A Classic Well Worth Revisiting

GHOST STORY by Peter Straub (1979 Simon & Schuster / 2011 edition by CM & G, Inc / 483 pp / hc)
While at its core it could be considered a revenge story, Peter Straub's 1979 classic GHOST STORY is so much more.  From its mysterious road trip opening to stories told by the old men of the Chowder Society, Straub sets up an incredibly atmospheric tale set in Upstate New York.
Fifty years after a group of men accidentally kill a woman named Eva Galli, they meet to tell ghost stories as the well dressed, whiskey-sipping "Chowder Society," but never mention Eva.  They begin to have spooky, prophetic dreams, and when one of them dies at a party given in honor of an actress, the novel begins its slow but tension-filled climb into surreal terror that—in time—will haunt you like few other novels can.
The story is given even more depth when author Don Wanderely comes into play in the second section.  His recollection of meeting a strange woman named Alma Mobley during his college years and what transpires between them and his brother David will hold you transfixed, and when Don becomes a part of the Chowder Society, the mysteries of GHOST STORY begin to reveal themselves at a slow but gripping pace.  Straub staples such as supernatural doorways and personal destinies (used in later novels such as IN THE NIGHT ROOM and A DARK MATTER) are premiered here, and I was happy to be reminded that they're used uniquely in each novel.
I first read GHOST STORY in 1982 when I was a freshman in high school, and having just revisited it after all these years I can say without a doubt it is one of the finest horror novels ever written.  Straub comes back to his odd opening during the final pages, seamlessly tying everything together yet keeping an air of mystery that works as a prime lesson for anyone studying the craft of writing.  With its lush characters and ever-present sense of impending doom, this is one ride every horror fan should make a point to take at least once.
I'm sure I'll be going for my third…