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The Cursed Inn: A Christmas Chiller
★★★★★ “Atmospheric, unsettling, and wickedly clever — the perfect Christmas ghost story.”
★★★★★ “A chilling blend of folklore, grief, and gothic horror.”
Bodmin Moor, December 1811.
Snow falls. Hunger bites. And something old has awoken at Jamaica Inn.
Be careful what you wish for. Be very careful...
Jamaica Inn, Bodmin Moor. December 1811.
'I have seen him. He came in the night. His face was blackened with peat, his eyes like the hollows of the earth. Diabolus incarnatus . First as a child, then as a man. I have seen him.'
Poverty was a blight that tightened its grasp around family throats everywhere,
from the rolling breakers of the Lizard to the tranquil banks of the Tamar. High taxes on brandy, tobacco and lace had turned many good God-fearing men into smugglers and evaders, while disease and despair drifted across the moor from coast to coast.
Running the inn had become near impossible for Thomas and Jenna Hawkey. So when an unexpected visitor arrived late, one December night, whispering of ancient gods and black magic from the East, the Hawkeys found themselves caught between a blessing and a curse.
What follows is a tale of faith and blasphemy, grief and resurrection; a haunting parable of love twisted by desperation, a curse destined to echo through generations.
The Cursed Inn is a Cornish Gothic Christmas ghost story steeped in folklore, superstition and supernatural horror. Set at Jamaica Inn on Bodmin Moor in 1811, it is a dark historical tale for readers who love fireside ghost stories, folk horror and atmospheric British Gothic fiction.
A modern mashup of The Monkey's Paw and Jamaica Inn, in the chilling tradition of W. W. Jacobs, Daphne du Maurier and Susan Hill.
Buy now — and keep the lights on this Christmas Eve.
★★★★★ “A chilling blend of folklore, grief, and gothic horror.”
Bodmin Moor, December 1811.
Snow falls. Hunger bites. And something old has awoken at Jamaica Inn.
Be careful what you wish for. Be very careful...
Jamaica Inn, Bodmin Moor. December 1811.
'I have seen him. He came in the night. His face was blackened with peat, his eyes like the hollows of the earth. Diabolus incarnatus . First as a child, then as a man. I have seen him.'
Poverty was a blight that tightened its grasp around family throats everywhere,
from the rolling breakers of the Lizard to the tranquil banks of the Tamar. High taxes on brandy, tobacco and lace had turned many good God-fearing men into smugglers and evaders, while disease and despair drifted across the moor from coast to coast.
Running the inn had become near impossible for Thomas and Jenna Hawkey. So when an unexpected visitor arrived late, one December night, whispering of ancient gods and black magic from the East, the Hawkeys found themselves caught between a blessing and a curse.
What follows is a tale of faith and blasphemy, grief and resurrection; a haunting parable of love twisted by desperation, a curse destined to echo through generations.
The Cursed Inn is a Cornish Gothic Christmas ghost story steeped in folklore, superstition and supernatural horror. Set at Jamaica Inn on Bodmin Moor in 1811, it is a dark historical tale for readers who love fireside ghost stories, folk horror and atmospheric British Gothic fiction.
A modern mashup of The Monkey's Paw and Jamaica Inn, in the chilling tradition of W. W. Jacobs, Daphne du Maurier and Susan Hill.
Buy now — and keep the lights on this Christmas Eve.
93 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 9, 2025
About the author
Tom Herrington
3 books16 followersTom Herrington writes dark, unsettling fiction rooted in folklore, memory, and the grotesque. His debut novel, Black Toad: A Gothic Thriller from Cornwall, blends gothic horror, black comedy, and rural crime — set in a moorland village where secrets fester and the past refuses to stay buried.
Currently, Tom is working on the sequel, along with a standalone Christmas ghost story set 200 years earlier on Bodmin Moor. Expect folkloric dread, psychological unease, and atmospheric storytelling that lingers.
He draws inspiration from writers like Daphne du Maurier, M.R. James, Shirley Jackson, and Andrew Michael Hurley. A fascination with strange weather, outsider psychology, and uncanny landscapes runs through all his work.
Tom divides his time between Sussex and Cornwall. He can usually be found walking coastal paths with a notebook in his pocket or researching lost rural folklore.
Currently, Tom is working on the sequel, along with a standalone Christmas ghost story set 200 years earlier on Bodmin Moor. Expect folkloric dread, psychological unease, and atmospheric storytelling that lingers.
He draws inspiration from writers like Daphne du Maurier, M.R. James, Shirley Jackson, and Andrew Michael Hurley. A fascination with strange weather, outsider psychology, and uncanny landscapes runs through all his work.
