Nella Waits

by Marlys Millhiser

In a small Midwestern town, a long-dead woman haunts her son and the woman he loves in this supernatural chiller by the author of The Mirror. When Lynnette got married four years ago, all she wanted was to flee the confines of her dull hometown deep in the heart of the cornfields of Iowa. After the death of her husband, Lynnette has now returned to her famine-plagued farming town to care for her widowed mother. Looking to escape the boredom of being back home, she visits Jay Van Fleet in the old and eerie Van Fleet house, long rumored to be haunted by the ghost of Nella Van Fleet, Jay’s mother who died during childbirth. Jay, haunted by a horrific near tragedy that shaped his boyhood, has reluctantly returned to his family homestead to claim his inheritance.   Both coping with loss, Lynnette and Jay find solace in each other until terrifying and strange events start occurring in the Van Fleet house. The ghost of Jake’s mother, Nella, feeding off the presence of her adored son, grows stronger by the day. She has already killed once for him, and she will kill again to ensure that he belongs to her—and her alone—for all eternity.

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Gothic, Ghost Stories, Adult, Romance

318 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 1974

About the author

Marlys Millhiser is an American author of fifteen mysteries and horror novels. Born in Charles City, Iowa, Millhiser originally worked as a high school teacher. She has served as a regional vice president of the Mystery Writers of America and is best known for her novel The Mirror and for the Charlie Greene Mysteries. Millhiser lived in Boulder, Colorado.

Reviews

[Jan Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book convinced me that I could be a time traveler. One of my all/time favorites...

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very creepy...what is it about the 70's that makes the horror genre so good?

[Linda Branham · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 1970's ghost story - almost in the gothic style. I read Michael's Wife and The Mirror earlier, so decided to go back and read the other novels by this author.

[Amy Skaggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story

This book sounded so scary in it's description that I just had to read it. That being said, it was a good story. It is a story of secrets and loss, a Gothic story. I would recommend that you read it for yourself and see what you think. I will definitely çheck out more of Marlys Millhiser's stories.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Supernatural. I like her other stuff as well...Michael's Wife, Willing Hostage and The Mirror

[Strega · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicely creepy ghost story - bit formulaic in parts/characters, but still a good read.

[Rosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

So many mothers in Roggins, Iowa. Loved ones, hated ones, possessive ones, ones you can live with, ones you can’t…what to do about Mother? You know she loves you, but you need to live your own, separate life. But can you ever really escape her?
Ironically, I’d say Nella was the least developed character in this novel. What would make her happy? Perhaps if her son had tried to show her some understanding and kindness, she could have been mollified. But all he ever showed her was fear and hatred. Yes, she is terrifying, but can’t he see that she loves him a lot? He should have tried to communicate with her better. She might have listened to him. Talking to family is hard, but you really ought to try. But Jay isn’t the most compassionate or empathic. It’s sad, really.
Well, perhaps they will meet again…
I really got the feel of the Midwest in the ‘70s. A sad time of farmers learning that they can’t make a living small-scale farming anymore.
Some unanswered questions: why is Nella the only ghost? Do ghosts really depend on belief? What happened to Jay (and Roger) in Vietnam?
Poor Roger and Myrtle and Reverend Birmingham. Roger had always loved Lynnette; why didn’t he tell her? Why didn’t she know? Could she have loved him? I’m sure he would have taken her away.
Elsa J. Radcliffe’s comment (this one was rated “A” in Gothic Novels of the Twentieth Century: An Annotated Bibliography): “A most engrossing tale of ghostly goings on in a rural Iowa community; brought to an acceptable and satisfying conclusion.”
I agree with the first half—it was indeed engrossing; less so with the second. I didn’t quite feel “satisfied” by the ending.

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading "The Mirror" I wanted to sample more of Marlys Millhiser. Not a bad story, very suspenseful.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very dated.

[Kay P. Givens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marlys Millhiser...excellent story teller.

Wonderful development of her characters, details I can see and believe. My love for her writings began with THE MIRROR and has continued with NELLA WAITS. This is a really good ghost story but not extremely scary...the way I like them.

[Sherry F · Rating 3 out of 5]

This scare the crap out of me the first time I read it....many, many years ago.

[Nicola Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read 2 books of Maryls Milhiser's and she does not write very well thought out endings.

[Jeanine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good ghost story.