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Ghosts of Christmas Past
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
24 posts | 8 read | 32 to read
A present contains a monstrous secret. An uninvited guest haunts a Christmas party. A shadow slips across the floor by firelight. A festive entertainment ends in darkness and screams. Who knows what haunts the night at the dark point of the year? This collection of seasonal chillers looks beneath Christmas cheer to a world of ghosts and horrors, mixing terrifying modern fiction with classic stories by masters of the macabre. From Neil Gaiman and M. R. James to Muriel Spark and E. Nesbit, there are stories here to make the hardiest soul quail - so find a comfy chair, lock the door, ignore the cold breath on your neck and get ready to welcome in the real spirits of Christmas.
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review
kezzlou85
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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Mehso-so

#WinterGames #ReindeerGamers @LiseWorks
A collection of spooky or ghost stories. Some were good but most didnt hold my attention.

27 likes1 stack add
blurb
veritysalter
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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kezzlou85 We both picked the same book for this. Have you read it yet? 4y
veritysalter @kezzlou85 I read it last year and loved it, a very eclectic mix, but some great spooky stories. 4y
kezzlou85 @veritysalter oh great. I'm hoping to read it this year. 4y
32 likes3 comments
blurb
kezzlou85
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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34 likes3 stack adds
blurb
BookladyOnTheMove
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes

Recommended by #bookriot Ghost Stories for Christmas.

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review
Cinsarly
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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Pickpick

Beautiful story about a man's love for his house. Lovely descriptions. Love the way it used some ghost story tropes and then inverted others. #WinterGames #SlayBells #HolidayRead 20 pts @MidnightBookGirl @StayCurious @Clwojick

MidnightBookGirl 21 pts! (edited) 5y
2 likes1 comment
review
Cinsarly
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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Pickpick

Okay. Lots of people are mad because Gaiman's name is listed first on this collection and this story is the shortest in the book. As in one page. As in originally written on a Christmas card. I don't care. It's dark and brilliant and I loved it. It's so so dark. You've been warned. #WinterGames #SlayBells #HolidayRead 20 pts @MidnightBookGirl @StayCurious @Clwojick

MidnightBookGirl 21 pts (and it is so, so delightfully dark) 5y
2 likes1 comment
review
Cinsarly
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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Pickpick

Loved this short story about a man who is haunted by himself. What makes a ghost? What makes a person dead? Can we be dead while still technically alive? What does it look like to be dead? What actions make us so? #WinterGames #SlayBells #HolidayRead 20 pts @MidnightBookGirl @StayCurious @Clwojick

MidnightBookGirl 21 pts! 5y
2 likes1 comment
review
Cinsarly
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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Mehso-so

Victorian ghost story told to girls by their maid. The story is intentionally unresolved to mimic a true story where one never really knows what is real and what imagined. Why can only some people see the shadow? What effect does the shadow have? Fun but not my favorite. #WinterGames #HolidayRead #SlayBells 20 pts @MidnightBookGirl @StayCurious @Clwojick

MidnightBookGirl 21 pts! 5y
2 likes1 comment
review
Cinsarly
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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Pickpick

Good story with lush descriptive details of a woman apparently living alone in a cottage and not doing well. The question is who is the narrator and what has happened to him?

MidnightBookGirl 16 pts! 5y
1 like1 comment
review
Gissy
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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Mehso-so

Another book read during 3rd week & part of the 4th week of HP Magical Winter Readathon. Another company during those situations. This is an ok to so-so book. I really enjoyed some stories but others were not quite good or scary.However, I really loved❤️the way stories were written, that Victorian style👌regardless the end of the stories. So I will say that in general is a so-so book but if you like this style, read it👍3⭐️Thanks @Chrissyreadit 😘

review
MidnightBookGirl
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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Pickpick

Overall, I really enjoyed this collection, which surprised me since the first story was a dud for me. Some were spooky, some fun, some magical, and some brimming with the Christmas spirit! #WinterGames @Clwojick @StayCurious #SlayBells #HolidayRead #24B42020 (21pts)

33 likes1 stack add
review
veritysalter
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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Pickpick

A wonderful collection of 13 ghost stories, all set around Christmas time. Some chilling and horrific (Someone in the Lift), others romantic (The Lady and the Fox) and others atmospheric and unexplained (This Beautiful House). #WinterGames #MerryReaders #HolidayRead

Clwojick 21 pt 5y
27 likes3 stack adds1 comment
review
Emilymdxn
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this book of festive ghost stories a lot, perfect for long winter evenings. Yes they were a little patchy but the good ones were very good and I appreciated the variety - some very Victorian-esque, some very modern, some creepier than others, some playing it straight and some trying to subvert things.

