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Ghost Stories: Selected and Introduced by Mark Gatiss
Mark Gatiss (Sherlock, Doctor Who, Game of Thrones) selects and introduces chilling tales by the unsung master of the classic ghost story - E.F. Benson.
There's nothing sinister about a London bus. Nothing supernatural could occur on a busy Tube platform. There's nothing terrifying about a little caterpillar. And a telephone, what could be scary about that? Don't be frightened of the dark corners of your room. Don't be alarmed by a sudden, inexplicable chill. There's no need for a ticking clock, a limping footstep, or a knock at the door to start you trembling. There's nothing to be scared of. Nothing at all.
There's nothing sinister about a London bus. Nothing supernatural could occur on a busy Tube platform. There's nothing terrifying about a little caterpillar. And a telephone, what could be scary about that? Don't be frightened of the dark corners of your room. Don't be alarmed by a sudden, inexplicable chill. There's no need for a ticking clock, a limping footstep, or a knock at the door to start you trembling. There's nothing to be scared of. Nothing at all.
181 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 6, 2016
55 people are currently reading
384 people want to read
About the author
E.F. Benson
884 books337 followersEdward Frederic "E. F." Benson was an English novelist, biographer, memoirist, archaeologist and short story writer.
E. F. Benson was the younger brother of A.C. Benson, who wrote the words to "Land of Hope and Glory", Robert Hugh Benson, author of several novels and Roman Catholic apologetic works, and Margaret Benson, an author and amateur Egyptologist.
Benson died during 1940 of throat cancer at the University College Hospital, London. He is buried in the cemetery at Rye, East Sussex.
Last paragraph from Wikipedia
E. F. Benson was the younger brother of A.C. Benson, who wrote the words to "Land of Hope and Glory", Robert Hugh Benson, author of several novels and Roman Catholic apologetic works, and Margaret Benson, an author and amateur Egyptologist.
Benson died during 1940 of throat cancer at the University College Hospital, London. He is buried in the cemetery at Rye, East Sussex.
Last paragraph from Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
December 22, 2020
Decided to treat myself to a ghost story (or two!) a night from this little collection, as I love reading them on the run up to Christmas.
They are introduced by one of my favourite actors and writers, Mark Gatiss. He assures that “Fred” (E.F.) Benson’s particular approach to ghost stories will much appeal to lovers of the genre. Myself being a huge M.R. James fan, I just knew there would be some tales in the collection that I would enjoy and appreciate the writing style of.
My thoughts on each tale in the collection are as follows:
”Spinach”
This very much pokes fun and makes digs at fake spiritualism. But perhaps needed slightly more suspense.
It is about two siblings Ludovic and Sylvia Byron who are invited by a widow named Mrs Sapson to use her cottage near Rye for their spiritualist, mediumship work. They hope to photograph a spirit there.
Quickly upon arrival, they are contracted by a young, recently departed spirit - Thomas Spinach.
Spinach had murdered his uncle by way of poisoning before his own death. He had gone to dig a grave for the corpse, only to be struck by lightning and was killed himself. His spirit is plagued by the fact he never buried his uncle’s corpse and cannot rec aww all the whereabouts of the remains.
The story overall is quite humorous. It plays on the pair seeming to both believe they have these psychical abilities, and also have some scepticism and know it to all be untrue.
It ends with the corpse being located quite quickly and I think this is where the lack of suspense I mentioned earlier is most prevalent.
”In The Tube”
Our narrator pays a visit to a gentlemen called Anthony Carling. He is the last remaining guest after a dinner party.
Anthony appears to be a fan of having deep, philosophical conversations about time and space; the story opens with one of his monologues about those type of subjects.
He then proceeds to tell a story about a man he saw sat opposite him on the tube, and how he had premonitions of this stranger’s future.
This starts with him being introduced to the man a day later in a different setting, but the man claiming to have never been on the tube the previous evening.
He then foresees the man’s apparent suicide, but the question is - will he try to prevent it or not? This is where it takes a slightly darker turn...
”The Man Who Went Too Far”
This story’s opening paragraphs almost feel like something from a fairytale, describing a quaint woodland and village setting.
There is a house at the end of the village, and this is home to Frank; an artist who is isolating there. He is expecting a visitor, his old friend Darcy.
When Darcy arrives he is amazed. Frank looks so much younger than he expects to him. He exclaims ”you are a boy again!”
As the story plays out, it darkens from that initial, whimsical tone. It mostly consists of long winded pieces of dialogue from Frank, and I could imagine this being acted out on stage as a series of monologues, and with Frank jumping around the stage in expressive madness.
”Mrs Amworth”
A rather good vampire story.
The narrator’s neighbour Francis Urcombe has an interest in all things occult, paranormal and supernatural. He doesn’t want to rule them out as complete fiction, and in the case of Mrs Amworth it is a good job that he doesn’t.
It is quite predictable overall and ends exactly how you’d expect, but the character of Mrs Amworth is a good take on a female vampire, as she just poses as a normal, respectable member of her community rather than a temptress luring everyone to their doom.
”The Room In The Tower”
This one is all about dreams, and how the contents of dreams can one day play out in real life. The Room In The Tower is the setting for where this dream (or perhaps ghoulish nightmare) will play out and the story slowly, meticulously, creeps towards that conclusion.
”The Bus-Conductor”
This, like the previous story is a dream/preemption type story.
The narrator and his friend Hugh Grainger return from a few days away in the country.
The narrator is nervous thinking perhaps they were visited by a ghost of some description, although the weather was awful the entire time they were away so it was impossible for them to fully know. Hugh, however, is much more calm because he claims to have seen spirits before.
Hugh is plagued by visions of a horse-drawn hearse and the phrase “Just room for one inside, sir”... is this just simply a trick of the mind, or is it a premonition of the future?
”Negotium Perambulans”
The small fishing village of Polearn is seemingly isolated from the rest the world, being 2 miles away from any other town or village down a treacherous, stony gradient.
The narrator had lived their as a boy with his aunt and uncle, his uncle being the town’s vicar and the narrator remembers a sermon he gave about of one of the carved panels of the church’s alter-rails. It depicts a robed priest stood in the entry to the churchyard holding up a cross whilst he faced a giant slug-like creature.
His uncle claimed the slug to be an evil entity and could only be defeated by having ”firm faith and a good heart”.
The legend is from the ninety-first psalm:
”Negotium perambulans in tenberis”
”the pestilence that walketh in darkness”
The narrator is told, by some other boys who live in the village, about an ancient church that used to be in Polearn and this is where the panel originated from. The owner of the quarry beneath was discovered as a lifeless husk of skin and bones after meddling with the alter.
Returning to Polearn as an adult to visit his Aunty, and he quickly falls back into believing the superstitions of the place after listening to his Aunt’s tales of what has happened since he left.
A man he knew as a boy called John Evans now lives in the quarry house where the owner was found deceased. He finds that John, an avid artist, has been painting all things dark and evil. Will he suffer the same fate as the previous owner?
”And No Bird Sings”
This opens on a glorious spring day, as the narrator is making his way to a house in the woods, surrounded by meadows.
As soon as they enter the woodland, the sunlight is completely obscured by the trees. There also is a horrible smell, the narrator states the smell of something that is alive but completely repugnant and odorous.
He soon arrives at the home of Hugh Granger (close in name by one missing “i” in the surname to another EF Benson character) and his wife Daisy.
The narrator remarks on the lack of birdsong in the woods, as his finds that rather strange.
It becomes apparent that none of them have ever seen a bird, or any other animal such as a rabbit for that matter, in the woods. Apart from feeling the presence of something larger and more ominous.
The men both explore the woods and Hugh is convinced of a slug-like “elemental” dwelling in there (yes a remarkably similar creature as described in the last story). He believes it had drained the blood from the rabbits due to puncture wounds found on their lifeless bodies.
They both return to the house to fetch guns and set out into the darkness once more to hunt this creature and hopefully make the woods more habitable...
”Caterpillars”
A creepy, very short (just over 10 pages) end to this collection, Caterpillars is set in an Italian Villa. It is home to the Narrator and one day he finds his bed infested with these grotesque caterpillars like nothing on Earth. He is unsure whether it is a dream or he is awake.
Overall, I give this story collection 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3.
They are introduced by one of my favourite actors and writers, Mark Gatiss. He assures that “Fred” (E.F.) Benson’s particular approach to ghost stories will much appeal to lovers of the genre. Myself being a huge M.R. James fan, I just knew there would be some tales in the collection that I would enjoy and appreciate the writing style of.
My thoughts on each tale in the collection are as follows:
”Spinach”
This very much pokes fun and makes digs at fake spiritualism. But perhaps needed slightly more suspense.
It is about two siblings Ludovic and Sylvia Byron who are invited by a widow named Mrs Sapson to use her cottage near Rye for their spiritualist, mediumship work. They hope to photograph a spirit there.
Quickly upon arrival, they are contracted by a young, recently departed spirit - Thomas Spinach.
Spinach had murdered his uncle by way of poisoning before his own death. He had gone to dig a grave for the corpse, only to be struck by lightning and was killed himself. His spirit is plagued by the fact he never buried his uncle’s corpse and cannot rec aww all the whereabouts of the remains.
The story overall is quite humorous. It plays on the pair seeming to both believe they have these psychical abilities, and also have some scepticism and know it to all be untrue.
It ends with the corpse being located quite quickly and I think this is where the lack of suspense I mentioned earlier is most prevalent.
”In The Tube”
Our narrator pays a visit to a gentlemen called Anthony Carling. He is the last remaining guest after a dinner party.
Anthony appears to be a fan of having deep, philosophical conversations about time and space; the story opens with one of his monologues about those type of subjects.
He then proceeds to tell a story about a man he saw sat opposite him on the tube, and how he had premonitions of this stranger’s future.
This starts with him being introduced to the man a day later in a different setting, but the man claiming to have never been on the tube the previous evening.
He then foresees the man’s apparent suicide, but the question is - will he try to prevent it or not? This is where it takes a slightly darker turn...
”The Man Who Went Too Far”
This story’s opening paragraphs almost feel like something from a fairytale, describing a quaint woodland and village setting.
There is a house at the end of the village, and this is home to Frank; an artist who is isolating there. He is expecting a visitor, his old friend Darcy.
When Darcy arrives he is amazed. Frank looks so much younger than he expects to him. He exclaims ”you are a boy again!”
As the story plays out, it darkens from that initial, whimsical tone. It mostly consists of long winded pieces of dialogue from Frank, and I could imagine this being acted out on stage as a series of monologues, and with Frank jumping around the stage in expressive madness.
”Mrs Amworth”
A rather good vampire story.
The narrator’s neighbour Francis Urcombe has an interest in all things occult, paranormal and supernatural. He doesn’t want to rule them out as complete fiction, and in the case of Mrs Amworth it is a good job that he doesn’t.
It is quite predictable overall and ends exactly how you’d expect, but the character of Mrs Amworth is a good take on a female vampire, as she just poses as a normal, respectable member of her community rather than a temptress luring everyone to their doom.
”The Room In The Tower”
This one is all about dreams, and how the contents of dreams can one day play out in real life. The Room In The Tower is the setting for where this dream (or perhaps ghoulish nightmare) will play out and the story slowly, meticulously, creeps towards that conclusion.
”The Bus-Conductor”
This, like the previous story is a dream/preemption type story.
The narrator and his friend Hugh Grainger return from a few days away in the country.
The narrator is nervous thinking perhaps they were visited by a ghost of some description, although the weather was awful the entire time they were away so it was impossible for them to fully know. Hugh, however, is much more calm because he claims to have seen spirits before.
Hugh is plagued by visions of a horse-drawn hearse and the phrase “Just room for one inside, sir”... is this just simply a trick of the mind, or is it a premonition of the future?
”Negotium Perambulans”
The small fishing village of Polearn is seemingly isolated from the rest the world, being 2 miles away from any other town or village down a treacherous, stony gradient.
The narrator had lived their as a boy with his aunt and uncle, his uncle being the town’s vicar and the narrator remembers a sermon he gave about of one of the carved panels of the church’s alter-rails. It depicts a robed priest stood in the entry to the churchyard holding up a cross whilst he faced a giant slug-like creature.
His uncle claimed the slug to be an evil entity and could only be defeated by having ”firm faith and a good heart”.
The legend is from the ninety-first psalm:
”Negotium perambulans in tenberis”
”the pestilence that walketh in darkness”
The narrator is told, by some other boys who live in the village, about an ancient church that used to be in Polearn and this is where the panel originated from. The owner of the quarry beneath was discovered as a lifeless husk of skin and bones after meddling with the alter.
Returning to Polearn as an adult to visit his Aunty, and he quickly falls back into believing the superstitions of the place after listening to his Aunt’s tales of what has happened since he left.
A man he knew as a boy called John Evans now lives in the quarry house where the owner was found deceased. He finds that John, an avid artist, has been painting all things dark and evil. Will he suffer the same fate as the previous owner?
”And No Bird Sings”
This opens on a glorious spring day, as the narrator is making his way to a house in the woods, surrounded by meadows.
As soon as they enter the woodland, the sunlight is completely obscured by the trees. There also is a horrible smell, the narrator states the smell of something that is alive but completely repugnant and odorous.
He soon arrives at the home of Hugh Granger (close in name by one missing “i” in the surname to another EF Benson character) and his wife Daisy.
The narrator remarks on the lack of birdsong in the woods, as his finds that rather strange.
It becomes apparent that none of them have ever seen a bird, or any other animal such as a rabbit for that matter, in the woods. Apart from feeling the presence of something larger and more ominous.
The men both explore the woods and Hugh is convinced of a slug-like “elemental” dwelling in there (yes a remarkably similar creature as described in the last story). He believes it had drained the blood from the rabbits due to puncture wounds found on their lifeless bodies.
They both return to the house to fetch guns and set out into the darkness once more to hunt this creature and hopefully make the woods more habitable...
”Caterpillars”
A creepy, very short (just over 10 pages) end to this collection, Caterpillars is set in an Italian Villa. It is home to the Narrator and one day he finds his bed infested with these grotesque caterpillars like nothing on Earth. He is unsure whether it is a dream or he is awake.
Overall, I give this story collection 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3.
August 26, 2024
3.5 stars
short review for busy readers: A selection of 9 stories by late Victorian/Edwardian author, E.F. Benson taken from his collections published in 1912, 1928 and 1932. Unlikely vampires, vengeful or hapless ghosts, evil spirits, harbinger dreams and even Lovecraftian monsters all get their tales. Unique is that Benson seems to have had more than a passing knowledge of parapsychological phenomenon, as many of his stories are based on real research.
in detail:
E.F. Benson was a contemporary of the great M.R. James, known to the literary world as the originator of the English ghost story. Benson was almost as famous for his ghost stories as James, but has largely been forgotten by later generations of readers -- something that hasn't happened to his professional rival.
I read this collection in order to be able to compare the style and subjects of these two. In his introduction, Mark Gatiss says that both were writing in what is termed the Golden Age of the English ghost story. A genre that went out of fashion after WWII and was replaced by sci-fi and horror...until its come back in the 1970s.
While James is highly academic and closeted in subject, Benson's tales are assuredly middle class and outwardly active. His characters don't hole themselves up in dusty libraries, they visit friends, go on long walks, talk to people in small towns, and move into new homes. Nature and the houses of friends play a large role in the stories in this collection.
While James' stories are based on details of haunted settings and largely fictional, Benson seems to have read a lot about parapsychological phenomenon, as many of the explanations and identifications he puts in the mouths of his characters are based on concrete research or documented case studies.
A quick run-down of the stories themselves:
Spinach (4 stars) A humorous story about a desperate ghost frightening the bejeezus out of a pair of run-of-the-mill seance mediums.
In the Tube (5 stars) excellent tale of a suicide viewed through the lens of quantum physical space/time gaps.
The Man who Went Too Far (2 stars) a young man who devotes himself to finding ultimate joy in the natural world is given a sharp comeuppance by the spirit of cruel nature.
Mrs Amworth (3.5 stars) Some people are vampires and they just don't know it. Poor Mrs Amworth! Vivid, with a good use of gnats. *nibble nibble*
The Room in the Tower (3.5 stars) "I've given you the room in the tower." This sentence our protag has heard a hundred times in his nightmares, but what's he to do when visiting friends and he really has been given the room in the creepy old tower?!
The Bus-Conductor (5 stars) a very good, very creepy story of a harbinger dream.
Negotium Perambulans (2.5 stars) Lovecraft would have loved this one about the blood sucking worm creature that lives in a seaside house and devours the residents if they can't fight it with light in time.
And No Bird Sings (4 stars) Again with the blood sucking worm creature, only this time as a forest elemental. Two men set out to kill it. Lots of action.
Caterpillars (3.5 stars) And yet again with the blood sucking wormy things...but this time in an old Italian villa and with both dream time and real time powers of corruption.
short review for busy readers: A selection of 9 stories by late Victorian/Edwardian author, E.F. Benson taken from his collections published in 1912, 1928 and 1932. Unlikely vampires, vengeful or hapless ghosts, evil spirits, harbinger dreams and even Lovecraftian monsters all get their tales. Unique is that Benson seems to have had more than a passing knowledge of parapsychological phenomenon, as many of his stories are based on real research.
in detail:
E.F. Benson was a contemporary of the great M.R. James, known to the literary world as the originator of the English ghost story. Benson was almost as famous for his ghost stories as James, but has largely been forgotten by later generations of readers -- something that hasn't happened to his professional rival.
I read this collection in order to be able to compare the style and subjects of these two. In his introduction, Mark Gatiss says that both were writing in what is termed the Golden Age of the English ghost story. A genre that went out of fashion after WWII and was replaced by sci-fi and horror...until its come back in the 1970s.
While James is highly academic and closeted in subject, Benson's tales are assuredly middle class and outwardly active. His characters don't hole themselves up in dusty libraries, they visit friends, go on long walks, talk to people in small towns, and move into new homes. Nature and the houses of friends play a large role in the stories in this collection.
While James' stories are based on details of haunted settings and largely fictional, Benson seems to have read a lot about parapsychological phenomenon, as many of the explanations and identifications he puts in the mouths of his characters are based on concrete research or documented case studies.
A quick run-down of the stories themselves:
Spinach (4 stars) A humorous story about a desperate ghost frightening the bejeezus out of a pair of run-of-the-mill seance mediums.
In the Tube (5 stars) excellent tale of a suicide viewed through the lens of quantum physical space/time gaps.
The Man who Went Too Far (2 stars) a young man who devotes himself to finding ultimate joy in the natural world is given a sharp comeuppance by the spirit of cruel nature.
Mrs Amworth (3.5 stars) Some people are vampires and they just don't know it. Poor Mrs Amworth! Vivid, with a good use of gnats. *nibble nibble*
The Room in the Tower (3.5 stars) "I've given you the room in the tower." This sentence our protag has heard a hundred times in his nightmares, but what's he to do when visiting friends and he really has been given the room in the creepy old tower?!
The Bus-Conductor (5 stars) a very good, very creepy story of a harbinger dream.
Negotium Perambulans (2.5 stars) Lovecraft would have loved this one about the blood sucking worm creature that lives in a seaside house and devours the residents if they can't fight it with light in time.
And No Bird Sings (4 stars) Again with the blood sucking worm creature, only this time as a forest elemental. Two men set out to kill it. Lots of action.
Caterpillars (3.5 stars) And yet again with the blood sucking wormy things...but this time in an old Italian villa and with both dream time and real time powers of corruption.
June 26, 2017
Atmospheric and chilling, these short stories are NOT a good thing to read last thing at night. What makes them so wonderful is the settings - how can a tube be scary, a caterpillar or a friendly new member of a village? But they all are, and you'd better beware. E.F Benson belongs, along with M.R James to a long gone family of truly terrifying ghost authors. They deserve to be cherished and adored for their utter perfection.
September 27, 2024
(Review written November 2016.) Many of these stories have similar features: ponderous beginnings – through which you must slog to get to the good stuff – and sudden endings, cutting them short just as they've become interesting. One of them actually ends in the middle of a sentence. 'The Room in the Tower', 'Mrs Amworth' and 'The Man Who Went Too Far' are worth seeking out; the rest, sadly, feel like filler. It seems this is often the way with collections of ghost stories by authors who wrote them but weren't best known for them (see also E. Nesbit's Horror Stories).
Spinach
A brother and sister work as mediums, each claiming to have the power to channel a spirit guide. When one of their best clients encourages them to holiday in her seaside cottage, they head off, only to find that the previous tenant is still very much there... in spirit. This doesn't go the way you might think – the siblings really do seem to be able to channel ghosts, and their communication with this one is successful, though it leads to a macabre discovery. I liked the depiction of these characters, and the dialogue is sharply observed and amusing, but the story doesn't have a proper ending.
As an opening to the collection, I enjoyed 'Spinach', but it adjusted my expectations: rather than fully-formed ghost stories, I assumed the rest of the collection would be made up of similar witty scenes.
In the Tube
A more traditional ghost story, using the familiar 'storytelling' framing device: a first-person narrator hears a spooky tale from an acquaintance. The acquaintance has been haunted by visions of a man, both before and after his demise by suicide. Again, the story ends abruptly. Contrary to my aforementioned expectations, it isn't especially witty, and doesn't seem likely to stick in my memory for long.
The Man Who Went Too Far
A lovely atmosphere in this, with description that really captures the beguiling magic of its rural setting. Two old friends meet after several years' separation, but Darcy is alarmed and intrigued to see that Frank has the appearance of a man fifteen years younger. His explanation is that he has adopted a way of life that brings him closer to nature, ridding himself of all pain and suffering (or proximity to it). However, it's not hard to guess from the title how this is going to pan out. In the end, the story seems to read as a cautionary tale about the dangers of eschewing Christianity.
Mrs Amworth
A very enjoyable vampire story set in an otherwise sleepy, picturesque village. It doesn't exactly offer a new take on the genre but, even so, I'd probably say this is my favourite of the collection so far.
(The above reviews were written separately as part of a review-in-progress, each one completed after I finished the story. At this point, however, I got a bit fed up and resolved to finish the rest off in one go. I also remembered why I don't usually do this: because it ends up taking me a month to read a sub-200-page book.)
The other five stories are a similarly uneven bunch. The best of the lot is 'The Room in the Tower', in which a man finds a recurring dream appearing to come true, and is menaced by a diabolical painting; it's by far the most successful at conjuring up a genuine sense of dread and terror. The story that follows it, 'The Bus-Conductor', is both unremarkable and far too similar to 'In the Tube'. There are two stories about gigantic evil slugs (!), which makes this sound like a MUCH more exciting book than it is. And the last one is about poor put-upon caterpillars taking revenge on a couple of obnoxious caterpillar-taunting fops. At least that's how I read it.
Spinach
A brother and sister work as mediums, each claiming to have the power to channel a spirit guide. When one of their best clients encourages them to holiday in her seaside cottage, they head off, only to find that the previous tenant is still very much there... in spirit. This doesn't go the way you might think – the siblings really do seem to be able to channel ghosts, and their communication with this one is successful, though it leads to a macabre discovery. I liked the depiction of these characters, and the dialogue is sharply observed and amusing, but the story doesn't have a proper ending.
As an opening to the collection, I enjoyed 'Spinach', but it adjusted my expectations: rather than fully-formed ghost stories, I assumed the rest of the collection would be made up of similar witty scenes.
In the Tube
A more traditional ghost story, using the familiar 'storytelling' framing device: a first-person narrator hears a spooky tale from an acquaintance. The acquaintance has been haunted by visions of a man, both before and after his demise by suicide. Again, the story ends abruptly. Contrary to my aforementioned expectations, it isn't especially witty, and doesn't seem likely to stick in my memory for long.
The Man Who Went Too Far
A lovely atmosphere in this, with description that really captures the beguiling magic of its rural setting. Two old friends meet after several years' separation, but Darcy is alarmed and intrigued to see that Frank has the appearance of a man fifteen years younger. His explanation is that he has adopted a way of life that brings him closer to nature, ridding himself of all pain and suffering (or proximity to it). However, it's not hard to guess from the title how this is going to pan out. In the end, the story seems to read as a cautionary tale about the dangers of eschewing Christianity.
Mrs Amworth
A very enjoyable vampire story set in an otherwise sleepy, picturesque village. It doesn't exactly offer a new take on the genre but, even so, I'd probably say this is my favourite of the collection so far.
(The above reviews were written separately as part of a review-in-progress, each one completed after I finished the story. At this point, however, I got a bit fed up and resolved to finish the rest off in one go. I also remembered why I don't usually do this: because it ends up taking me a month to read a sub-200-page book.)
The other five stories are a similarly uneven bunch. The best of the lot is 'The Room in the Tower', in which a man finds a recurring dream appearing to come true, and is menaced by a diabolical painting; it's by far the most successful at conjuring up a genuine sense of dread and terror. The story that follows it, 'The Bus-Conductor', is both unremarkable and far too similar to 'In the Tube'. There are two stories about gigantic evil slugs (!), which makes this sound like a MUCH more exciting book than it is. And the last one is about poor put-upon caterpillars taking revenge on a couple of obnoxious caterpillar-taunting fops. At least that's how I read it.
March 20, 2019
Classic Fred
As a confirmed Bensonite of long standing (yes, that's a thing, and, yes, we call him Fred), I recently succumbed to the lure of Audible. Oh, how I had resisted. For years. Such fortitude! Really, I deserve some kind of medal.
But then, I developed a 'tarsome' (Benson adjectival in-joke, there) eye problem. I'm sure you don't want to hear about it, as there is nothing more tarsome than a middle-aged woman discussing her health.
Oh, if you insist, then. A rather intrusive floater in my left eye. The one that had cataract surgery five years ago. It positively swirls all about the page whenever I try to read anything. Ghastly.
Where was I? Oh, yes.... my review!
I've read all these stories before. Multiple times, in fact. Although most Bensonites, me included, come to worship at the altar of Fred after reading his incomparable Mapp and Lucia series, what I found eventually was that it is his "spook stories" (his term) that really get me going. ( "Obviously," you are probably thinking. I forgive you, cara. Bensonite term of endearment there... really, you must read the Mapp and Lucia books and learn the lingo.)
But then this floater thing had me feeling quite sorry for myself as I had such piles of intriguing books beckoning, but it was getting harder and harder to concentrate what with that intrusive black THING gliding around all over the page. (Actually, hmmm, that's rather spooky in and of itself, isn't it?)
Happily, I seem to retain things I hear even better than things I read, so I spend many contented hours puttering in the kitchen or garden listening to audiobooks. But I had, in fact, gone through most of the audiobooks of interest to me through the public library.
And this is how I justified the Audible account. And how, upon entering that magic realm, I straightaway locked onto this book as the first target. Mark Gatiss and Fred! A match made in heaven!
Now, I have to confess that Gatiss' choice of stories would not be my personal choice. No, truth be told, he seems to favor the ones I think of as being more "Lovecraftian" in the sense that there is more an element of horror than spookiness per se. In several of these tales there are monsters, slimy, writhing, unspeakable things, often combined with corruption of the soul.
But I should clarify that Benson does not, thankfully, exhibit Lovecraft's penchant for interminable description, esoteric myth creation, awkward style, racism, ... and, oh, well, you can see that I am not a Lovecraft fan, I guess? Benson's style is, quite simply, a thing of beauty.
I would love to hear Gatiss read two of my favorite Benson ghost stories (and these are proper ghosts, not slimy horrors), "How Fear Departed from the Long Gallery" and "Pirates." Or perhaps an even better choice would be Derek Jacobi, who is, let's face it, a kindlier presence, as those two particular stories are almost heartbreaking in their tenderness. Yes...Jacobi.
But let's be clear. I thought Gatiss did a perfectly splendid job with this set of stories. And, now that I think of it, he was the perfect reader for such a literally creepy tale as "Caterpillars" (long one of my favorites) or the dark, foreboding "The Room in the Tower."
My! I have goose bumps just thinking of "The Room in the Tower."
Read it (if you must). But even better, listen to it. For the very best ghost stories really are meant to be performed. And this, cara, is a performance .
As a confirmed Bensonite of long standing (yes, that's a thing, and, yes, we call him Fred), I recently succumbed to the lure of Audible. Oh, how I had resisted. For years. Such fortitude! Really, I deserve some kind of medal.
But then, I developed a 'tarsome' (Benson adjectival in-joke, there) eye problem. I'm sure you don't want to hear about it, as there is nothing more tarsome than a middle-aged woman discussing her health.
Oh, if you insist, then. A rather intrusive floater in my left eye. The one that had cataract surgery five years ago. It positively swirls all about the page whenever I try to read anything. Ghastly.
Where was I? Oh, yes.... my review!
I've read all these stories before. Multiple times, in fact. Although most Bensonites, me included, come to worship at the altar of Fred after reading his incomparable Mapp and Lucia series, what I found eventually was that it is his "spook stories" (his term) that really get me going. ( "Obviously," you are probably thinking. I forgive you, cara. Bensonite term of endearment there... really, you must read the Mapp and Lucia books and learn the lingo.)
But then this floater thing had me feeling quite sorry for myself as I had such piles of intriguing books beckoning, but it was getting harder and harder to concentrate what with that intrusive black THING gliding around all over the page. (Actually, hmmm, that's rather spooky in and of itself, isn't it?)
Happily, I seem to retain things I hear even better than things I read, so I spend many contented hours puttering in the kitchen or garden listening to audiobooks. But I had, in fact, gone through most of the audiobooks of interest to me through the public library.
And this is how I justified the Audible account. And how, upon entering that magic realm, I straightaway locked onto this book as the first target. Mark Gatiss and Fred! A match made in heaven!
Now, I have to confess that Gatiss' choice of stories would not be my personal choice. No, truth be told, he seems to favor the ones I think of as being more "Lovecraftian" in the sense that there is more an element of horror than spookiness per se. In several of these tales there are monsters, slimy, writhing, unspeakable things, often combined with corruption of the soul.
But I should clarify that Benson does not, thankfully, exhibit Lovecraft's penchant for interminable description, esoteric myth creation, awkward style, racism, ... and, oh, well, you can see that I am not a Lovecraft fan, I guess? Benson's style is, quite simply, a thing of beauty.
I would love to hear Gatiss read two of my favorite Benson ghost stories (and these are proper ghosts, not slimy horrors), "How Fear Departed from the Long Gallery" and "Pirates." Or perhaps an even better choice would be Derek Jacobi, who is, let's face it, a kindlier presence, as those two particular stories are almost heartbreaking in their tenderness. Yes...Jacobi.
But let's be clear. I thought Gatiss did a perfectly splendid job with this set of stories. And, now that I think of it, he was the perfect reader for such a literally creepy tale as "Caterpillars" (long one of my favorites) or the dark, foreboding "The Room in the Tower."
My! I have goose bumps just thinking of "The Room in the Tower."
Read it (if you must). But even better, listen to it. For the very best ghost stories really are meant to be performed. And this, cara, is a performance .
January 29, 2017
Some terrific stories in this slimline collection - "The Man Who Went Too Far" will ring (frightening) bells for anyone who has read Arthur Machen's "The Great God Pan", and the creeping, slimy things in "Negotium Perambulans" and "And No Bird Sings" echo the viscous horrors of HP Lovecraft. "The Room in the Tower" - with its repeated line, "Jack will show you your room: I have given you the room in the tower" - explores what can happen when a recurring nightmare starts to come true.
Like MR James, Benson delves into the weirder side of the British psyche, and unearths some curious, and terrifying, things, but adds a certain strangeness all his own (and is arguably a writer of greater depth and complexity).
"Fear," reckons one of his protagonists, "is the most absorbing and luxurious of emotions. One forgets all else when one is afraid."
These are some of the most frightening ghost stories I have ever read. Highly recommended.
Like MR James, Benson delves into the weirder side of the British psyche, and unearths some curious, and terrifying, things, but adds a certain strangeness all his own (and is arguably a writer of greater depth and complexity).
"Fear," reckons one of his protagonists, "is the most absorbing and luxurious of emotions. One forgets all else when one is afraid."
These are some of the most frightening ghost stories I have ever read. Highly recommended.
October 1, 2024
This selection of the prolific ‘Fred’ Benson’s ghost stories was selected by Mark Gatiss, and the audio version I have listened to over the last few weeks while wandering the forests of Central Europe was read by him. His voice perfectly suits the mood.
There’s quite a variety here, from a splendidly entertaining comedy about spiritualism, Spinach, to the more traditional ghost story like In The Tube.
My personal favourite fits more into the weird literature category, and concerns a young man who is something of a Dorian Gray type character.
At times it seems that Benson’s greatest influence was MR James, but at others, Lovecraft. It’s fair to say that he was no lover of insects. Three of stories concern insect-like monsters. It’s the aspect of the horror genre that I find less entertaining. Some creatures in our world have unjustly had a hard time at the hands of authors over the years; sharks, wolves, spiders.. I struggle to find slugs and caterpillars scary.
There’s quite a variety here, from a splendidly entertaining comedy about spiritualism, Spinach, to the more traditional ghost story like In The Tube.
My personal favourite fits more into the weird literature category, and concerns a young man who is something of a Dorian Gray type character.
At times it seems that Benson’s greatest influence was MR James, but at others, Lovecraft. It’s fair to say that he was no lover of insects. Three of stories concern insect-like monsters. It’s the aspect of the horror genre that I find less entertaining. Some creatures in our world have unjustly had a hard time at the hands of authors over the years; sharks, wolves, spiders.. I struggle to find slugs and caterpillars scary.
April 6, 2025
some truly comically un-scary victorian classics and some lynchian-ly creepy buildups (the Tower was a highlight)! fun mix and i appreciated the introduction informing me of the author’s (seemingly familial) ’confirmed bachelorhood’ ;) even though it was from none other than Mark Gatis
October 21, 2024
Some really fun and interesting ghost stories. I think what I liked most about many of these is that they subvert expectations - the settings are sunny, beautiful, filled with nature - a far cry from the bleak and often sparse settings that ghost stories usually call their home.
As ever with collections, some stories worked better for me than others. The standout story for me was probably the one about evil caterpillars, though all of the stories that featured evil worms and creatures of darkness were particularly good - all visceral and disgusting in a uniquely Benson style.
Definitely recommended if you need some spooky stuff with a difference this season.
As ever with collections, some stories worked better for me than others. The standout story for me was probably the one about evil caterpillars, though all of the stories that featured evil worms and creatures of darkness were particularly good - all visceral and disgusting in a uniquely Benson style.
Definitely recommended if you need some spooky stuff with a difference this season.
September 20, 2019
Edward Frederic Benson was a terrific writer. In many senses of the word. He was a pioneer in horror writing and created many of the ideas that are still prevalent in literature as well as film today.
Having made that introduction, why am I only giving this 2 stars?
It is mislabeled. The stories are all horror but not even half of them are ghost stories. The quality of the stories would probably have given this a 4 star reviews under a different title. The author definitely should be read more. He had ideas ahead of his time. This collection just isn't one of ghost stories.
Having made that introduction, why am I only giving this 2 stars?
It is mislabeled. The stories are all horror but not even half of them are ghost stories. The quality of the stories would probably have given this a 4 star reviews under a different title. The author definitely should be read more. He had ideas ahead of his time. This collection just isn't one of ghost stories.
October 24, 2017
I did not bother reading the last two stories because it was just terrible
April 1, 2017
Great, classic ghost stories but spoiled for me because I read Mark Gatiss's introduction with its smirking references to Benson's gayness. It just seemed out of place as an essay about a collection of stories that didn't deal with sex or relationships.
November 14, 2024
Which are scarier – ghosts or slugs?
This collection brings together nine of Benson's stories, chosen and wonderfully narrated by Mark Gatiss, and provides a good sample of the various styles he could employ with equal skill, from the standard ghostly haunting, to the folk horror of Pan and the natural world, to the weird, mostly, in this collection, in the form of truly horrid slug-like creatures who are and yet aren’t quite of this world. I gave eight of the stories four or five stars, and the ninth got a reasonable if unspectacular three. So it’s fair to say I thought this was an excellent collection overall. I suspect that Gatiss’ narration may have boosted each story by perhaps half a star – he brings out all the creepiness and growing horror and his timing for the occasional jump scare is immaculate. I loved listening to his voice, or that should really be voices, and so hope that he might record more classic horror stories in the future.
As always, here’s a taste of a few of my favourites, although it was hard to choose this time…
The Man Who Went Too Far – A young man is living a life of hedonism in the woods, seduced by the music he sometimes hears of pipes playing in the distance. But gradually the pipes grow nearer and the young man will get his wish to meet the player – Pan! The motto of this one should be – be careful what you wish for! A wonderful story, full of lush descriptions of the natural world, and with a dark ending.
The Room in the Tower – The narrator has a recurring dream about a house and the family who live there, which always ends with the mother of the family saying “Jack will show you your room: I have given you the room in the tower.”, at which point he has a sense of terror which wakes him. Then one day he goes to visit the family of a friend and recognises their house as the one from the dream! A more traditional ghost story of the Gothic variety, and Benson builds the tension beautifully to a truly horrid climax!
Spinach – A brother and sister, both mediums, have rented a cottage. They are contacted by the ghost of the previous tenant, Thomas Spinach, who was killed in a storm. Spinach tells them he left something lying around but can’t remember where. They decide to help the ghost by searching for the object, though they don’t know what it is. It turns out to be… no! I’ll leave you to find that out for yourself! This one is played mostly for laughs, with some nicely shivery moments added in. Good fun!
