Ron K. (WhidbeyIslander) -
Each story is prefaced by information about the author. This is helpful to find further reading if you especially enjoy centain entries.
Aunty Green â John Blackburn Plot: A dying man who was abused by his foster parent seeks revenge. Review: An OK tale that evokes what the man felt as a child. ***
Miss Mack â Michael McDowell Plot: An unattractive female teacher becomes good friends with a younger teacher, thwarting the hopes of a school official who is interested in the younger woman. He plots a way to break up the friendship. Review: McDowell's The Elementals is one of my favorite horror books, and this short tale also shows his talent to send shivers. ****
School Crossing â Francis King Plot: Recently unemployed school teacher begins to be haunted by visions of children running across a road in front of his car. Review: The reader can sympathize with the man and wonder how it really ends. ****
A Psychological Experient â Richard Marsh â Plot: A man begins to feel something isn't right while speaking with a stranger whose overwhelming body size hides what might be retribution for a past deed. Review: A weird story that leaves a lot to question. **
The Progress of John Arthur Crabbe â Stephen Gregory â Plot: A young mentally handicapped boy makes up for his lack of normalcy by developing a power to heal, mostly small creatures he loves. Review: very short and strange ending. **
The Frozen Man â John Trevena â Plot: during a trek in snowy north Canada a trio experiences uncanny sights and life-threatening cold (and other things.) Review: certainly evokes the hardships of pioneers and First Nation peoples of the time endured. ****
California Burning â Michael Blumlein â Plot â A man's plans to have his recently deceased father cremated runs into some unusual problems. Review: a different story that leaves you down a path, then lets you decide what was really happening. Well told and intriguing. ****
Let Loose â Mary Cholmondeley â Plot: a student of architecture recounts a tale told to her by her traveling companion about his entering an ancient crypt to study a fresco and his horrifying experience afterward. Review: evocative tale of old evil lurking and waiting for release. I had two problems with this story: one was the recounting of the tale âas nearly in his own words as I can remember them,â which words cover 15 pages. Although published in 1890, having a smart âphone to record this retelling would have been more believable than the author remembering all those words. The second problem I had involved the fate of the man's dog â it's always with trepidation that I read spooky stories that have a dog involved. Otherwise, I rate it three stars. ***
Out of Sorts â Bernard Taylor â Plot: on a certain day each month a couple never has guests in their home; but when an unavoidable committee meeting happens at their house, one of the guests regrets her actions. Review: nicely told tale although the ending isn't that big a surprise. ***
The Head and The Hand â Christopher Priest â Plot: an eccentric performer puts on one final show. Review: a repellant story that needed a Disclaimer at the beginning to warm sensitive readers of the unpleasantness they were about to encounter. *
The Ghost of Charlotte Cray â Florence Marryat â Plot: a man who opts to marry a younger woman rather than one his own age he knows is smitten with him tries to make amends but is too late. Or is he? Review â first published in the 1880's, it's a well told tale that delivers on its promised ghost quite effectively. *****
The Grim White Woman â M.G.Lewis â Plot: a land-owner is accosted by a maiden in the woods, spurns her, and regrets it when she curses him and his family. Review: **
The maiden's isn't the only curse
Since the eight pages here are all in verse
The tale is well crafted and time it has stood
But why rhyme the word blood with the word wood?
