The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

The Turn of the Screw is a novella (short novel) written by Henry James. Published originally during 1898, The Turn of the Screw is ostensibly a ghost story.
Due to The Turn of the Screw's ambiguous content, the story became a favorite text of New Criticism authors. The novella The Turn of the Screw has had differing interpretations, often mutually exclusive. Many critics have tried to determine the exact nature of the evil hinted at by the story.
Plot: An unnamed narrator listens to a male friend reading a manuscript written by a former governess whom the friend claims to have known and who is now dead. The manuscript tells the story of how the young governess is hired by a man who has become responsible for his nephew and niece after the death of their grandparents who were raising the children after their father died. He lives mainly in London and is not interested in raising the children personally. The boy, Miles, is attending a boarding school whilst his sister, Flora, is living at a country estate in Essex. She is currently being cared for by the housekeeper, Mrs. Grose. The governess's new employer gives her full charge of the children and explicitly states that she is not to bother him with communications of any sort. The governess travels to her new employer's country house and begins her duties.
Miles soon returns from school for the summer just after a letter arrives from the headmaster stating that he has been expelled. Miles never speaks of the matter, and the governess is hesitant to raise the issue. (Summary by Wikipedia)