Horror Aficionados discussion

The ghost story is one of oldest and most popular trope in horror. What are your favorite ghost stories?

Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: ""

That by which all other ghost story books are compared to. Straub’s writing in this is literary genius. I’ve reread this 3 times and every time I read it, it makes me want to burn my own writing.

Anything by M.R. James, William Hope Hodgson's Carnacki stories.....and William Meikle's additions to that series.

Another vote for .

Plus,


(or another representative collection)

by Duncan Ralston- five star read for me. This was a great ghostly tale and I read it within two days as I just could not put it down! Gripping and intense! It is on my favorites shelf!

by Brian Moreland - five star read. This was a great ghostly tale of a haunted forest mixed with a Indian reservation! Read this book within two days and the pace was fast along with a haunting intensity! Another one that is on my favorites shelf!

More time now, and more to add:

Novels:
Bag of Bones
The Woman in Black
Naomi's Room
Heart-Shaped Box

Collections (with caveat that not all ghost stories have ghosts, so you find other ... things ... in some of the stories here):
The Two Sams
The Bone Key: The Necromantic Mysteries of Kyle Murchison Booth
Ghost Summer: Stories

A YA novel I'm fond of:
Tamsin

The problem I always have when working up a list of favorite ghost stories is, oddly enough, figuring out just what a “ghost” is. As an example, M. R. James’ justly famous Ghost Stories of an Antiquary would seem to feature very few ghosts. Anyway, here are a baker’s dozen. It’s not a particularly well thought out list and relies heavily on old chestnuts.

“The Body Snatcher”, Robert Louis Stevenson (1884)
“Man Overboard!”, F. Marion Crawford (1903)
“The Beckoning Fair One”, Oliver Onions (1911)
“Smee”, A. M. Burrage (1929)
“The Frontier Guards”, H. Russell Wakefield (1929)
“Mr. Arcularis”, Conrad Aiken (1931)
“Three Miles Up”, Elizabeth Jane Howard (1951)
“The Haunting of Y-12”, Al Sarrantonio (1981)
“But at My Back I Will Always Hear”, David Morrell (1983)
“Mr. Dark’s Carnival”, Glen Hirshberg (2000)
“The Legend of the Midnight Cruiser”, Michael Reaves (2003)
“Bloody Bill”, Reggie Oliver (2005)
“The Redfield Girls”, Laird Barron (2010)

I've read and enjoyed the Stevenson, Onions, Burrage, Aiken and Hirshberg; all first rate stories, though one anthologist argued that "The Body Snatcher" wasn't a ghost story and sounded like he was mad about it.

I'd add E.F. Benson's "Caterpillars" which is probably the creepiest story I've read by him, and Robert Aickman's "The Inner Room." Walter de la Mare's "Seaton's Aunt" is also creepy and a ghost story. Sort of.

Randy wrote:

I've read and enjoyed the Stevenson, Onions, Burrage, Aiken and Hirshberg; all first rate stories, though one anthologist argued that "The Body Snatcher" wasn't a ghost story and sounded like he was mad about it.

To your point about “The Body Snatcher”, yeah, I can certainly understand why someone might be hesitant to classify it as a ghost story. On reflection, the final image does seem more tangible than intangible.

Randy also wrote (in part):

I'd add E.F. Benson's "Caterpillars" which is probably the creepiest story I've read by him,

Coincidentally, I’ve been slowly re-reading Benson’s stuff over the last year or so (a story or so every week). They’re not quite as enthralling as I remember them being when I first read them as a teenager, but there are relatively few clinkers. If I were to highlight a single recurring flaw in Benson’s work, it might be his tendency to try to provide a pseudo-scientific explanation for supernatural phenomena. I get that this message was at least in part addressing the Spiritualist beliefs then prevalent in many English-speaking countries, but for my money that kind of over-explanation almost always sucks the mystery and tension out of a story. Not very original, but my favorite Benson story would unquestionably be “The Room in the Tower”. Any number of runners-up, e.g., “Naboth’s Vineyard” and “The Face”.

I've never understood the fascination with Ghost Story, unfortunately. Probably due to the lack of ghosts in a book with a title dominated by their namesake.

Everybody is so hell-bent on talking it up though, that I might have to give it another read one day. Maybe I was having a bad day.

Baz wrote: "I've never understood the fascination with Ghost Story, unfortunately. Probably due to the lack of ghosts in a book with a title dominated by their namesake.

Everybody is so hell-bent..."

I am much the same Baz and on the Haunting of Hill House, Found both books quite mundane to be honest.

Canavan wrote: "Randy wrote:
I've read and enjoyed the Stevenson, Onions, Burrage, Aiken and Hirshberg; all first rate stories, though one anthologist argued that "The Body Snatcher" wasn't a ghost story and sounded like he was mad about it.

To your point about “The Body Snatcher”, yeah, I can certainly understand why someone might be hesitant to classify it as a ghost story. On reflection, the final image does seem more tangible than intangible."

The editor was Herbert Wise in Great Tales of Terror and the Supernatural if he hadn't probably been dead by the time I read it, I'd have taken exception. I think the story can be defended on psychological grounds as occupying ground somewhere between his division between terror and the supernatural.

Anyway, I also love the movie version with Karloff and Lugosi.

I agree about Benson, although I'm finding it on first reading of most of his stories. They're all engaging, and the ones I really like -- "The Room in the Tower"; "Mrs. Amworth" in spite of no longer having a surprise in it; "Caterpillars" -- I like a lot.

