What do you think?
Rate this book
The Uninvited: A Play in Three Acts
Dorothy Macardle's classic ghost story. (see: The Uninvited)
Seeking to escape the demands of life in London, Pam Fitzgerald and her brother, Roddy, an aspiring playwright, discover a charming house in the west of England, overlooking the Irish Sea. The house, Cliff End, has long been empty, and they are able to purchase it at a suspiciously low price from crusty Commander Brooke, the village curmudgeon. The reason is soon apparent: The house has an unsavory reputation. Fifteen years earlier a murder may or may not have occurred by the gnarled tree that can be viewed from the parlor window. Slowly the Fitzgeralds begin to sense the evil spirit that still inhabits the house, announcing its presence with a sudden, bone-chilling cold. Their housekeeper's cat will not enter the nursery, where the sound of a weeping woman adds to the tense atmosphere, and the scent of a flowery, exotic perfume called mimosa comes and goes. The village doctor, the local gossip, and a former governess visit, with strange stories of the beautiful Mary Meredith, who once lived in the house and of the striking, unstable Carmel, who posed for a painting that led to her destruction. With the help of Mary's daughter, Stella, a beautiful young girl whose mysterious birth holds the key to the puzzle, and a seance arranged by an actress friend of the Fitzgeralds, Cliff End is forced, at last, to reveal its dark secrets. The action then builds steadily to a truly terrifying climax, in which the ghost is discovered to be not only real but dangerous.
Seeking to escape the demands of life in London, Pam Fitzgerald and her brother, Roddy, an aspiring playwright, discover a charming house in the west of England, overlooking the Irish Sea. The house, Cliff End, has long been empty, and they are able to purchase it at a suspiciously low price from crusty Commander Brooke, the village curmudgeon. The reason is soon apparent: The house has an unsavory reputation. Fifteen years earlier a murder may or may not have occurred by the gnarled tree that can be viewed from the parlor window. Slowly the Fitzgeralds begin to sense the evil spirit that still inhabits the house, announcing its presence with a sudden, bone-chilling cold. Their housekeeper's cat will not enter the nursery, where the sound of a weeping woman adds to the tense atmosphere, and the scent of a flowery, exotic perfume called mimosa comes and goes. The village doctor, the local gossip, and a former governess visit, with strange stories of the beautiful Mary Meredith, who once lived in the house and of the striking, unstable Carmel, who posed for a painting that led to her destruction. With the help of Mary's daughter, Stella, a beautiful young girl whose mysterious birth holds the key to the puzzle, and a seance arranged by an actress friend of the Fitzgeralds, Cliff End is forced, at last, to reveal its dark secrets. The action then builds steadily to a truly terrifying climax, in which the ghost is discovered to be not only real but dangerous.
72 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
About the author
Tim Kelly
303 books4 followersMr. Kelly, who was born in 1931, wrote more than 300 comedies, dramas, one-acts, mysteries, melodramas, children's shows and musicals, making his living writing for the stock, amateur and educational markets.
He wrote under his own name, and also at least four pseudonyms (Vera Morris, J. Moriarty, Robert Swift, Keith Jackson), for publishers such as Samuel French, Pioneer Drama Service and Contemporary Drama Service, among others.
Pioneer alone has 130 scripts by Kelly, according to Pioneer publisher Steven Fendrich. "It covers the gamut," Fendrich told Playbill On-Line Dec. 10. Mr. Kelly was the first playwright to sign up with the Colorado-based Pioneer when it was founded in 1967 by Fendrich's father.
He wrote under his own name, and also at least four pseudonyms (Vera Morris, J. Moriarty, Robert Swift, Keith Jackson), for publishers such as Samuel French, Pioneer Drama Service and Contemporary Drama Service, among others.
Pioneer alone has 130 scripts by Kelly, according to Pioneer publisher Steven Fendrich. "It covers the gamut," Fendrich told Playbill On-Line Dec. 10. Mr. Kelly was the first playwright to sign up with the Colorado-based Pioneer when it was founded in 1967 by Fendrich's father.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 25, 2026
Similar to the other famous ghost story productions such as THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE and THE INNOCENTS, THE UNINVITED began as a book (in 1942) and eventually became a movie in 1944. The curious difference is that there was a fairly long period of time before it became adapted as a stage production (1979).
To my mind, THE UNINVITED is a “picture perfect” example of a haunted house stage play. The lead characters are likable and engaging, there is a troubled young woman who seems to be the catalyst for the ghostly happenings, light-hearted humor is sprinkled throughout (without becoming overwhelming), there’s a seance that stirs things up, and there is the mandatory ghostly appearance. Indeed, it is hard for me to “conjure” a more appropriate example of what theater audiences probably expect to see from such a show.
There are also production notes about how to achieve the supernatural effects with warnings not to overdo them. (Apparently, “less is more” is an admirable approach.) I especially enjoyed the comment about staging the seance, which involves an overturned glass moving toward letters to spell out responses. It states that in many productions, there is a tendency to “get on with it” and rush through the spelling sequences. However, if the audience is in tune with the show, they are enjoying interpreting the spellings with the characters. It makes them feel more a part of the play.
Of course, the book and the movie both “open up” the story beyond the one-set stage play. Those extended moments also enhance the characterization. Still, I found the play to be a lot of fun, not being too chilling that it would frighten children, but not so obvious that it is only following an established template. There is also a mystery to be solved, and theatergoers who might usually go to see “The Mousetrap” would feel welcomed here.
A budding playwright who wants to stage a ghostly production could do much worse than studying (and enjoying) THE UNINVITED.
To my mind, THE UNINVITED is a “picture perfect” example of a haunted house stage play. The lead characters are likable and engaging, there is a troubled young woman who seems to be the catalyst for the ghostly happenings, light-hearted humor is sprinkled throughout (without becoming overwhelming), there’s a seance that stirs things up, and there is the mandatory ghostly appearance. Indeed, it is hard for me to “conjure” a more appropriate example of what theater audiences probably expect to see from such a show.
There are also production notes about how to achieve the supernatural effects with warnings not to overdo them. (Apparently, “less is more” is an admirable approach.) I especially enjoyed the comment about staging the seance, which involves an overturned glass moving toward letters to spell out responses. It states that in many productions, there is a tendency to “get on with it” and rush through the spelling sequences. However, if the audience is in tune with the show, they are enjoying interpreting the spellings with the characters. It makes them feel more a part of the play.
Of course, the book and the movie both “open up” the story beyond the one-set stage play. Those extended moments also enhance the characterization. Still, I found the play to be a lot of fun, not being too chilling that it would frighten children, but not so obvious that it is only following an established template. There is also a mystery to be solved, and theatergoers who might usually go to see “The Mousetrap” would feel welcomed here.
A budding playwright who wants to stage a ghostly production could do much worse than studying (and enjoying) THE UNINVITED.
July 7, 2026
My GR friends know I love a good play...and one by Tim Kelly is even better! This was a really solid piece, but the ending was (in my opinion) a little quick. Perhaps if I had watched, rather than read, I might have felt differently. That being said, it was a solid ghost story and one that I definitely recommend.
July 22, 2008
I liked this book; however, there were some negatives. 1)There are differences in culture that made some thing difficult to comprehend--but they weren't major to the plot of the story so it wasn't that big a deal. 2) I felt like she kept dragging the story out when it could have ended so much sooner. I figured out the twist several chapters before it was actually "discovered" in the end. At that point, so much time had gone by, it wasn't much of a climax.
Overall, the book was an enjoyable read.
Overall, the book was an enjoyable read.
July 18, 2009
A fun story in a collection of spooky stories. It's good and I like it because the the way the characters deal with ghosts is similar to my family's dealings. The mystery itself is not as obvious as it seems therefore I experienced chills near the end when faced with the real culprit.
February 6, 2023
Read the act and see what is possible
You definitely want a copy of “The Uninvited- A Play in Three Acts”,
Now that you have watched the movie which changed the story somewhat for viewing, and you have read the book to see the source, now it is time to slow down and read the play. If you are lucky the play will appear again.
You definitely want a copy of “The Uninvited- A Play in Three Acts”,
Now that you have watched the movie which changed the story somewhat for viewing, and you have read the book to see the source, now it is time to slow down and read the play. If you are lucky the play will appear again.
February 2, 2018
3 1/2 stars
December 11, 2021
I adore the film version, but this play feels slight. It loses a lot as a stage adaptation.
June 15, 2022
Take care to get the novel, not the play script, if that's what you're looking for. The version with Tim Kelly as author is not the novel.
July 3, 2010
A bit boring & wordy. Need to be able to pull off the special FX. I was "Lizzie" who is a fun character regardless. 2004
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews