The White Hart

The Red Grouse Tales

by Leslie Garland

The White Hart - a happy ghost story, if there can be such a thing!

A Red Grouse Tale. In this modern day fable we are asked; what might connect a chance encounter with a little albino deer, an equally unexpected meeting with a beautiful, but somewhat enigmatic young girl in a remote chapel, and a third, just as strange an incident, on a windswept hillside? Pete Montague, relates a redemptive, adult, speculative, spiritual and philosophical happy ghost story - if there can be such a thing!

(Warning to sensitive readers; this tale does contain some references to sex)

87 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2019

About the author

I didn't start out in a career in writing; I qualified as a Chartered Civil Engineer. In this capacity I worked for several years on projects in the UK, the Far East and Africa. During this period I won the Institution of Civil Engineers 'Miller Prize' for a paper on tunnelling. Perhaps my first foray in to writing? It was a pretty dry technical piece. However my experience in tunnelling has given me an exciting idea for a story which I hope will be a lot more fun than my engineering paper and I have just recently made a start on this. Changing times resulted in a change in direction and after qualifying as an Associate Member of both the British Institute of Professional Photography and the Royal Photographic Society, started my own stock photograph library (the first in N.E.England) and wrote for the trade press. The Internet was new in those days and not very reliable. So an unexpected break in my Internet connection fortuitously presented the time to make a start on a long cherished project of a series of novella length stories, and the first story of The Red Grouse Tales, was drafted. Three more 'tales' followed and I published The Red Grouse Tales in 2016. Since then I have completed a further three novellas and a novel and started winning awards for my writing. Right now I am trying to complete a second batch of 'tales' and am part way through writing a trilogy.

Find more information on my website http://www.lesliegarland.com

And please follow me on:-
Amazon; https://author.amazon.com/profile
Twitter; https://twitter.com/LeslieWPGarland
FaceBook; https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...
and Bookbub; https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lesli...
so as to catch the 'new' when it happens and not learn of it afterwards!

Reviews

[Clay Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good story that delves into what men and women want from each other. The book cover needs to be more interesting.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

The White Hart links in to the other excellent stories by this author: the locations are familiar, as is the setting. A group of friends meet in the pub and swop stories of strange happenings. This time it's Pete's turn: a young man who we are told has always fancied himself as a bit of a ladies' man. His story is of some seemingly unconnected incidents, which he only realises later might have a deeper meaning. Whilst running, he has an encounter with a white deer, and meets a captivating woman, who tells him the sad story of a previous owner of the estate. Much of their conversation is about the roles and expectations of men and women in terms of relationships: this was fun and made me want to join in! I really wanted to correct Pete on his total misunderstanding of Jane Austen for a start, so yes, the writing drew me in and involved me!
This was more lighthearted than the other stories I've read and offers a good foil to the more troubling tales. There are similar supernatural themes, which I won't give away. I would recommend this and the other stories by this author.

[Brigitte · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story is told in The Red Grouse Inn, an English Pub, where a group of friends meet regularly for a few pints and a chat.

Pete is a bit of a ladies' man who hasn't met the "right one" as yet. He is a Fell Runner, the countryside being like a balm to the his soul. He loves the wild life and the natural environment. His friends like to tease him but it's all in good faith.

On this particular Thursday evening, Pete decides to tell a tale about Hartstane Hall, an old estate which has disintegrated over the years. It's about his encounters and one coincidence too many!

He starts off with an incident with a white albino deer, white deers are very rare indeed! Then he recounts his first meeting with Raphaella, a young girl in the Harststane Chapel. It's the only part of the estate still standing and Pete goes in to explore. He is impressed with the workmanship but doesn't know much about its history. When Raphaella joins him, he expresses his admiration for the architecture and they go outside where she tells him the history of the estate.

She appears to know a lot about what transpired over a century and a half ago in Harstane Hall. The tragedy of Christine, the young girl who inherited the Hall and attracted the wrong attention. It's a sordid story about deceit, greed and murder. He doesn't quite believe what he is hearing. He believes that she has been pulling his legs until he goes for a run in the autumn. Although what he sees then, appears to be totally unrelated, the white deer comes to mind. It's only then that he remembers what Raphaella had asked him. On a closer look his suspicions are confirmed! Coincidence?

Do you believe in ghosts?