Negotium Parambulans – Our narrator lived for some years as a boy in Polearn, a fishing village in Cornwall. (What is it about Cornwall? Half the horror stories in the world are set there!) There is a house there, built from the remains of a church, and the original inhabitant sacrilegiously used the altar for feasting and gaming. He came to a sticky end. But was it madness brought on by drunkenness? Or was there something more sinister behind his death? Now our narrator has returned to the village as an adult and his elderly aunt tells him a similar tale about the next occupant. And now an old schoolmate of the narrator, John Evans, lives there… Lovely crossover between Gothic and weird in this somewhat dark story, and some great horror imagery, especially for those of us who are not too keen on slimy things.
And No Bird Sings – Our narrator is going on a visit to a friend and his wife, Hugh and Daisy Granger, in a house they have recently acquired. He decides to walk from the train station, and takes a short cut through a small wood that lies in their grounds. But once in the wood he is seized with a feeling of unease – there are unexpected shadows where there shouldn’t be, sometimes he notices a horrible smell as of decaying living things, and then he notices the oddest thing of all – there are no birds in the wood. It turns out both Hugh and especially Daisy have also felt this sense of something wrong in the wood, and their dogs won’t enter it at all. So Hugh and the narrator decide it is time to find out what is in there… This one is most definitely weird, and Benson develops a really great atmosphere of creepiness and unease. The climax is deliciously horrible! Great stuff!
So loads of variety, excellent writing, lots of shiveriness but nothing too gruesome – I loved this collection, and felt the narration made it even better. One I’ll listen to again!
This collection brings together nine of Benson's stories, chosen and wonderfully narrated by Mark Gatiss, and provides a good sample of the various styles he could employ with equal skill, from the standard ghostly haunting, to the folk horror of Pan and the natural world, to the weird, mostly, in this collection, in the form of truly horrid slug-like creatures who are and yet aren’t quite of this world. I gave eight of the stories four or five stars, and the ninth got a reasonable if unspectacular three. So it’s fair to say I thought this was an excellent collection overall. I suspect that Gatiss’ narration may have boosted each story by perhaps half a star – he brings out all the creepiness and growing horror and his timing for the occasional jump scare is immaculate. I loved listening to his voice, or that should really be voices, and so hope that he might record more classic horror stories in the future.
As always, here’s a taste of a few of my favourites, although it was hard to choose this time…
The Man Who Went Too Far – A young man is living a life of hedonism in the woods, seduced by the music he sometimes hears of pipes playing in the distance. But gradually the pipes grow nearer and the young man will get his wish to meet the player – Pan! The motto of this one should be – be careful what you wish for! A wonderful story, full of lush descriptions of the natural world, and with a dark ending.
The Room in the Tower – The narrator has a recurring dream about a house and the family who live there, which always ends with the mother of the family saying “Jack will show you your room: I have given you the room in the tower.”, at which point he has a sense of terror which wakes him. Then one day he goes to visit the family of a friend and recognises their house as the one from the dream! A more traditional ghost story of the Gothic variety, and Benson builds the tension beautifully to a truly horrid climax!
Spinach – A brother and sister, both mediums, have rented a cottage. They are contacted by the ghost of the previous tenant, Thomas Spinach, who was killed in a storm. Spinach tells them he left something lying around but can’t remember where. They decide to help the ghost by searching for the object, though they don’t know what it is. It turns out to be… no! I’ll leave you to find that out for yourself! This one is played mostly for laughs, with some nicely shivery moments added in. Good fun!
Negotium Parambulans – Our narrator lived for some years as a boy in Polearn, a fishing village in Cornwall. (What is it about Cornwall? Half the horror stories in the world are set there!) There is a house there, built from the remains of a church, and the original inhabitant sacrilegiously used the altar for feasting and gaming. He came to a sticky end. But was it madness brought on by drunkenness? Or was there something more sinister behind his death? Now our narrator has returned to the village as an adult and his elderly aunt tells him a similar tale about the next occupant. And now an old schoolmate of the narrator, John Evans, lives there… Lovely crossover between Gothic and weird in this somewhat dark story, and some great horror imagery, especially for those of us who are not too keen on slimy things.
And No Bird Sings – Our narrator is going on a visit to a friend and his wife, Hugh and Daisy Granger, in a house they have recently acquired. He decides to walk from the train station, and takes a short cut through a small wood that lies in their grounds. But once in the wood he is seized with a feeling of unease – there are unexpected shadows where there shouldn’t be, sometimes he notices a horrible smell as of decaying living things, and then he notices the oddest thing of all – there are no birds in the wood. It turns out both Hugh and especially Daisy have also felt this sense of something wrong in the wood, and their dogs won’t enter it at all. So Hugh and the narrator decide it is time to find out what is in there… This one is most definitely weird, and Benson develops a really great atmosphere of creepiness and unease. The climax is deliciously horrible! Great stuff!
So loads of variety, excellent writing, lots of shiveriness but nothing too gruesome – I loved this collection, and felt the narration made it even better. One I’ll listen to again!
July 27, 2020
When I read ghost stories or any form of a spooky story, I really would like to be scared out of my wits however not too terrified out. It's complicated I know XD
With this collection, I found mostly all of the included short stories to not be scary at all. I feel that a few of them didn't really come across as horror either. If you are new to this genre, this may be a good starting point. For those who have read a lot of horror, skip reading this one!
With this collection, I found mostly all of the included short stories to not be scary at all. I feel that a few of them didn't really come across as horror either. If you are new to this genre, this may be a good starting point. For those who have read a lot of horror, skip reading this one!
October 14, 2019
Not enough ghosts
December 2, 2019
This collection provides a wonderful showcase for the depth and breadth of E.F. Benson's ghostly tales. These slow-burn, cerebral stories were perfect reading as autumn turned to winter.
I highly recommend the audiobook narrated by Mark Gatiss!
I highly recommend the audiobook narrated by Mark Gatiss!
November 8, 2018
A decent collection of ghost stories from the author of Mapp and Lucia. They differ in quality making for a hit or miss affair, but the writers wit and eccentricity shine through enough to make it an enjoyable collection. Benson is no M R James, but his ghost stories aren't too bad at all.
January 26, 2018
A collection of nine short stories that varied in quality, but overall an enjoyable read.
April 17, 2024
Read for 52 Book Club Challenge 2024 #33 An abrupt ending.
My book group challenged me to try a book in a genre I wouldn't normally read. There are not many genres that I don't enjoy, but I am not generally keen on gory or scary books or movies. A friend who loves ghost stories gave me this collection of short stories, saying they were more quirky than scary.
I have to say this collection was quite odd with strange caterpillars and several slugs, as well as the more usual ghostly apparitions, vampires, mediums and things that go bump in the night. The author is better known for the Mapp & Lucia series and the leafy settings in big houses and easy style of writing was appealing - imagine Agatha Christie or P.G. Wodehouse but spookier! The stories also all have quite abrupt endings (the final one even ending mid-sentence) - I am not sure if this is to create a sense of mystery or because the author wasn't great at ending stories!
So, have I been converted to ghost stories as a genre? One of the characters explains the appeal of ghost-seeking : "I like being frightened...I want to be made to creep and creep and creep. Fear is the most absorbing and luxurious of emotions. One forgets all else if one is afraid." I certainly did find this collection absorbing...but I am still not sure I actually like being frightened...
My book group challenged me to try a book in a genre I wouldn't normally read. There are not many genres that I don't enjoy, but I am not generally keen on gory or scary books or movies. A friend who loves ghost stories gave me this collection of short stories, saying they were more quirky than scary.
I have to say this collection was quite odd with strange caterpillars and several slugs, as well as the more usual ghostly apparitions, vampires, mediums and things that go bump in the night. The author is better known for the Mapp & Lucia series and the leafy settings in big houses and easy style of writing was appealing - imagine Agatha Christie or P.G. Wodehouse but spookier! The stories also all have quite abrupt endings (the final one even ending mid-sentence) - I am not sure if this is to create a sense of mystery or because the author wasn't great at ending stories!
