Three at Table

by W.W. Jacobs

Three at Table by W. W. Jacobs is a suspenseful short story with a touch of the supernatural, set around an eerie dinner gathering. The tale unfolds as a seemingly ordinary evening turns unsettling with the arrival of an unexpected third guest. Jacobs masterfully builds tension through quiet details and sharp dialogue, keeping the reader guessing. Blending mystery with psychological intrigue, the story leaves a lasting impression of unease and curiosity.

Genres: Horror

12 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 17, 2012

About the author

William Wymark Jacobs was an English author of short stories and novels. Quite popular in his lifetime primarily for his amusing maritime tales of life along the London docks (many of them humorous as well as sardonic in tone). Today he is best known for a few short works of horror fiction. One being "The Monkey's Paw"(published 1902). It has in its own right become a well-known and widely anthologized classic.


~Literary Works

Many Cargoes (1896)
The Skipper's Wooing (1897)
Sea Urchins (1898) /aka More Cargoes (US) (1898)
A Master of Craft (1900)
The Monkey's Paw (1902)
The Toll House (1902)
Light Freights (1901)
At Sunwich Port (1902)
The Barge (1902)
Odd Craft (1903) : contains The Money Box, basis of Laurel and Hardy film Our Relations (1935)
Dialstone Lane (1902)
Captain's All (1905)
Short Cruises (1907)
Salthaven (1908)
Sailors' Knots (1909)
The Toll House (1909)
Ship's Company (1911)
Night Watches (1914)
The Castaways (1916)
Deep Waters (1919)
Sea Whispers (1926)

Reviews

[Federico DN]

Appearances can be deceiving.

On a bright snowy day, an unnamed narrator decides to go for a stroll. After a few hours and a few unusual turns, he finds himself completely lost, and the only help available, one small thinly-lighted cottage in a middle of a crossing, a place said to be haunted, or something of the sort.

Ah! This was scary and sweet both at the same time. Loved it, enjoyed it plenty. The beginning was kind of boring, but the rising dread in the middle was fantastic, and I especially loved that ending. Sometimes a good lovely twist makes all the difference <3.

It’s public domain. You can find it HERE.



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PERSONAL NOTE :
[1902] [7p] [Horror] [Recommendable]
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★★★☆☆ The Monkey's Paw [3.5]
★★★☆☆ The Lady of the Barge and Other Stories <--

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Las apariencias engañan.

En un brillante día nevoso, un narrador anónimo decide salir a dar un paseo. Después de algunas horas y algunos giros inusuales, se encuentra completamente perdido, y la única ayuda disponible una pequeña cabaña con poca luz en medio de un cruce, un lugar que se dice que está embrujado, o algo parecido.

¡Ah! Esto fue tenebroso y dulce al mismo tiempo. Me encantó, lo disfruté mucho. El comienzo fue un poco aburrido, pero el temor creciente en el medio fue fantástico, y me encantó especialmente ese final. A veces un buen giro encantador hace toda la diferencia <3.

Es dominio público, lo pueden encontrar ACA.



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NOTA PERSONAL :
[1902] [7p] [Horror] [Recomendable]
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[William]

Entertaining listening 🔰😀

Another will written British friendship adventure thriller short story by W. W. Jacobs about a man 🚹 is lost reaching a house. He is invited to stay and have dinner which they eat in the dark. I would recommend this novella to anyone looking for a quick read. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 as I do because of eye damage. 2022 🏰😤🏡off

[Dave]

A pretty creepy story until the plot twist.
The situation our main character finds himself in is not unlikely, and his reaction to having his suspicions confirmed felt quite realistic.
At the end there’s a rather sad situation for the reader to contemplate.
That is, if you find yourself the depressive type, this story may be encouraging to you by contrast.