The Damned

"The Damned" by Algernon Blackwood is a novel where siblings Bill and Frances arrive at The Towers, the estate of Mabel Franklyn, a banker’s widow, and are immediately met with an unsettling atmosphere that hints at dark disturbances from the past. The narrative explores the siblings' growing dread as they confront the oppressive weight of the house, particularly the influence of the late Mr. Franklyn, whose emotional disturbances seem to linger within the mansion's walls, creating discomfort and unease. The opening chapters showcase Bill's struggle to write amidst this environment and Frances's reluctance to sleep alone, all adding to the growing sense of an intangible but menacing presence pervading The Towers. The story unfolds to set the scene for the sibling's journey into the secrets surrounding the hidden truths of the mansion's past and the influence of the deceased Franklyn.