2 ways in which Hill's Woman in Black breaks w/ ghost-story convention

And a few ways in which Susan Hill (The Woman in Black, 1983) breaks w/ ghost-story convention - because every good ghost story has to have some element that makes it unique or at least separates it from the masses and adds a new twist to the genre. I haven't read enough in this mode to know if these are absolute unique traits in Hill's novel, but they strike me as unusual, unconventional, and surprising: First, the dog. Though he doesn't intro the cute terrier Spider until at least halfway through the novel, the presence of the little, intelligent dog who accompanies the narrator in his second risky expedition to the haunted house where he is to spend the next few days (and nights) reviewing the papers left behind by the late owner adds a welcome light touch and opens up the character of the narrator as well - it's sweet to see the loyal pup warn him of various dangers, and then the dog is endangered - caught in a quicksand mire - leading then narrator to rescue Spider, showing real heroics. Thanks to the introduction of the little dog, we come to car more about the narrator and his fate than we had up to that point in the novel. Second, and this is a bit of a spoiler as we don't see the consequences (though we can foretell them) until near the end, but, unlike most ghostly spirits that appear simply "haunted," her ghost is truly vengeful and malevolent - harming people (children, especially) who caused them no harm or pain during her stay on earth. Ghosts usually are trying to rectify some sort of wrong or issue a warning (think: Hamlet) to the living, but Hill's ghost is diabolical, bringing the specter of death to all who perceive her. So for those who say that ghosts don't exist and for those as well who say ghosts can't harm us, Hill ups the ante: If ghosts do exist, who's to say that they aren't dangerous and malevolent? Altogether, Woman in Black is a successful ghost story, creepy if not frightening, and is obviously rich material for translation into film (and there have been two versions recently, one a faithful adaptation and the other loosely adapted sequel).