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The Valancourt Book of ​Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories: Volume Three

A new collection of twenty ghostly tales of Yuletide terror, collected from rare Victorian periodicals

Seeking to capitalize on the success of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol (1843), Victorian newspapers and magazines frequently featured ghost stories at Christmas time, and reading them by candlelight or the fireside became an annual tradition, a tradition Valancourt Books is pleased to continue with our series of Victorian Christmas ghost stories. This third volume contains twenty tales, most of them never before reprinted. They represent a mix of the diverse styles and themes common to Victorian ghost fiction and include works by once-popular authors like Ellen Wood and Charlotte Riddell as well as contributions from anonymous or wholly forgotten writers. This volume also features a new introduction by Prof. Simon Stern.

“Before me, with the sickly light from the lantern shining right down upon it, was — a cloven hoof! Then the awfulness of the compact I had made came to my mind with terrible force ...” — Frederick Manley, “The Ghost of the Cross-Roads”

“By the fireplace there was a large hideous pool of blood soaking into the carpet, and leaving ghastly stains around. I am not ashamed to confess that my brain reeled; the mysterious horror overcame me ...” — Lillie Harris, “19, Great Hanover Street”

“A fearful white face comes to me; a horrible mask, with features drawn as in agony — ghastly, pale, hideous! Death or approaching death, violent death, written in every line. Every feature distorted. Eyes starting from the head. Thin lips moving and working — lips that are cursing, although I hear no sound.” — Hugh Conway, “A Dead Man’s Face”

Contents:

Frederick Manley, “The Ghost of the Cross-Roads” • Lillie Harris, “19, Great Hanover Street” • G. B. Burgin, “Sir Hugo’s Prayer” • Mrs. J. H. Riddell, “Walnut-Tree House” • Anonymous, “Haunted Ashchurch” • Anonymous, “The Haunted Tree” • Hugh Conway, “A Dead Man’s Face” • L. F. Austin, “The Ghost’s Double” • E. H. Rebton, “The Haunted Manor” • J. E. Thomas, “The Nameless Village” • Anonymous, “Old Simons’ Ghost!” • J. W. Hollingsworth, “Miriam’s Ghost” • Lucy Farmer, “The Vicar’s Ghost” • Mrs. Henry Wood, “The Ghost of the Hollow Field” • Alice Mary Vince, “The Wicked Editor’s Christmas Dream” • Anonymous, “The Barber’s Ghost” • Andrew Haggard, “A Spirit Bride” • W. L. Blackley, “The Haunted Oven” • Lilian Quiller Couch, “The Devil’s Own” • Anonymous, “A Christmas Ghost Story”

  • Format
  • hardcover
  • Pages
  • 246
  • Language
  • english
  • ISBN
  • 9781948405218
  • Genres
  • horror, christmas, victorian, classics, anthologies, fiction
  • Release date
  • 2018