Ghost Books

Excellent storytelling! The best read I've enjoyed for quite some time. Two people meet on a plane to NY, then decide to spend a bit of time together. It turns out to be a couple hundred years as they are swept back into colonial New York, where their bodies are inhabited by a tragic couple who, even in death, keep searching for each other. Using the present day couple's bodies, they are able to return to find and deal with those who had been responsible for their tragic endings. But the story isn't nearly that simple. It is light and romantic, dark and tragic, clear and mysterious, with more than one twist, leading to a conclusion which is satisfying, yet leaves us wanting to know more. The tale also takes us to 1760's London, to recognizable landmarks still existent in New York, and north to Indian villages. This book is in the tradition of Jack Finney, but set a century earlier, and while not strictly a time travel tale, will satisfy readers of romance, mystery, time travel, and historical fiction.

This was truly the best book I have read in a long time. Just like it says on the cover, I couldn't leave it alone until I finished the whole book, and was truly left looking for book two. Which brings me to my second reason for writing. I would like to know if there is a second part to this book. If there is not, there should be, because it is well done and really holds
your interest through the whole book. I will probably read it again just to make sure I didn't miss anything.

This is the best book I have ever read. There is something in it for everybody. It has Love, Mystery, History, Happiness and Sadness.
It was very well written and easy to read. Once I picked it up I could not stop reading it until I was finished and then read it all over again. Now I can't wait until a part two is published. I know it will be just as interesting as part one, and I want to be one of the first ones in line to get it.

This is the best book I have ever read. There is something in it for everybody. It has Love, Mystery, History, Happiness and Sadness.
It was very well written and easy to read. Once I picked it up I could not stop reading it until I was finished and then read it all over again. Now I can't wait until a part two is published. I know it will be just as interesting as part one, and I want to be one of the first ones in line to get it.

One Sunday evening with nothing to do I picked up The Journey, thinking I'd read for a couple of hours. At 3:00 Monday morning I finished it. I haven't done that for 20 years! The story was captivating, to say the least. There's romance, mystery and a good deal of history that was magnificently woven through page after page. I know there's another novel tripping through this author's mind, even as I speak, and I want the first copy off the presses!

Jupiter, Pete, and Bob (the Three Investigators) have their third case and this one is stranger than ever. An archaeologist in Hollywood has a mummy which he claims is whispering to him. He doesn't know what it's saying and is afraid of being thought crazy, but he's willing to let the boys help. They also meet a young Libyan boy who's come to bring the mummy Ra-Orkon home, but things get dangerous when Pete and the Libyan boy are inadvertently kidnapped.

This book was perhaps a bit more exciting than the previous two, but my son and I thought it wasn't quite as clever. This is a series I read/devoured as a kid back in the 70s, and I enjoyed reading it with my son. The characters are extremely likeable and it always made me wish I had access to a "salvage yard" and could fix and figure out things like Jupiter Jones. Rereading these books brings back fond memories and I can almost *smell* the library again, but I think many young readers would enjoy this exciting and well-written series. It is unfortunately underappreciated and almost forgotten today.

I think this book was awesome. It is a really good book for mystery lovers. But if you don't like to be scared at night, don't read it at night! Otherwise, I couldn't put it down. I read it at breakfast, lunch and whenever I was bored.

I've a soft spot in my heart for The Three Investigators. Originally conceived in the 60s as a knock-off Hardy Boys series, the adventures follow three boys who run their own detective agency. One boy is the nerdy smart one, one boy is the brawn, and one boy (Jupiter Jones: former child model) is the leader of the crew. The boys set their headquarters in an old mobile home trailer, hidden beneath a pile of junk at the Jones Salvage Yard. Their mysteries tended to mimic that of Scooby Doo in some ways. In each book someone is threatened by a supposed supernatural force. It is up to our three intrepid explorers to solve the mystery and save the day. For a time, Alfred Hitchcock allowed his name to be associated with the series, even going so far as to include a special note at the beginning of every mystery. In time, however, his name was dropped and "Alfred Hitchcock and The Three Investigators" was shortened to the less wordy, "The Three Investigators". As a young girl, I loved these superficially male books. Who doesn't want a secret headquarters under a junkyard? Or to solve mysteries with names like, "The Secret of Skeleton Island" or "The Mystery of the Talking Skull". These books are so enjoyable that kids of every gender will gravitate towards them.

This particular mystery, "The Mystery of the Whispering Mummy" is a good starter Three Investigators book. In it, the tale follows a mysterious mummy, known to whisper Egyptian incantations in the dead of night. When the mummy disappears without a trace, the three boys have to separate fact from fiction in an effort to locate its remains and solve its loose tongue. Lots of fun and surprisingly absent of Arab stereotypes. The boys make friends with an Egyptian lad and his part is played out without any racial barbs or slurs (amazing, due to the book's original 1965 publication). Enjoy this rollicking adventure and expect a good time.

Quite a few children's mystery book series have become classics. Most people are familiar with Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and Tom Swift. Even the Boxcar Children are relatively well-known. However, Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators were well-written books that offered an intelligent, interesting and more contemporary alternative to many of the earlier classic series. Many people recall the earlier series well, but the Three Investigators series, which Robert Arthur wrote and debuted in 1964, has, for now, largely been overshadowed by the other series and generally forgotten. Fortunately, all of these books are available either from Amazon or from other internet sources.

This book is the third book in the series, following "The Mystery of the Stuttering Parrot," and preceding "The Mystery of the Green Ghost." This mystery finds the three investigators looking into the mystery of the mummy of Ra-Orkon, which appears to be whispering to the professor that owns the mummy. While we can hope for something genuinely supernatural to happen, we know from the first two stories that the three investigators base their solutions on logic and science.

The three investigators, Jupiter Jones, Pete Crenshaw and Bob Andrews, are puzzled by how the mummy can speak. The obvious answer is some sort of radio, but there is none. A ventriloquist is also ruled out. Just how can the mummy be speaking? Perhaps there is something supernatural happening in this story! The supernatural investigation must wait because the mummy of Ra-Orkon is taken. Soon the sarcophagus of Ra-Orkon is taken; only the sarcophagus contains two boys! Things are heating up for the three investigators.

Perhaps the biggest question of all for readers is why is Ra-Orkon valuable? There were no jewels or valuables found with Ra-Orkon. Is the cat that appears truly the spirit of Ra-Orkon, determined to see his mummy returned to his homeland? These are but a few of the mysteries awaiting readers.

I enjoyed this Three Investigators novel. I was unable to figure out the whispering mummy and had to await the answer revealed by Robert Arthur, the author. There were moments when at least one member of the Three Investigators seemed to be in real danger. Robert Arthur managed to unfold the story in a way that kept me interested without revealing the answers too soon.

If you are looking for mystery books for children and you are looking for an alternative to the stories I listed earlier, I highly recommend the Three Investigator series. I do recommend starting with the first book in the series, which is an excellent introduction to this series.

Enjoy!

My introduction to this series was my older brother's slightly worn Scholastic copy of Mystery of the Green Ghost. We both read it several times, and once we found out there were more, look out! We read them from the library, we cajoled Mom into taking us to the mall to buy them, we bought them at a local used bookstore. We were both hooked!
I can recommend every book in this series. My brother and I both read all the Hardy Boys (and liked them a lot), but these blow them out of the water! I think you can get 1-10 new (they've been reprinted), the rest you'll have to get used.
I've still got a complete set, but I'm rebuying them for a nephew. He's as excited about them as I was over 20 years ago. Excellent characters, spooky happenings, and just enough chills to keep a kid's pulse racing.
If you have kids, I can't recommend these highly enough.

Maggie Quinn has no plans on going to the prom, a girl with her grandmother's sixth sense, but after a demon starts attacking other students she has no choice. The story is addicting and hilarious. It reminds me a lot of (my personal favorite show)BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER.
I hated putting the book down and fell in love with Maggie and the rest of the cast.

Despite the title this book isn't very explicit. Perfect for teens of all ages who enjoy a good demon slaying or just a funny new read!

It is a VERY promising new series Hell Week (Maggie Quinn: Girl vs Evil)

Have you ever heard the cliche that High School can be hell? Well, imagine for a moment that it really is. Not in the figurative sense but literally hell. That's what happens in the book, PROM DATES FROM HELL. Maggie Quinn is on the newspaper staff and is the Yearbook photographer and doesn't want to go to her prom. One day while photographing the Spanish club for the Yearbook, Stanley, the school nerd, asks her out. She's horrified but what happens next is even worse. The resident Jocks and Jennifers come along at that moment and torment Stanley. After Maggie takes a photo and threatens to put it in the newspaper, something happens. Stanley threatens all of them. No one takes him seriously, that is until Maggie starts sensing things and smelling brimstone at the school.



Later things start happening to the in crowd--the same ones who'd tormented Stanley. Now it's up to Maggie to find out what's going on. Putting on her Nancy Drew hat she searches to see what's going on and finds out that the prom is mandatory if she hopes to save the school from demons.

I enjoyed this tale. Think Buffy meets Nancy Drew. The catchy dialog pulled me right into the story. Throw in a cute college student, who happens to be researching paranormal happenings and is in her father's college class, a cute Jock, and a foggy demon, who likes to leave messages on her window. Oh, and also some witchy cheerleaders.

What I really enjoyed about this tale was the interaction of Maggie to her father. So often stories have the parents either obvious to their teen or the bad one. Maggie's father is very supportive of his daughter even when he can't see the demon. And her Debbie Reynolds like Grandmother is a gem.

This is a fun ride that makes you wonder if maybe that smell in high school might be something more sinister!

I loved this book. Suspenseful, clever and funny, Clement-Moore is obviously a skilled storyteller at weaving a complex plot that adults and teens enjoy. I left my teenage years a while ago, but I really liked these characters, especially Justin. Maggie Quinn is a character I want to read in future sequels.

This was seriously one of my favorite books of all time!
Rosemary Clement-Moore really outdid herself in this thrilling novel.

I got this book over a vacation. I knew nothing about it, or the author, but I bought it because it looked funny. I finished it in 2 days. (One of which was a 14-hour car ride.) As soon as I finished the book in the car, it was scooped up by both my older brother and mother, because i wouldn't stop raving about it. They have been fighting over it constantly, and both enjoy it. Just goes to show how the book appeals to a wide audience! Definitely worth reading!!!

I think that "Scorpion Shards" and the Star-Shards trilogy is the best ever. I began to read it in my 7th grade year since my 6th grade techer told me to read books by Shusterman because she thought that I might like it. Scorpion shards is just awesome..It has an incrdible plot and make you want to keep going and when u stop reading it.. u still think about it.. Just getting through half of Scorpion Shards I wanted to read the whole trilogy.

This is one of my all time favorite books. I like this book because, of all of the characters. The characters are very unique. Dillon is a crazy power hungry psycho who causes chaos where ever he goes. All the shards have powers that make them different from every day human.
The shards have powers of that can be used for good and if they desire evil. The shards are controlled by these parasites that make the story interesting. It keeps you interested by an enthralling story line that makes you have to read the next book. I like this book because the battle of good and evil and the chance that all the people in the worlds minds can be shattered if the goods shards don't stop the evil psycho in time.

...in Scorpion Shards. This books is amazingly diverse in areas of interest, and has such great detail that it is hard not to imagine yourself standing next to the characters seeing what Shusterman is describing. This book has little pieces of information from many different fields, such as astrology, astronomy, and even a little biology! I am writing this review within 15 minutes (give or take) of finishing this book, and I would storngly recommend this book to anybody. I know I intend to purcahse the second book as soon as possible, Thief of Souls

Shadow-black tentacles wrapped around the cradle of the telescope. A clouded face that swarmed with a million hideous insects descended upon the astronomer's desk and something with cold dark fur brushed past Tory, its breath sickly sweet.

Scorpion Shards by Neal Shusterman is an exciting novel in which six kids, each with a strange physical or emotional mutation, must discover how to get rid of their deformities. It is a powerful fantasy filled with darkness and suspense.

One interesting concept of the book is how a hunger for something can completely overpower a person. Each of the six teenagers has one, some worse than others. Dillon Cole, the most dangerous of the group, is driven by his "wrecking-hunger" to attempt to destroy all of civilization. Michael "Lips" Lipranski can usually control it, but once his almost unnatural hunger for girls went too far, leaving the unlucky girl without a soul after his kiss.

Another exciting part of the fantasy is its dark and chilling thrills. Like when the astronomer Dr. Bayless meets his untimely demise at the hands of the hungry monsters inside of each of the kids. Or when Dillon destroys an entire city block to feed his hunger. In the end, the six must all face their demons in a strange, lost world.

One last fascinating aspect of the novel is how a single thought can cause so much chaos. Dillon drives whole towns past the brink of insanity, after whispering a simple suggestion into a person's ear. He can alter the entire future of a victim, from possible millionaire to vagabond. Dillon has the uncanny ability to see patterns, whether it be of people's lives or tumbling boulders. He uses this skill to find a human "fuse", from which he can set off a whole chain of events.

Neal Shusterman's book, Scorpion Shards, is one of his greatest achievements. It is a gripping novel, with twists and turns until you reach the back cover.

W. Hodson

Dillon Cole is 15. He loves to destroy things, but not for fun. There's some invisable force inside him that "makes" him do it. So in order to feed this "wrecking hunger," the same power that makes people go insane when they touch him, he has to keep on destroying.

Deanna chang makes everyone afraid. Even herself. When she's around people, she feels claustrophobic. Houses couuld fall on her. Things could kill her. And people around her are so afraid.

Winston is growing shorter and paralyzing people, and Tory is a living bacteria. Not to mention Miachael, who makes women fall in love, and men want to kill. Or Lourdes, who doesn't eat, but gets fatter.

Who are these extremely screwed up kids? They are the Scorpion Shards. Six kids that have enough power to kill or hurt everyone around them. Except themselves.

So why are they like this? Not everyone has the power to strike fear into everyone else. Or see patterns in everything. Something is causing this, other than hormones.

Scorpion Shards tells this story about these six innocent kids, who have had the universe single them out. Their journey takes them through pain, worlds, and death. A wonderful book to read for anyone who likes to see teenagers and out-of-this-world problems.

My biggest problem with Wings to the Kingdom is that after going back to Four and Twenty Blackbirds, I have to find something worthy to read until Oct 2, when Not Flesh Nor Feathers comes out. I loved Eden. The combat boots, the Death Nugget, the whole thing. And every time Benny nearly pees in his pants from glee or horror, I have to laugh, because he reminds me of that classic dork in all of us, the one who lights up like a six year old at the thought of ghosthunting, no matter who's in the room who might argue. The characters are spelled out just like all Southern literary characters should be- colorful, lovable, and with screws popping loose all over the place.

cherie priest is slowly replacing donna tartt as my favorite american female novelist of our time. *wings to the kingdom* is a somewhat slower story than *four and twenty blackbirds*, but every word is heavy with seduction, pulling the reader in with such force that it is hard to stop reading.

in brief, things have happened since *four and twenty blackbirds*. the protagonist eden moore is somewhat older, but still in every aspect a fascinating and multi-dimensional character. the setting is the same as in *four and twenty blackbirds*. new characters are introduced, old characters resurface. eyes glitter in moonlight and the mist grows heavy over chattanooga as the story progresses in a labyrinth of excitement and allure.

cherie priest is a wizard with words, and *wings to the kingdom* is a rich testimony of her magic. read it. I am very glad I did.

Pardon the pun.
One might worry whether CPriest's follow-up to _Four and Twenty Blackbirds_ might suffer the notorious "sophomore slump", but that would be needless suffering.

_Wings to the Kingdom_ builds on the foundations laid in the first novel, yet works on its own for readers who missed the first book (though, really, you're missing out on a good story if you haven't read it).

_Wings_ is engaging and dynamic. The storytelling is solid, the setting and the characters are real, and the mystery/tension is a treat.

I'm looking forward to the next in the series

If you enjoyed Four and Twenty Blackbirds, you will love Wings to the Kingdom. Cherie Priest's tale of ghosts at a Civil War battlefield grabbed me from the very first page. Taking an actual legend and weaving it into a spine-tingling story with believable characters, Priest just keeps getting better and better. The main character, Eden Moore, is likeable and interesting, as well as sympathetic. The rest of the characters are also well-rounded, even the publicity-seeking professional psychic investigator, who could easily have become a cliche. A very enjoyable read, and I eagerly look forward to the next installment!

Phenomenal follow-up to debut novel Four and Twenty Blackbirds. Eden Moore is dragged into a supernatural mystery at the Chickamauga battleground, and must deal with the public reaction to her ability to speak with the dead. Incredibly written, with a fast-paced storyline that still takes time to fully develop character. Priest cements her place in the Southern Gothic canon. Highly recommended.

THIS IS THE BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ! Even better than the classics the teacher in my school tells me to read. I really liked reading this book, wish it were longer even though it's already 300 pages, but I wished it went on forever because it was really good. I haven't read a book in more than 3 months and this book got me back to reading. After I finished, I was kind of upset I finished the book, it's too good. I'm so glad I bought this book!

I read this book when I was young and read it again recently. It was even better. I have read many books and none have given me the feeling of this one. The review that calls it "slow building horror" is right on the mark. Completely engrossing and unsettling. Here is a VERY short description. Bryce moves to an isolated old boomtown. Ancient legends, town history, and an old indian woman who "sees" things all take part in unfolding the truth of a horror that Bryce sees is gaining power as events in town get stranger. Although the novel is aimed toward young adults, the plot and idea of this book would be interesting for anyone. Also, if you read this, is it just me or does it seem that Steve Zell makes a lot sexual references that are sort of creepy and off and definitely don't go with the book? When I read it I was trying to see what the relevance of some were and just couldn't see any even though they are blatant and numerous. That was the only thing about the book that I didn't like. Email me at scoulo1@lsu.edu if you agree because I really am curious to know if I wasn't the only one.

The story was suspensful and fun. The characters were well defined and the surroundings and events were very well described. I could taste the warm, Indian bread! I seriously could not put the book down. I truly enjoyed this book!

The story was suspensful and fun. The characters were well defined and the surroundings and events were very well described. I could taste the warm, Indian bread! I seriously could not put the book down. I truly enjoyed this book!

From the title "WiZrD", I assumed I would be reading a fantasy book. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this is a horror novel set in modern day Arizona, includes a cast of humans (alive, dead, and undead), and incorporates colorful, actual legends from both the Navaho and Anasazi cultures. The book gave me many of the positive impressions I had while reading "It" by Stephen King, e.g., teenagers battling supernatural forces, characters you care about, and some spine-tingling imagery. However, unlike "It", "WiZrD" builds, from the start, to a thoroughly fitting and imaginative ending. Zell has a real talent for creating a large cast of characters, each of whom are unique, each fitting like a puzzle piece into the overall story, and each contributing to the eerie climax. In general, I was very impressed with this book and highly recommend it. Zell shows great storytelling skills that I hope will only improve in his next work.

Robin Jarvis' Wyrd Museum Trilogy is a fantastic blend of Fantasy and Horror with interesting characters and a great story line.
Jarvis starts his trilogy with the slightly more easy going, "The Woven Path" which is an exiting journey into the the past life of an old teddy bear. Neil Chapmann and his family move into the Wyrd Museam as his father takes a job as a caretaker. While exploring Neil comes across a room filled with mysterious treasures and meets Ted, the reincarnation of a world war two American pilot. The two of them are sent back in time by Ursula Webster one of the three sisters who own the museum. They end up in London during world war two. Unfortunatly an ancient power has been unleashed on the city and Neil and Ted only have a little time to finish their quest before the demon finds them.
This is a great book although it may be frightening for smaller children.

This book is about 11-year-old Neil Chappman, whose parents just recently got divorced and he now lives with his father. The father got a job as a caretaker at a creepy museum. Because the father hadn't much money, Neil and his father had to live at the museum. While exploring the museum, Neil got sent back in time where he had to save the lives of 4 people.

I liked this book because of the way the author used descriptive language, as well as the amazing characters that the author developed. This is a great book for anyone who loves fantasy and adventure stories, but it has some scary bits in it so it's probably not for little kids.

This story sends chills trough you, but I`m not completely shure how much little kids enjoy it, because there is quite a bit of describing and I`ve found out that the youngsters don`t really find that amusing - it bores them if it seems too long. Shure they can identify with Niel (a boy sent back to war-time London) and the Teddy, but him actually beeing a grown man must confuse them.

I enjoyed it nevertheless - the Webster sisters anre creepy without any other stuff happening, and the father is so adorably helpless. The Story itself is well writen too and will probably not dissapoint you. Try it.

The Wyrd Museum trilogy has some of the most spine-tingling moments I have ever come across in juvenile fiction. While it is probably a little too gruesome for the 9 and under set, it provides plenty of thrills and chills for everyone 10 and above.

When you have grown weary of the exploits of a certain young wizard, come and visit with the Webster sisters for a magical tale of a more sinister sort. Nothing in or around Hogwarts has ever been this creepy!

A must read!!! If they made a movie out of this, it would probably outsell Lord of the Rings or Star Wars. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and you simply can NOT put it down. If you like books with mystery, action, comedy, horror, drama, romance or ANYTHING of everything all three of the Wyrd Museum books deliver and keep you wanting more!!!

I won a copy of Raven's book "Apparitions" and when I received it I have to say, it didn't excite me. It is not my usual genre and I didn't expect to enjoy it much less finish. Little did I know when I began page turning I found a masterfully written story with enjoyable characters developed with a suspenseful mystery. Thoroughly enjoyable!:)

What a great book to read tonight when the cool winds of autumn are blowing and the rain is tapping on the windows - - made this suspense filled book even more appealing. I'll be sure to watch for more books by Raven Bower!!!

Grabs you and takes you on a twisty turny suspenseful ride. Just when you think you've figured it all out... this would make a great movie!!

I found this to be a quick and thrilling read. Interesting characters and a fast-moving story make this a book I'd recommend to other horror fans!

I have a tired and true measure of how good I think a book is-- if I finish a book over the course of two or three nights then the book falls into my must read category and Apparitions fits that bill.
This debut novel by Raven Bower is a wonderfully crafted supernatural/horror story that is sure to keep the reader up late into the night. Reclusive author Bailey Khane has a secret, something much scarier than missing a writing deadline, she is visited by spirits of murder victims and only by writing down the details of their murders can these wayward souls find solace and move on in peace. But evil forces have discovered her hiding spot from the world and other "things", and they want to destroy her or anyone else in their way.
This hair-raising story raises an interesting question--what is scarier, supernatural evil or human evil? Because Apparitions is not only about paranormal monsters but it is also a story of the evil that lurks in the worst of us.
I really enjoyed Ms. Bower's book except for the fact that I have a pond in my backyard that I enjoyed swimming in from time to time. Unfortunately after reading her book it will be quite some time before I take a dip into the water. Readers will understand why.

James Clifford
Reviews Editor-Northwoods Journal
Author, Double Daggers

This author's debut novel is a winner! I honestly couldn't put it down until I'd finsihed it. The story was intriguing and very suspensful and it had me turning page after page. I loved the way he brought the characters to life. Hope to read more by this talented new author.

This author's debut novel is a winner! I honestly couldn't put it down until I'd finsihed it. The story was intriguing and very suspensful and it had me turning page after page. I loved the way he brought the characters to life. Hope to read more by this talented new author.

AT Dawn They Sleep by Gregory B. Trotter was a wonderful book that I had a hard time putting down. I wanted to know what was going to happen next all through the book. It really held my interest! I can see this becoming a movie in the near future. This author has a gift!

AT Dawn They Sleep by Gregory B. Trotter was a wonderful book that I had a hard time putting down. I wanted to know what was going to happen next all through the book. It really held my interest! I can see this becoming a movie in the near future. This author has a gift!

I began reading the book one afternoon, just to get a gist of it when I discovered I could not put it down. I read the entire book that day. As indicated above, AWESOME really doesn't describe the book. Should be a "must read" by everyone.

I bought this book in Paris. It was the cheapest most interesting book in English, so I grabbed it for the flight. It's one of the best book buys I've ever had.
This stuff is genuinely spooky. There are images here
that will stick with you for a long time, and this guy puts in a lot of interesting historical details that make
the stories seem all the more plausible. Can't
recommend this book enough.

O whistle, an' I'll come to you, my lad;
O whistle, an' I'll come to you, my lad;
Tho' father and mither should baith gae mad,
O whistle, an' I'll come to you, my lad.
(Burns.)

Over the last Twenty years I've purchased many books and got rid of many (After reading them then donating them to charity shops), but this is the only one I've repurchased.
I could never get the scenarios and characters out of my head, the way M R James succinctly describes a scene or a, "terrifying agent of supernatural malice" have resided in my head as much as I would have liked them to leave.
If lots of Gore is your thing you may be disappointed by these stories, but for those of us who like a well written story told with panache and subtlety, then these are for us.
~~~~
For several years in the early 70's when the BBC made "A Ghost Story for Christmas" it was always the M R James stories that disturbed me the most. But even though I was disturbed by them I was always too fascinated to switch the TV off, and whilst the BBC interpretations were good they never quite captured the atmosphere of the written page.
Most of the "Heroes" (For want of a better word) of these stories are intellectuals from the dusty halls of some Academy or other, who are afflicted by intellectual pride or the even graver sin (In M R James stories)of curiosity! They investigate things that should be left well alone.
~~~~
My personal favourites are "The Mezzotint", and "Oh Whistle, and I'll Come to you, my Lad".
The endings of a few of these stories are not completely resolved, and it's because of that, they stay in the mind longer.
It has always amused me that some of the most creepy and ungodly stories ever written in the English language were written by this most devout Christian of men.
For maximum effect to be read late on a stormy night, and by candlelight!

I simply had to have this book. I have started on a creative writing career hoping to specialise in supernatural fiction. So who better to read than the acknowedged doyen of the genre? MR James was an absolute master of the craft. Many years ago the BBC dramatised one of his short stories every Christmas Eve and continued the practice for several years. Even as a mature adult these plays used to scare me witless! Michael Hordern's wonderful depiction of paralysis in sheer terror at the end of "Whistle and I'll come to you my lad", is indelibly engraved in my memory. But the television can only depict one man's interpretaion. Believe me, the imagination does so much more. So the stories are infinitely more enthralling. This volume contains all the greats: the nightmarish Count Magnus, Whistle.., Number 13, the haunting Mezzotint and perhaps the most chilling ghost story ever written, A Warning to the Curious. The thing about MR James was that he wrote so well and with such a sensitivity for how to make the supernatural thriller "work". Apart from the inevitably dated settings, it is entirely possible to imagine the events he relates as a plausible part of one's own daily experience! This volume contains a very useful essay (Explanatory Notes)by the author on the elements of the most effective ghost stories. The valuable insights offered therein are alone worth the price. This volume contains a representative sample of his best known work and I am compelled to recommend it in the highest terms. But a warning to "the curious": this is potent story telling. The reader who having once picked it up, will not be the same when they put it down again; if they can (heh, heh, heh,heh).

More than at any other time since the era of the gladiators, entertainment in America today seems obsessed with murder, mayhem and gore. The Chainsaw Disembowelment Scene has been used in so many movies that it's almost a cliché, and I'm so jaded with seeing cadavers that I refuse to turn-on my TV.

How different are these stories by M. R. James. There are no monsters such as in H. P. Lovecraft, and the spectres which do appear never get to perform any injury - it's always a close call.

The focus here is on suspense. Not, though, that there are any surprises. We know that the strange old tome will yield its dreadful secret; that room 13 of the inn will be infested with demons; that the druid slide-whistle will summon some ghastly phantasm.

The pleasure of reading the work of M. R. James lies in his pretty writing - the lost art of the English language in its perfected form. Reading these stories is analogous to listening to a great musician perform florid music which is always in a minor key.

M.R. James is the quintessential, literary ghost story writer. His stories begin with such dark innocence, the reader wanders along, enjoying the prose, while the atmosphere thickens with the macabre. He is very Victorian in his approach, his paragraphs are skillyfully crafted. The only trouble the novice reader will encounter is adapting to his scholarly attention to detail. His prose is magnificent but heavy. The thrill is in the patient reading of his stories. Think of reading M.R. James in terms of drinking port... you sip port, you linger with it, you appreciate its aromas, its texture. You wouldn't think of knocking back a beautiful glass of port? No...Pick this book up, indulge yourself slowly with these stories and soon enough, ghostly memories will fill your imagination. The moods he casts heightens the pleasures of both the mind and the spirit.