What do you think?
Rate this book
The Man in Black: A Ghost Story
A classic ghost story: a chilling winter’s tale set within the heart of the North.
It happened during the winter of 1973…
Anne Davies lives on the corner of the Rotten Row in the small village of Stoney Grange, having been exiled there following the untimely death of her father and the mysterious disappearance of her mother.
Though the house is cheap, it comes with a price beyond that of money.
Something dwells from within its walls, something unsettled.
The Man in Black: A Ghost Story is a chilling short story written in homage to Gothic ghost stories and tales of old.
It happened during the winter of 1973…
Anne Davies lives on the corner of the Rotten Row in the small village of Stoney Grange, having been exiled there following the untimely death of her father and the mysterious disappearance of her mother.
Though the house is cheap, it comes with a price beyond that of money.
Something dwells from within its walls, something unsettled.
The Man in Black: A Ghost Story is a chilling short story written in homage to Gothic ghost stories and tales of old.
- GenresHorror
96 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 4, 2016
2 people are currently reading
770 people want to read
About the author
Jordan Mason
6 books34 followersBorn in Durham, England, Jordan is an independent Amazon bestselling author of horror fiction, having been ranked first in a variety of categories.
His work has been featured in a wide array of literary journals and online blogs and publications, and his books have been praised globally by the likes of Darcy Coates (Amazon bestselling and award-winning author of Dead Lake and The Haunting of Blackwood House), Carrie Green (Amazon bestselling author of the New Blood Trilogy), and JC Brennan (award-winning author of A Fine Line: The Beginning).
Jordan loves anything haunted, and some of his favourite places to be reside around the dead; haunted graveyards and burial grounds, historic churches and castles seeped in history, both living and deceased.
Beyond reading and writing, Jordan enjoys walks along the coast, trips to the quaint, hidden villages in and around Northumberland, and settling down on an evening with a wealthy glass of bourbon and a good horror film.
His idols are Stephen King and Bob Dylan, and his parents.
He resides in his hometown with his soulmate, Bethany, and canine companions, Buster, Nina, Lola, and Sophie.
Jordan supports the Ethical Author Program Facilitated by the Alliance of Independent Authors.
Find out more at thejordanmason.com
You can find Jordan on Twitter @thejordanmason
His work has been featured in a wide array of literary journals and online blogs and publications, and his books have been praised globally by the likes of Darcy Coates (Amazon bestselling and award-winning author of Dead Lake and The Haunting of Blackwood House), Carrie Green (Amazon bestselling author of the New Blood Trilogy), and JC Brennan (award-winning author of A Fine Line: The Beginning).
Jordan loves anything haunted, and some of his favourite places to be reside around the dead; haunted graveyards and burial grounds, historic churches and castles seeped in history, both living and deceased.
Beyond reading and writing, Jordan enjoys walks along the coast, trips to the quaint, hidden villages in and around Northumberland, and settling down on an evening with a wealthy glass of bourbon and a good horror film.
His idols are Stephen King and Bob Dylan, and his parents.
He resides in his hometown with his soulmate, Bethany, and canine companions, Buster, Nina, Lola, and Sophie.
Jordan supports the Ethical Author Program Facilitated by the Alliance of Independent Authors.
Find out more at thejordanmason.com
You can find Jordan on Twitter @thejordanmason
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 26, 2024
2.5 stars
short review for busy readers:
This ghost novella has excellent bones.
The dead-but-somehow-still-there former mining village in the north of England in the early 1970s. The grimy old row of two-up-two-downs. The winter soot, the brown summer scrub. The poverty, the dereliction, the casual violence. And in the middle of it all, a young woman having to make her own way without the support of family... and who moves into a haunted flat!
Excellent bones.
Unfortunately, in comparison to the setting atmosphere, the ghost bits just don't take. They're too distanced, too impressionistic, treated too much in the same way as the descriptions of the wallpaper or the snow in the back garden. We just can't feel the young woman's fear. None of it is even a little bit eerie or pleasurably chilling, forget frightening.
An average 2.5 stars for the setting details/atmosphere, which are great. But as a paranormal piece, this one is rather disappointing.
short review for busy readers:
This ghost novella has excellent bones.
The dead-but-somehow-still-there former mining village in the north of England in the early 1970s. The grimy old row of two-up-two-downs. The winter soot, the brown summer scrub. The poverty, the dereliction, the casual violence. And in the middle of it all, a young woman having to make her own way without the support of family... and who moves into a haunted flat!
Excellent bones.
