The Secret of Crickley Hall

Based on the novel of the same name by James Herbert, The Secret of Crickley Hall was a three-part miniseries that aired on BBC last year.  Although not as scary as paranormal related programs that air stateside, Crickley has enough intrigue and suspense to pique the interest of viewers interested in a good supernatural thriller.

While visiting a London playground, Eve (Suranne Jones, Doctor Who) dozes off a moment while watching her son Cam.  When she awakens, Eve is horrified to discover that Cam is nowhere to be found.  Eleven months pass without any leads.  When her husband Gabe (Tom Ellis, Buffalo Soldiers) gets a new job, the couple move to the Northern coast of England along with their two daughters.  The family rents Crickley Hall, an old orphanage with a mysterious past.  Not long after moving in, strange occurences begin to occur.  The cellar door opens by itself and the family hears eerie noises upstairs.  Eve is ready to leave before she starts to hear the voice of her missing son.  Is Eve going insane or is there some sort of connection between Crickley Hall and Cam?

Honestly, The Secret of Crickley Hall is probably something I would never go out of my way to see if it weren't for doing reviews.  That being said, after only watching episode one, I was drawn into the story and eager to complete the miniseries.  Much like American Horror Story, this program darts back-and-forth between storylines set in both the past and present.  As a result, the show feels more like a high-quality tense drama without all the gory violence or strong language.  Consisting of only three episodes, this release is a disappointment in the special features department.  Fans of the novel should enjoy this adaptation of The Secret of Crickley Hall as well as anyone looking for an intelligent spooky drama.