So, have I been converted to ghost stories as a genre? One of the characters explains the appeal of ghost-seeking : "I like being frightened...I want to be made to creep and creep and creep. Fear is the most absorbing and luxurious of emotions. One forgets all else if one is afraid." I certainly did find this collection absorbing...but I am still not sure I actually like being frightened...
December 20, 2017
Supernatural occurrences of various kinds take place in the civilised, early 20th century British world conjured up in these stories of ghosts, vampires, premonitions and slithering things. I found the first story, Spinach, particularly enjoyable, as it has an amusing comic tone. I listened to the audio version read by Mark Gatiss. These stories clearly appeal to his horror-connoisseur tastes, and he gives an entertaining performance which complements the tone of the stories.
January 14, 2023
Truly a great group of spooky stories read by the handsome and wonderful Mark Gatiss, another lover of the macabre. Many of these I've read before and are my favorites such as "And No Bird Sings", "The Room in the Tower" and "Caterpillars" while I discovered new favorites like "Spinach" and "Mrs. Amworth" that give the willies.
November 1, 2022
Enjoyably oozy ghost stories. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Gatiss - absolute delight to hear them and made them just that bit creepier as I listened in the days up to hallowe'en, my little one sleeping beside me, completely unaware of the horror
July 26, 2023
My favourite is “the room in the tower”, I find it to be the only one that actually has a spooky atmosphere. All the other stories are more like vintage supernatural tales.
My other likes are “in the tube”, “Mrs. Amworth” and “the bus conductor”
My other likes are “in the tube”, “Mrs. Amworth” and “the bus conductor”
November 29, 2019
It's like Lovecraft, only better, scarier, and less racist ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
October 29, 2024
Bit of a rogue read for me but was trying to get into the Halloween spirit, narration was the highlight for me the stories just all ended abruptly which confused my brain
February 25, 2025
Review of Ghost Stories: Selected and Introduced by Mark Gatiss by E.F. Benson
★★★☆☆
E.F. Benson’s Ghost Stories, curated and introduced by Mark Gatiss, is a solid collection of eerie tales that will appeal to fans of classic supernatural fiction. Benson, best known for his Mapp and Lucia series, was also a master of the ghost story, and this selection showcases his talent for unsettling atmospheres and quiet horror.
The stories often follow a traditional structure—strange occurrences, an increasingly unnerved protagonist, and a chilling revelation. Benson excels at crafting an uncanny mood, with tales like The Room in the Tower and Caterpillars standing out for their lingering sense of dread. His ghosts and supernatural entities are sometimes subtle, sometimes grotesque, but always effective in unsettling the reader.
However, the collection’s pacing can be slow, and some stories feel a bit predictable by modern standards. Readers who enjoy fast-paced horror or shocking twists may find Benson’s style a little too restrained. That said, Mark Gatiss’s introduction adds an enjoyable touch, providing context for Benson’s work and his place in the tradition of British ghost stories.
Overall, this is a worthwhile read for those who appreciate atmospheric, classic horror, but it may not fully satisfy readers looking for more modern or intense scares.
★★★☆☆
E.F. Benson’s Ghost Stories, curated and introduced by Mark Gatiss, is a solid collection of eerie tales that will appeal to fans of classic supernatural fiction. Benson, best known for his Mapp and Lucia series, was also a master of the ghost story, and this selection showcases his talent for unsettling atmospheres and quiet horror.
The stories often follow a traditional structure—strange occurrences, an increasingly unnerved protagonist, and a chilling revelation. Benson excels at crafting an uncanny mood, with tales like The Room in the Tower and Caterpillars standing out for their lingering sense of dread. His ghosts and supernatural entities are sometimes subtle, sometimes grotesque, but always effective in unsettling the reader.
However, the collection’s pacing can be slow, and some stories feel a bit predictable by modern standards. Readers who enjoy fast-paced horror or shocking twists may find Benson’s style a little too restrained. That said, Mark Gatiss’s introduction adds an enjoyable touch, providing context for Benson’s work and his place in the tradition of British ghost stories.
Overall, this is a worthwhile read for those who appreciate atmospheric, classic horror, but it may not fully satisfy readers looking for more modern or intense scares.
February 6, 2017
I don't think spoilers for once... but take care anyway
When I first came across this book I was surprised to discover an author of ghost stories that I had not, so far, encountered. The introduction included some comparisons with M.R.James, but I would characterise the writing of E.F.Benson as the next step on from James in the evolution of the ghost story. James work is so evocation of the 19th century whereas Benson is firmly grounded in the early 20th. James’ stuffy academics are starting to be replaced by professionals, the protagonists are younger, and there are a greater number of female characters.
While the stories share themes, and sometimes characters, each tale in this collection has a strong individual identity, a central image that is quickly called to mind. Most of these stories contain a large element of fun, and of self awareness, in particular ‘Spinach’, which I read almost entirely as a parody on the psychic medium trope. I almost want to characterise these tales as Goosebumps for grown ups. Beneath the silliness there is a real aspect of fear.
I wondered also if just as the ghost story itself began its transition into modernity, so too did the reader of ghost stories. I found Benson’s writing to be pitched more towards an audience of growing scepticism, a readership who are founded in logic and reason, and maybe hold no actual belief in a spiritual realm but are none the less drawn to discussion of it. These tales illicit an acknowledgement from a reader of the enjoyment of indulging in a ghost story for the sheer thrill of it, that we enjoy being afraid, even if our scepticism will not actually allow us to believe in that which we fear. This understanding of his audience is personified by the ghost hunting narrator in ‘The Bus Conductor’. A recurring motif throughout the stories in the collection is a discussion between characters about the validity of the belief in the supernatural.
A few observations on particular stories:
‘Spinach’- I found this such a funny story, a send up of clairvoyance and all the tropes that accompany it. I liked that Sylvia was more aware than Ludovic of their apparent limitations. Ludovic, if honest with himself, knows he’s a fraud but not an entirely malicious one. I felt he was mainly enamoured with the idea of being special, and possessing a gift that made others regard him wit a sense of awe. I also loved the idea of a spirit being haunted by a physical body, and of psychics being called on for help by a sympathetic murderer.
‘In the Tube’- I loved the concept of this story, the ghost of a living man appearing for someone and enacting stages of their imminent death. It reminded me greatly of Dickens’ ‘The Signalman with a pleasing twist. I also like how it captured perfectly the sense of uneasiness we experience when confronted by the emptiness of a usually bustling environment, that nagging fear we all have of missing the last train.
‘The Room in the Tower’- This is my favourite story from the collection, the most straight forward horror. The reader experiences a sense of dread which is sustained throughout, achieved by the repetition of the dream and simple utterance of such a chilling phrase, ‘Jack will show you to your room. We have given you the room in the tower’. I loved how each detail added to the fear; the stone outside of the fence, the painting. It all builds to a sense of inescapability, of time pulling us towards our fate, heightened by supposed normality and conviviality of the surroundings.
‘And No Bird Sings’- This is probably the tale I least enjoyed from the collection, although it is my favourite title. I found it to be a simple monster story, although it contains a stunning description of the narrator’s walk through the forest. I admire a short story writer who isn’t afraid to use an in depth descriptive passage.
‘Negolium Perambulans’- This story captures completely the sense of vitality in memories of childhood, particularly connected with places. The descriptions of Polearn are not so much physical, though they map a vivid and intricate picture of the town, but are more illustrative of a child’s understanding of the unspoken fundamentals of the adult community. I found it interesting that all inhabitants of the cursed cottage were in some way set apart, one a reclusive alcoholic, one an artist. John Evans actually leaves a vicarage to live in place of sacrilege. I also loved how this story was evocative of childhood stories and adventures, how they continue to occupy our adult minds. Even viewed through the distance of adult logic, the sense of fear and wonder still bubbles under the surface.
