The Witching Hour: Haunting Tales for Long Dark Nights

by Bridget Collins, Imogen Hermes Gowar, Natasha Pulley

From the creators of The Haunting Season and The Winter Spirits comes a brand new collection of ghostly tales

There is something peculiar about the hour after midnight.

It is the time when darkness reigns.

And strange things roam the earth.

In this dazzling collection of new and original haunted tales, thirteen bestselling and much-loved authors bring this hour to vivid, spine-tingling life.

So curl up, light a candle, and wait for the clocks to strike . . .

New and original stories by...

Michelle Paver
Stacey Halls
Bridget Collins
Imogen Hermes Gowan
Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Andrew Michael Hurley
Jess Kidd
Natasha Pulley
Elizabeth Macneal
Susan Stokes-Chapman
Laura Shepherd-Robinson
Stuart Turton
Catriona Ward

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Gothic, Fiction, Fantasy, Christmas, Anthologies

378 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 16, 2025

About the author

Bridget Collins has works written under the name B.R Collins.

Reviews

[Rina | Worldsbetweenpages · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Doll‘s House 3,5/5:
- Antarctic expedition
- Magical doll house
- Victorian era

The Second Witness 3/5:
- Ghost summonings
- Murder investigation
- Old mansion

23 Bridge Street 4/5:
- Childhood best friends
- Tragic accident
- Spirit hauntings

The Bugle and the Drum 3/5:
- Toy-maker
- Grief
- Resurrections

Two Go Together 4/5:
- Coffin-maker
- Ghost sightings
- Children death

🥇The Signal Bells 5/5:
- Abandoned mine
- The Devil
- Missing people

A Midnight Visitor 4/5:
- Fortune teller
- Tarot readings
- Death

🥉An Artful Curse 5/5:
- Three ex best friend
- Missing woman
- The old ways

🥈An Age of Evil 5/5:
- Haunted manor
- Possessed inhabitants
- Ghost hunters

Feast 3/5:
- College for Girls
- Occult games
- Queen Bee

The Terror by Night 4/5:
- Insomnia
- Demon‘s bargain
- Academic setting

Macaw 3,5/5:
- Parrot’s pov
- Domestic violence
- Obsession

Dr Thrale‘s Notebook 3,5/5:
- Spitsbergen
- Geologist
- Evil experiments

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful collection of nicely creepy stories.

As I mentioned in another review for a book I read in October, I unfortunately don't currently have the time for writing a status update for each story and some deep reflection / detailed review.

But you should definitely pick up a copy, it's worth it.

[Rebecca Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐

Another wonderful collection of gothic stories, perfect for the winter months! I had read the previous two collections and really enjoyed them both, so I was excited to read this. It did not disappoint! It features the same authors as the previous collections. I think my favourite story was Thrale's Notebook by Michelle Paver, but I enjoyed all the stories. I hope they continue to make these collections, highly recommended!

[Dan Bassett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Doll’s House by Elizabeth Macneal -
A young girl strives to see her father return home and when she discovers a link between a gift and the one she misses the most, she will stop at nothing to see it become reality.
The Second Witness by Laura Shepherd-Robinson -
An investigation into a paranormal phenomenon leads to more questions being asked about not only the dead,but also the living.
23 Bridge Street by Stacey Halls -
Two best friends who are seemingly inseparable become fractured overnight,but that doesn’t mean the dead will stay quiet, in the shadows.
The Bugle and the Drum by Andrew Michael Hurley -
An investor sees a golden opportunity to finally make his fortune,but dare he take such a risk with someone so obsessed with what is beyond the veil of the living?
Two go together by Imogen Hermes Gowar -
One who ferries the lost to peace with the help of his carpentry skills is determined to ensure those crossing over always go in pairs.
The Signal Bells by Natasha Pulley -
One woman sets out to find a soul trapped in the depths of an abandoned mine,but she may discover more than she bargained for.
A Midnight Visitor by Susan Stokes-Chapman -
A tarot reader who is at the mercy of her own mortality must face up to the consequences she has wrought upon those she loved.
An Artful Curse by Jess Kidd -
Friends come together to seek vengeance for someone who they only wanted to protect.
An Age of Evil by Stuart Turton -
Two innocents fall prey to a dwelling heavy with the weight of family curses and death.
Feast by Kiran Millwood Hargrave -
School friends come together for a night of ghostly fun only to face their own hauntings.
The Terror by Night by Bridget Collins -
What seems to be an innocent yet rambling man soon becomes something much more unnerving.
Macaw by Catriona Ward
Hiding and safe in his gilded cage, one bird hides a life-altering secret.
Dr Thrale’s Notebook by Michelle Paver -
Wanting to follow in the footsteps of the greats, one man will learn perhaps he should have remained amongst those of his own kind.

