About

1. What is Ably House?
Ably House is a blog for fans of the horror genre, linking them with entertaining and opinionated reviews, as well as the latest news and spoilers. We hope to provide you, our fellow fans of horror, with the latest news and spoilers for our favorite television shows, book series, and future movie releases. We will also be posting weekly 'Movie Night' reviews of current and classic cult horror films. We also hope to be able to post 'Opening Weekend' reviews of horror films that have just been released in theatres. But this, I can only hope you understand, is dependent upon having the availability and financial freedom to attend such screenings. We will also be updating with 'Spotlight'posts, in which we will draw attention upon varying issues and themes found within the horror genre. And finally, we will be posting our 'Monthly Book Reviews', in which we'll provide you with our opinions on horror in literature. As we progress and begin to draw a larger audience (and hopefully a few more contributers), we hope to begin posting about horror web series and radio programs (which still exist, albeit few and far between).

2. Why is this blog entitled 'Ably House'?
Well, that's actually a very good question! I'm glad you asked. I chose that name because I'm a very sappy, sentimental individual. During my childhood, I spent 8 years living in the very small town of Warren, Illinois. Growing up, my older sister would regale me with stories about an old, haunted farmhouse in a community not too far away. Yep, you guessed it! That place was called Ably House. Located in Council Hill, Illinois (current population 179), the Ably House farmstead is a magnet for rebellious youths seeking to catch a glimpse of the 'otherworldly' beings that are said to still walk the grounds. 

No one truly knows the full details of the terrible events that occurred on that fateful night nearly 130 years ago. But what we do know is that it ended with a bang. Literally! The cold-blooded murder of Jacob Ably shook the community (and the larger Jo Daviess County area) to the core. It is said that his death "marks the close of the last chapter of the history of a terrible crime that is believed by many was the culmination of a series of greater crimes on the same spot. The history of which never were and never will be written, and the secrets of which are buried in the graveyard of the murdered man..."

For more information on the Ably House murders (yes, that's plural...as in more than one!), visit the Galena History Museum.