The Terror on Tobit â Charles Birkin â Plot: two young women dismiss warnings from locals about spending the night on a nearby deserted island. Review: a quick tale that doesn't have surprises, but delivers a creepy feeling. ****
Furnished Apartments â Forrest Reid â Plot: a man relates an experience he had as a teenager in a house where he was supposed to stay while working in London. Review: Nicely written with great detail about certain characters; not that scary, just atmospheric. ***
Something Happened â Hugh Fleetwood â Plot: A group of long-time caretakers at a Swiss estate receive a visit from a friend of the owner, who seems to be magically mysterious. Review: set-up is effective, but I thought the whole concept was a bit confusing. ***
The Tarn â Hugh Walpole â Plot: after brooding during a 20-year friendship a man decides his hatred for his friend has reached its end. Review: interesting take on a haunting, well told. ****
The Gentleman All In Black â Gerald Kersh â Plot: a bankrupt businessman receives a visit from a stranger who makes a bargain with him for his time. Review: OK brief story, but no surprises. ***
Aunty Green â John Blackburn Plot: A dying man who was abused by his foster parent seeks revenge. Review: An OK tale that evokes what the man felt as a child. ***
Miss Mack â Michael McDowell Plot: An unattractive female teacher becomes good friends with a younger teacher, thwarting the hopes of a school official who is interested in the younger woman. He plots a way to break up the friendship. Review: McDowell's The Elementals is one of my favorite horror books, and this short tale also shows his talent to send shivers. ****
School Crossing â Francis King Plot: Recently unemployed school teacher begins to be haunted by visions of children running across a road in front of his car. Review: The reader can sympathize with the man and wonder how it really ends. ****
A Psychological Experient â Richard Marsh â Plot: A man begins to feel something isn't right while speaking with a stranger whose overwhelming body size hides what might be retribution for a past deed. Review: A weird story that leaves a lot to question. **
The Progress of John Arthur Crabbe â Stephen Gregory â Plot: A young mentally handicapped boy makes up for his lack of normalcy by developing a power to heal, mostly small creatures he loves. Review: very short and strange ending. **
The Frozen Man â John Trevena â Plot: during a trek in snowy north Canada a trio experiences uncanny sights and life-threatening cold (and other things.) Review: certainly evokes the hardships of pioneers and First Nation peoples of the time endured. ****
California Burning â Michael Blumlein â Plot â A man's plans to have his recently deceased father cremated runs into some unusual problems. Review: a different story that leaves you down a path, then lets you decide what was really happening. Well told and intriguing. ****
Let Loose â Mary Cholmondeley â Plot: a student of architecture recounts a tale told to her by her traveling companion about his entering an ancient crypt to study a fresco and his horrifying experience afterward. Review: evocative tale of old evil lurking and waiting for release. I had two problems with this story: one was the recounting of the tale âas nearly in his own words as I can remember them,â which words cover 15 pages. Although published in 1890, having a smart âphone to record this retelling would have been more believable than the author remembering all those words. The second problem I had involved the fate of the man's dog â it's always with trepidation that I read spooky stories that have a dog involved. Otherwise, I rate it three stars. ***
Out of Sorts â Bernard Taylor â Plot: on a certain day each month a couple never has guests in their home; but when an unavoidable committee meeting happens at their house, one of the guests regrets her actions. Review: nicely told tale although the ending isn't that big a surprise. ***
The Head and The Hand â Christopher Priest â Plot: an eccentric performer puts on one final show. Review: a repellant story that needed a Disclaimer at the beginning to warm sensitive readers of the unpleasantness they were about to encounter. *
The Ghost of Charlotte Cray â Florence Marryat â Plot: a man who opts to marry a younger woman rather than one his own age he knows is smitten with him tries to make amends but is too late. Or is he? Review â first published in the 1880's, it's a well told tale that delivers on its promised ghost quite effectively. *****
The Grim White Woman â M.G.Lewis â Plot: a land-owner is accosted by a maiden in the woods, spurns her, and regrets it when she curses him and his family. Review: **
The maiden's isn't the only curse
Since the eight pages here are all in verse
The tale is well crafted and time it has stood
But why rhyme the word blood with the word wood?
The Terror on Tobit â Charles Birkin â Plot: two young women dismiss warnings from locals about spending the night on a nearby deserted island. Review: a quick tale that doesn't have surprises, but delivers a creepy feeling. ****
Furnished Apartments â Forrest Reid â Plot: a man relates an experience he had as a teenager in a house where he was supposed to stay while working in London. Review: Nicely written with great detail about certain characters; not that scary, just atmospheric. ***
Something Happened â Hugh Fleetwood â Plot: A group of long-time caretakers at a Swiss estate receive a visit from a friend of the owner, who seems to be magically mysterious. Review: set-up is effective, but I thought the whole concept was a bit confusing. ***
The Tarn â Hugh Walpole â Plot: after brooding during a 20-year friendship a man decides his hatred for his friend has reached its end. Review: interesting take on a haunting, well told. ****
The Gentleman All In Black â Gerald Kersh â Plot: a bankrupt businessman receives a visit from a stranger who makes a bargain with him for his time. Review: OK brief story, but no surprises. ***
