What do you think?
Rate this book
The Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories #1
The Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories
7 • Introduction (The Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories) • (1964) • essay by Robert Aickman
11 • The Travelling Grave • (1929) • novelette by L. P. Hartley
31 • The Ghost Ship • (1912) • shortstory by Richard Middleton (aka The Ghost-Ship)
41 • Squire Toby's Will • (1868) • novelette by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu [as by J. Sheridan Le Fanu ]
70 • The Voice in the Night • (1907) • shortstory by William Hope Hodgson
82 • Three Miles Up • (1951) • shortstory by Elizabeth Jane Howard
100 • The Rocking-Horse Winner • (1926) • shortstory by D. H. Lawrence
115 • The Wendigo • (1910) • novella by Algernon Blackwood
160 • The Crown Derby Plate • (1933) • shortstory by Marjorie Bowen
172 • The Trains • (1951) • novelette by Robert Aickman
209 • The Old Nurse's Story • (1852) • novelette by Mrs. Gaskell
229 • Seaton's Aunt • (1922) • novelette by Walter de la Mare
11 • The Travelling Grave • (1929) • novelette by L. P. Hartley
31 • The Ghost Ship • (1912) • shortstory by Richard Middleton (aka The Ghost-Ship)
41 • Squire Toby's Will • (1868) • novelette by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu [as by J. Sheridan Le Fanu ]
70 • The Voice in the Night • (1907) • shortstory by William Hope Hodgson
82 • Three Miles Up • (1951) • shortstory by Elizabeth Jane Howard
100 • The Rocking-Horse Winner • (1926) • shortstory by D. H. Lawrence
115 • The Wendigo • (1910) • novella by Algernon Blackwood
160 • The Crown Derby Plate • (1933) • shortstory by Marjorie Bowen
172 • The Trains • (1951) • novelette by Robert Aickman
209 • The Old Nurse's Story • (1852) • novelette by Mrs. Gaskell
229 • Seaton's Aunt • (1922) • novelette by Walter de la Mare
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1964
8 people are currently reading
275 people want to read
About the author
Robert Aickman
155 books538 followersAuthor of: close to 50 "strange stories" in the weird-tale and ghost-story traditions, two novels (The Late Breakfasters and The Model), two volumes of memoir (The Attempted Rescue and The River Runs Uphill), and two books on the canals of England (Know Your Waterways and The Story of Our Inland Waterways).
Co-founder and longtime president of the Inland Waterways Association, an organization that in the middle of the 20th century restored a great part of England's deteriorating system of canals, now a major draw for recreation nationally and for tourism internationally.
Grandson of author Richard Marsh.
Co-founder and longtime president of the Inland Waterways Association, an organization that in the middle of the 20th century restored a great part of England's deteriorating system of canals, now a major draw for recreation nationally and for tourism internationally.
Grandson of author Richard Marsh.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 15, 2015
You just never know what you're going to find when you start cleaning off your horror shelves. I'd totally forgotten I even owned this book so imagine my great delight when I looked through the table of contents and saw these titles and these authors:
"The Travelling Grave", by LP Hartley
"The Ghost Ship", by Richard Middleton
"Squire Toby's Will," by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
"The Voice in the Night," by William Hope Hodgson
"Three Miles Up," by Elizabeth Jane Howard
"The Rocking-horse Winner," by D.H. Lawrence
"The Wendigo," by Algernon Blackwood
"The Crown Derby Plate," by Marjorie Bowen
"The Trains," by Robert Aickman
"The Old Nurse's Story," by Mrs. Gaskell
"Seaton's Aunt," by Walter de la Mare
Modern readers of horror may find these stories somewhat dated, or perhaps not even scary, but these stories are true classics in every sense of the word.
I'm hard pressed to pick a favorite, but Aickman's "The Trains" and "Three Miles Up," by Elizabeth Jane Howard totally rattled me. I've read "The Trains" a number of times (it's a favorite, and I'm still scratching my head over that one). Howard's work (new to me) wins my choice for creepiest story in this collection, about some friends who decide to take a boat ride through England's canals. Crikey -- here's another story where the ending left some pretty mind-shattering and beyond-disturbing implications in my head. It was one of the creepiest tales in the entire collection. Memo to self -- I MUST find more of Howard's ghost stories.
Also new to me are "The Voice in the Night," "The Old Nurse's Story" and "The Crown Derby Plate." I don't know that I'd classify Hodgson's piece as a ghost story per se, but it's an incredibly disturbing little tale.
"Seaton's Aunt," "The Rocking-horse Winner," "Squire Toby's Will" and "The Wendigo" are old true-blue favorites; although they are rereads, they still have an incredible amount of creep factor that produces the familiar and greatly-desired raising o' the hackles and hair on my neck.
Less personally appealing but still good (although neither totally wowed me) were "The Travelling Grave" and "The Ghost Ship." I have to confess that I'd never heard of Richard Middleton before picking up this book, and even though I wasn't overcome with delight while reading his piece, it did make me want to find out more about him and his other work. So I bought a copy of his The Ghost Ship and Others; apparently he's also quite well known for a story called "On the Brighton Road," so I'm sure I'll be posting about that collection in the near future.
Aickman notes in the introduction that "There are only thirty or forty first-class ghost stories in the whole of western literature," without saying which ones, but if the Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories is any judge of what he considers "first-class," I'm eager to move on through all eight of this series of books he edited before Ronald Chetwynd-Hayes took over. As someone who loves a great ghost story, especially the classics, I'd say that this book is definitely a must-have for anyone who is even remotely interested. Enjoy the shivers up your spine...
"The Travelling Grave", by LP Hartley
"The Ghost Ship", by Richard Middleton
"Squire Toby's Will," by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
"The Voice in the Night," by William Hope Hodgson
"Three Miles Up," by Elizabeth Jane Howard
"The Rocking-horse Winner," by D.H. Lawrence
"The Wendigo," by Algernon Blackwood
"The Crown Derby Plate," by Marjorie Bowen
"The Trains," by Robert Aickman
"The Old Nurse's Story," by Mrs. Gaskell
"Seaton's Aunt," by Walter de la Mare
Modern readers of horror may find these stories somewhat dated, or perhaps not even scary, but these stories are true classics in every sense of the word.
I'm hard pressed to pick a favorite, but Aickman's "The Trains" and "Three Miles Up," by Elizabeth Jane Howard totally rattled me. I've read "The Trains" a number of times (it's a favorite, and I'm still scratching my head over that one). Howard's work (new to me) wins my choice for creepiest story in this collection, about some friends who decide to take a boat ride through England's canals. Crikey -- here's another story where the ending left some pretty mind-shattering and beyond-disturbing implications in my head. It was one of the creepiest tales in the entire collection. Memo to self -- I MUST find more of Howard's ghost stories.
Also new to me are "The Voice in the Night," "The Old Nurse's Story" and "The Crown Derby Plate." I don't know that I'd classify Hodgson's piece as a ghost story per se, but it's an incredibly disturbing little tale.
"Seaton's Aunt," "The Rocking-horse Winner," "Squire Toby's Will" and "The Wendigo" are old true-blue favorites; although they are rereads, they still have an incredible amount of creep factor that produces the familiar and greatly-desired raising o' the hackles and hair on my neck.
Less personally appealing but still good (although neither totally wowed me) were "The Travelling Grave" and "The Ghost Ship." I have to confess that I'd never heard of Richard Middleton before picking up this book, and even though I wasn't overcome with delight while reading his piece, it did make me want to find out more about him and his other work. So I bought a copy of his The Ghost Ship and Others; apparently he's also quite well known for a story called "On the Brighton Road," so I'm sure I'll be posting about that collection in the near future.
Aickman notes in the introduction that "There are only thirty or forty first-class ghost stories in the whole of western literature," without saying which ones, but if the Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories is any judge of what he considers "first-class," I'm eager to move on through all eight of this series of books he edited before Ronald Chetwynd-Hayes took over. As someone who loves a great ghost story, especially the classics, I'd say that this book is definitely a must-have for anyone who is even remotely interested. Enjoy the shivers up your spine...
