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The Valancourt Books of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories #3
The Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories: Volume Three
A new collection of twenty ghostly tales of Yuletide terror, collected from rare Victorian periodicals
Seeking to capitalize on the success of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol (1843), Victorian newspapers and magazines frequently featured ghost stories at Christmas time, and reading them by candlelight or the fireside became an annual tradition, a tradition Valancourt Books is pleased to continue with our series of Victorian Christmas ghost stories. This third volume contains twenty tales, most of them never before reprinted. They represent a mix of the diverse styles and themes common to Victorian ghost fiction and include works by once-popular authors like Ellen Wood and Charlotte Riddell as well as contributions from anonymous or wholly forgotten writers. This volume also features a new introduction by Prof. Simon Stern.
“Before me, with the sickly light from the lantern shining right down upon it, was—a cloven hoof! Then the awfulness of the compact I had made came to my mind with terrible force ...” — Frederick Manley, “The Ghost of the Cross-Roads”
“By the fireplace there was a large hideous pool of blood soaking into the carpet, and leaving ghastly stains around. I am not ashamed to confess that my brain reeled; the mysterious horror overcame me ...” — Lillie Harris, “19, Great Hanover Street”
“A fearful white face comes to me; a horrible mask, with features drawn as in agony—ghastly, pale, hideous! Death or approaching death, violent death, written in every line. Every feature distorted. Eyes starting from the head. Thin lips moving and working—lips that are cursing, although I hear no sound.” — Hugh Conway, “A Dead Man’s Face”
Contents:
Frederick Manley, “The Ghost of the Cross-Roads” • Lillie Harris, “19, Great Hanover Street” • G. B. Burgin, “Sir Hugo’s Prayer” • Mrs. J. H. Riddell, “Walnut-Tree House” • Anonymous, “Haunted Ashchurch” • Anonymous, “The Haunted Tree” • Hugh Conway, “A Dead Man’s Face” • L. F. Austin, “The Ghost’s Double” • E. H. Rebton, “The Haunted Manor” • J. E. Thomas, “The Nameless Village” • Anonymous, “Old Simons’ Ghost!” • J. W. Hollingsworth, “Miriam’s Ghost” • Lucy Farmer, “The Vicar’s Ghost” • Mrs. Henry Wood, “The Ghost of the Hollow Field” • Alice Mary Vince, “The Wicked Editor’s Christmas Dream” • Anonymous, “The Barber’s Ghost” • Andrew Haggard, “A Spirit Bride” • W. L. Blackley, “The Haunted Oven” • Lilian Quiller Couch, “The Devil’s Own” • Anonymous, “A Christmas Ghost Story”
Seeking to capitalize on the success of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol (1843), Victorian newspapers and magazines frequently featured ghost stories at Christmas time, and reading them by candlelight or the fireside became an annual tradition, a tradition Valancourt Books is pleased to continue with our series of Victorian Christmas ghost stories. This third volume contains twenty tales, most of them never before reprinted. They represent a mix of the diverse styles and themes common to Victorian ghost fiction and include works by once-popular authors like Ellen Wood and Charlotte Riddell as well as contributions from anonymous or wholly forgotten writers. This volume also features a new introduction by Prof. Simon Stern.
“Before me, with the sickly light from the lantern shining right down upon it, was—a cloven hoof! Then the awfulness of the compact I had made came to my mind with terrible force ...” — Frederick Manley, “The Ghost of the Cross-Roads”
“By the fireplace there was a large hideous pool of blood soaking into the carpet, and leaving ghastly stains around. I am not ashamed to confess that my brain reeled; the mysterious horror overcame me ...” — Lillie Harris, “19, Great Hanover Street”
“A fearful white face comes to me; a horrible mask, with features drawn as in agony—ghastly, pale, hideous! Death or approaching death, violent death, written in every line. Every feature distorted. Eyes starting from the head. Thin lips moving and working—lips that are cursing, although I hear no sound.” — Hugh Conway, “A Dead Man’s Face”
Contents:
Frederick Manley, “The Ghost of the Cross-Roads” • Lillie Harris, “19, Great Hanover Street” • G. B. Burgin, “Sir Hugo’s Prayer” • Mrs. J. H. Riddell, “Walnut-Tree House” • Anonymous, “Haunted Ashchurch” • Anonymous, “The Haunted Tree” • Hugh Conway, “A Dead Man’s Face” • L. F. Austin, “The Ghost’s Double” • E. H. Rebton, “The Haunted Manor” • J. E. Thomas, “The Nameless Village” • Anonymous, “Old Simons’ Ghost!” • J. W. Hollingsworth, “Miriam’s Ghost” • Lucy Farmer, “The Vicar’s Ghost” • Mrs. Henry Wood, “The Ghost of the Hollow Field” • Alice Mary Vince, “The Wicked Editor’s Christmas Dream” • Anonymous, “The Barber’s Ghost” • Andrew Haggard, “A Spirit Bride” • W. L. Blackley, “The Haunted Oven” • Lilian Quiller Couch, “The Devil’s Own” • Anonymous, “A Christmas Ghost Story”
246 pages, Hardcover
First published November 20, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
January 6, 2020
This was a fantastic end-of-year / beginning-of-year read filled with plenty of Victorian ghosties! There was also some tasty good humor mixed with morality medicine, unavenged murders, and even a haunted oven! I began with “Volume 3” as it was Literary Horror’s group read for December. Now I’m eagerly awaiting the opportunity to read the first two volumes. This anthology is perfect for a snowy winter night!
Top 3 Stories:
19, Great Hanover Street by Lillie Harris
Old Simons’ Ghost by Anonymous
The Haunted Oven by W. L. Blackley
Top 3 Stories:
19, Great Hanover Street by Lillie Harris
Old Simons’ Ghost by Anonymous
The Haunted Oven by W. L. Blackley
December 23, 2019
3.5 stars
While I felt this most recent volume of Valancourt's Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories was a bit uneven (really dragging at the midpoint, when the editor seemed to weigh it down with subpar, often anonymous, mood pieces like the "The Haunted Tree" and "The Nameless Village") and not as clearly Christmasy as past volumes, there was still much in the book that was interesting, spooky, and festive in an old-fashioned manner.
One of the most intriguing things about this particular group of stories for me was how much many of them were inspired by Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol". From the slightly sly homage of 'Old Simon's Ghost' (Artful Bruff must surely be one of the most Dickensian names ever to be coined by someone not actually Dickens!) to the gentle parody of "The Wicked Editor's Christmas Dream", ending finally in the almost plagiaristic anonymous "A Christmas Ghost Story", Dickens' stamp is evident throughout. I guess that's to be expected as the publication notes on the texts indicate that all of these stories were written in the last two decades of the 19th century and Dickens' famous Christmas tale was first published in 1843, allowing plenty of time for its popularity to work its way into the general seasonal consciousness.
Among the non-Dickensian stories that made an impression on me, I really enjoyed the spooky, classic ghost tale " 19, Great Hanover Street" (the ending so reminiscent of Washington Irving's famous 'The Adventure of the German Student', perhaps the very first "ghost" story I ever read as a young girl), the charming and unexpectedly moving "Sir Hugo's Prayer", and "Walnut-Tree House", which is almost as much a legal mystery as it is a ghost story.
While I don't have them to hand to check right now, I believe past volumes in this series had some notes on the individual stories and authors which were very helpful in putting these pieces into context. I miss that in this volume and wish Valancourt and editor Simon Stern had given us just a bit of background on each of these tales. Still, this is a very pleasant read for the holiday season and I hope Valancourt continues the series with a new volume next year.
While I felt this most recent volume of Valancourt's Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories was a bit uneven (really dragging at the midpoint, when the editor seemed to weigh it down with subpar, often anonymous, mood pieces like the "The Haunted Tree" and "The Nameless Village") and not as clearly Christmasy as past volumes, there was still much in the book that was interesting, spooky, and festive in an old-fashioned manner.
One of the most intriguing things about this particular group of stories for me was how much many of them were inspired by Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol". From the slightly sly homage of 'Old Simon's Ghost' (Artful Bruff must surely be one of the most Dickensian names ever to be coined by someone not actually Dickens!) to the gentle parody of "The Wicked Editor's Christmas Dream", ending finally in the almost plagiaristic anonymous "A Christmas Ghost Story", Dickens' stamp is evident throughout. I guess that's to be expected as the publication notes on the texts indicate that all of these stories were written in the last two decades of the 19th century and Dickens' famous Christmas tale was first published in 1843, allowing plenty of time for its popularity to work its way into the general seasonal consciousness.
Among the non-Dickensian stories that made an impression on me, I really enjoyed the spooky, classic ghost tale " 19, Great Hanover Street" (the ending so reminiscent of Washington Irving's famous 'The Adventure of the German Student', perhaps the very first "ghost" story I ever read as a young girl), the charming and unexpectedly moving "Sir Hugo's Prayer", and "Walnut-Tree House", which is almost as much a legal mystery as it is a ghost story.
While I don't have them to hand to check right now, I believe past volumes in this series had some notes on the individual stories and authors which were very helpful in putting these pieces into context. I miss that in this volume and wish Valancourt and editor Simon Stern had given us just a bit of background on each of these tales. Still, this is a very pleasant read for the holiday season and I hope Valancourt continues the series with a new volume next year.
December 28, 2022
3.5 stars. As always, a fun mix of ghost stories! Love reading one of these volumes each December
December 22, 2018
As always, the perfect book for Christmas. This year's volume is a bit different from the last two in that there is more humor (and satire, too) in many of these stories, yet there are plenty of good, old-fashioned creepy ghostly tales to entertain as well. One of the very best presents I've ever given myself.
The full post about this book is here at my reading journal
https://www.oddlyweirdfiction.com/201...
The twenty stories in this volume were originally published between 1867 and 1898, and while there are plenty that fall on the more traditional and disquieting, uneasy side of ghostly tales that include hauntings and even a vanishing village (!), there are definitely a few in which the ghosts are having some fun. There are at least two spirits who take their cues from a certain character in one of Oscar Wilde's stories, and more than one who seem to be right out of Dickens, with one of these ending in an unexpected way that makes it quite funny and at the same time a bit refreshing. Simon Stern, who wrote this volume's introduction, comments on the more comical sort of ghost stories, saying that most of them came from century's end,
"when the familiarity of the genre in its traditional form, carrying the accumulated weight of many decades, may have prompted writers to seek out new directions."
That's not a bad thing, really, especially not here.
I appreciated not only the "wide variety of incarnations" of Victorian ghosts represented here, but also the variety of authors of these stories as well. Some of the authors will be quite familiar to regular readers of Victorian ghost stories, including Mrs. J.H. Riddell and Mrs. Henry Wood, but there are others I've never heard of before to add to my inner database of obscure Victorian writers, as well as their anonymous storytelling counterparts.
I look forward to reading The Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories every year at this time; it's now become a regular part of my holiday season routine. As Frederick Manley whose story "The Ghost of the Cross-Roads" tells us,
"Night, and especially Christmas night, is the best time to listen to a ghost story,"
but really, this collection of Victorian tales of ghostly mayhem is perfect reading for any night of the year.
Victorian ghost story lovers will particularly love this book. I'm one of them, and I do.
The full post about this book is here at my reading journal
https://www.oddlyweirdfiction.com/201...
The twenty stories in this volume were originally published between 1867 and 1898, and while there are plenty that fall on the more traditional and disquieting, uneasy side of ghostly tales that include hauntings and even a vanishing village (!), there are definitely a few in which the ghosts are having some fun. There are at least two spirits who take their cues from a certain character in one of Oscar Wilde's stories, and more than one who seem to be right out of Dickens, with one of these ending in an unexpected way that makes it quite funny and at the same time a bit refreshing. Simon Stern, who wrote this volume's introduction, comments on the more comical sort of ghost stories, saying that most of them came from century's end,
"when the familiarity of the genre in its traditional form, carrying the accumulated weight of many decades, may have prompted writers to seek out new directions."