My thoughts!
This haunting collection is definitely my favourite out of the series so far!
Ranging from the chilling, to the creepy, to the downright terrifying and disturbing.
All authors bring their own twist on what we fear, what we know, and indeed what we don’t….
Do yourself a favour as the evenings draw in; grab a copy of The Witching Hour. You won’t regret it.

[Adrienne L · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read all three volumes of this series and enjoyed them all. I will say this one is at the bottom of the ranking for me, as I found a lot of the stories skewed sentimental rather than creepy. I also found the seasonal aspect lacking in this collection. However, I can't complain about the quality of writing in a single story. My personal favorites were "Dr. Thrale's Notebook" by Michelle Paver, which returns to the setting Paver made so spooky in her excellent novel Dark Matter, and "The Terror By Night" by Bridget Collins, which owes a lot to the stories of M.R. James.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

• The Doll's House by Elizabeth Macneal: 4 Stars (Unique doll house tied to an Antarctic expedition)
• The Second Witness by Laura Shepherd-Robinson: 4 Stars (Two investigators are called to a manor when paranormal activity pops up after a murder)
• 23 Bridge Street by Stacey Halls: 4 Stars (A restless spirit haunts the house next door)
• The Bugle and the Drum by Andrew Michael Hurley: 2 Stars (Obsessed toy maker)

• Two Go Together by Imogen Hermes Gowar: 3.5 Stars (Coffin maker ponders who will be next after a child dies)
• The Signal Bells by Natasha Pulley: 5 Stars (Creepiest abandoned mine ever)
• A Midnight Visitor by Susan Stokes-Chapman: 3 Stars (Fortune teller receives a mysterious client)
• An Artful Curse by Jess Kidd: 4.5 Stars (Estranged friends reunite after one of them disappears)

• An Age of Evil by Stuart Turton: 4.5 Stars (Ghost hunters get more than they bargained for)
• Feast by Kiran Millwood Hargrave: 2.5 stars (Girls in a boarding school play dangerous games in the attic)
• The Terror by Night by Bridget Collins: 3.75 Stars (Student with a dark tale has nightly visits with a professor)
• Macaw by Catriona Ward: 4 Stars (A parrot observes his mistress suffering at the hands of her husband)
• Dr Thrale's Notebook by Michelle Paver: 3 Stars (Geologist is terrorized on a remote Arctic island)

[Charlotte May]

Will review the stories as I go.

The Doll’s House by Elizabeth Macneal - 4 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

This was gonna be 5 stars but the final part at the end knocked it back down for me.
Verity’s father is an explorer, his next trip is to the South Pole. Before he leaves he gifts her a beautiful doll’s house that looks exactly like their home, even down to a miniature father in his study.
After he is gone she notices writing in his tiny journal in the house, his ship is in peril, they may not survive.
I loved the mixture between supernatural and madness. Is Verity really causing change using her doll’s house or is it the deranged mutterings of a young girl who misses her father. I won’t spoil the end, but I don’t think the last paragraph was needed, it throws everything into the air.

The Second Witness by Laura Shepherd-Robinson - 4 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Jonathan Barnard is called to the home of Robert Marsham after reports that his recently deceased wife is haunting his house. Barnard is a cynic, he is certain he can find the fraudulent culprit. Meanwhile Amelia Hayes is known for summoning ghosts, the magistrate has asked her to speak to the ghost to discover if there was any foul play to her death.
I enjoy a good murder mystery and I enjoyed the twist at the end. A solid spooky read.

