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As night closes in .... Favourite ghost stories

61 replies

TomPinch · 13/10/2022 21:05

My favourite three, for starters:

Count Magnus by M R James.
The Shepherd by Frederick Forsyth
Dark Matter by Michelle Paver

Let's be having yours!

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TomPinch · 08/12/2022 03:33

A School Story - another good one.

"Memento putei inter quatuor taxos."

"Si tu non veneris ad me, ego veniam ad te."

shudder.

The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral is another one of my favourites. I enjoy that the writer thinks the choir was ruined by the new-fangled Gothic fittings.

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SquatBetty · 08/12/2022 06:31

I've booked mark this to research later

The woman in black is my absolute favourite

I liked Michelle Paver's Dark Matter and Thin Air but did anyone notice the similarities between the plots even down to the faithful dog companion of the protagonist?

Privatestate1 · 08/12/2022 08:25

If anyone is also a fan of horror films, I liked the view from the hill by MR James so much as the premise of the story reminds me of the film Dead of Night and the story about the mirror…I still maintain that’s the best and creepiest film I’ve EVER seen, especially that bit. Apart from MR James version with a hill, not a mirror 😂 I wonder if the film writers used that as inspiration

Dreikanter · 14/12/2022 08:22

For the MR James fans, there will be a BBC adaptation of Count Magnus on Dec 23rd.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001gdp9

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TomPinch · 14/01/2023 05:18

While on holiday I found two new gems in some anthologies I read

  1. The Room in the Tower by E F Benson. It has a long, slow build-up and a jump-scare worthy of the great M R James. Nb: Benson wrote the Mapp and Lucia stories.
  1. Luella Miller by Mary E Wilkins-Freeman. Not a true ghost story as it's about (maybe) a vampire with a difference. Probably the sort of character that gets discussed from time to time on this website. Made me laugh out loud.
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TomPinch · 14/01/2023 05:19

Welshy26 · 06/12/2022 21:50

My DH recommends The Room in the Tower by E F Benson.

Just noticed this on re-reading the thread!

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GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 14/01/2023 06:59

@Figrolls14 , we saw it one NYE ages ago with dd2, who was still too young to go partying like dd1. So creepy! There was a point where everyone in the theatre jumped!

(NYE used to be a great time to get sought-after theatre tickets, don’t know whether it still is.).

goodmorningsunny · 14/01/2023 07:06

I think Charles Dickens The Signal Man needs an honourable mention. An oldie, but a serious goodie.

goodmorningsunny · 14/01/2023 07:07

Ah, I see it has already been mentioned!

LuckyPeonies · 17/01/2023 21:48

The Kit Bag by Algernon Blackwood. Re-read last night and it is still very creepy.
The School Teacher’s Story and The Lost Ghost, both by Mary Wilkins Freeman.

AlwaysGinPlease · 17/01/2023 21:52

Following for inspiration

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