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story identification - A novel about ghost set in England


There was a book I had read about 5 years ago.
It was a novel where an American family move into an mansion which is haunted by a ghost. The ghost had been living there since about three hundred years.
The family consisted of 6 members where one daughter was named Virginia.
In the end, Virginia helps the ghost attain salvation.
The novel was sort of an inverted ghost story where the inmates of the house terrorise the ghost.



Answer




It's actually a novella and was published in 1887, and was the first of Wilde's works to be published.


It was a novel where an American family move into an mansion which is haunted by a ghost.




The story is about an American family who move to a castle haunted by the ghost of a dead nobleman, who killed his wife and was starved to death by his wife's brothers.
The Canterville Ghost - Wikipedia Plot



The family consisted of 6 members where one daughter was named Virginia.



This story features a family of 6, Mr and Mr's Otis, their eldest son, Washington, their daughter, Virginia, and the Otis twins.
ibid.



The novel was sort of an inverted ghost story where the inmates of the house terrorise the ghost.




He falls victim to tripwires, peashooters, butter-slides, and falling buckets of water. In a particularly comical scene, he is frightened by the sight of a "ghost" rigged up by the mischievous twins.
ibid.



Seeing as the book is 130 years old this year, I'll just provide a link to a bunch of covers rather than all the variations: Image search link here



The story has been adapted numerous times including a 2016 live action film, and an upcoming animated feature film starring Hugh Laurie amongst others.


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