23 Bridge Street by Stacey Halls - 3 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

A good enough ghost story but nothing overly gripping or new. Nelly and Winnie have lived next door to each other their whole lives, best friends who do everything together. One day Winnie doesn’t show up for school, but no one will tell Nelly what is happening. Then she begins hearing music and crying from next door, she was told they all had to go away so where are the sounds coming from?

The Bugle and the Drum by Andrew Michael Hurley - 2 ⭐️ ⭐️

This was not it. Our man Halliday meets a toy maker and hopes to invest and make a fortune, but when he visits him at his home things aren’t quite right. Two children are playing instruments at all hours creating an absolute racket. But to what end? And even when we get to the end I didn’t feel satisfied- it was all still pretty damn unclear.

Two Go Together by Imogen Hermes Gowar - 4 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

I liked this one, simple but affective. Our main character Joseph is a cabinet maker but also makes coffins. He is called to the house of a young woman whose 18 month old child has passed away. In his experience a second death usually always follows, so the two can walk into the afterlife together. He sees the young child on the streets and walking around, but who is the second death? A good reveal in this one and a well wrapped up end.

The Signal Bells by Natasha Pulley - 4 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

This was a perfect wintry bedtime ghost story. Angharad has lived alone as a shepherd all her life, since the mine explosion that took most of the village including her parents. When the vicars dog appears holding his bible and races into the abandoned mine she fears the worst. But what she discovers in the mine is something far more unbelievable. I liked the contrast between what people can believe is good or is viewed as the devil.

A Midnight Visitor by Susan Stokes-Chapman - 3 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

A woman who reads tarot for a living receives a strange visitor just after midnight. A mysterious character who never truly reveals themselves but seems to know a lot about our main character. I liked this story well enough, I would just have liked a bit more clarification on Noelle’s past and what exactly she was guilty of.

An Artful Curse by Jess Kidd - 4 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

I love a good revenge story and women supporting women. Kate, Nancy and Ellen were best friends until something drove them apart and their relationship was never the same. When Ellen goes missing, Kate and Nancy reluctantly band together to question her scumbag of a husband and find out what happened to her. Ghosts, curses and female friendship - my only gripe would have been to know more about how Mena became Kate’s daughter.

[ThatBookish_deviant · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

“Always after a death, the women arrived in silence, and washed and laid out the body, and opened the window, and lit the candles. They cushioned the shock with the sound of their breath and the warmth of their bodies. They filled the strange hours with gentle talk, and reminiscences.”
-Imogen Hermes Gowar’s ‘Two Go Together’

The Witching Hour: Ghostly Tales for the Darkest Nights, is the third release in this spooky holiday series from Sphere books. The current iteration is the longest yet, with stories from thirteen authors, eleven of whom were featured in Sphere’s second installment, The Winter Spirits. The current edition lost a contribution from beloved author, Laura Purcell, but gained two renown writers new to this series: Stacey Halls and Michelle Paver.

I do hope Sphere continues to publish this series, as they’re my favorite anthologies of all time! While I’ve enjoyed all three of the collections, this one’s my current favorite. The stories range from good to great and there’s not a bad one among the lot. Only six of these thirteen tales mention anything specific to Christmas/Yule, so don’t delay digging into this eerie tomb.

I rated each story and listed them in order from most to least favorite below.

1. The Doll’s House by Elizabeth Macneal, 5.0

2. An Artful Curse by Jess Kidd, 5.0

3. The Second Witness by Laura Shepherd-Robinson, 5.0

4. Two Go Together by Imogen Hermes Gowar, 4.5

5. Macaw by Catriona Ward, 4.5

6. Midnight Visitor by Susan Stokes-Chapman, 4.0

7. An Age of Evil by Stuart Turton, 4.0

8. 23 Bridge Street by Stacy Halls, 3.5

9. The Terror By Night by Bridget Collins, 3.5

10. The Bugle and the Drum by Andrew Michael Hurley 3.0

11. Dr Thrale’s Notebook by Michelle Paver, 3.0

12. The Signal Bells by Natasha Pulley, 3.0

13. Feast by Kiran Milwood Hargrave, 2.5

[Geertje · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Doll’s House” – Elizabeth Macneal
4/5 stars
A good start to this collection! Macneal incorporated the running theme of this collection – strange things happening during the witching hour – with wonderful historical detail and season-appropriate chills. I will say that the idea itself – things happening within a dollhouse affect real life – has been done before, but I think this short story is a perfect example of how an idea need not be original for a story to be good; it is the execution that matters most. All that being said, I do believe this story would have been better if the final paragraphs had been cut, which is why I can’t give it a higher rating.

