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.
Contents
Introduction essay by Simon Stern
1. The Ghost of the Cross-Roads (1893) by Frederick Manley
2. 19, Great Hanover Street (1889) by Lillie Harris
3. Sir Hugo's Prayer (1897) by G. B. Burgin
4. Walnut-Tree House (1882) by Mrs. J. H. Riddell
5. Haunted Ashchurch (1893) by Anonymous
6. The Haunted Tree (1871) by Anonymous
7. A Dead Man's Face (1884) by Hugh Conway
8. The Ghost's "Double" (1897) by L. F. Austin
9. The Haunted Manor: A Ghost Story for Christmas (1885) by E. H. Rebton
10. The Nameless Village by J. E. Thomas
11. Old Simons' Ghost! (1896) by Anonymous
12. Miriam's Ghost (1897) by J. W. Hollingsworth
13. The Vicar's Ghost (1890) by Lucy Farmer
14. The Ghost of the Hollow Field (1867) by Mrs. Henry Wood
15. The Wicked Editor's Christmas Dream (1893) by Alice Mary Vince
16. The Barber's Ghost (1869) by Anonymous
17. A Spirit Bride (1896) by Andrew Haggard
18. The Haunted Oven (1877) by W. L Blackley
19. The Devil's Own (1895) by Lilian Quiller Couch
20. A Christmas Ghost Story (1895) by Anonymous
The Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories
The Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories consists of five books — considered a complete series. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.