Ghost Stories for Christmas

by Shane Brown

Five ghost stories set during the Christmas period to add an extra chill to the festive season! In "Houses Never Forget," a man returns to the village he grew up in, only to find that a house hasn't forgiven him for something he did as a boy. "The Philatelist" tells the story of two brothers, one good and one bad - but even the good might want revenge from beyond the grave. "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" is the tale of a man who is forced to repeat a tragic evening from his student days every year, but what happens when he tries to break the cycle? A university professor rents a remote cottage on the grounds of a former school in order to write up his research in "The Stranger in the Snow," but, when the snow falls, he finds he's not alone. Finally, "The Gift" is the heart-warming tale of an old man who is given an unusual gift by a department store Father Christmas. From the author of "The Pied Piper," "The School Bell," and "The Successor." 139 pages. Also available in the "Ghost Stories for Christmas" "The Festive Symphony" (a novella) and "In the Bleak Midwinter" (two novellas and a short story).

Genres: Christmas

141 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 3, 2021

About the author

Shane Brown has a PhD in Film, Television and Media from the University of East Anglia in Norwich, UK, with his thesis about representations of male queerness in silent and early sound film. His book on the same subject will be published in September 2016. In 2013, Shane published his young adult novel, Breaking Point, dealing with the subject of homophobic bullying in schools. To date, it has had over 7000 Kindle downloads. A new edition was published in 2019, along with a sequel, Breaking Down. His 2016 novel, The Lookout, is an adult ghost story set on the Norfolk coast. He has also published song-by-song guides to the music of Elvis Presley and Bobby Darin.

Reviews

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t really read that many ghost stories; I am certainly not a fan of horror and gore in writing or on scene.

But Christmas was always a time it seems to me when ghost stories were shared. I think I have read a few in other Christmas anthologies and I remember the BBC often had a season of ghostly tales in their Christmas edition of the Radio Times. They may still do in some format but perhaps the tradition is falling out of fashion.

I was pleased therefore to pick out this book of five short stories within this hopefully enduring theme. Overall in each one I found something to enjoy within the writing and themes covered. The scary house, the sense of guilt and the anniversary of a horrendous accident. To the mystery of an event and the loss of a loved one you long to see again. Not so much ghostly events themselves but unexplained circumstances difficult to set aside and challenging our belief systems.

I enjoy them on this level; how places and events can influence us. Why some can feel a presence or claim somewhere is haunted is part of this process but the ideas appeal to me rather than the manifestations attributed.

Therefore these stories can be quite stimulating rather than mind altering. Reading about Father Christmas doesn’t make one believe in him any more but you will appreciate “The Gift” as related here.

I don’t believe in ghosts, trolls, elves, giants etc but I think the traditions and stories that have grown up across cultures and been reworked by inventive storytellers are interesting. In Shane Brown I think we have someone faithful to this genre with creative and imaginative ideas.

[James Kinsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice little collection of seasonal tales, that get better as the book progresses. I was certainly won over by the book's charm by the last two stories.

[Lou Canning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five enjoyable ghost stories set at Christmas time. My first book by Shane Brown I shall definitely read another.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

More Than Scrooge's Three

Shane Brown is a new author to me. I have truly enjoyed his collection of ghosts stories for Christmas. I will be looking for more books from Mr. Brown.

[Cindyloo84 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked these short Christmas ghost stories.

[Orla Loughran · Rating 5 out of 5]

brilliant

Loved every story
Beautifully told with that surreal element tailored to each tale
Highly recommended
Will defo read more from the author

[Lydia Schoch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas is the perfect time to reflect on the past for the living and the dead alike.

Here’s an interesting tidbit of information for you as I get this review started: all of these stories are set in the same village, Brandley. Keep that in mind as you read them.

The unnamed protagonist in “Houses Never Forget” was someone who rarely thought about his rash childhood decision that that angered the house in his village so much. I can’t go into a lot of detail about what he did without giving away spoilers, but I thought this was an intelligent sketch of a character who would be easy to villanize but whose decision was also one that many other folks make every single day without realizing just how corrosive small town gossip can be.

Joshua, the bad son in ”The Philatelist,” was a violent troublemaker who never showed signs of empathy for anyone. I was intrigued by how the adults around him reacted to him when he destroyed property and physically harmed others. He was the sort of person I’d never want to cross paths with, and yet I couldn’t help but to wonder what had made him behave the way he did and why he enjoyed bullying his younger brother so much. It would have been helpful if the narrator had explained the origins of his behaviour because of how erratic and violent he was, but I also recognize that there are people like him walking around in real life whose decisions are just as difficult to understand. The plot of this one was straightforward, so I was glad to have some character development to ponder while I read.

After the heaviness of the previous story, “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” was a nice change of pace. I think we all probably have at least one thing in our pasts we wish we could go back and change. When that isn’t possible and there’s a ghost involved who insists on repeating the same evening over again on the anniversary of her death every December, what’s the next best option? Other readers should discover the answer to that question for themselves, but I thought this was a thought-provoking look at the unhelpful patterns people can find themselves in when they’re unwilling to face their pasts. If only the narrator had dove more deeply into the topic. There seemed even more that could have been said about it, and I would have gone for a full five-star rating if a few minor things like this had been adjusted in this collection. The final scene made me wish for a sequel, too, given all of the hints in it about what was about to happen to the main character next.

Everyone needs peace and quiet sometimes. Paul thought he’d found it in “The Stranger in the Snow” until the snowstorm hit. His compassionate response to the visitor who appeared after it had been snowing for a while told me everything I needed to know about him. I enjoyed seeing how they interacted and quietly waited for an explanation of why someone would be out in a snowstorm alone without enough layers to keep them warm. The ending, too, was my favourite of all of the endings in this collection. I held my breath as it was announced and wished I could dive back into the opening scene to warn Paul about what was to come.

”The Gift“ had such a cynical beginning that I honesty wasn’t sure what to think of that protagonist. Was Arnold this grumpy about everything, or was it only Christmas that he thought had been irrevocably ruined? Luckily, I didn’t have to wait long to get my answer, and when it arrived it softened my opinion of him immediately. One never knows what others are quietly struggling with, and I wiped away a few tears as Arnold slowly shared more of his past with the audience. This was such a beautiful and heartwarming way to close off this collection.

Ghost Stories for Christmas made me smile.

[Sophie Bowns · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good selection of Ghost stories! My favourite was The Stranger in the Snow.

[stephen smitten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spooky

I liked these short ghost stories, I read a whole one before going to sleep, original ideas, and well written.

[J DAWSON · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spookily good

Perfect for an afternoon when the rain is lashing on the window panes .to light the fire and enjoy these stories that linger on in the mind once read . Beautifully written and makes you wanting more . Looking forward to the new book too.