The Shuttered House by A.E.W. Mason
"The Shuttered House" is a gothic mystery novel written by A.E.W. Mason in 1920. The story follows the protagonist, a young man named John, who inherits a large estate called "The Shuttered House" from an unknown relative. Upon arriving at the estate, John discovers that it is shrouded in mystery and surrounded by strange occurrences. As he delves deeper into the history of the house and its former inhabitants, he uncovers a dark and sinister secret that threatens to destroy him. With the help of a local doctor and his wife, John must confront the evil forces that haunt the house and uncover the truth about his family's past.
By A.E.W. Mason · First published 1930 · Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Horror · 7,380 words
First lines
If ever a man's pleasures jumped with his duties mine did in the year 1744, when, as a clerk in the service of the Royal African Company of Adventurers, I was despatched to the remote islands of Scilly in search of certain information which, it was believed, Mr. Robert Lovyes alone could impart. For even a clerk that sits all day conning his ledgers may now and again chance upon a record or name which will tickle his dull fancies with the suggestion of a story. Such a suggestion I had derived from the circumstances of Mr. Lovyes.
What this Textopian page supports
The Shuttered House is listed on Textopian as a short story by A.E.W. Mason, dated 1930 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: A.E.W. Mason
- Date: 1930 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Horror, Suspense, Adventure
- Length: 7,380 words
- Structure: 1 section, 130 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Shuttered House by A.E.W. Mason
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Shuttered House?
- How does this short story by A.E.W. Mason fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Mystery first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Mystery — The book unravels a story in which the main character investigates a closed house, bringing up elements of suspense and hidden truths typical of the Mystery genre.
- Thriller — The narrative unfolds under a tense atmosphere, with an ongoing threat that keeps the readers at edge, matching the Thriller genre.
- Horror — Elements of fear and supernatural aspects introduced through the idea of the 'Shuttered House' place it under the Horror genre.
- Suspense — The book maintains a constant sense of suspense as the mystery of the house is slowly disclosed, characteristic of the Suspense genre.
Tags
19th century · asked · back · brother · could · day · door · face · fiction · great · great britain · heard