I am definitely intending to seek out more E.F.Benson’s aptly named spook stories, which I found were best enjoyed just before going to sleep, with a low light, and slightly uneasy glance at a closed door.
When I first came across this book I was surprised to discover an author of ghost stories that I had not, so far, encountered. The introduction included some comparisons with M.R.James, but I would characterise the writing of E.F.Benson as the next step on from James in the evolution of the ghost story. James work is so evocation of the 19th century whereas Benson is firmly grounded in the early 20th. James’ stuffy academics are starting to be replaced by professionals, the protagonists are younger, and there are a greater number of female characters.
While the stories share themes, and sometimes characters, each tale in this collection has a strong individual identity, a central image that is quickly called to mind. Most of these stories contain a large element of fun, and of self awareness, in particular ‘Spinach’, which I read almost entirely as a parody on the psychic medium trope. I almost want to characterise these tales as Goosebumps for grown ups. Beneath the silliness there is a real aspect of fear.
I wondered also if just as the ghost story itself began its transition into modernity, so too did the reader of ghost stories. I found Benson’s writing to be pitched more towards an audience of growing scepticism, a readership who are founded in logic and reason, and maybe hold no actual belief in a spiritual realm but are none the less drawn to discussion of it. These tales illicit an acknowledgement from a reader of the enjoyment of indulging in a ghost story for the sheer thrill of it, that we enjoy being afraid, even if our scepticism will not actually allow us to believe in that which we fear. This understanding of his audience is personified by the ghost hunting narrator in ‘The Bus Conductor’. A recurring motif throughout the stories in the collection is a discussion between characters about the validity of the belief in the supernatural.
A few observations on particular stories:
‘Spinach’- I found this such a funny story, a send up of clairvoyance and all the tropes that accompany it. I liked that Sylvia was more aware than Ludovic of their apparent limitations. Ludovic, if honest with himself, knows he’s a fraud but not an entirely malicious one. I felt he was mainly enamoured with the idea of being special, and possessing a gift that made others regard him wit a sense of awe. I also loved the idea of a spirit being haunted by a physical body, and of psychics being called on for help by a sympathetic murderer.
‘In the Tube’- I loved the concept of this story, the ghost of a living man appearing for someone and enacting stages of their imminent death. It reminded me greatly of Dickens’ ‘The Signalman with a pleasing twist. I also like how it captured perfectly the sense of uneasiness we experience when confronted by the emptiness of a usually bustling environment, that nagging fear we all have of missing the last train.
‘The Room in the Tower’- This is my favourite story from the collection, the most straight forward horror. The reader experiences a sense of dread which is sustained throughout, achieved by the repetition of the dream and simple utterance of such a chilling phrase, ‘Jack will show you to your room. We have given you the room in the tower’. I loved how each detail added to the fear; the stone outside of the fence, the painting. It all builds to a sense of inescapability, of time pulling us towards our fate, heightened by supposed normality and conviviality of the surroundings.
‘And No Bird Sings’- This is probably the tale I least enjoyed from the collection, although it is my favourite title. I found it to be a simple monster story, although it contains a stunning description of the narrator’s walk through the forest. I admire a short story writer who isn’t afraid to use an in depth descriptive passage.
‘Negolium Perambulans’- This story captures completely the sense of vitality in memories of childhood, particularly connected with places. The descriptions of Polearn are not so much physical, though they map a vivid and intricate picture of the town, but are more illustrative of a child’s understanding of the unspoken fundamentals of the adult community. I found it interesting that all inhabitants of the cursed cottage were in some way set apart, one a reclusive alcoholic, one an artist. John Evans actually leaves a vicarage to live in place of sacrilege. I also loved how this story was evocative of childhood stories and adventures, how they continue to occupy our adult minds. Even viewed through the distance of adult logic, the sense of fear and wonder still bubbles under the surface.
I am definitely intending to seek out more E.F.Benson’s aptly named spook stories, which I found were best enjoyed just before going to sleep, with a low light, and slightly uneasy glance at a closed door.
September 30, 2022
Maybe it was the style of writing, but if put me in a book slump for a long time
July 9, 2017
Reading this slim but well-chosen selection of classic supernatural tales made me realise that I actually prefer Benson's work over MR James's. While there's less of the academic's erudition on display, there's a richer variety of tones here, and a wry humour that I absolutely adored, while the supernatural element itself is often handled with an unflinching nastiness that actually took me off guard a few times. Caterpillars is a great example of this, a smoothly written tale filled with local colour and fine characterisation, and an utterly horrific bite of weirdness at its core. Negotium Perambulans is another first rate story, an almost Lovecraftian tale of hauntings at an old seaside town that I found absolutely gripping. In a similar vein is the harrowing And No Bird Sings about a haunted grove and its ghastly denizen (who seems strikingly like the supernatural menace in the previous story. Cousins perhaps?)
The Man Who Went Too Far is a sort of Blackwood-esque tale about a man who attempts to immerse himself wholly in life and become one with the natural world. It's a great example of this type of story ruined slightly by a somewhat prosaic and silly ending, something which Blackwood himself was occasionally guilty of. In the Tube is a clever tale of hauntings and time travel which managed to be both thought provoking and incredibly moving. The Bus Conductor is famous for its inclusion in the superb movie Dead of Night, though I found it a relatively slight and run-of-the-mill piece, albeit not one without its particular charms.
The Room in the Tower is probably the most well known piece here, and its reputation is well earned. The techniques on display are a masterclass in unease. Benson uses a recurring dream/nightmare motif to dislocate the reader and prepare him for what follows, though he stops just short of actually giving us any firm idea of the menace until the very end, such that when it arrives it feels both shocking and inevitable. Mrs Amsworth is a slightly less successful effort, though that's partly due to over-familiarity with similar tales of this kind. Nonetheless I still found a number of scenes very eerie indeed, and once again Benson's smooth style masks some real unpleasantness.
Spinach was the only story I couldn't quite get into, and it's a shame that it's the opening story of the collection as it doesn't entirely set the right tone for what's to follow.
Overall however an excellent selection of tales, though very much a taster rather than a comprehensive 'best of' collection.
The Man Who Went Too Far is a sort of Blackwood-esque tale about a man who attempts to immerse himself wholly in life and become one with the natural world. It's a great example of this type of story ruined slightly by a somewhat prosaic and silly ending, something which Blackwood himself was occasionally guilty of. In the Tube is a clever tale of hauntings and time travel which managed to be both thought provoking and incredibly moving. The Bus Conductor is famous for its inclusion in the superb movie Dead of Night, though I found it a relatively slight and run-of-the-mill piece, albeit not one without its particular charms.
The Room in the Tower is probably the most well known piece here, and its reputation is well earned. The techniques on display are a masterclass in unease. Benson uses a recurring dream/nightmare motif to dislocate the reader and prepare him for what follows, though he stops just short of actually giving us any firm idea of the menace until the very end, such that when it arrives it feels both shocking and inevitable. Mrs Amsworth is a slightly less successful effort, though that's partly due to over-familiarity with similar tales of this kind. Nonetheless I still found a number of scenes very eerie indeed, and once again Benson's smooth style masks some real unpleasantness.
Spinach was the only story I couldn't quite get into, and it's a shame that it's the opening story of the collection as it doesn't entirely set the right tone for what's to follow.
Overall however an excellent selection of tales, though very much a taster rather than a comprehensive 'best of' collection.
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