M.R. James is probably the finest ghost-story writer England has ever produced. These tales are not only classics of their genre, but are also superb examples of beautifully-paced understatement, convincing background and chilling terror.As well as the preface, there is a fascinating tail-piece by M.R. James, ‘Stories I Have Tried To Write’, which accompanies these thirty tales. Among them are ‘Casting the Runes’, ‘Oh, Whistle and I’ll come to you, My Lad’, ‘The Tractate Middoth’, ‘The Ash Tree’ and ‘Canon Alberic’s Scrapbook’‘There are some authors one wishes one had never read in order to have the joy of reading them for the first time. For me, M.R. James is one of these’. Ruth RendellStories include:Canon Alberic’s ScrapbookLost HeartsThe MezzotintThe Ash TreeNumber 13Count Magnus‘Oh, Whistle, and I’ll Come to You, My Lad’The Treasure of Abbot ThomasA School StoryThe Rose GardenThe Tractate MiddothCasting the RunesThe Stalls of BarchesterCathedralMartin’s CloseMr Humphreys and His InheritanceThe Residence at WhitminsterThe Diary of Mr PoynterAn Episode of Cathedral HistoryThe Story of a Disappearance and an AppearanceTwo DoctorsThe Haunted Dolls’ HouseThe Uncommon Prayer-BookA Neighbour’s LandmarkA View from a HillA Warning to the CuriousAn Evening’s EntertainmentThere was a Man Dwelt by a ChurchyardRatsAfter Dark in the Playing FieldsWailing WellStories I Have Tried to Write
