Ok.
Now fair enough it isn't hugely well known but still it's not exactly unheard of.
Here's the clue that'll break it.
An old widow dies in the seaside town. A young solicitor is sent by his firm to settle the estate. The lawyer finds the townspeople reluctant to talk about or go near the woman's dreary home and no one will explain or even acknowledge the menacing '.............' he keeps seeing. Ignoring the towns-people's cryptic warnings, he goes to the house where he discovers its horrible history and becomes ensnared in its even more horrible legacy.
'..............' being the title. Perhaps I should have edited that before posting!!!!!