#wintergames #merryreaders #festiveread @Clwojick @StayCurious

Clwojick 13 stories, so 261 pt. 5y
40 likes2 stack adds1 comment
blurb
Emilymdxn
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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Woke at a reasonable hour on a day off work, came downstairs to my parents living room, made coffee and read my book of Christmas ghost stories by the tree - this is what I want the holiday season to be like! I really like this book of ghost stories, it has quite a low Litsy rating maybe because a lot of them are quite Victorian-style not all that much happens and not much is explained. I love the atmosphere though!

veritysalter I‘m reading this book too 👻 5y
Emilymdxn @veritysalter what do you think of it so far? 5y
veritysalter I‘m enjoying the variety of the trope. I love M.R. James, he‘s my all time favourite ghost story writer. I‘m only a third through; I like The Shadow best so far. How about you? 5y
See All 7 Comments
Emilymdxn @veritysalter I‘ve enjoyed a lot of them! So far dinner for one, the shadow or this beautiful house are my faves. I love old ghost stories so much particularly at Christmas. At my work they did a candlelit Christmas ghost story show which I unfortunately couldn‘t go to but how fantastic is that?? 5y
veritysalter @Emilymdxn That sounds amazing; I miss living in London. We would go to the theatre on the spur of the moment. I‘ve had tokens to go and see The Mousetrap for a year now. There‘s a fabulous compendium of M.R. James Christmas Ghost Stories on Amazon, well worth a read. 5y
Emilymdxn Hit me up if you‘re ever in London! That sounds fantastic I‘ll put it on my ever-expanding ‘when the budget allows‘ tbr list. I haven‘t read much mr James before but know it‘s exactly my thing if I tried it @veritysalter (edited) 5y
veritysalter @Emilymdxn I will - Merry Christmas 🎄 5y
65 likes2 stack adds7 comments
blurb
Emilymdxn
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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Work winding up for Christmas has been so intense I‘ve barely managed any reading time at all. Finally got some slightly quieter days to get a bit in - tho i still have to travel to a different city to meet someone for 3 and then I‘m hosting a movie night tonight so still busy! Fitting in reading time durin one of the busiest times of the year is not easy.

LeahBergen Your tree looks lovely! 🎄 5y
61 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
LeahBergen
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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I‘ve always liked the tradition of reading ghost stories on Christmas Eve.

#BookAdventCalendar
Day 17

Aimeesue Lovely cover! I just listened to the audio of Jerome's Tales Told After Dinner. Very entertaining. 5y
Aimeesue @Billypar mentioned The Leaf Sweeper last week, which is in this collection. It's a doozy! (edited) 5y
Gissy I have that one!🤗 5y
Gissy I should read it because it goes with the theme of my readathon this week! Thanks! 5y
veritysalter I‘ve just started this book tonight, I‘m thrilled that it begins with M.R. James - my favourite ghost story author. 5y
69 likes1 stack add5 comments
review
RainyDayReading
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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Mehso-so

Meh. This was okay. Out of 13 stories there was only 1 that I loved- The Lady and the Fox- and 3 others that I enjoyed. Dinner For One, The Visiting Star and The Shadow. The writing style of some others were hard to get into, some of the endings were confusing and frustrated me, and for it being ghost stories these were rather tame and not creepy which I was hoping for at least 1 story with some creep. It was fine overall but not my favorite.

23 likes1 stack add2 comments
blurb
Emilymdxn
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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Few minutes with my Becoming journal and a book of Christmas ghost stories I got from the shop at work (I don‘t normally read a lot of Christmas books but the globe is knocking it out of the park with the selection this year!) before meeting a friend for lunch. The becoming journal is great and very thoughtful too - I feared it would be a cynical cash grab but it‘s actually rly lovely.

TrishB That journal is on my Christmas list! 5y
veritysalter I‘ve got Ghosts of Christmas Past in my TBR, I‘m saving it for Christmas Eve 🎅🏻 5y
58 likes2 stack adds2 comments
blurb
RainyDayReading
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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Finished story 1 of 13 in the tagged short story collection.It was fine? I guess? I‘m still mulling it over in my head trying to figure out just what was going on. The writing style is a little difficult so I think that detracted from my enjoyment of it. Overall not bad but didn‘t give me the creep factor. Looking forward to what else this collection has in store. #wintergames #SlayBells @Clwojick @StayCurious @MidnightBookGirl