This short story is very well put together. Pete is good natured and gives a vivid account of the events leading up to the end of this story. He has some strange ideas but oddly enough, they are not all that unusual. Everything that he has experienced comes together at the end and it's rather baffling. There is also a morale to this tale. All in all, it's an interesting and intriguing story. I really like the way it ends. Is it another coincidence?

If you like ghost stories and looking for something different and easy to read, then this is definitely worth picking up. I quite fancied being in that pub myself that evening as I could actually picture the scene!

[Rennlia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The White Hart by Leslie W Garland is a story within a story.
One evening, on their regular meeting in “The Red Grouse Inn” Pete Montague decided to tell his friends a fell-runner’s tale.

It started with Pete’s meeting with a white hart during his running routine. The hart—even though it was actually a female deer—was caught in a bundle of old wire. Definitely not the first encounter for this kind of situation for him, so he decided to help her to get free. Pete found that the hart was exceptionally beautiful as it was completely white, save from the rust colored stripe across its throat. An albino deer, such a rare sight.

This was not the beginning of Pete’s tale. In fact this moment happened after the second story when Pete met a woman in Hartstane Hall on a tour he was joined. He was captivated by how beautiful she was, even having some handful thoughts about her. They spent hours talking about woman and man preferences in a relationship. The morale and the unmoral part of them. Raphaella, the beautiful girl, told Pete a tragic love story of Christine la Judicieux. Their talk continued until Raphaella asked Peter for a help, which was to free Christine so she would be able to rest in peace. And Pete actually did, without he realized it.

Raphaella and Pete’s talk about man and woman preferences in relationship is indeed interesting, I like how the talk could slowly but surely change the way Pete think about the whole situation. And the additional romance tragedy that was the key part of the story presented in their talk. During their talk also we could find out what kind of person Pete actually is. Your first impression of him at the beginning of the story will definitely change. I like how the author present the character development in this way. And at the end when you finally connecting the dots Pete has made you will gasp by how well the story has been written.

Just, when you lost in their talk you will forget how ghostly the story should be. Nevertheless this is a good ghost story with an interesting romance seasoning, if you like this kind of setting then I really recommend to read this book. Short, enchanting, and ghostly.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth story by Leslie WP Garland that I have read, although I didn't much care for our storyteller in this tale, it was still just as brilliantly written as Mr. Garland's previous tales. In this tale, as the synopsis states, we hear from Pete, a bit of a ladies man who encounters three strange incidents while at an old disintegrated estate, Hartstane Hall. As with the author's previous stories, every detail of the story is clearly described, leaving you feeling like you're sitting at the pub with the whole Red Grouse gang. This little ghost story will leave you pondering about the likelihood of coincidences and will also serve as a reminder that we all have a "friend" just like Pete

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Oh, yes, when asked, we all think it would be wonderful to live, if not forever, then for say, 300 years like Karel Capek's, Elina Makropulos. But why? Why do we think this when we only have to look at ourselves to know that it is the new experiences in our lives that make them worth living?"

I have to admit before I dive into this review that I'm still on something of a fantasy high. Over the past eight months, I've been reading Neil Gaiman, Patrick Rothfuss, and thinking about fantasy authors that impacted me as a kid and adolescent, such as Jenny Nimmo and, of course, Richard Adams, the author of my favorite book of all time. Although I was initially hesitant to invest my time in the fantasy genre as an adult, I'm ultimately glad that I gave it a chance, because it has, not only expanded my reading choices, but shown me what the genre really can make possible, and those possibilities are (if you'll forgive the cliché) endless.

That said, let's get into this new story.

The White Hart opens with the main protagonist, Peter Montague, about to tell a story to his group of friends. After some casual banter, he begins telling the main story.

The story begins with Peter going on a run in the forest, when he comes across an albino deer trapped in a wire. Concerned for the struggling animal, Peter works to help set her free, and once he does, the animal runs off, but not before looking back at him in a sort of thanks for saving her. Some time before that, Peter decided to visit the Hartstane chapel. There, he met a young girl, Raphaella, who told him the history of the chapel.