Unfortunately, in comparison to the setting atmosphere, the ghost bits just don't take. They're too distanced, too impressionistic, treated too much in the same way as the descriptions of the wallpaper or the snow in the back garden. We just can't feel the young woman's fear. None of it is even a little bit eerie or pleasurably chilling, forget frightening.
An average 2.5 stars for the setting details/atmosphere, which are great. But as a paranormal piece, this one is rather disappointing.
March 22, 2016
4.5 stars, rounded up.
This is an interesting ghost story with a twist. I found it completely by accident while on Amazon and decided to take a chance. I'm glad I did. It's not at all what I was expecting. While the main character (Anne) has a couple of TSTL moments, they didn't really take away from the story as a whole.
Highly recommended if you're looking for a quick horror short. A very entertaining read.
Full review can be found at -
This is an interesting ghost story with a twist. I found it completely by accident while on Amazon and decided to take a chance. I'm glad I did. It's not at all what I was expecting. While the main character (Anne) has a couple of TSTL moments, they didn't really take away from the story as a whole.
Highly recommended if you're looking for a quick horror short. A very entertaining read.
Full review can be found at -
February 26, 2016
The first thing I have to say about this book is that I was very surprised by it's content! What I expected to read was just another ghost story but it was more, much, much more! How so? Read on and you'll find out!
Let start with the aesthetics of the books itself. I like the fonts the author used very much. I don't know why but I just do. It's a good pick and I feel it should be complimented because it's the first thing I noticed that was to my approval. The book-cover is also very noticeable and quite spooky which is to be expected for a story of such genre.
The story itself begins in a gloomy place called Stoney Grange and the main character lives in a very impoverished home in what is fitly called the Rotten Row. We get a very good feel of the gray-scale place because the author writes in a descriptive even-paced manner but he doesn't go overboard and bore you to death with details. It's like you're getting enough information to almost see the grim place vividly before your eyes and also get a good sense and feel of the main character's personality. An individual who lived a rather privileged life prior to the death of her father and the abandonment by her mother.
What came to me as a surprise was the sex of the character. I haven't read the description of the content prior to reading the story so at first I didn't know if the main character was male or female. In fact I thought it male because in the first description of the character you get a sense of someone who is quite rough, stubborn and resolved. Someone who lived a privileged life but still has enough character not to become a charity case. Someone who works in a butchery which is why I ultimately deemed the character male because even though there are plenty of girls working in butcheries all over the world, there aren't many you get to read about in books. I suppose in the first few pages the portrayal of the girl Anne is such that she doesn't really display any femininity. It could be perhaps as a result of her disappointment with her mother and her desire to be much more like her beloved father. Later on we also get to see more vulnerable, gentle and humorous side of Anne which only makes you more aware of the strength of her character and her resolve. The fact that the story takes place in the year 1973 makes you really get a sense of what people were like back then. It's like a glimpse in time. I especially like the way the author uses local dialects because it only makes the tale feel more authentic.
The haunting part of the story is also very well written. The pace of the writing doesn't change a bit but when the ghost starts to appear you can feel the goose pimples rising and the hair on your neck stand up, especially if you're reading it late at night with your lights turned off and only the light of your laptop staring back at you.
The ghost itself is not what you expect and I don't want to write spoilers here but I was surprised by the sudden, unexpected twist the author added to the mystery which is what in the end made the story so unique and original.
All in all five stars from me. I loved the read!
Let start with the aesthetics of the books itself. I like the fonts the author used very much. I don't know why but I just do. It's a good pick and I feel it should be complimented because it's the first thing I noticed that was to my approval. The book-cover is also very noticeable and quite spooky which is to be expected for a story of such genre.
The story itself begins in a gloomy place called Stoney Grange and the main character lives in a very impoverished home in what is fitly called the Rotten Row. We get a very good feel of the gray-scale place because the author writes in a descriptive even-paced manner but he doesn't go overboard and bore you to death with details. It's like you're getting enough information to almost see the grim place vividly before your eyes and also get a good sense and feel of the main character's personality. An individual who lived a rather privileged life prior to the death of her father and the abandonment by her mother.
What came to me as a surprise was the sex of the character. I haven't read the description of the content prior to reading the story so at first I didn't know if the main character was male or female. In fact I thought it male because in the first description of the character you get a sense of someone who is quite rough, stubborn and resolved. Someone who lived a privileged life but still has enough character not to become a charity case. Someone who works in a butchery which is why I ultimately deemed the character male because even though there are plenty of girls working in butcheries all over the world, there aren't many you get to read about in books. I suppose in the first few pages the portrayal of the girl Anne is such that she doesn't really display any femininity. It could be perhaps as a result of her disappointment with her mother and her desire to be much more like her beloved father. Later on we also get to see more vulnerable, gentle and humorous side of Anne which only makes you more aware of the strength of her character and her resolve. The fact that the story takes place in the year 1973 makes you really get a sense of what people were like back then. It's like a glimpse in time. I especially like the way the author uses local dialects because it only makes the tale feel more authentic.