MidnightBookGirl 1 pt- but you can get more if you tag this under Review instead of Blurb! 5y
RainyDayReading @MidnightBookGirl I didn‘t think I could since I haven‘t finished the entire book and tagging it as a review would list it as having read the entire book when I haven‘t. In any case I think I‘ll just wait till I finish it to post any more about it. Too much hassle to post about each story. 5y
MidnightBookGirl This works too! But I understand not wanting to post after every story! 21 pts! 5y
21 likes3 comments
blurb
RainyDayReading
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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Two trees decorated, one more to go! The dog thinks I‘m nuts and gave up following me around halfway through the day 😅 Now all that‘s left is to sort through what I‘ve got for gifts so far, figure out what I still need to work on and then I can finally curl up and start working on the tagged book. #WinterGames #SlayBells @Clwojick @StayCurious @MidnightBookGirl

fakesteph Gorgeous! 5y
18 likes2 comments
blurb
RainyDayReading
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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1. Only 105
2. 52
3. The tagged book since it‘s the only holiday book I truly have to read 😅
4. The holidays, all the events I do with my family, curling up with some apple cider and a book, the Christmas lights....there‘s a lot of things I enjoy about winter 😅
#WinterGames #SlayBells @Clwojick @StayCurious @MidnightBookGirl

Clwojick Hahah. Ignore those comments. I commented on the wrong post. Lol. ♥️🎄 5y
LibrarianRyan ONLY 105!! that's amazing. And 2x your goal. 5y
MidnightBookGirl 105 is super impressive!!! 26 pts! 5y
RainyDayReading @LibrarianRyan Thanks 😅 I guess it just doesn't seem like that much to me since I read a lot of graphic novels and manga this year. I was hoping to read more full length books but it didn't really work out that way. 5y
RainyDayReading @MidnightBookGirl Thank you! I guess I'm just being harder on myself than I need to be haha. 5y
19 likes5 comments
blurb
RainyDayReading
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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A little late but today has been sooo busy I‘m just now getting a chance to sit down and get my posts in for the day. Here is my “TBR” for #WinterGames or at least here is part of it. I don‘t truly have a set TBR, basically whatever I have on my TBR that looks good to me at the moment, but these are a few that jumped out at me. So will I read these? Maybe. Will I read others? Maybe 🙈 #SlayBells @Clwojick @StayCurious @MidnightBookGirl

Clwojick Your post is so relatable! I never stick to any of my planned readings 😂 5y
RainyDayReading @Clwojick It‘s so hard! Especially since I‘m a mood reader so what sounds good to me now may not tomorrow 🙈 if we had to stick to our TBR for this I‘d be screwed haha. Glad I‘m not the only one though that never sticks to them! 5y
MidnightBookGirl The only TBR promises I tend to keep are the one's I have to read for book club! I hope to do better this month so I can knock out some holiday reads! 1 pt! 5y
RainyDayReading @MidnightBookGirl I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you! Though I'm sure you'll do better than you think! 5y
23 likes4 comments
blurb
LeahBergen
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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What a glorious bunch of books you chose for me, @ulrichyumiodd ! 🧡🖤🧡🖤

You‘re a wonderful gift-wrapper and a perfect swap partner. Thanks so much, friend! 😘😘

#NightmareSwap

IndyHannaJones These all look awesome 5y
ulrichyumiodd Looking at your TBR, I was telling myself “Oooh, I need to read ALL those books!“ And, to stay in theme with the swap, gift-wrapping is my personnal nightmare 😂 5y
TheLudicReader I love Helen Dunmore and 5y
See All 11 Comments
Gissy 😍🖤🖤🖤 5y
LeahBergen @IndyHannaJones Don‘t they?? I love them! 5y
LeahBergen @ulrichyumiodd But your wrapping was amazing! You wrapped every little thing and it all looked so good! 🖤🖤 I was mightily impressed! 😆 5y
LeahBergen @TheLudicReader I‘m so looking forward to that one! 5y
LeahBergen @Gissy Right?? 😍😍 5y
Gissy They really are so gorgeous covers 5y
ulrichyumiodd @LeahBergen Haha, thank you! 😊 5y
veritysalter I loved The Poison Bed 🖤🖤🖤 5y
76 likes2 stack adds11 comments
review
ladyonequestion
Ghosts of Christmas Past: A chilling collection of modern and classic Christmas ghost stories | Neil Gaiman, M. R. James, Kelly Link, Muriel Spark, Robert Aickman, E. F. Benson, Louis de Bernieres, E. Nesbit, Jenn Ashworth, Jerome K. Jerome, L. P. Hartley, Frank Cowper, Bernard Capes
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Pickpick

A good mixture of stories, some more to my taste than others. I think my favourite was by Kelly Link, combining the supernatural with fantasy imagery and imagery from traditional folk tales about a girl who meets a mysterious stranger who wears a coat with a design of a fox caught in a trap. Nicely spooky stories and nothing too terrifying or gory!

71 likes3 stack adds