She told him the story of a young woman named Christine, who inherited the estate from her father, Cedric la Judicieux. Christine grew up in the estate and, when she came of age to inherit the property, men started to pursue her just to be part of the inheritance of the estate. She met two brothers, Angel and Merit Reynolds and, letting her guard down of protecting the house, married Angel. Angel treated her like property, rather than a human being, and one day decided he'd had enough, and hatched a plan to murder her to get the estate. He and his brother attacked her late in the night, but she, having suspected that Angel was up to something malicious, fought back, smashing his skull in with a fire iron after he cut her throat with a knife. Christine's spirit, Raphaella explains, has been in limbo ever since, and she needs Peter's help to free her so that she can rest easy.

A couple of months after releasing the deer, Peter goes for a run near Hartstane chapel. Sometime during the run, though, he gets the feeling that he is being followed. When he can't bear to ignore the feeling any longer, he turns around to find that there is a young woman, stark-naked, following him. This is where it all starts to connect for him, as he realizes that this is the ghost of Christine la Judicieux. He connects the dots even more, realizing that she had been the white hart he had saved from the wire, and that she can now finally rest in peace.

The tale over, a young girl walks into the room. The narrator notices that she is dressed how Raphaella was in the story. Peter introduces her to his friends as Juliet as the outer frame of the overall story comes to a close.

Like I said earlier in this review, I've been on a fantasy high lately, and when I started this story, I wasn't sure if it would deliver on its promise of a fantasy story, given the real-world setting and Peter's initial disbelief in ghosts. At first, it seemed too normal to really be a fantasy.

Oh, boy. I was so, so wrong. While I do admit that I've seen this setup before (a ghost needs to really be at peace and free so they can finally rest) it's done fairly cleverly here, with the history of the chapel tying very neatly into the story Raphaella tells Peter. It is perfectly serviceable, and I do like the setup. The white hart, in particular, was a very original idea, and Peter freeing it, not realizing that he's helping to save a ghost, is very well done.

"As I was looking forward to breaking out into the warmth of the sunshine at the pond, I wasn't really paying too much attention to the sound of one of the wires scraping in the fence post staples and put this down to a tree having fallen on the fence, being moved in the breeze and so dragging the wire. However, as I approached the flatter section where the spruce forest ends and gives way to the tussocky fellside, the scraping definitely got louder and I could see that there was no tree lying across the old fence in the immediate vicinity.

Just a few metres further on and in a small dip, I found the cause of the scraping - a small deer had one of its hind legs caught up in a bundle of old wire and was struggling to get free."

Unfortunately, while it is a good fantasy story, and as much as I enjoyed how the setup served the story in the end, I feel like I've seen the setup Garland uses for setting the specter free too many times now, which is why I deducted two stars from the rating rather than one. The idea of a lost soul is just so over-done at this point that I wish Garland could have focused on some other angle of the story Raphaella tells to help Peter grow as a person. Maybe he sees the way Angel acted in the story and that drives him to stop Angel's ghost from tormenting and abusing Christine's spirit in the afterlife. Maybe Angel is the one looking for redemption and freedom from torment, and Raphaella was sent by him to tell the story to Peter and help the man try to redeem himself after all the harm he's done.

It's not easy to write a story, especially if it's fantasy. You can take the route Richard Adams took, setting it in the real world and adding certain fantastical elements; you can go the route Patrick Rothfuss took, setting the action in a completely fictional universe; or you can do a little of both depending on the story you're writing, like Neil Gaiman has done. Garland, I think, takes after Richard Adams' path more, which means that it can actually be easy to forget that it's fantasy. As I said earlier, that choice served the story well, and made it easier to believe what Peter believed, thus throwing you off guard when the ghost actually shows up.

"Some twenty metres away and walking straight towards me on the same path was an all but naked and extremely beautiful woman. She had, as they say, all the curves in all the right places, was aged about thirty something, was wearing the most diaphonous negligee that it was possible to imagine and a bright red choker about her throat, thus leaving nothing to the imagination! Her long blond hair was flying in the wind and the negligee blown tight against the curves of her body. She was an absolute stunner!"

Speaking of the main protagonist, let's move on to characters, starting with Peter.

Oh, Peter. I'm ashamed to admit that it took me a little while to catch on to the fact that he was a chauvinist. In the opening scene, there were clues left to that, but it wasn't until he started fantasizing about Raphaella's rear end that I finally got it. And I have to be honest, I wish we had gotten more time to get to know him. In other words, I think the story really would have benefited from being somewhat longer. It's not that I didn't care about him, it's that there seemed to be just enough information to care, and that was it. I know it's a short story, but I just feel like Garland was doing the bare minimum here, and Peter is a prime example of that. We care about him, but we only really care because of the circumstances surrounding him, rather than the person he himself is. This does work well for the story and it does bring it to a satisfying conclusion, but the issue is is that's all it does. There's very little variation beyond that, and it ties into the issues I had earlier with the story. I can't even really say that I like him, just that I care what happens, and that leaves me wanting more out of it.

