My review for this book will only be for two of the stories, since I have already read/reviewed The woman in black, The Printer's Devil Court and Dolly, I liked all of these stories but The man in the picture and the small hand were really good stories I stayed up late reading the man in the picture, I couldn't stop reading, it was a weird & creepy story but really interesting.
I like the plot, the location which was Venice during a Venetian carnival which I have always wanted to go to or have always been interested in.
The story was unique and creepy, the characters were interesting to read about and I like the use of the creepy painting and the overwhelming power it had over whoever owned the painting or viewed the painting, the more the owner of painting looked at it the more they felt compelled to continue looking as it, as if in some way it was trying to steal your soul in a way.
All the owners of the painting progressively became more and more obsessively/possessive of the painting and would not part with it, but eventually whoever the owner was stared at the painting mysteriously died and then became a part of the painting.
This is one of my favourite stories written by Susan Hill, hopefully she will write more stories like this, I preferred this story because it was a bit longer then some of the other short stories, so it isn't rushed, there is more time for character development, or more time to develop a underlying sense of dread, a creepy atmosphere until it reaches a crescendo and everything comes to a head and the outcome has twists and turns to try and confuse you until it ends.

The small hand- I like the character and he job, which is interesting, he bought antiquation books (first edition/manuscripts of well known authors work) he bought books from collectors, auctions, private collections. While trying to find his way to meet a client he becomes lot and finds a garden long abandoned and forgotten about. While he wandering around, he discovers a garden and a house in disrepair, it is crumbling and dilapidated, he feels as if he isn't alone, there is an unknown presence among him which then touches and holds his hand.
Whenever he feels the spirit of a young boy touch his hand, he suddenly and inexplicably feels the compulsion to drown himself in the fountain of the garden, or later on in the story, to throw himself from the edge of the cliff where he almost crashed into the child the first time he saw him in the middle of the road during a storm.
Adam isn't the only person to feel the compulsion to commit suicide whenever the spirit of the young boy is around, his brother Hugo is also afflicted by his presence until he couldn't stand it any longer.
I liked reading this story, it was creepy and interesting, I especially like the way the story ended, but I won't spoil it for you, you'll have to find out for yourself.
The adaptation of the this short story is pretty good, and worth watching. ( )

The man in the Picture:
A damn-near perfect ghost story: Atmospheric and genuinly creepy.

It's short length is also great- no atrificial padding, no useless exposition. The language economic without being barren. A lot of popular horror writers I could mention might learn a thing or two here... It also have this timeless quality i find really appealing. It might take place last year, or thirty, or sixty years ago.In my opinion, this adds to the story rather than subtracts from it.

Susan Hill is doubtless one of the finest writers of horror alive today, taking the traditional victorian ghost story and gently ushering along into the 21st century without making much fuss about it. ( )

A very good short anthology of ghost stories that don't end happily ever after. A times, chilling, never boring although at times the pacing flags it never becomes redundant. Very gripping in places with loads of atomosphere. You need Autumn fog to enjoy these fully...... ( )