The Residents of James Hotel: A Ghost Story

by M.G. Mason

Vince is stranded at a bus stop one cold and wet stormy November evening when a mysterious stranger offers him a lift and a room for the night. The stranger is one Michael James, a local aristocrat, and owner of The James Hotel in the nearby town of Execombe.

It's an old hotel of mysterious figures and strange voices.

It's a place where the owner and his equally mysterious reception manager repeatedly states "Nobody ever wants to leave!"

What is the secret of The James Hotel? Who are the residents? And more importantly, what secrets lurk within the fabric of its historic walls?

73 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 6, 2025

About the author

Hello, I'm MG Mason, real name Matt.

I was born in Swindon in the 1970s but currently living on the Cornish south coast.

I'm a web content writer by trade but fiction is my first love.

How would I describe my work? Well, a friend once asked "have you considered writing a book in one genre without throwing two other genres into the same story?" Until that point I hadn't realised just how much mashing up genres defined my work.

They were right of course. But what else can you expect from a scifi nerd with an archaeology degree?

These days, when not writing for businesses or fiction, I'm usually found somewhere in Cornwall with a camera attached to my face.

Reviews

[Lacrima Mundi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Refined rating: 4.5 ⭐

A well-written, wonderfully atmospheric, slightly eery ghost story with a lot of charm and great characters.

The story progresses smoothly from "rather light and charming" into "questionable" to eventually "quite eery" - or terrifying, depending on your level of tolerance for what's happening.

There are quite a number of questions open and unresolved at the end of the story, which is one of the reasons it's not getting a full glowing 5-stars rating from me, albeit me loving every bit of the story we got.

The other main reason is that I am a gothic horror fan at heart and the 1970ies setting isn't, despite it's [redacted because spoiler - I'm sorry!], scratching the same itch that The Small Bronze Carriage on the Mantelpiece (also by MG Mason) was - and still is - able to scratch.

However, it's still a fantastic - and quick to read - story that will give you a lot of atmospheric horror (and a few philosophical and existential questions to ponder). I admit, I love atmospheric horror more than any other flavours of horror (only rivalled, slightly, by psychological horror), as long as it's well written. And quite well-written it is.

I can absolutely recommend this to everybody who's a fan of atmospheric horror and/or ghost stories, as well as to those who're looking for a story with a male MC on the asexual spectrum - not a main point, but it gets mentioned, and not only that, there are also a few points that get made. Quite good points, in fact.

[E.M. McConnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cracking story, as I would expect from MG. I would have enjoyed more from the residents: which I know is a common refrain, and I am sure it's coming. This went from charming, a little creepy to full out horror. Brilliant.

[Louise Conway · Rating 3 out of 5]

An atmospheric tale that keeps you guessing. Stranded on a stormy night with nowhere to go, an unsuspecting young man accepts a seemingly free stay in a historic hotel-- only to find out that there may be an unnatural price to pay after all.

At times a little too much description of the MC's surroundings slowed the pace a bit for me personally and (without giving spoilers) I only liked part of the ending. But this was still a fun spooky read with a slightly inventive spin on the haunted building genre. Vince was an interesting character and likeable straight away.

By the end it felt like there was still a lot more to learn about the hotel and its residents, so I'd like to see a sequel at some point. Many thanks to the author for the ARC copy

[William Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another stellar short by MG Mason who is really proving himself a master of the vintage horror atmosphere. Reading it somehow feels both contemporary and as if it's been buried under dust since the 70s all at once, and I absolutely loved my time with the James Hotel (although the guests would surely not share my sentiment!).

[Vesper Doom · Rating 5 out of 5]

***I was given an ARC by the author***

Short and weird, this charming book is fun until the facade is ripped away and the horrors are unveiled.

[Annette Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Residents of James Hotel by M.G. Mason is a deliciously disturbing ghost story. When Vince finds himself stranded on a dark and stormy winter's night he is only too relieved to take up the kind offer of a stranger. The good Samaritan, Michael, just so happens to own a hotel and is insistent that Vince stay the night. On arrival at the hotel Vince is pleasantly surprised, both by its quiet luxury and the sense of history that permeates the entire building and he begins to understand why Michael is so fond of saying that "No one ever wants to leave." However as the night goes on and he spends more time with Michael and some of the other, rather unusual, residents of the hotel it soon becomes clear that not everything is as it seems.
This is a really well crafted ghost story, with a tension and a sense of foreboding that seeps from the pages. For a relatively short story there is quite a bit of character development when it comes to Vince and as the story unfolded and the danger became more apparent I was really rooting for him. The descriptive qualities of the author's writing also shine through, I could visualise the hotel in my mind and it was such a great setting for a spooky tale. I will say that if you like your stories neatly wrapped up in a bow, you may find the ending of the book frustrating but I think in a ghost story the kind of ending we get here works really well, it lends itself to the reader's imagination and leaves a lingering sense of unease.

[Alana K. Drex · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a long time since I've read a book that expertly built tension from a slow drizzle to a bursting stream. @onechaoticauthor also gives us some intriguing characters. Vince is waiting on a bus in a downpour that matches his mood after his recent breakup when the Bentley pulls up.

The wealthy man is concerned with his wellbeing and offers him a room at his hotel. It seems empty, yet he knows it's full and he's got the last room. The girl shows up in his room just as he's about to get ready for a private dinner with Michael. Didn't he close the door? She's awfully quiet, but she leaves, and he dines with Michael. Michael, who seems to know some details about him he doesn't remember offering up.

The ending was open-ended, and I wanted a more, but that could be just me. It was an excellent read overall!

[Michael Shotter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick but captivating ghost story set in the late 1970s. While I didn't enjoy this one as much as Mason's other tale, "The Small Bronze Carriage on the Mantelpiece," it was rich with detail and provided a noteworthy sense of place and the characters inhabiting it. Events didn't quite go the way I was expecting, or hoping, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Ultimately, I found "The Residents of James Hotel" satisfying and worthwhile. It just wasn't a perfect fit for me, given my personal tastes and preferences when experiencing such narratives.

[Katherine Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting twist on what you expect to be a typical ghost story in a creepy location. I would have liked to have spent more time in the hotel getting to know all of the guests and their stories!

Vince was a compelling and interesting main character, and I loved the subtle ace rep.

[EM Harding · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this during the beta/editing stages and very much enjoyed it.

For fans of the Netflix adaptation of the Haunting of Hill House, this is an excellent quick buzz of that same eerie monster mansion feel.

[Rami Ungar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hotel that's more than it seems. Staff who hide more than they let on. A choice that's not really a choice. The Residents of the James Hotel is a quick and enjoyable read that will appeal to fans of ghost stories and haunted hotels. On a scale of 1 to 5, it's a solid 4.

[J.L. DuRona · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic piece, I assume. I'll update this when I actually read it

[Anna Verner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novella. The hotel gave off interesting ghost vibes, reminiscent of The Shining.