Now, I want to talk a bit about Raphaella. She's kind of a mystery character, and I love these types of characters. I kind of wish we'd been able to see more of her, but I understand why that wasn't the case. Her telling Peter about the history of the chapel, only to completely vanish at the end, does make me wonder about her. Is she a ghost, too? If she is, where did she come from? Is she at rest, or is there more to it? Usually asking all these questions is not a good sign for the story, but here I'm actually enjoying speculating, so I'm glad Garland left that open-ended. I do enjoy a good mystery, even if it's as small as this one.

I also feel it's important to mention Christine here. In Raphaella's story, we do get to see her and who she is a bit. It's more, though, that we have to infer about her character, since it is an outside source telling her story. That said, I liked what I concluded about her, and that was that she was independent and smart. She knew Angel and Merit were up to something, and prepared for it. My one nitpick with her really is, if she had been fending off suitors for a while, why did she suddenly let her guard down when Angel came into the mix? If I'd been in her position, I wouldn't have trusted his being so nice and charming! I know the plot has to progress some way, but I don't know if I completely buy it from the way the story was told, and maybe it would have benefited the story to see it more closely, like maybe Raphaella has an entry from Christine's diary regarding the whole affair. That said, other than that, Christine's entire story was just heartbreaking as a whole, and it actually helped me to feel sorry for her.

I feel like, throughout this review, I've been much harsher on the story than I intend to be. I gave it three stars, meaning I liked it. The story offers a solid plot, characters that you feel for, and it's clear that the events of the story help drive them to do good things.

[Manal Jamaleddine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the tale's obvious topic is to make the reader question the existence of ghosts, but it was also questioning the relevance of coincidences. Separate incidents that can be irrelevant to each other, the writer makes them appear so; while other very relevant situations were at the end just a coincidence. The tale's events were unpredictable and I liked how it ended and the reference to the famous writers and the classics was brilliant.

[Becky Zales · Rating 4 out of 5]

The White Hart by Leslie W.P. Garland is an interesting tale told by Pete Montague about an experience while jogging in the forest. He tells of how he rescued an albino deer. He then goes on to explain in his tale that he met a beautiful woman named Raphaella and that the deer may be connected. If this story was actually true or if Pete made it up to meet his Juliet, only Pete and those he met in the forest will know. This was a nice story about some that want to be set free.

[Rachel Nefeke · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading this story from Mr.Garland I can say just one thing. The way how he describes his stories and character included is a poetry to my eyes and soul. And way, how he is pointing at things people should thinking about more than casually. What I really really appreciated on this story was showing us a complexion and diversity of both sexes and how they interacted together.
Also, I would like to say that this book was different from The Bat, which I read before. Pete was sympathetic from the first two sentences and I felt very comfortable with him as a story-teller. It was refreshing and educational to see his point of view, which was sometimes too honest so I blushed slightly at it. His rectilinearity was also an interesting part of the story.
The description of architecture in the chapel left me in awe and I literally felt like being there with Pete. About boo-boo factor, it was amazingly shoved by our direction in the way I never expected. I was suspicious about Raphaella's presence in the chapel and yet I continued with reading which turns out to be the best idea ever.
And these Shakespeare's "hidden" references were a precious piece of the whole atmosphere. At the end of this hella-long review, I would like to thank the author for this amazing work which keeps my mind and body occupied for a whole journey from uni to home.

[Marziye · Rating 5 out of 5]

The White Hart was the first book I've read by Leslie Garland and I was fascinated enough to want to read more of his books. The story is told in The Red Grouse Inn, an English Pub, where a group of friends meet regularly for a few pints and a chat. One evening, on their regular meeting , Pete Montague decides to tell his friends a fell-runner’s tale. It's a beautifully creative ghost story with a love twist.In many ways the story is about redemption and understanding, for both the ghost as well as the man who sees her. I also found it mesmerizing with a great message of being kind to others - man or beast – without expecting a reward. This short story is very well put together. If you like ghost stories and are looking for something different , refreshing and easy to read, then this is definitely worth picking up.

