Shipping Through the Holidays β˜€οΈπŸ“¦

Boxing Day Sale is live! Up to 20% off 2000+ Books

Shirley

A Novel
3.42 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 1,440 ratings, 293 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Shirley by Susan Scarf Merrell is a riveting psychological thriller focusing on a young couple who move into the home of the famed writer Shirley Jackson and her husband. As the couple becomes entangled in the intense dynamics and mysterious atmosphere of the household, secrets unravel, leading to a tense and suspenseful narrative. The story explores themes of identity, friendship, and the darker facets of human nature.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock

Sorry, we're currently out of stock of Shirley. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this captivating tale if you appreciate psychological thrillers infused with eerie tension and intriguing character dynamics. Set against the backdrop of a 1960s academic town, it explores themes of ambition, jealousy, and the complexities of female friendships. Perfect for readers who enjoy a blend of suspense and psychological depth.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Shirley

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Best known for her short story The Lottery, Shirley Jackson is a fascinating figure whose chilling tales of psychological suspense are still widely read and taught. In this darkly captivating novel, Merrell uses the facts of Jackson's life as a springboard to explore the 1964 disappearance of Paula Weldon, a Bennington College student.

Told through the eyes of Rose Nemserβ€”the wife of a graduate student working with Jackson's husband, a Bennington professorβ€”Shirley reimagines the connections between Jackson's volatile marriage and one of the era's great unsolved mysteries.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The book is praised for its inventive narrative that intertwines real events from Shirley Jackson's life into a captivating and dark literary thriller. Reviewers appreciate how it stands alone without requiring familiarity with Jackson's work, providing a compelling portrait of a complex and misunderstood writer. The novel is highlighted for its exploration of obsession, desire, and the nuances of love, with a dynamic portrayal of Jackson and her husband.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780147516190

Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 07 July 2015

Country: United States

Imprint: Plume

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 135.0mm

Height: 203.0mm

Weight: 223g

Pages: 288

About the Author

Susan Scarf Merrell is the author ofShirley- A Novel, now a major motion picture starring Elisabeth Moss and Michael Stuhlbarg. She is also the author ofA Member of the FamilyandThe Accidental Bond- How Sibling Connections Influence Adult Relationships. She co-directs the Southampton Writers Conference, is program director (along with Meg Wolitzer) of the novel incubator program BookEnds, and teaches in the MFA in Creative Writing & Literature at Stony Brook Southampton. She served as fiction editor ofThe Southampton Review. Essays, book reviews and short fiction appear most recently inThe New York Times,The Los Angeles Review of Books,The Common Online,The Washington Post, andEast Magazine.

More from Crime & Thriller

View all

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 80,000 books and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.