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The Empty House and Other Ghost Stories
The Empty House and Other Ghost Stories
The empty house -- A haunted island -- A case of eavesdropping -- Keeping his promise -- With intent to steal -- The wood of the dead -- Smith: an episode in a lodging-house -- A suspicious gift -- The strange adventures of a private secretary in New York -- Skeleton Lake: an episode in camp.
Book Excerpt
their own business; every moment the strain on the nerves increased.
Out of the gloomy dining-room they passed through large folding doors into a sort of library or smoking-room, wrapt equally in silence, darkness, and dust; and from this they regained the hall near the top of the back stairs.
Here a pitch black tunnel opened before them into the lower regions, and--it must be confessed--they hesitated. But only for a minute. With the worst of the night still to come it was essential to turn from nothing. Aunt Julia stumbled at the top step of the dark descent, ill lit by the flickering candle, and even Shorthouse felt at least half the decision go out of his legs.
"Come on!" he said peremptorily, and his voice ran on and lost itself in the dark, empty spaces below.
"I'm coming," she faltered, catching his arm with unnecessary violence.
They went a little unsteadily down the stone steps, a cold, damp air meeting them in the face, close and mal-odorous. The kitchen, into whic
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I am a big fan of Algernon Blackwood (1869-1951) especially after being so moved by his short story, The Willows which I consider one of the best horror tales ever written.
The Empty House and Other Ghost Stories was Blackwood’s first collection of short stories (I respectfully disagree with ManyBooks. This collection was published in 1906, not 1916) when the author was 37 years old. Though lacking some of the finesse he developed later in his career and suffering from very abrupt endings, the collection is more than just ghost stories tackling themes such as a murder mystery, demonic possession, and an intriguing take on lycanthropy.
The stories in order are:
The Empty House
A Haunted Island
A Case Of Eavesdropping
Keeping His Promise
With Intent To Steal
The Wood Of The Dead
Smith: An Episode In A Lodging-House
A Suspicious Gift
The Strange Adventures Of A Private Secretary In New York
Skeleton Lake: An Episode In Camp
All in all, the collection is an enjoyable romp through another time and culture with some genuine chills thrown in for good measure.
C. Alan Loewen
http://literary-equine.livejournal.com
The Empty House and Other Ghost Stories was Blackwood’s first collection of short stories (I respectfully disagree with ManyBooks. This collection was published in 1906, not 1916) when the author was 37 years old. Though lacking some of the finesse he developed later in his career and suffering from very abrupt endings, the collection is more than just ghost stories tackling themes such as a murder mystery, demonic possession, and an intriguing take on lycanthropy.
The stories in order are:
The Empty House
A Haunted Island
A Case Of Eavesdropping
Keeping His Promise
With Intent To Steal
The Wood Of The Dead
Smith: An Episode In A Lodging-House
A Suspicious Gift
The Strange Adventures Of A Private Secretary In New York
Skeleton Lake: An Episode In Camp
All in all, the collection is an enjoyable romp through another time and culture with some genuine chills thrown in for good measure.
C. Alan Loewen
http://literary-equine.livejournal.com
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A great read for any horror story fan. The stories are great and really interesting. It kept me glued until I finished the book. Loved it.
01/09/2012
