The year 1885 finds Frances Flinch Barnett having a visit with her twin brother Harry at a New England mental hospital. During this visit, she recounts the events that led to her being a patient in this hospital. She blames pregnancy and childbirth for her lapse of sanity, but there is also an undercurrent of evil that runs through her story.

Fast forward to 2014 and meet Abby Bernacki and her husband Chad. They have moved into the house formerly owned by Frances and her husband prior to her hospital stay so long ago. Their baby, Lucy, is still only a few months old and Abby has taken a leave of absence from her teaching position to care for her baby. There is something strange going on in the house, though. Odd sounds and shadows broadcast over the baby monitor from Lucy's room that vanish as soon as Abby gets to the nursery.

In her quest to find out more about the house, Abby starts to research the Barnetts, particularly Frances. With some luck, she comes to possess Frances's long ago journal and is surprised at how similar their circumstances are. However, the more she reads the more concerned she becomes. In addition, the rather odd events she has been experiencing in the house tend to get more active making her more determined than ever to figure out the mystery that seems to surround her home.

THE EVENING SPIDER is a beautifully written and very compelling story that will keep you glued to each page until the final one. There is one chill after another, which begins almost from the start. I was captivated by the very first page and felt rather let down when it ended. Author Emily Arsenault knows exactly how to draw in her readers and hold them in thrall.

Reading THE EVENING SPIDER is an experience to be reveled in rather than just a way to pass the time. The main characters are perfectly crafted in a way that makes them three dimensional. I could totally imagine myself hanging out with Abby and, possibly, visiting Frances during her stay at the hospital. That is just the beginning of all of the amazing things you will find between the pages.

Once you have begun reading, THE EVENING SPIDER is quite difficult to put down. You have the privilege of walking in the long ago shoes of Frances and the modern ones of Abby. Even though there is the past and the present woven together; it only adds to the building apprehension and curiosity about what exactly is happening.

THE EVENING SPIDER is one of the most deliciously tantalizing books you do not need to miss.