That's not a bad thing, really, especially not here.
I appreciated not only the "wide variety of incarnations" of Victorian ghosts represented here, but also the variety of authors of these stories as well. Some of the authors will be quite familiar to regular readers of Victorian ghost stories, including Mrs. J.H. Riddell and Mrs. Henry Wood, but there are others I've never heard of before to add to my inner database of obscure Victorian writers, as well as their anonymous storytelling counterparts.
I look forward to reading The Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories every year at this time; it's now become a regular part of my holiday season routine. As Frederick Manley whose story "The Ghost of the Cross-Roads" tells us,
"Night, and especially Christmas night, is the best time to listen to a ghost story,"
but really, this collection of Victorian tales of ghostly mayhem is perfect reading for any night of the year.
Victorian ghost story lovers will particularly love this book. I'm one of them, and I do.
December 23, 2019
My comments on the stories can be read in this thread:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
December 18, 2023
This collection had some really great stories that easily made it a must-read collection. As usual, there were a few stories that were just okay, but that's to be expected with short story collections. There were none that were complete duds. Overall, though, the collection was really fun to read. My favorites were:
- 19, Great Hanover Street by Lillie Harris
- Sir Hugo's Prayer by G. B. Burgin
- Walnut-Tree House by Mrs. J. H. Riddell
- The Vicar's Ghost by Lucy Farmer
Many of the other stories were also 5 star, but these were the real standouts, for me. I think I'm going to have to see what else these particular authors published.
- 19, Great Hanover Street by Lillie Harris
- Sir Hugo's Prayer by G. B. Burgin
- Walnut-Tree House by Mrs. J. H. Riddell
- The Vicar's Ghost by Lucy Farmer
Many of the other stories were also 5 star, but these were the real standouts, for me. I think I'm going to have to see what else these particular authors published.
November 30, 2021
Reading one of these anthologies is becoming a bit of an annual tradition of mine, and this third volume delivers.
In my opinion, this is the best one so far, primarily because the language in these stories is much less archaic overall, making the text far less of a relic. Two or three stories are still a challenge, but this isn't a big issue.
I look forward to volume 4 in 2022!
In my opinion, this is the best one so far, primarily because the language in these stories is much less archaic overall, making the text far less of a relic. Two or three stories are still a challenge, but this isn't a big issue.
I look forward to volume 4 in 2022!
December 16, 2023
The first collection is still my favorite, but lots of good stuff here.
My favorites:
Lillie Harris, “19, Great Hanover Street”
Mrs. J. H. Riddell, “Walnut-Tree House”
J. W. Hollingsworth, “Miriam’s Ghost”
Lucy Farmer, “The Vicar’s Ghost”
Mrs. Henry Wood, “The Ghost of the Hollow Field”
Alice Mary Vince, “The Wicked Editor’s Christmas Dream”
My favorites:
Lillie Harris, “19, Great Hanover Street”
Mrs. J. H. Riddell, “Walnut-Tree House”
J. W. Hollingsworth, “Miriam’s Ghost”
Lucy Farmer, “The Vicar’s Ghost”
Mrs. Henry Wood, “The Ghost of the Hollow Field”
Alice Mary Vince, “The Wicked Editor’s Christmas Dream”
October 20, 2024
Strong stories from this collection:
19, Great Hanover Street
Walnut-Tree House
Haunted Ashchurch
A Dead Man's Face
Miriam's Ghost
The Barber's Ghost
A Spirit Bride
The Devil's Own
19, Great Hanover Street
Walnut-Tree House
Haunted Ashchurch
A Dead Man's Face
Miriam's Ghost
The Barber's Ghost
A Spirit Bride
The Devil's Own
December 12, 2025
A lovely collection of "traditional" Ghost stories, if ghost stories can be traditional. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. None of them were particularly scary, but I imagine if you were sitting at home in the 1800s, the fire was dying in the hearth, one or two might give you a chill or two. Perhaps making your way to bed with more than one candle to light the way.