“The Second Witness” – Laura Shepherd-Robinson
4/5 stars
A fun little mystery! Not scary – please know that I mean this as a factual statement and not a critique; without getting into it too much here, I am of the firm opinion that horror doesn’t have to be scary to be good – but well-plotted and compelling. I have not read any novels by Shepherd-Robinson before, but I shall put them on my TBR now.

“23 Bridge Street” – Stacey Halls
4/5 stars
Another fun historical mystery and traditional ghost story done well. I have read Halls before and really enjoyed her work; this short story is no exception. Like the other two writers before her, it’s clear that she is an experienced writer. I must say that, even though I believe this to be historically accurate, I did find myself growing frustrated with the adults in this story and their refusal to tell the main character what was going on, but the quality of the writing and the mystery made up for it.

“The Bugle and the Drum” – Andrew Michael Hurley
5/5 stars
The first 5-star story of the collection! I found it intriguing, unsettling, and then downright scary. I have only read one of Hurley’s full-length works before, namely Starve Acre, but I am definitely motivated now to pick up his other novels; if they are as good as this short story, I am in for so many treats!

“Two Go Together” – Imogen Hermes Gowar
5/5 stars
Another 5-star read! Unlike “The Bugle and the Drum”, which I found genuinely scary, this story was predominantly sad yet beautiful. I am not afraid to admit it made me tear up. Hermes Gowar has such a way with words; she never fails to inspire writer’s envy in me! I cannot wait until she publishes another book. She has a lifelong fan in me.

“The Signal Bells” – Natasha Pulley
5/5 stars
Pulley’s story in the previous collection is genuinely one of the best short stories I have ever read, so to say my expectations for her were high this time around is a bit of an understatement. Luckily, she delivered once again! Without spoiling what this story is about, I will say that this is one of my favourite flavours of horror. It also combines humour with genuine chills; another winner!

“The Midnight Visitor” – Susan Stokes-Chapman
4/5 stars
I have a soft spot for stories about (fraudulent) mediums, so I was bound to like this one. Not exactly creepy, but certainly unsettling and atmospheric. Stokes-Chapman is an author I haven’t read from before, but this short story certainly has piqued my interest.

“An Artful Curse” – Jess Kidd
5/5 stars
I think Jess Kidd is one of the most exciting novelists currently out there; this story (together with Pulley’s and Hermes Gowar’s) was one of my most anticipated ones from this anthology, and it did not disappoint. There’s something delightfully weird about her work that scratches my brain just right (also, I can’t wait for the next book in the Nora Breen Investigates series).

“An Age of Evil” – Stuart Turton
3.5/5 stars
I love stories about ghost hunters and stories in a found-footage format, so you’d think I’d love this story. I certainly enjoyed it, yet it didn’t quite come together for me. I think that’s partially because the previous stories in this anthology are so strong – I can see myself giving this 4 stars if it had been published elsewhere – but also because I think it was too short. Short stories truly are their own beast; I think that this one would have worked better if it had been a novel. I certainly hope Turton will write more about Clarendon house; I’ll eat it up!

“Feast” – Kiran Millwood Hargrave
3.75/5 stars
Stories about the viciousness between teenage girls are fascinating to me. Millwood Hargrave writes very well – per usual, I dare say – but I can’t help but feel the story finally hit its stride right when it ended. Unlike “An Age of Evil”, I don’t think it necessarily would have been better as a full-length novel, but I would have liked it to have gone on for a little while longer for sure.

