even Helen, who doesn't seem to be able to remember basic things like don't open the door to potential murderers late at night. Gradually all the people who could have protected her either leave the house or become incapacitated in one way or another, until she is left only with horrible old Lady Warren, whose hobby is throwing things at menials, and Lady Warren's even more horrible nurse, whose hobby is tormenting Helen. It's a fun premise, but it takes far too long to get there. The ending when it finally came sadly didn't surprise me – it had seemed increasingly obvious as time went on, both whodunit and what form the denouement would take.
I didn't dislike it as much as this critical review is probably suggesting – for the most part, it held my attention and was quite amusing. But I'm afraid my recommendation is half-hearted at best. 2½ stars for me, so rounded up.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
jdhobbes's review
3.0
I sought this book out because of the movie based on it, the 1940s version with Dorothy McGuire. There are a lot of differences between the two: enough to keep the story fresh and exciting for me, but still familiar. It's a fairly quick read, nothing I would call spectacular, but sufficiently creepy.
bev_reads_mysteries's review against another edition
4.0
As Helen opened the door of Miss Warren's room, a small incident occurred which was fraught with future significance.
It was a dark and stormy night....no, really, it was. Fortunately, Ethel Lina White was a much better author than the potboiler creators who are generally credited with starting their books in such fashion. The Spiral Staircase (1933; originally titled Some Must Watch) is a suspense thriller with a damsel in distress that makes excellent use of the dramatic storm-tossed night to provide a top-notch novel filled with Had-I-But-Known moments.
She was visited by no prescience to warn her that--since her return--there had been certain trivial incidents which were the first cracks in the walls of her fortress. Once they were started, nothing could stop the process of disintegration; and each future development would act as a wedge, to force the fissures into ever-widening breaches letting in the night.
Things start off calmly enough. Helen Capel is over-joyed to find a position as lady's help at the Summit, Professor Warren's remote estate on the Welsh border. After all, apart from the loneliness of the locale, the post is a very good one--offering her a very nice room and sitting room of her own, good food, and she's even allowed to take her meals with the family. It is a bit worrisome that there is a murderer loose in the countryside. A mysterious killer who has chosen as his prey young women who work for their living. Some think he may be a man who believes these women have taken jobs away from men.
But, reasons Helen, all the girls who have been killed have been alone. And the murders have taken place at a good distance from the Summit. Surely she, and the others in the house, will be safe if they keep the place shuttered and bolted at night and they all stay inside. Yes, she's sure of it. Until a victim is strangled in a house just five miles away. Until the next victim is found murdered just on the other side of the estate. Death and terror creep closer to the Summit, but still Helen feels safe...until the stormy night when she bolts herself in the house only to find that the danger was somewhere inside and had chosen her as the next target.
White also provides the typical suspense-thriller heroine in Helen Capel, a self-identified independent-minded young woman who none-the-less does remarkably silly things for someone who suspects she's in danger. Through various plausible-sounding means, several of the inmates leave the house, a few of them are drugged, drunk or otherwise incapacitated, and Helen promptly goes about alienating one of the few people who couldn't possibly be the killer--thereby setting herself up to slip into the maniac's clutches.
White manages to bring about a quite nifty ending--I won't spoil it by giving even a hint of what I mean. The book is a classic example of good suspense done right without blood and gore or explicit scenes. It is also a terrific character study with plenty of misdirection to allow the reader to question each person's motives and whether they are really what they seem. A very good read for a dark and stormy night of your own. Just make sure to lock all the doors. You might want to check under all the beds first, though.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
It was a dark and stormy night....no, really, it was. Fortunately, Ethel Lina White was a much better author than the potboiler creators who are generally credited with starting their books in such fashion. The Spiral Staircase (1933; originally titled Some Must Watch) is a suspense thriller with a damsel in distress that makes excellent use of the dramatic storm-tossed night to provide a top-notch novel filled with Had-I-But-Known moments.
She was visited by no prescience to warn her that--since her return--there had been certain trivial incidents which were the first cracks in the walls of her fortress. Once they were started, nothing could stop the process of disintegration; and each future development would act as a wedge, to force the fissures into ever-widening breaches letting in the night.
Things start off calmly enough. Helen Capel is over-joyed to find a position as lady's help at the Summit, Professor Warren's remote estate on the Welsh border. After all, apart from the loneliness of the locale, the post is a very good one--offering her a very nice room and sitting room of her own, good food, and she's even allowed to take her meals with the family. It is a bit worrisome that there is a murderer loose in the countryside. A mysterious killer who has chosen as his prey young women who work for their living. Some think he may be a man who believes these women have taken jobs away from men.
But, reasons Helen, all the girls who have been killed have been alone. And the murders have taken place at a good distance from the Summit. Surely she, and the others in the house, will be safe if they keep the place shuttered and bolted at night and they all stay inside. Yes, she's sure of it. Until a victim is strangled in a house just five miles away. Until the next victim is found murdered just on the other side of the estate. Death and terror creep closer to the Summit, but still Helen feels safe...until the stormy night when she bolts herself in the house only to find that the danger was somewhere inside and had chosen her as the next target.
White also provides the typical suspense-thriller heroine in Helen Capel, a self-identified independent-minded young woman who none-the-less does remarkably silly things for someone who suspects she's in danger. Through various plausible-sounding means, several of the inmates leave the house, a few of them are drugged, drunk or otherwise incapacitated, and Helen promptly goes about alienating one of the few people who couldn't possibly be the killer--thereby setting herself up to slip into the maniac's clutches.
White manages to bring about a quite nifty ending--I won't spoil it by giving even a hint of what I mean. The book is a classic example of good suspense done right without blood and gore or explicit scenes. It is also a terrific character study with plenty of misdirection to allow the reader to question each person's motives and whether they are really what they seem. A very good read for a dark and stormy night of your own. Just make sure to lock all the doors. You might want to check under all the beds first, though.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.