Randy said (in part):

Anyway, I also love the movie version with Karloff and Lugosi.

Yes, one of the movies that Val Lewton produced. I liked most of those.

Randy wrote (in part) concerning “The Body Snatcher”:

The editor was Herbert Wise in Great Tales of Terror and the Supernatural if he hadn't probably been dead by the time I read it, I'd have taken exception. I think the story can be defended on psychological grounds as occupying ground somewhere between his division between terror and the supernatural.

That’s a great anthology, of course. Every once in a while I’ll pull it down off the shelf. If I ever read Wise’s introduction, it was decades ago. Your comment prompted me to skim through it. Obviously, given that I’ve already made it known that it’s a favorite of mine, I disagree with his perspective on the Robert Louis Stevenson story. (Ironically, I sometime find myself annoyed by stories which embody a characteristic precisely the opposite of the one Wise describes! — the supposed supernatural tale in which a natural or realistic solution is introduced at the last moment.) As for the intro as a whole, the most charitable description of Wise’s discourse on terror, the supernatural, and racial memories appertaining thereto is that it’s dated.

Asylum by Ambrose Isben was really good
and I loved Summer of Night by Dan Simmons.

So many to choose from, and I love that I've seen some on this list I probably need to read!

My favorite ghost stories include:

Ghost Story
The House Next Door
The Shining
Pet Sematary
Bag of Bones
The Haunting of Hill House
Burnt Offerings
The Amityville Horror
Experimental Film
Kill Creek

There's probably more, but these are the first that came to mind!

*Also yes, Amityville has been debunked but true story or not, the book itself scared the crap out of me as a teenager

Please recommend me some amazing supernatural scary books to read

Straub's "Ghost Story"......anything by M.R. James......Datlow has a couple anthologies out as well...

Jeff Mc

April wrote: "Asylum by Ambrose Isben was really good
and I loved Summer of Night by Dan Simmons."

The series of Asylum was excellent! Truly scare worthy!

This list can go on....

My favorites, but not limited to...

Forest of Shadows
The Ghosts of Sleath
Ghost Story
A Winter of Ghosts
Haunted
Winter Wake
Floating Staircase
Island of the Forbidden
The House That Jack Built
The Siren and The Spectre

I just finished NOS4A2 and it was great!!

I really enjoyed Purgatory by Rosetta Allan. Based around a true crime, it's told from the viewpoint of the ghost child. Chilling.

Justin wrote: "Please recommend me some amazing supernatural scary books to read"

The Cabin at the End of the World, by Paul Tremblay was hard to put down.

I have a few more ghost story books since my last post in here two years ago:

The Haunting of Blackwood House
Ghost House
Linden Manor
ESSIE'S HOUSE
Sick House
Wylding Hall
Home Before Dark
The Siren and the Specter
The Ghost of Molly Holt
Haunted: Perron Manor (this is a series)
The House Next Door
A House by the Sea

Justin wrote: "Please recommend me some amazing supernatural scary books to read"

is pretty amazing.

Other good ghost stories that come to mind are:

by Jeff Brackett, different from the one suggested by people above

Marie wrote: "I have a few more ghost story books since my last post in here two years ago:

The Haunting of Blackwood House
Ghost House
Linden Manor
[book:ESSIE'S H..."



It makes me happy to see someone recommend Clare McNally

Carrie wrote: "It makes me happy to see someone recommend Clare McNally.."

Thank you, Carrie! I read Ghost House and Ghost House Revenge which both were excellent books. The atmospheric haunting was top notch in both books!

Hi Marie

It's good to know there are other Clare McNally fans out there. I have been a huge Clare fan for years. Since the 1980s. I have about 8 of her books. I love re-reading them. They are a delight to me and are a great inspiration to me as a horror writer who likes to delve into the world of ghosts.

Mark

Marie wrote: "Carrie wrote: "It makes me happy to see someone recommend Clare McNally.."

Thank you, Carrie! I read Ghost House and Ghost House Revenge which both were excellent books. The atmospheric haunting w..."


My favorite of hers is Somebody Come and Play, it's actually one of my childhood/teen years favs. I discovered it in the 90s and that was my introduction to her.

Hi Carrie

Yes, I love that one as well. I discovered Clare's novels the best part of 40 years ago and I still love them. In fact I am thinking of re-reading them quite soon. I was probably about eighteen when I first came across her novels but they still touch me all these years later. I know some people say Clare's work is best suited for the teenage market but I think anyone of any age can enjoy them. To me they are timeless.

Mark

I bid on a box of most of her books on ebay many many moons ago, still actually haven't read them all yet.

Anyone here come across Margery Lawrence? I have three ghost story collections by her. They were limited edition volumes. She wrote these collections in the 1920s and 1930s. My favourite collection was her first: 'Nights of the roundtable.' Her ghost stories are fabulous. They have such a wonderful atmosphere and some great twists. I highly recommend her work to any reader out there who would like a good ghost story.

I loved by . There is a bit of mystery at the end.

I just invested in the books the Haunting of Hill House/Bly Manor are based on.

SO glad I found these threads! I thought I had read every single decent ghost book on earth and had nothing left to read!

Bruce wrote: "I loved by . There is a bit of mystery at the end."

I've been wanting to read that ever since I enjoyed the show The Haunting of Bly Manor on Netflix. It's based on tTotS.