“The Terror By Night” – Bridget Collins
4/5 stars
A traditional ghost story that Collins executed well. It reminded me a bit of some of Susan Hill’s short stories in style and content (that’s a compliment, not me accusing Collins of plagiarism).

“Macaw” – Catriona Ward
4/5 stars
Ward is definitely one of the more original novelists currently writing, as seen in this short story. It’s another one that I wished had been longer, though. I don’t know if it would have made sense as a novel, but perhaps a novella? She lost me a little at the end, but everything before was so wonderfully descriptive that I can’t rate this any lower.

“Dr Thrale’s Notebook” – Michelle Paver
3.5/5 stars
Michelle Paver is an old hand at this point at writing thrilling and chilling works, and with this short story, she revisits familiar territory; her novel Dark Matter also included an arctic setting, a male lead, and a notebook. I liked this one, but I didn’t love it. Still a good conclusion to this anthology, though!

[Gina House · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75🌟 My favorite spooky collection by Bridget Collins so far! I forget how engaging, thrilling and on-the-edge of my seat these short stories can be. Not only do I love the actual content of the book, but the book itself (and all in the series so far) are wonderful! The size, shape, cover design and font are all perfect. Now that I'm over 50, these things (for some reason) really make a big difference in my enjoyment of a novel.

Here is a list of the short stories I enjoyed most in this collection:
🔮 Two Go Together
🔮 The Doll's House
🔮 23 Bridge Street
🔮 A Midnight Visitor
🔮 Macaw
🔮 An Artful Curse
🔮 An Age of Evil

If you love spooky, haunting, suspenseful, and downright frightening stories, you need to read The Witching Hour! I truly hope there's another collection next year...and every year!

[Daniel Myatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always with short stories there are great ones and there are poor ones and this is no different. HOWEVER this collection definitely has more that fall into the great category.

A wide range of spooky stories with themes of witchcraft, ghosts, haunted mansions, a magical doll house there is absolutely a story to suit everyone here.

The best one of this series so far!!

[Lee Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bewitching collection of haunting Gothic tales.

‘The Witching Hour’ is an anthology of ghost and gothic horror stories, featuring thirteen tales from thirteen authors across the genres of horror, thriller, mystery and gothic fiction, all standalone short stories and following in the footsteps of previous collections ‘The Haunting Season’ and ‘The Winter Spirits’.

In the darkness of the night, supernatural powers are at their height, the veil between the material world and the preternatural and otherworldly, between the living and the dead, at its thinnest and most porous, particularly during the fabled witching hour. This collection takes us on journeys across the globe, back into the past, and into hearts and minds, each tale excavating secrets of the soul, swirling in mystery and suspense.

I adored every story of this incredible selection, each a captivating, immersive delicacy to be savoured. Overflowing with beautiful, atmospheric storytelling, conjured through delicious prose, rich description and taut plotting, invoking vivid imagery and chilling revelations, we explore a plethora of supernatural phenomena, including witchcraft, divination, curses, hauntings and visitations; blending folklore and history, crimes and misdemeanours, spiritualism and spirituality, with themes of human relationships, abuse, trauma, guilt, vengeance, expedition, medicine, religion, and, of course, life and death.

If I had to choose amongst the stories, although doubtless this list would look a little different on each reading, special mentions would be:
“The Second Witness” by Laura Shepherd-Robinson – for its clever narration and superb twist;
“23 Bridge Street” by Stacey Halls – for its slow-burning unravelling and heartfelt emotion;
“A Midnight Visitor” by Susan Stokes-Chapman – for its noirish suspense and inevitable tragedy;
“An Artful Curse” by Jess Kidd – for its historical, rural setting and execution of the craft;
“An Age of Evil” by Stuart Turton – for its epistolary style dossier of evidence and expert layering;
“The Terror By Night” by Bridget Collins – for its traditional setting and style.

Gorgeously written and curated, ‘The Witching Hour’ is a stunning collection of gripping, evocative tales, perfect for autumn and winter nights, in the Victorian tradition of a ghost story for Christmas.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Sometimes, ... I think that when the clock has struck midnight, something - some lock or seal somewhere - comes undone, and then . . . If you're awake, and wanting something with all your heart - what if, late at night, something hears, and answers?" (p.385)

This volume follows on from The Haunting Season and The Winter Spirits, both of which I have also read. At this time of year, whether it is leading up to Halloween or whether it is leading up to Christmas, a ghostly tale is a great companion for the long winter nights.

This volume has 13 tales, all by well known authors. Jess Kidd, Stuart Turton, Bridget Collins, Catriona Ward and Michelle Paver to name but a few. Perhaps, as with many anthologies, there are some which I prefer compared to the others. My favourites were definitely:
An Age of Evil - Stuart Turton
An Artful Curse - Jess Kidd
The Second Witness - Laura Shepherd-Robinson
Two Go Together - Imogen Hermes Gowar
Dr Thrale's Notebook - Michelle Paver

What I have found from reading this latest volume, along with the previous two, is that the tales are probably not going to have you keeping the lights switched on for the whole night after reading them. They are a light kind of horror, more haunting than horrifying. Despite the subject matter, they have almost been quite a cosy companion to these darker nights. They are tapping into that tradition of sitting before an open fire, maybe with a hot chocolate or hot toddy to warm your hands, listening to the wind as it howls and thrashes at your windowpane, and I loved it for this. If there is a 4th volume, I for one will definitely be reading that too.

[Rachel Pout · Rating 5 out of 5]

These stories all had a little something special about them! Very atmospheric and in some cases, emotional. Two Go Together made me cry - such a beautiful, poignant story. 23 Bridge Street was incredible and I absolutely loved An Artful Curse. A very worthwhile collection.

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.75/5 stars

[Viola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great stories, others not as strong. I think it being titled the ‘witching hour’ makes some of the stories not as good, as they need to fit this theme.

Stand out stories: the second witness, 23 bridge street, two go together, the signal bells, an age of evil.

[Nerys Mellor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really great collection of short and spooky stories with plenty of ghosts! I really enjoyed this collection as there was only one I really didn't enjoy, most of them were good and some were amazing.

[Willemijn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chris gifted me this lovely book for Secret Santa this year! I was super excited when I opened the wrapping paper because I've actually held this book in my hands quite a few times at the bookstore. The cover is absolutely stunning! I've read The Haunting Season in December as well, so this was perfect timing.

Just like with the Haunting Season, it's incredibly fun to read modern ghost/horror stories. I love a good short story filled with dismay, hauntings, curses and other things alike. But the classics just don't do it for me. Despite them being highly acclaimed, I just have a difficult time reading and enjoying them. The zeitgeist is just too far removed from mine. But with modern-day authors, I get to read what I so deeply crave! A spooky story in a (cultural) language that I speak and understand.

There are 13 stories to be found in this beautiful hardcover. All of them are written by a different author. Some authors from The Haunting Season made a return, but we also get to read stories by new authors. It's always interesting to read a collection of stories that's written by multiple authors, because you can really see the difference in writing style.

But with that also comes a tiny problem: you start to compare the stories to one another. So, as usual, I have some stories that I absolutely love! But I also have some stories that I really didn't enjoy. Maybe rereading some of them one day will change my mind!

The stories that I remember the best (and also really enjoyed) were Macaw by Catriona Ward, The Signal Bells by Natasha Pulley, The Second Witness by Laura Shepherd-Robinson, and The Doll's House by Elizabeth Macneal. These four stories had exciting storylines, interesting characters and caused the strongest physical and emotional reactions.

This is a fun book! And if you're trying to get into a habit of daily reading, I highly recommend getting yourself a short story collection.

[Anne of Cair Paravel · Rating 5 out of 5]

By far my favorite collection of stories in this series. While there weren't any stories that stood out in the same way some of the ones in the other books did, all of them were solidly well told and enjoyable. Unlike the other two, there weren't any Christmas centered stories, nor would I necessarily call all of them "ghostly;" they were more about strange things that happened after midnight. But still I had some particular favorites.

"The Second Witness:" the haunting element in this one was really well done with a bit of myself among the living thrown in. And spoiler, it's told from the perspective of a ghost who doesn't know he's dead until the end, which was quite the twist and an unexpected perspective.

"The Signal Bells:" I loved the comedic characterization of the priest; his humourous character genuinely made me laugh. But the devil is in this story... the hunt at the end was an intriguing detail. It's not a version of the devil I've come across before.

"A Midnight Curse:" This one's about a tarot reader, Noelle, who receives a mysterious visitor asking for a reading. At the end, the visitor is revealed to be Death, and the reading is really Noelle's, causing her to reflect on her life before Death takes her.

"An Age of Evil:" Probably my favorite story in the collection. It's told through a series of text messages, letters, diary entries, newspaper clippings, and interview transcripts about a house that has haunted everyone who goes there over many decades. As each story unfolds simultaneously, you start to see similarities between them, and you begin to realize who will be next...

"The Terror by Night:" A classic selling-your-soul to the devil story. But with a twist. Was David a ghost? Was he ever really there? Or was he a warning to the story's narrator about wishes made during the witching hour?

[Erin Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up. There were only a couple stories I was a little dissatisfied with, which is great for an anthology like this. I had a great time!

Least favorite story was An Age of Evil simply because of the modern timeline of it. It was odd, too, because the communication in the present day read like text messages but was formatted like emails or something? That bugged me. And it just felt unnecessary in an otherwise fun ghostly story.

Favorites:
1. The Second Witness: paranormal investigator rivals are working the same case and find interesting results 👀
2. Two Go Together: coffin maker who thinks deaths always come in pairs, so he starts predicting who will die next after a young child’s death
3. An Artful Curse: two women who used to be friends come together again years later to make things right for a third woman who has gone missing

[Tresillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This 'series' as it were of anthologies has become somewhat of a winter tradition of mine. I really enjoyed reading the previous two collections and this latest installment is no different. The calibre of writers involved in the project is incredibly strong and the stories reflect that, though as with any anthology collection some stories were more to my taste than others.

Notable favourites for me were An Artful Curse by Jess Kidd, the incredibly chilling The Signal Bells by Susan Stokes Chapman, and Bridget Collins seemed to perfectly emmulate and capture the style of M R James in The Terror By Night.

[Jade Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the first short story collection from this kind-of-series but neither of the 'sequels' have lived up and it's so sad. I had the same problems with this as the last one - I think paranormal/magical realism can be hard to fit into a short story, especially when it's more 'put there' as I found a few pf these to be.

Favourites include The Second Witness, The Signal Bells, An Age of Evil, Two Go Together and easily my fave, five stars, no notes: An Artful Curse.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up.

I absolutely loved Winter Spirits so I was really excited when this collection was announced!

There’s some amazing standout stories here (particularly The Signal Bells by Natasha Pulley, The Terror by Night by Bridget Collins, An Age of Evil by Stuart Turton, and The Bugle and the Drum by Andrew Michael Hurley). However, the collection doesn’t feel as strong as a whole. I feel the witching hour prompt maybe boxed a few of these stories in too much, whereas Winter Spirits seemed to offer the writers a bit more space and flexibility.

But, I still really enjoyed this and look forward to reading The Haunting Season.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable collection, though "The Winter Spirits" ranks slightly higher for me.

Clear winner, made me actually weep it was so beautiful: "Two Go Together".

Honorable mentions: "The Second Witness", "The Signal Bells" and "Macaw".

[Little Rugg · Rating 5 out of 5]

They’re not all 5star stories but without a doubt a five star collection.

[Jessica | Stuck In The Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

some excellent and very spooky stories!

[Rowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great collection. The rating is definitely pulled up by the last story which was just perfect! No notes.

[susan smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful book of gothic tales, throughly enjoyed this. Couple of favorites and one I even cried. I wonder if there will be another the end of the year? 🤔😊

[Sophie Closset · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series! For my fellow spooky girls who enjoy a seasonal read: give this one a shot.

[Abbie Sands · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this collection of short stories from some really brilliant authors. Despite being short, each story had an element of mystery and suspense, and really hooked me in. I think this is a perfect winter read, as it really matches the atmosphere on a dark evening. Highly recommend