December 31, 2022
“Night, and especially Christmas Night, is the best time to listen to a ghost story. Throw on the logs! Draw the curtains! Move your chairs nearer the fire and hearken!” — from “The Ghost of the Cross-Roads: An Irish Christmas Night Story” by Frederick Manley
TITLE—The Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories: Volume Three
AUTHOR—edited by Simon Stern
PUBLISHED—2018 (with the included stories ranging from 1867 - 1898)
PUBLISHER—Valancourt Books
GENRE—Victorian ghost stories; short stories
SETTING—various, mostly Ireland & the UK with some in the US as well, in the 19th c.
MAIN THEMES/SUBJECTS—ghosts!, hauntings, haunted places, seances, spiritualism, humor, English-language dialectical writing, old houses, Christmas vibes
WRITING STYLE—⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
CHARACTERS—⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STORY/PLOT—⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
BONUS ELEMENT/S—This collection had almost all of my favorite ghost story tropes in it so 😚👌🏻
PREMISE—⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
EXECUTION—⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“A spirit! A ghost! You don’t mean it! Say you are only playing Christmas on me, Aunt Martha,” I said at last.” — from “The Vicar’s Ghost: or, The Secret of Penlyon Parsonage” by Lucy Farmer
My thoughts:
Idk who Simon Stern is but his taste in Victorian Christmas ghost stories matches mine perfectly. 😙👌🏻 This collection was hilarious, unique, and interesting. It had all my favorite tropes and topics related to gothic ghost stories and there wasn’t one that I didn’t enjoy on some level—which is amazing because volumes one and two had set a really high bar for me. I am so impressed by this whole series. If you love ghost stories, or gothic or Victorian literature, and you haven’t given these books a try, what are you waiting for?? Go go go!!
From this collection I especially enjoyed “A Spirit Bride” by Andrew Haggard and “The Vicar’s Ghost: or, The Secret of Penlyon Parsonage” by Lucy Farmer and would read the full novelization or retelling of both of those stories. 😂 I also enjoyed “Sir Hugo’s Prayer” by G. B. Burgin, “Walnut-tree House” by Mrs. J. H. Riddell, “The Barber’s Ghost” by Anonymous and of course “The Wicked Editor’s Christmas Dream” by Alice Mary Vince which was a hilarious retelling of Charles Dickens’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL.
But I have to say that my favorite story was “Miriam’s Ghost: A Christmas Story” by J. W. Hollingsworth due to the fact that it read like a very realistic ghost story, the telling and specific details of which made me very much believe it was a true story.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy ghost stories and Victorian literature.
This book is best read while cozy in bed during the dark season. Bonus points for stormy weather, a hot spiced drink, and a roaring fire.
“She slowly withdrew her hand from his in silent farewell, and gave the adieu that would be only broken in the vista of eternity, when all see us as they are seen.” — from “Miriam’s Ghost” by J. W. Hollingsworth
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
CW // xenophobia, g-word slur, suicide, domestic violence (Please feel free to DM me for more specifics!)
Further Reading—
- all of the other books from this series
- A CHRISTMAS CAROL and other ghost stories by Charles Dickens
- THE TALE OF THE TAILOR AND THE THREE DEAD KINGS, by Dan Jones (a re-told medieval ghost story that “The Haunted Tree” reminded me of)
- THE SHAPE OF DARKNESS, by Laura Purcell (reminded me a little of the Haggard story “A Spirit Bride”—due to the seance scene and the complexity and depth of emotion in both stories, not the plot so this isn’t a spoiler don’t worry 😂)
- THE SEANCE, by John Harwood
- EX-LIBRIS, by Ross King (“Miriam’s Ghost” had echoes from this story although King’s isn’t a ghost story…)
December 23, 2023
3.5 stars
Volume three leans slightly towards humorous stories and Dickensian ghost stories (one of them suspiciously similar to A Christmas Carol). I don't usually read comical or satirical fiction, but I enjoyed this as much as the previous volumes.
Favorites:
19, Great Hanover Street (1889) by Lillie Harris
This one isn't supposed to be funny, but I kept imagining the plop sound at the end when the thing dropped off. Would make a great episode in a horror anthology show.
Walnut-Tree House (1878) by Mrs. J. H. Riddell (aka Charlotte Riddell)
Child ghosts are always creepy, and here, the excellent atmosphere is enhanced by an added melancholy.
The Haunted Oven (1877) by W. L. Blackley
Written in Irish dialect, this was fun once I figured out the pronunciations. Not scary by any means, but offbeat and whimsical.
The Devil's Own (1895) by Lilian Quiller Couch
Another child ghost, but a more demonic one. Very eerie, and the ending was somewhat unexpected but great.
Volume three leans slightly towards humorous stories and Dickensian ghost stories (one of them suspiciously similar to A Christmas Carol). I don't usually read comical or satirical fiction, but I enjoyed this as much as the previous volumes.
Favorites:
19, Great Hanover Street (1889) by Lillie Harris
This one isn't supposed to be funny, but I kept imagining the plop sound at the end when the thing dropped off. Would make a great episode in a horror anthology show.
Walnut-Tree House (1878) by Mrs. J. H. Riddell (aka Charlotte Riddell)
Child ghosts are always creepy, and here, the excellent atmosphere is enhanced by an added melancholy.
The Haunted Oven (1877) by W. L. Blackley
Written in Irish dialect, this was fun once I figured out the pronunciations. Not scary by any means, but offbeat and whimsical.
The Devil's Own (1895) by Lilian Quiller Couch
Another child ghost, but a more demonic one. Very eerie, and the ending was somewhat unexpected but great.
December 31, 2021
This third volume in a series of Victorian Christmas ghost stories delivers more of a mix of the humorous and the serious. I find the humorous stories, or those that attempt to be humorous, such as the dreadful The Vicar's Ghost, mostly disappointing, although The Haunted Oven is a clever little tale. I tend to favor dark ghost stories, and volume three in this series is lacking in what I would call truly unsettling stories. However, I do have some favorites including Walnut-Tree House, a melancholy story of a restless child ghost, the eerie Haunted Ashchurch, the unusual A Spirit Bride, which begins somewhat humorously with an incredible seance scene but turns dark, and the truly creepy The Devil's Own, about a young man haunted by a demon child. While this is definitely my least favorite among the first three volumes in the series, I look forward to volumes four and five and to what gems may be hiding within.
December 6, 2021
I absolutely love the Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories from Valancourt! I get one volume every year (there are 5 so far!) and read it religiously as soon as December begins. Some of the stories are creepy, atmospheric, some are silly, but I love them all the same and enjoy being able to read old, often not very well known or never reprinted, scary christmas tales of the 19th century. In this volume, out of 20 stories, my absolute favourites are: "19, Great Hanover Street", "Sir Hugo's Prayer", "A Dead Man's Face", "A Spirit Bride" and "The Haunted Oven".
December 27, 2023
Rating: ⭐⭐💫
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙑𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙩 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙤𝙛 𝙑𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙣 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙨 𝙂𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙑𝙤𝙡. 3 /𝙎𝙞𝙢𝙤𝙣 𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣
«ℍ𝕖 𝕙𝕒𝕕 𝕒 𝕘𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕕𝕚𝕤𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕘𝕙𝕠𝕤𝕥𝕤, 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕒 𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕚𝕔𝕦𝕝𝕒𝕣 𝕒𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕞𝕒𝕤 𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕚𝕖𝕤. 𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕨𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕤𝕠 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕒𝕝, 𝕤𝕠 𝕚𝕞𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝕤𝕠 𝕓𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕠𝕟 𝕕𝕠𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕘𝕠𝕠𝕕.»
𝙀𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨
A compilation of short seasonal Victorian 👻 tales which differ much from the classical chilling stories. This ones are humorous and silly. Not scary but a decent compilation of old fashion reading entertainment. As in any compilation you don't love them all.
My top are:
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘵
𝘏𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵'𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙑𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙩 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙤𝙛 𝙑𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙣 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙨 𝙂𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙑𝙤𝙡. 3 /𝙎𝙞𝙢𝙤𝙣 𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣
«ℍ𝕖 𝕙𝕒𝕕 𝕒 𝕘𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕕𝕚𝕤𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕘𝕙𝕠𝕤𝕥𝕤, 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕒 𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕚𝕔𝕦𝕝𝕒𝕣 𝕒𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕞𝕒𝕤 𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕚𝕖𝕤. 𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕨𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕤𝕠 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕒𝕝, 𝕤𝕠 𝕚𝕞𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝕤𝕠 𝕓𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕠𝕟 𝕕𝕠𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕘𝕠𝕠𝕕.»
𝙀𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨
A compilation of short seasonal Victorian 👻 tales which differ much from the classical chilling stories. This ones are humorous and silly. Not scary but a decent compilation of old fashion reading entertainment. As in any compilation you don't love them all.
My top are:
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘵
𝘏𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵'𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦
December 11, 2024
It is a Christmas tradition to read Valancourt Christmas ghost stories. I love ghost stories any time of the year but these are perfect Victorian stories that were once told while sitting around the fireplace with family and guests drinking mulled wine and eggnog. The thing about traditional ghost stories is that they are, of course, creepy and harrowing, but they can also be funny and sad and sweet. Valancourt volume 3 is a superb collection that delivers on all emotional levels.
March 16, 2025
After reading volumes one and two, I had to get this one. It has ghost stories, but several have little by wwy of plot or are mediocre. I did particularly like “ Sir Hugo’s Prayer” because the narrators were the ghosts themselves, and it had humor. My favorite was "The Haunted Oven" because it was hilarious.
I miss the small blurb at the beginning of each story from volumes one and two that gave historical background and popular folklore from back in the day.
I miss the small blurb at the beginning of each story from volumes one and two that gave historical background and popular folklore from back in the day.
December 29, 2019
An assortment of short seasonal Victorian ghost tales which veer from the deeply chilling to the mildly amusing to the downright ridiculous. Taken in the ‘spirit’ intended however, they’re a decent dose of old-fashioned literary entertainment for the festive period. Best enjoyed in front of a roaring fire on a winter’s night, ideally with a large mulled wine to calm the nerves.
December 17, 2020
While I didn’t love every single story, I really enjoyed some of them.
January 2, 2021
Enjoyable and full of ghosts. I found this to be the strongest of the four volumes.
December 25, 2021
Girls in the garden
messages from the oven
even ghosts get bored.
messages from the oven
even ghosts get bored.
anthology-in-progress
September 25, 2024Stories finished:
The Haunted Tree by Anonymous: 12/5/23
A Dead Man's Face by Hugh Conway: 11/24/23
The Haunted Tree by Anonymous: 12/5/23
A Dead Man's Face by Hugh Conway: 11/24/23
December 28, 2024
I couldn't get through the one written in dialect, but overall, this is a great collection for a cold December night.
December 30, 2024
As delightfully spooky as the first two! A happy inclusion in my collection.
December 19, 2025
Décidément plus humoristique que les précédents volumes, le troisième tome offre des histoires plus concises. Ma nouvelle préférée est A Spirit Bride pour ses accents d'horreur moderne.
January 1, 2025
Tis the season for spooky Christmas stories! I recently saw A Christmas Carol and was feeling inspired by the ghostly adventures of Scrooge, and I had this saved since it does feature a few women authors I have been wanting to read! I’ll update what I’ve read as I progress, I imagine I’ll bop around and revisit in Christmas’s yet to come…
The Ghost of the Cross Roads
Walnut Tree House
The Ghost of the Cross Roads
Walnut Tree House
August 4, 2025
Valancourt does a fantastic job with their horror collections, and this edition is another great addition to their Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories.
My favorite was a quick little pastiche called 'The Wicked Editor’s Christmas Dream', ribbing on Charles Dickins.
My favorite was a quick little pastiche called 'The Wicked Editor’s Christmas Dream', ribbing on Charles Dickins.
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