Tom divides his time between Sussex and Cornwall. He can usually be found walking coastal paths with a notebook in his pocket or researching lost rural folklore.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 11, 2026
A great little tale which would do better being read at Christmas rather than in a heat-wave in August!
Rather too short however and would have done well with a little more depth as there is plenty of room here for expansion and exploration.
Rather too short however and would have done well with a little more depth as there is plenty of room here for expansion and exploration.
August 14, 2026
Good little ghost story. On kindle unlimited too so if you have that then this is worth reading.
December 20, 2025
3.5⭐️
A dark, gothic seasonal novella, set in the atmospheric Regency era. A true Christmas ghost story.
This is a prequel to the authors 'Black Toad' (which I haven't yet read). Full of Cornish folklore, twists and turns, and a great blend of horror and mystery.
A dark, gothic seasonal novella, set in the atmospheric Regency era. A true Christmas ghost story.
This is a prequel to the authors 'Black Toad' (which I haven't yet read). Full of Cornish folklore, twists and turns, and a great blend of horror and mystery.
October 15, 2026
The Cursed Inn by Tom Herrington is a dark, atmospheric gothic horror story set at the infamous Jamaica Inn on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall in December 1811. With its bleak winter setting, Cornish folklore and hints of black magic, it creates an unsettling tale that feels particularly suited to a cold winter’s night.
The story follows Thomas and Jenna Hawkey, who are struggling to keep the inn going during a harsh winter. When a mysterious visitor arrives, bringing strange beliefs and the promise of supernatural intervention, their desperation leads them towards something far more sinister than they could have imagined. I enjoyed the way Herrington explores themes of grief, desperation and the dangerous consequences of trying to change fate.
Thomas and Jenna are at the heart of the story, and their difficult circumstances make the supernatural elements all the more unsettling. The atmosphere is one of the book’s strongest points, with the isolated inn, the unforgiving moors and the sense of an ancient evil lurking beneath the surface all contributing to the gothic feel.
I also liked the connection to Black Toad. Knowing that The Cursed Inn serves as a prequel adds another layer of interest, particularly in the way the events here help establish the darker history and supernatural elements associated with the wider story. It makes this a worthwhile read for anyone who has already enjoyed Black Toad, while also working as a standalone tale.
Although I enjoyed the setting and the creepy folklore, I didn’t quite connect with the story enough to rate it higher. Nevertheless, there’s plenty here for fans of traditional gothic horror, haunted locations and tales where making a desperate bargain comes at a terrible price.
Overall, a suitably chilling read with a wonderfully bleak Cornish setting and an intriguing link to Black Toad. 3..75 stars.
The story follows Thomas and Jenna Hawkey, who are struggling to keep the inn going during a harsh winter. When a mysterious visitor arrives, bringing strange beliefs and the promise of supernatural intervention, their desperation leads them towards something far more sinister than they could have imagined. I enjoyed the way Herrington explores themes of grief, desperation and the dangerous consequences of trying to change fate.
Thomas and Jenna are at the heart of the story, and their difficult circumstances make the supernatural elements all the more unsettling. The atmosphere is one of the book’s strongest points, with the isolated inn, the unforgiving moors and the sense of an ancient evil lurking beneath the surface all contributing to the gothic feel.
I also liked the connection to Black Toad. Knowing that The Cursed Inn serves as a prequel adds another layer of interest, particularly in the way the events here help establish the darker history and supernatural elements associated with the wider story. It makes this a worthwhile read for anyone who has already enjoyed Black Toad, while also working as a standalone tale.
Although I enjoyed the setting and the creepy folklore, I didn’t quite connect with the story enough to rate it higher. Nevertheless, there’s plenty here for fans of traditional gothic horror, haunted locations and tales where making a desperate bargain comes at a terrible price.
Overall, a suitably chilling read with a wonderfully bleak Cornish setting and an intriguing link to Black Toad. 3..75 stars.
July 3, 2026
What A Thriller of A Chiller!!
Awesome, Chilling Ghost Story! I loved this!! Spooked me out, even though I've been reading early July! Go figure, LOL! 😁😂
But thank you indeed, Mr Herrington, for a great read!
Now, I need to go read The Black Toad, to check out more about the Hawkey family!
Best wishes,
Sue Adams
3rd July, 2026
Awesome, Chilling Ghost Story! I loved this!! Spooked me out, even though I've been reading early July! Go figure, LOL! 😁😂
But thank you indeed, Mr Herrington, for a great read!
Now, I need to go read The Black Toad, to check out more about the Hawkey family!
Best wishes,
Sue Adams
3rd July, 2026
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews