No single word could do justice to Robert Louis Stevenson's timeless novella, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Eerie and complex, the story is a mixture of horror, suspense, and psychology that refuses to be pigeonholed. Terrifying from start to finish, the book is impossible to put down. Even when the last page is turned, the haunting words will linger in the reader's mind.

The tale follows Mr. Utterson, a lawyer and friend of the respected Dr. Jekyll. But when a grotesque and possibly murderous man by the name of Mr. Hyde shows up, the friendship takes a turn for the worse. The situation grows more suspicious and the relationship between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde becomes more perverse, until Utterson finds himself so baffled, he must intervene to discover the truth. Magnificently developed, each character's believable personality adds to the quasi-realism that defines the book.

Published over a century ago, the story is still well known today. Although I knew the final twist, I found myself no less thrilled by the ending. The archaic style and diction further enhance the adventure, and the reader is ultimately left feeling fulfilled.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is very easy to recommend. It makes for a quick read, but so much is condensed onto each page that its stylistic and thematic depth makes its brevity all but hidden. This is a compelling and thrilling tale of horror.