[Whitney Reinhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Garland's Red Grouse Tales are so very thought provoking. The stories in and of themselves, presented as records of stories told among friends, are compelling and kept me turning pages well into the wee hours when I should have been sleeping instead of reading. Garland masterfully weaves social commentary into tales of the uncanny without being heavy-handed or overbearing.

The White Hart, an unlikely love story, delves into righting old wrongs and enhanced understanding through personal growth. Peter, a fell-runner and ladies man, finds himself in the company of a lovely young woman discussing the history of an old chapel and the evolution of social mores. With lots of moving pieces from seemingly unrelated events, Garland brings the story to a satisfying conclusion, tying each separate occurrence neatly together and presenting Peter as less of a cad than the reader initially thought.

[D.A. Henneman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written as if conversing with friends, The White Hart is a lovely re-telling of a story the author became acquainted with years ago. Ghosts and ghost stories fascinate me and this story is a delight.

In many ways the story is about redemption and understanding, for both the ghost as well as the man who sees her. The quote by St. Thomas Aquinas referenced in the beginning of the story, makes a wonderful anchor for the plot. “Not everyone who is enlightened by an angel knows that he is enlightened by him.”

The book is less than 100 pages and was a quick and pleasant read.

[The Selfie Review · Rating 1 out of 5]

After reading the synopsis of this story, I was interested to learn how the three incidents mentioned would connect—mainly because there was a friendly ghost involved. Unfortunately, the connection continues to be a mystery as I was unable to complete this book.

The White Hart is from a group of stories written by the author, set in an English pub called The Red Grouse Inn. Friends gather in this place from time to time to trade stories with on another. This particular one is told by Pete Montague. To be honest, I was put off from the start of this book because of its prologue. I’m not one of those literary types that decries the use of prologues. They can be a vital asset to a story if done properly. In this case, it was merely used as a tool for Pete’s friends to tease out his story.

After a round of prodding, Pete agrees to tell his tale. What follows is a story about the time he discovered an injured, albino deer in the forest. I thought there might be hope in the arrival of this animal I’d never heard of, but it morphed into what felt like pages of description after description…of the forest, of him helping the deer from the trap, of a random chapel sitting in the distance, of the pews in the chapel…on and on. There seemed to be more description of places and things than anything really happening in the story.

After helping the animal, Pete goes inside the aforementioned chapel and finds a young woman inside. After brief (awkward) introductions, this young woman breaks into a history lesson and description of the same chapel. Sure, she’s telling him how it used to look, but as a reader, I really didn’t care by then. I just wanted to get to the action! After a lengthy description of the old chapel, the young woman launches into a tale of the persons who built the chapel. This might have been ok, but the story was simply “told”. Not in a saucily spun tale sort of way, but in the way of that friend we all have that likes to tell us stories about people we’ve never met and places we’ve never been. And because we have no reference for either, our friend—bless their heart—bypasses the juicy information and gives us a list of every detail about the buildings and every detail about the people involved. To the point where our mind wanders to the leftover mac and cheese in the fridge and how yummy it will be when reheated.

Ultimately, that’s why I closed the book. Not because I had mac and cheese to get to, but because there were just too many overwrought descriptions of things that had no impact on the story—whatever it was. The writing style was also a bit jarring, and Pete’s thoughts often rambled in a way that took me out of the story. Wordy, run-on sentences left me feeling dizzy. For example:

“Yes, I have been here before,” she replied confidently, in complete contrast to myself, and to my relief did so in a manner which suggested that either she had not noticed, or at least was not acknowledging my ham-fisted conversational gambit.

The one saving grace was a moment in which Pete and the woman debate about why it’s ok for women to want men for money (“security”), but not ok for men to want women for sex. Though an interesting argument, it wasn’t enough for me to continue reading. The cover of this book also left much to be desired. In the end, I cannot recommend this book, nor would I be likely to read another title from this author. If you enjoy books of a wordy nature, and the tendency for characters to go on non-essential tangents, this might work for you.

[Book Nerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before i start my review i'd like to thank @Bookstasters for giving me the opportunity to read The White Hart in advance and especially for their patience and their professionalism. Thank you so much!

