Down a Dark Hall (Lois Duncan Thrillers)

The first time I read this book was about 25 years ago when I checked it out from my school library. Though I did not recall the title or the author, through the magic of an Amazon discussion board, I got the information very quickly from another helpful reader and was able to obtain my own copy. Obviously, if it stuck in my mind all this time, the book is a good read, and I'm happy to report I enjoyed it nearly as much the second time as I did all those years ago. Kit Gordy's father died several years back, leaving her and her mother alone. Nobody truly believed Kit saw her father in her bedroom on the night he died since he was out of town at the time, but now the memory is clearer than ever in Kit's mind. Her mother is about to remarry and take an extended European honeymoon, so Kit is enrolled in Blackwood Academy, an upscale, rural school for girls. So her mother and new husband can catch their ship, Kit is left at Blackwood a day early. She should be thrilled at the school's picturesque setting, but instead, Kit is unnerved by a pervasive sense of evil. Her first night there, she is bothered by the fact that the hallway to the dorm rooms is stygian dark, and then she is plagued by disturbing dreams about being smothered by her bed's ornate canopy. She hopes her unsettled feelings will change once the school is full of chattering students, but then is surprised to learn that only four students have been accepted to attend the term. She befriends another girl there and has some good times, but no matter how pleasant her days, at night the old mansion's shadows darken, and the hallway to the student rooms is dreadfully dark. Before long, the students at Blackwood start showing amazing talents in math and the arts, and Kit also notices that they all seem to be getting thinner. She often awakens with sore arms and fingers as if she had been playing hours of piano. Her letters to her mother don't ever seem to arrive, either. Other strange incidents among the students continue to occur and escalate, but Madame Duret, the headmistress, explains them all away, until one night Kit comes upon evidence that nothing at Blackwood is at it seems. Kit and the other girls are in terrible danger and there seems to be no way out. One of the most important elements to the plot of this book is isolation, which is less and less a part of the modern world. The way it is done in this story is a bit dated, but since it could still work in a modern setting with a tweak or two, it remains believable. The story itself is chilling, with the sinister elements slowly building until its explosive climax. The ending could have benefitted from a little more fleshing out, but again, I believe that is a mark of the time period in which it was written. Books these days tend to drag endings out sometimes past the point where they should. I enjoyed this book enough as a teenager to seek it out all these years later, and enjoyed it again as an adult. I highly recommend it.

I must say this was a really really good book! I think that any reader who just wants a good page turner should definitely try this one. This book is about a girl named Kit and her mother has recently remarried. Her parents are going on a European tour and they are leaving kit in a boarding school while they are gone. When she arrives at the boarding school for girls, she realizes that something just isn't right. The place just seems sinister. She is very surprised by the fact that are only three other girls that come to the school. They were the only other ones that passed the unusual test. I'm not going to spoil it for you, but I'll go ahead and tell you that it is surprising and was no what I was expecting. I think that if you like to read an easy-read book and a thriller and suspense and mystery all mixed up together then you will like this one a lot!

This version is the real deal, the original book from the 1970s that I read as a teen and recently gave to my teenage daughter. I had ordered the "new" version which has been updated with modern conveniences like internet and phones, and I cancelled that and bought this one instead. You can't have a smartphone in this story! Anyway, I loved, loved, loved this story when I read it, so much so that it never left me. It's got just the right amount of paranormal and reality, and is a perfect fit for any teen girl who feels like she doesn't quite fit in.

When I purchased the Kindle Version, nowhere did I see mention of this being a "modernized" version of the story. So imagine my surprise when Kit pulls out her cell phone and is bummed that there's no Wi-Fi signal. This story takes place in 1974! I have no idea what other literary atrocities await as I haven't finished it yet. Why they did this I have no idea, unless it was an attempt to tie-in to the film version. Either way, if you want the original text of this book, don't get the Kindle Version. Buyer beware.

I read and loved Lois Duncan's suspense novels as a pre-teen and teen, and decided to pick them up again. They've been updated for the 21st Century, but the updates are seamless and don't disrupt the flow or the original storyline. Down a Dark Hall is just as chilling as it was 35 years ago.

This is my favorite of her books by far. I've read maybe eight others, and none of them compare. If you only read one Lois Duncan book, make sure it's Down a Dark Hall. My daughter loved it, too. I could have done without the modernization, but it wasn't that annoying.

I found the movie, with Uma Thurman and Annasopia Robb, and decided to watch it. And then I realized that it was based on a book, so naturally, I went and bought the book! I have to say that for such a simple story, the atmosphere that Duncan creates around Blackwood Hall is brilliant. It’s another implied horror book, but I was still creeped out and completely believed in the danger. As I said, the actual plot is very simple and not hard to figure out, but the fact that the villains are not what one would expect makes it all the more horrific. Kit is a strong character who is smart enough to carry the story. I think this is the perfect paranormal story to give to teens to help keep their attention. A great story that’s easy to read!

I've never read Lois Duncan before, but this book has encouraged me to do so. It was well written and easy to follow. It was a real page turner and I couldn't put it down. I wasn't expecting it to turn out as it did; when reading the overview of the book's content, I thought it would be quite different. But it was a pleasant surprise and I loved it. This book is definitely a recommendation to others! Loved every page! :)

El género de terror juvenil no suele encontrarse mucho por España, pero este título merece la pena (sobre todo para que los chavales opten por lecturas en inglés). En breve además, veremos una adaptación de este libro en las pantallas.

Great book, love it.

After reading reviews of the book I got interested. Despite it feeling like a teenage book I enjoyed it but was a tad disappointed in the end. It was different from other similar books. I've lent it to a friend.

Still a good and easy read but doesn't hold up to modern young adult books.

Perfect condition!