The Inn

Set in the Swiss Alps, ‘The Inn’ could almost be the template for ‘The Shining,’ starring Jack Nicholson. When winter sets in, the owners of the eponymous inn decide to go see the snow out in the nearby valley. Behind them, they leave the caretaker, Gaspard, Ulrich, and Sam the dog. However, when Ulrich leaves to go hunting and doesn’t come back, Gaspard is left all alone... A haunting tale, swathed in snow and with a brooding, unsettling atmosphere, this is a perfect fireside read for fans of Stephen King. Hailed as one of the pioneers of the modern short story, Henri Ren Albert Guy de Maupassant (1850 - 1893) was born in Dieppe, France. After his parents’ divorce, Maupassant was cared for by his mother who had a passion for literature. During his secondary education, he was introduced to the acclaimed novelist, Gustave Flaubert, who was to play a prominent part in Maupassant’s literary career. The Franco-Prussian War saw the author enlist in the Navy, and his experiences influenced many of his books, including ‘Boule de Suif.’ Flaubert was to take him under his wing after the war, introducing him to realist and naturalist authors, such as Émile Zola and Ivan Turgenev.