The Woman in Black Quick Plot Summary

CHAPTER 1 - CHRISTMAS EVE

• Kipps is in his home at Monk's Piece with his new family, Esme his wife, and his four step-children
• He talks about the moment he first saw Monk's Piece when he was out with Mr Bentley after the main events of the novel had occured
• He talks about his marriage with Esme
• The children tell ghost stories round the fire
• Kipps begins to feel uneasy as he remembers his experiences
• The children urge Kipps to tell a story, but he refuses and has to go outside
• He decides he must exorcise the memory of what has happened to him
• He returns to the house and begins writing his story

CHAPTER 2 - A LONDON PARTICULAR

• Kipps is recounting the start of his story
• He is in a cab on the way to King's Cross.  London is in the midst of a 'London particular', a thick fog
• He recounts the morning's events when he saw Mr Bentley
• Mr Bentley told him that he was to go to Eel Marsh House in a rural part of England in order to attend the funeral of Alice Drablow and sort her papers and retrieve the relevant ones
• Mr Bentley leaves some details about the Drablow's out, or feels reluctant to talk about them.  Nevertheless, Kipps doesn't feel afraid and departs to King's Cross in anticipation

CHAPTER 3 - THE JOURNEY NORTH

• Kipps is in a carriage from London to Crewe.  He has a comfortable journey
• As he changes train and goes from Homerby to Crythin Gifford, he begins to feel uncomfortable in the carriage and talks about the violent weather
• He meets Samuel Daily for the first time, who also seems reluctant to talk about some things about the Drablows, but he befriends Daily
• Daily offers to drop Kipps off at the Gifford Arms, where he will stay

CHAPTER 4 - THE FUNERAL OF ALICE DRABLOW

• He finds the Gifford Arms very comfortable and enjoys a good night's sleep
• He prepares himself to attend the funeral and meets Mr Jerome, the local solicitor who will inform Kipps about the affair
• He finds the funeral sad because no one has turned up apart from him and Mr Jerome
• He notices another woman, dressed in black at the back of the church.  He remarks about her 'wasting disease' and pale skin
• The woman disappears and Kipps decides to escort her at the end of the service
• As the coffin is being buried, Kipps sees the woman again. He also sees a group of children, who are similarly pale and expressionless
• He tells Mr Jerome about the woman.  Mr Jerome has a violent reaction and the colour fades from his face.  He grabs Kipps and asks him to walk back with him.  Kipps turns back and the woman is there again
• As they return back to the market square, Mr Jerome regains his strength
• Kipps returns to the Gifford Arms and has lunch with the farmers who are in town for…