There’s a real mixture here in terms of quality.
Some of the poorer stories are tales that could be situated anywhere, and just happen to have a Lake District village tagged to them, a bit like Tesco’s own baked beans.
As often with such collections the better ones are at the start of the book. Notably, The Woman of Wasdale and The Hitcher.
I’m critical perhaps because this is one genre and setting where I really think I could write well. I have made up, and told, so many ghost stories over the years, based here (where I live) in the Lake District, and other mountain areas. Granted, I had a captive audience; those youngsters on the many adventure trips I led.
I see ghosts everywhere. Or rather, I imagine I can see them, and would like to; whether it’s the 11th century Abbey down the road or the now flooded graveyards of the churches of Moesdale and Mardale, and our Corpse Road.
I’m pretty sure I could do better…