"The Turnpike House" is a chilling tale set in an old, haunted house steeped in secrets and mystery. The story centers around a family who inherits the eerie mansion, unaware of its dark history and the curse that lingers within its walls. As they move in, they begin to experience unexplained events—from eerie noises to unsettling apparitions—that hint at the supernatural forces at play.
The isolation of the house, situated on a desolate road, adds to the gothic atmosphere, creating a sense of foreboding as the family delves into the mansion's past. They uncover tragic stories of former inhabitants, all seemingly tied to the house's ghosts and the sinister events that have plagued it for generations.
In the end, the story unravels the house's secrets, revealing a connection between the inheritance and the supernatural forces that have been lying in wait, leaving the reader with a haunting conclusion. The sense of isolation also mirrors the family's emotional state.
It is only by confronting the true source of the mansion's malevolence by which they can break from isolation. The physical separation from the world outside amplifies their fears and doubts.
Ferguson Wright Hume, also known as Fergus Hume, was a prolific English novelist who wrote detective fiction, thrillers, and mysteries. Hume was born in Powick, Worcestershire, England, as the second son of James C. Hume, a Scot, who worked as a clerk and steward at the county pauper and lunatic asylum. When he was three, his family moved to Dunedin, New Zealand, where he attended Otago Boys' High School and studied law at the University of Otago. He was admitted to the New Zealand Bar in 1885. Hume moved to Melbourne, Australia, shortly after graduating and began working as a barristers' clerk. He began writing plays but was unable to persuade Melbourne theatre managers to approve, let alone read them. Hume returned to England, first in London, then in Thundersley, Essex, at Church Cottage, most likely on the invitation of the Reverend Thomas Noon Talfourd Major. Hume resided in Thundersley for thirty years, producing over 130 novels and various collections, the most of which were mystery stories, although, he never regained the fame of his debut novel. He also wrote lyrics for songs written by his brother-in-law, Charles Willeby, and book reviews for literary periodicals such as The Bookman. The 1911 census shows him as ‘author’, aged 51, and living at Church Cottage, Thundersley, which comprised of six rooms. He had a housekeeper, Ada Louise Peck, a widow aged 69. He made regular trips to Italy, France, Switzerland, and other European countries.