This book was so rich. It was short, but i think the conversation Raphaella and Pete had was one of the most interesting conversations i've came across in books. I loved the scene with the white deer (it was my favorite part to be honest), the details of the estate and the establishment of the connection between the very charming young lady and the narrator was very smooth. I do not fancy horror stories much but this one was very well put together. Sometimes, specially when i was reading the part in which Peter and Raphaella discussed the "duties" of men and women in a relationship, i would be like "i would've probably thought/did the the same thing" so yes i felt very involved in the conversation indeed, and i felt a stronger connection to the book when Raphaella was telling the story about young Christine, the former owner of the estate. I felt like i was actually there and got hooked from start to end.
What quite interesting too is that by the end of the story, your vision of Peter as a character and your opinion about him automatically changes: the character development is very cleverly managed, and that's another thing i really appreciated. It's a story within a story, but you almost can't forget that Peter is actually in a pub with his friends, so you do not have to worry about getting disconnected from the original story. With a very captivating ending, this is unlike any other ghost story you will read, enchanting with a touch of romance. Totally recommend.

[Daffola · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Story is about a Young bachelor named Pete who narrates his stories to his friends !! First story is about his encounter with an albino deer which he calls Bambi and the second is actually a frame story (a story within a story) as he visits this chapel and becomes friends with this beautiful girl named Raphaella whom he sees inside chapel and she tells him a story about the
family whom ran the Hartstane Estate and Hartstane Ghost and And the third well read it yourselves!

This story gave me a Christmas Carol feeling as in that Ebenezer Scrooge encountered 3 ghosts however in this story Pete encountered an animal a human and a ghost probably !!

However I didn't understand what happened to Raphaella!! As she disappeared suddenly and right before reading the last chapter I thought she was the ghost since Pete himself was shocked about how she was able to disappear in a way he couldn't notice

Leslie W.P Garlands use of allusions has made the story even more interesting such as his referring to the Albino deer as Bambi and also talking about the ghost while making a simile to Swan of the Swan Lake !!!

The opinions That Pete and Raphaella had about controversial Genders war that's been going on ever since The Creation was good also criticism of both men and women though as I was reading it kinda distracted me from the main story but it was well explained indeed !

The Environments and Places in The White Hart were described in a beautiful way that I could imagine the images in my mind!!

Lastly This story is definitely a good story to read!!

[Julie Onoh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The White Hart is one of The Red Grouse Tales series written by Leslie W P Garland. I found it mesmerizing with a great message of being kind to others - man or beast – without an expectation of a reward.
Pete Montague is a fell runner who during one of his runs comes across a beautiful white hart in distress. Without thinking twice, he hastens to relieve the helpless animal and thus sets a chain of events rolling.
I commend the writer for being able to marry the scene at the bar along with the story itself in such a seamless manner. I could almost see myself at the pub.
I found the character of the beautiful Raphaella to be quite intriguing and enjoyed her argument with Pete on the desires of men and women. This got him thinking and asking questions. Reading this book, you can’t help but feel that it has a ring of realistic truth.
I found the introduction to the first chapter a bit boring. There are ways to describe your environment without going overboard with it. In spite of this, I totally enjoyed the read. If you are in need of a book to curl up with in bed, The White Hart would be a great choice.

[Phil Leader · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fourth of The Red Grouse Tales is also the most obviously paranormal in nature. Told by Pete, a keen fell runner and ladies' man, his one tale actually consists of three linked stories. The central and longest concerns a visit to an old chapel, all that remains of a stately home. There he meets a woman who relates the tragic story of Christine, the former owner of the house and supposed ghost.

This isn't a ghost story designed to spook or discomfort; instead the intriguing tale of Christine, along with that of Pete himself, is a moral one of how some men and women manipulate each other and at what level that becomes unacceptable. The story itself is light with a happy (if not entirely surprising) ending that will leave a warmth where other stories in this collection have left a chill.

The lightest of the Red Grouse tales (in the edition I read) but very much a suitable one to end with.

[Jai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but satisfyingly fun and insightful. Pete is very introspective in his narration, and his inner monologue can be both astute and trifling. On one hand, he could be criticizing the gender dichotomy (as quoted below) but the next moment, he would be indulging in his sexual reverie. Though, as volatile as his thoughts could get, it doesn't undermine the intricately written storyline but rather, it adds more flavor into it. If you like to think and overthink, then this will definitely get your brain waves rolling.

