E.F. Benson's Ghost Stories

read by Mark Gatiss

By: E. F. Benson

Narrated by: Mark Gatiss

Mark Gatiss (Sherlock, Doctor Who, Game of Thrones) reads 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 train 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.

©2016 E. F. Benson (P)2016 Random House Audiobooks

Wonderful!!

Great collection of the ghostly, ghastly, and arcane by E. F. Benson, and a fantastic performance from Mark Gatiss. Well worth spending a credit on, as I know I’ll return to this book again and again.

I loved the introduction. I’d known that E. F. Benson’s father had been Bishop of Canterbury, and that his siblings were also writers. I’d never read anything about his mother, or really grasped the eccentricity and exceptional quality of the family as a whole. Gatiss’ brief sketch did more to bring them to life than far lengthier biographies. I appreciate restoring what we would now term LGBTQI identities to history, so that we don’t obscure whole aspects of author’s lives.

Creepy and unique ghost collection

These stories are part of the British genre of the classic ghost story from the early 20th century. Like others of their kind their kind, these stories have a have a style and atmosphere that is a curious combination of cosy English manners and gruesome haunting measured terror. And yet, they are not descriptions of the typical English ghost, giving us a fresher approach that is entertaining. These tales remind us of those of H.P. Lovecraft, but without the abject insanity found in his characters. In fact, Benson's characters are more like those found in the stories of Sherlock Holmes. These are perfect tales for Halloween.

My Kind Of Ghost Stories

I loved the stories, they was an element of terror, of fear, of ice moving through my veins. I love Mark Gattis as a narrator. he moved through those accents effortlessly and had just the right amount of emotion in his voice to make one's hair stand on their head. I am happy I ran across this little gem.

Old but still very good ghost stories

A ghost story of old tales that are still very effective and enjoyable. If you like these kind of tales, this book is for you.

Not for me

I listened to about 75% of this collection and just stopped. I honestly do not like some of the narrator's voices as they are irritating beyond belief to me, and the stories do not seem to flow well and end abruptly. I had to playback the last minute or so of more than one story to try and understand the ending.

Stick with M. R. James.