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The Small Hand  By  cover art

The Small Hand

By: Susan Hill
Narrated by: Cameron Stewart
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Publisher's summary

Late one summer evening, antiquarian bookseller Adam Snow is returning from a client visit when he takes a wrong turn. He stumbles across a derelict Edwardian house, and compelled by curiosity, approaches the door. Standing before the entrance, he feels the unmistakable sensation of a small cold hand creeping into his own, ‘as if a child had taken hold of it’.

At first he is merely puzzled by the odd incident but then begins to suffer attacks of fear and panic, and is visited by nightmares. He is determined to learn more about the house. But when he does, he receives further, increasingly sinister, visits from the small hand.

©2010 Susan Hill (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

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What listeners say about The Small Hand

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Well told tale

Any additional comments?

Like The Woman in Black by the same author, this is a ghost story that is told efficiently and believably, with credible characters. Makes you wonder what you would do if faced with the same spooky circumstances. It's not a long book - under 4 hours, which is makes it enjoyable to get through in a reasonable amount of time. A nice interlude between longer reads. Very well read by the narrator.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Ranks right up there with The Haunting.

What about Cameron Stewart’s performance did you like?

Credible narration.

Any additional comments?

The Small hand is my favorite type of ghost story. It is not overly drawn-out or gory, simply a curious story with a pinch of the supernatural.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent story, exemplary narration!

Beautiful, timeless ghost story that held my attention throughout. The settings were important to the storyline, well-known gardens, a seculded monastery which provides refuge, dark and twisting country roads with frightening apparitions. This story is based in reality, the ghostly events are confusing and upsetting to participants. Tense, atmospheric, classic. I found the length perfect and resulted in a satisfying and logical ending. The narration added a lot to this story!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

One of Hill's best ghost stories

Better than woman in black, IMO this is Susan Hill's best ghost story. It is unfortunately short and will not a feature film make but it surely thrills better than some of her newer work.

The narrator is masterful and evoked just the right atmosphere. All in all a fantastic purchase.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

The small hand that creeped me out.

What made the experience of listening to The Small Hand the most enjoyable?

The narrator's voice was the most enjoyable part. He told the story so well ,and you could almost feel the emotions he was feeling.

What did you like best about this story?

The ending. I finally learned what the entire story was about and why it happened. I did not guess ahead of time what the ending would be so I really enjoyed that. Susan Hill can build tension in a story very well.

Which character – as performed by Cameron Stewart – was your favorite?

The main character was my favourite. He was easy going and easy to relate to. He is a very straight forward man . It was very refreshing hearing this story from his perspective

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes, when he was left the country and went to visit the monastery in the hope of buying the book he was going to view. The eerie moments he had when he was there and the spiritual moments he spent talking to the monks,esp when he told one of them what was happening with him, how he felt he was being haunted.

Any additional comments?

This was a very good book to listen to. I do prefer The Woman In Black but this was very very good too.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Suspenseful and engaging.

Would you listen to The Small Hand again? Why?

Probably, but not soon. The suspense wouldn't be quite the same knowing the end of the story. In a few months or a year then even knowing the ending I could move along with the emotions and tension of the story. I seldom buy an audio book that I don't think would be a good story to listen to over and over.

What did you like best about this story?

Susan Hill is a good writer, her narratives describes the emotion of the scene, the characters and action without being pendantic. The suspense, of course, was there especially since it is a ghost story.

Which scene was your favorite?

The peacefulness of his visit to the library at the Monastary. I could almost smell the old books. The characters excitement and awe at the old books he was show was palpable.

If you could take any character from The Small Hand out to dinner, who would it be and why?

I think either of the librarians, I like the idea of discussing the existence of the old and rare books and the chance of new discoveries. The sister-in-law, with her calm manner would also be a good dinner companion.

Any additional comments?

Glad to have it part of my audio library. All of Susan Hills books are well written and the complexity of her characters is what makes listening to them again worthwhile because there is always a new aspect or emotion to be heard.

The narrator, Cameron Stewart, was also excellent. His voice quality is easy to listen to, easily understood (his accent isn't so heavy that is blurs the actual words) and conveys just the right amount of tension and emotion without being overly played.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A ghost story with some twists

Short story / novelette. This story has twists and unexpected happenings, but is written as a cozy British ghost story, set in. modern times ( why should the Victorians have all the fun?). Well read by Cameron Stewart. Recommended.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Intriguing, but not spine-tingling

This was an interesting enough story told by an author who knows how to spin a yarn. It concerns a modern day antique book dealer and ivory-tower type pursuits, which might appeal to some listeners and leave others less intrigued. It was mildly creepy, and maybe could have used a little more angst. But, it wasn't overly long, and I was always curious about what was behind the Small Hand.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great descriptions of emotions.

Good story. Ending was a surprise. I would have enjoyed a “five years later chapter”.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it!!

Really liked this story. The narrator was fantastic and the story was a bit spooky with a great twist! No unnecessary sex or gore, just brilliant writing to create a great story.

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