The haunting part of the story is also very well written. The pace of the writing doesn't change a bit but when the ghost starts to appear you can feel the goose pimples rising and the hair on your neck stand up, especially if you're reading it late at night with your lights turned off and only the light of your laptop staring back at you.
The ghost itself is not what you expect and I don't want to write spoilers here but I was surprised by the sudden, unexpected twist the author added to the mystery which is what in the end made the story so unique and original.
All in all five stars from me. I loved the read!
March 4, 2016
I was sent this by the author as a ARC (advance copy) to review honestly!
This is one creepy book. I live in England in a similar place so to think a street like mine would be haunted is terrifying. I can say that the language is beautiful and the writing is really, really good. I am an aspiring author myself but could never write so well!
Though it is short I'd like to see what Jordan Mason could do with something a little bit longer. I would have rated this 4 stars for the length, but the twist in the end just made me love the writing even more.
The ghost is genuinely scary, and expect blood!
At the heart of it all though is a heartwarming story about a woman who lost her father and her mother and must now survive in poverty. The people she meets aren't nice and the old couple next to her are very strange and mysterious, but they end up helping her which I thought was a nice spin on it all.
I would describe this read as claustrophobic, very daunting and very literary, but not pretentious or overblown like a lot of ghost stories I read these days.
Definitely recommended! 5 stars.
This is one creepy book. I live in England in a similar place so to think a street like mine would be haunted is terrifying. I can say that the language is beautiful and the writing is really, really good. I am an aspiring author myself but could never write so well!
Though it is short I'd like to see what Jordan Mason could do with something a little bit longer. I would have rated this 4 stars for the length, but the twist in the end just made me love the writing even more.
The ghost is genuinely scary, and expect blood!
At the heart of it all though is a heartwarming story about a woman who lost her father and her mother and must now survive in poverty. The people she meets aren't nice and the old couple next to her are very strange and mysterious, but they end up helping her which I thought was a nice spin on it all.
I would describe this read as claustrophobic, very daunting and very literary, but not pretentious or overblown like a lot of ghost stories I read these days.
Definitely recommended! 5 stars.
May 25, 2017
A little town has dried up and almost died after the collapse of a mind killed eighteen men and injured eleven. Though Anne and her family were not affected by the pit closing down; except for her uncle who was one of the eleven hurt in the collapse. What affected Anne and changed her life, was the death of her father after he fell ill. Her mother took their money and left; Anne was left to fend for herself. She wasn’t bitter; she ’d found work at a butcher shop and lived in a small apartment on Rotten Row. Her little apartment may not be much, but it will change her life forever.
This is both a tragic and sad, but heartwarming tale. It is unique and imaginative; a wonderfully absorbing story. Mason’s writing transfers you back to the forlorn landscape of Northern England in the 70s. You’re awestruck by the poverty and overwhelmed with the hardships that endured. This is the first haunting story gripped at my heartstrings.
This is both a tragic and sad, but heartwarming tale. It is unique and imaginative; a wonderfully absorbing story. Mason’s writing transfers you back to the forlorn landscape of Northern England in the 70s. You’re awestruck by the poverty and overwhelmed with the hardships that endured. This is the first haunting story gripped at my heartstrings.
May 12, 2016
I'm typically not a fan of short stories but this one was a nice read. I'm always a sucker for the dark, gothic atmosphere a good ghost story gives. I liked the notion of the dead and the living both needing each other's help in moving on. A good lesson for those wandering through life to make the best out of their circumstances.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 29, 2016
Engaging and wonderfully written gothic ghost story. Like all good gothics, the setting (in this case the village of Stoney Grange) is a character in itself. Through Mason's masterful use of language, I was instantly transported to the bleak landscape of Northern England.
March 9, 2016
Good spooky ghost story.
March 9, 2016
Great Short Story
It was written so well and descriptive. It is a great story to find comfort with closure. And finding your place in a life you never imagined for yourself.
It was written so well and descriptive. It is a great story to find comfort with closure. And finding your place in a life you never imagined for yourself.
April 9, 2016
I wasn't impressed by this book!
May 23, 2016
A tale well told.
Very descriptive in setting the scene. The story really made you feel included. Well done and a page turner too.
Very descriptive in setting the scene. The story really made you feel included. Well done and a page turner too.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews