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Paul Russo’s wife, Allison, dies after an extended illness, leaving him alone with three children to raise and no clue how to keep going. But he picks up the pieces and begins to put his life back together the best he can.
Needing the commission from a big real estate sale to build back the funds that were depleted while his wife was under a doctor’s care, he takes on Stillwell Manor, an old house on the north shore of Long Island. Right away, Paul realizes that there’s something dark about the place—especially when he starts seeing things that aren’t really there.
Strange messages pop up on the radio in his car, and he starts having terrible dreams. Paul soon learns that a demon is keeping Allison a prisoner. He sorts through clues involving Stillwell Manor, going back for centuries, desperate to free his wife, so she can move on in peace.
Stillwell: A Haunting on Long Island isn’t as creepy as I’d hoped it would be. The author spends most of the novel focused on Paul’s emotional loss, as well as the everyday problems that he has to deal with as he struggles to take care of his children without his wife’s help. The demon part of the storyline barely makes a showing, which I found disappointing. I expected a horror novel, but I got a family drama instead.
The drama is both entertaining and heartfelt, and Paul managed not to get on my nerves while he continued to grieve for his wife. Instead, he shows the strength to move forward and take care of his children. Meanwhile, Stillwell Manor is mysterious and spooky, which helps to make the plot a little scarier—though it wasn’t nearly enough for me.
All in all, Stillwell is a good read—both well-written and intriguing. Just don’t expect an chilling horror novel, or you’ll be sorely disappointed.
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