Shirley Jackson

The Road Through the Wall

In Pepper Street, an attractive suburban neighbourhood filled with bullies and egotistical bigots, the feelings of the inhabitants are shallow and selfish: what can a neighbour do to triumph over another neighbour, what may be won from a friend? One child stands alone in her goodness: little Caroline Desmond, kind, sweet and gentle, and the pride of her family. But the malice and self-absorption of the people of Pepper Street lead to a terrible event that will destroy the community of which they are so proud. Exposing the murderous cruelty of children, and the blindness and selfishness of adults, Shirley Jackson reveals the ugly truth behind a 'perfect' world. With an Introduction by Ruth Franklin 'An unburnished exercise in the sinister.' The New York Times

Libby

When a wall is knocked down to make way for a new road in an idyllic California town, things go awry.

Lindsy Rice

The Road Through the Wall: Shirley Jackson's first novel tells the tale of Pepper Street and its houses and families. The wall surrounding an estate is torn down to make a road and this single action creates a most memorable drama for many of the people affected by this simple act. An excellent beginning for one of the most important authors of the second half of the 20th century.

The Road Through the Wall

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