"Why are people like this? Why do the sexes fight each other, when there is no need to? Why does each use the weapons at its disposal to try and take advantage of and do down the other? What for? What is the point of it? Why can't both, why can't people grasp the simple concept of doing unto others as they would have others do unto them? Why can't both just behave reasonably?"

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd like to thank Booktasters and Leslie W P Garland for the opportunity in reading this ghostly tale. The White Hart begins as friends meet in a pub and exchange ghost stories. Pete, the narrator, tells the peculiar story of coming to the aid of a wounded white deer and meeting a mysterious, beautiful, fascinating girl named Raphaella who tells him the tragic story of Christine la Judicieux. During the tale, the issue of the relationships between men and women are addressed. I especially liked the POV of both the male and female in addressing whether people marry for love or for money. Overall, this was a fascinating story to read.

[Yolisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first book by this author and i must say I was not disappointed.It's not a big book.If you are one of those who doesn't like long winding books,this one's for you.It's a beautifully creative ghost story,with a love twist.
The story teller/narrator seems to enjoy hearing his voice.He keeps the listener tuned,very descriptive about every little detail.You will not miss a thing.He makes you feel like you were there,seeing things yourself.

[Elaine Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just remember, this is my opinion only. Other readers have left glowing reviews, so please read it and decide for yourselves. Unfortunately, this book didn't do it for me. I struggled to read it and it took me a couple of months to actually finish it.
The beginning was very long and felt repetitive. The middle, which held the ghost story, was quite enjoyable. But the end... it was like... Oh, is that it?

[Bundledupbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Garland’s tale is one of my favorites in his four part collection. It’s interesting, easy to follow, pulled me in, and I think, focuses on a topic I hear a lot about lately. His characters are well thought out and go through a journey all their own while still being relatable.

[P.S. Winn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick read and adds a lot of story that isn't about a ghost tale, but it makes the story a bit more rounded. Beginning with the sighting of an albino deer, the author takes readers into a bit of a ghost story and a hint of romance.

[Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

The narrator rambles and repeats himself unnecessarily, but the characters are varied and fun, the theme has multiple levels of complexity, and the fell-running jokes made me laugh.

[Leslie Garland · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the misery of "The Golden Tup" I wanted something a bit lighter, something with a bit of fun in it and a “battle of the sexes” story seemed a good one to go for - we all like to have a moan about the other sex, but we also all like a bit of love and romance! Once again, the initial idea for this tale was its ending, so I am not going to tell you that. However having got that, the rest of the story fell into place fairly easily with our, I hope, likeable male chauvinist Pete, meeting more than his match in an elusive, young and pretty Raphaella who tells him the story of the young mistress of a country estate, whilst at the same time gently suggesting to Pete the errors of his ways! As I wanted this tale to be a bit of a pick-me-up after "The Golden Tup", I decided to have the historic part leading on from the historic part that story and so some of the characters get a mention in both tales. Although it is meant as a bit of fun, there is also tragedy in it - it is a ghost story after all! However, that said, I hope it ends as happily as it is possible for a ghost story to end.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Number of stars 4.5 out of 5


Do you believe in ghosts? I know that I do.

This short story told in The Red Grouse Inn, an English Pub, where a group of friends meet regularly for a few drinks and chat. Pete's friends like to tease him but it's all in good faith. Like all good friends do right?

Pete is a bit of a ladies' man who hasn't meet he's soulmate yet. He is a runner, the countryside being like a lift for his soul, he loves the wild life and the natural environment.

On this particular Thursday evening, Pete decides to tell a tale about Hartstane Hall, an old estate which has disintegrated over the years.

This short story is very well put together. If you like ghost stories and looking for something different and easy to read, then this is definitely worth picking up.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

White Hart by Leslie Garland is a fabulous story about "a likeable male chauvinist, bachelor and keen fell - runner Pete Montague". During his running through the wood Pete experience a few strange things, which affect his future life. It is really fresh, funny, but also a little bit mysterious story. Leslie Garland is very talented writer. His descriptions of the countryside just underline whole atmosphere of the story. Definitely worth a read!

[Miss S · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has nice story which is beautifully descriptive that you can actually feel the wet moss. It is a nice opening if a little rambeling before the tale starts but was worth the wait

[Fhey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first time to read a book about Leslie Garland and I must say, it didn't dissappoint me. The book is full of adventure about ghost with a love story twist.