4.5 stars, rounded up 
 What a thoroughly strange and oddly compelling book. It's not so much scary as unsettling and less of a murder mystery than a study of small towns and the claustrophobia and fear of 'other' inherent in them. I found Merricat such an interesting and messed-up character, but her observations were so pithy and funny that I couldn't help but like her, even though she was really rather evil. Great stuff. I'll definitely be reading more by Shirley Jackson.