Burnt Offerings

Valancourt 20th Century Classics

By: Robert Marasco, Stephen Graham Jones

Narrated by: R.C. Bray

Ben and Marian Rolfe are desperate to escape a stifling summer in their tiny Brooklyn apartment, so when they get the chance to rent a mansion in Upstate New York for the entire summer for only $900, it’s an offer that’s too good to refuse. There’s only one catch: Behind a strange and intricately carved door in a distant wing of the house lives elderly Mrs. Allardyce, and the Rolfes will be responsible for preparing her meals.

But Mrs. Allardyce never seems to emerge from her room, and it soon becomes clear that something weird and terrifying is happening in the house. As the suspense builds toward a revelation of what really lies behind that locked door, the Rolfes will discover that their cheap vacation rental comes at a terrible cost....

The basis for a classic 1976 film adaptation and an acknowledged influence on Stephen King’s The Shining, Burnt Offerings is one of the most original and scariest haunted house novels ever written. This edition, the first in decades, features a new introduction by award-winning author Stephen Graham Jones.

“Burnt Offerings has no peer. Better than Rosemary’s Baby, The Other, and The Exorcist.” (Hartford Courant)

“Insidiously frightening.... It snares you early and draws you inexorably to one of the most nerve-shattering finales in years.” (Publishers Weekly)

“Just pick a quiet place and an uninterrupted time to read this novel. You’ll be inclined to jump at sudden noises or even hurl the book at intruders.” (Chicago Tribune)

©1973, 2016 Robert Marasco (P)2016 Valancourt Books LLC

not very scary

First off, Mr Bray was impeccable as always. You are a national treasure.

Let me start by saying that I don't normally listen to horror, or thriller stories. That said, this book was boring. The story was meh, and at no point was I ever anxious or worried (maybe the second pool scene had me a scoche anxious). Kind of a "well duh" story line, especially the ending.

idk why the reviews are so negative

I actually loved this book. didn't xpect to. I'm glad I didn't read the reviews beforehand. I actually tell myself not to read reviews anymore because they deterred me from so many books that I later found enjoyable. A wonderful Southern Gothic read.

Enjoyed the audiobook

Saw the movie many years ago and the audiobook was good. But the audio quality is off. Cannot advance or rewind otherwise the audio skips. Skips, skips, skips.

RC Bray amazing as always

OK story, just not scary. It was written a long time ago and horror was just different back then I guess

Definitely a spooky tale!

I saw the movie before reading the book and was pleasantly surprised to find that the movie followed the story line, pretty much true to form. The narration was on point and the experience left me feeling a little haunted, but pleasantly so; which is the whole reason for reading this genre of literature. This title was on sale, but would have been worth the experience at full price.