The Stranger House by Reginald Hill is a somewhat unconventional mystery. Two complete strangers are drawn to the tiny town of Illthwaite in Cumbria to search for answers to questions concerning their families. Hill combines an interesting mixture of history, mythology, and even religion that makes for a suspenseful read. Sam and Mig's stories are a bit like an onion, you keep finding another layer underneath--you may find some answers, but with each layer there seem to be more questions as well. And the residents of Illthwaite are none too forthcoming with any information. What happened in Illthwaite so long ago that connects these two people? And how far will they go to find out?
This is the sort of book you can easily get lost in. It is an interesting cast of characters that make up the folks of Illthwaite. They reminded me a bit of the towns people in the movie An American Werewolf in London when David Naughton and Griffin Dunne go out walking on the Moors and make a stop in a local bar. There is something a little creepy going on, but you don't quite know what. This is a page turner, right up until the very end. I believe Hill writes a mystery series, which I will now have to check out.