January 16, 2010
The book has the following short stories:
The Travelling Grave - LP Hartley
The Ghost Ship - R Middleton
Squire Toby's Will - J Sheridan le Fanu
The Voice in the Night - William Hope Hodgson
Three Miles Up - Elizabeth Jane Howard
The Rocking Horse Winner - DH Lawrence
The Wendigo - Algernon Blackwood
The Crown Derby Plate - Marjorie Bowen
The Trains - Robert Aickman
The Old Nurse's Story - Mrs Gaskell
Seaton's Aunt - Walter de la Mare
The stories varied in their complexity but all were unique. I really liked The Ghost Ship and it was a story that stayed with me for a couple of days. I will have to go back and re-read 'The Trains' as while I got the gist of the tale, I really think I missed the subtlety that the author was trying to imply.
It was, for me, a great read as I brought me back to those younger days when I used to read vast amounts of Poe and others of his ilk, who were my first inspiration for wanting to write.
The Travelling Grave - LP Hartley
The Ghost Ship - R Middleton
Squire Toby's Will - J Sheridan le Fanu
The Voice in the Night - William Hope Hodgson
Three Miles Up - Elizabeth Jane Howard
The Rocking Horse Winner - DH Lawrence
The Wendigo - Algernon Blackwood
The Crown Derby Plate - Marjorie Bowen
The Trains - Robert Aickman
The Old Nurse's Story - Mrs Gaskell
Seaton's Aunt - Walter de la Mare
The stories varied in their complexity but all were unique. I really liked The Ghost Ship and it was a story that stayed with me for a couple of days. I will have to go back and re-read 'The Trains' as while I got the gist of the tale, I really think I missed the subtlety that the author was trying to imply.
It was, for me, a great read as I brought me back to those younger days when I used to read vast amounts of Poe and others of his ilk, who were my first inspiration for wanting to write.
February 9, 2019
Robert Aickman was a fascinating writer (his own story The Trains is the best one in this collection), but he wasn't the greatest of selectors. There are only three here (out of eleven) which I would rate good to very good - Sheridan LeFanu's much anthologised 'Squire Toby's Will' (a man wrongly inherits a house and faces hauntings for his trouble); Elizabeth Jane Howard's 'Three Miles Up' (a good atmospheric and well characterised tale of a group of young people on a boat travelling up a route that's not on their map); and finally Aickman's own 'The Trains' (mysterious, in both character and situation, story of two young women hikers who end up in a house with a very odd old man - not sure about the end mind you!).
Of the others? I'd say there are four ok and four poor ones!
Of the others? I'd say there are four ok and four poor ones!
December 20, 2017
The Fontana Books of Great Ghost Stories were favourites of mine as an adolescent. However I had never read the first in the series until now. It was a little disappointing as I found some stories to be indifferent and a couple I skipped altogether.
Notwithstanding this it was pleasant to revisit a series that always used to mark the end of a school term, as our English teacher would forego the lesson in favour of reading a ghost story in his rich baritone voice. I can hear him to this day.
Notwithstanding this it was pleasant to revisit a series that always used to mark the end of a school term, as our English teacher would forego the lesson in favour of reading a ghost story in his rich baritone voice. I can hear him to this day.
February 21, 2014
Another re-read from adolescence and again an eclectic collection, encompassing the classic, 'Squire Toby's Will' to the bizarre, LP Hartley's 'The Travelling Grave'. Highly enjoyable, such a shame such anthologies do not seem to be published these days.
August 12, 2025
First of all, this was edited by Robert Aickman so you just know it is going to be authentic.
Secondly, this collection spawned a whole series of anthologies (I think there are 20 books in total).
And, finally, it is a really strong selection that contains three of my own personal favourites, namely:
Squire Toby's Will - J. Sheridan Le Fanu
The Wendigo - Algernon Blackwood
The Trains - Robert Aickman
Go grab a copy of this. You will get it in second hand book stores.
Secondly, this collection spawned a whole series of anthologies (I think there are 20 books in total).
And, finally, it is a really strong selection that contains three of my own personal favourites, namely:
Squire Toby's Will - J. Sheridan Le Fanu
The Wendigo - Algernon Blackwood
The Trains - Robert Aickman
Go grab a copy of this. You will get it in second hand book stores.
June 29, 2024
Read:
Seaton's Aunt – Walter de la Mare 3/5.
Squire Toby's Will - J. Sheridan le Fanu - 2/5
The Rocking Horse Winner - 3/5
The Trains – Robert Aickman 5/5
The Travelling Grave – L.P. Hartley - 3/5
The Voice in the Night – William Hope Hodgson 3/5
The Wendigo – Algernon Blackwood 4/5
Seaton's Aunt – Walter de la Mare 3/5.
Squire Toby's Will - J. Sheridan le Fanu - 2/5
The Rocking Horse Winner - 3/5
The Trains – Robert Aickman 5/5
The Travelling Grave – L.P. Hartley - 3/5
The Voice in the Night – William Hope Hodgson 3/5
The Wendigo – Algernon Blackwood 4/5
March 20, 2022
The first of the long-running ghost anthology series, and a sister series to the Fontana Books of Horror. Robert Aickman contributes a somewhat dour and downbeat introduction, complaining that there are only 30 or 40 good ghost stories in existence, and cheekily includes one of his own in this collection – THE TRAINS, a somewhat lengthy, sprawling and rather obvious piece that would have been much better at a fraction of the length.
I'm already familiar with many classics repeated here, from the delightfully odd THE TRAVELLING GRAVE to one of my favourite seafaring stories, THE VOICE IN THE NIGHT. THE ROCKING-HORSE WINNER and THE WENDIGO are over-familiar classics too, and THE CROWN DERBY PLATE and THE OLD NURSE'S STORY can be found in many other anthologies, as good as they are. I didn't feel the need to re-read any of these titles.
New-to-me efforts include the following: THE GHOST SHIP, an oddball story of a village of ghosts by Richard Middleton; I normally don't like humour stories but this one works well. J.S. Le Fanu's SQUIRE TOBY'S WILL is another popular effort that has previously bypassed me, and I enjoyed it a lot; a tale of family feuding leading to ghostly vengeance. Traditional, and dripping with atmosphere to boot. Elizabeth Jane Howard's THREE MILES UP is an intriguing canal-set ghost story with little explanation but bags of atmosphere. Finally, there's some interest in the premise of Walter de la Mare's SEATON'S AUNT, but I found the overt racism a little unforgiveable and the lengthy prose somewhat over-written.
I'm already familiar with many classics repeated here, from the delightfully odd THE TRAVELLING GRAVE to one of my favourite seafaring stories, THE VOICE IN THE NIGHT. THE ROCKING-HORSE WINNER and THE WENDIGO are over-familiar classics too, and THE CROWN DERBY PLATE and THE OLD NURSE'S STORY can be found in many other anthologies, as good as they are. I didn't feel the need to re-read any of these titles.
New-to-me efforts include the following: THE GHOST SHIP, an oddball story of a village of ghosts by Richard Middleton; I normally don't like humour stories but this one works well. J.S. Le Fanu's SQUIRE TOBY'S WILL is another popular effort that has previously bypassed me, and I enjoyed it a lot; a tale of family feuding leading to ghostly vengeance. Traditional, and dripping with atmosphere to boot. Elizabeth Jane Howard's THREE MILES UP is an intriguing canal-set ghost story with little explanation but bags of atmosphere. Finally, there's some interest in the premise of Walter de la Mare's SEATON'S AUNT, but I found the overt racism a little unforgiveable and the lengthy prose somewhat over-written.
October 18, 2022
A real mixed bag of stories some plain silly (the ghost ship), some obtuse (Seaton's Aunt) and some in the classic mould (The Nurse). Too many of the stores left me feeling cold as opposed to chilled; not enough spine tingling and too much head scratching.
May 30, 2021
Great stories
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews