Classic Ghost Stories Podcast

In the darkness of a Mediterranean night, the Osiris  slices through the waves, carrying with it a passenger burdened by a haunting tale. Alastair Colvin, a man with a shadowed past, reluctantly shares his story of Thurnley Abbey, a Gothic estate nestled in the heart of rural England. Rumoured to be cursed and haunted, the abbey's notoriety has spread far and wide, striking fear into the hearts of...

See here  for more details, and spoilers Story ends at 31:56, after that is pure guff. Requested by Fin Narthex Prepare to delve into the haunting world of Guy de Maupassant's "Who Knows?", a chilling tale that blurs the lines between reality and the supernatural. Join the narrator as he recounts his unsettling experiences with his beloved furniture, which seems to take on a life of its own. As th...

The Smoke Ghost PDF Fritz Leiber (1910-1992) was an influential American writer of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. He is best known for his sword-and-sorcery stories and his novel "Conjure Wife" (1943). Leiber's works often combined elements of fantasy, horror, and science fiction, and he coined the term "sword and sorcery." He is widely regarded as one of the most important figures in moder...

Alan Noel Latimer Munby (25 December 1913 – 26 December 1974) was a distinguished English librarian, bibliographical scholar, and book collector, noted for his contributions to the study of rare books and manuscripts. Additionally, he gained recognition as an author of ghost stories, influenced by the style of M. R. James. Munby was born in Hampstead, the son of architect Alan E. Munby and Ethel G...

Another live reading that hasn’t been heard on Substack before. Forgive the les than ideal sound quality. Saki, also known by his real name Hector Hugh Munro, was a British writer best known for his witty and satirical short stories. He was born on December 18, 1870, in Akyab, British Burma (now Myanmar), to a British colonial officer and his wife. Saki's mother died when he was only two years old...

This story was salvaged from a live reading on YouTube. I haven't previously issued this on Patreon or Substack. H. B. Marriott-Watson (1863-1921) was an English poet, novelist, and literary critic. He was born in London and educated at Oxford University. He began his career as a journalist, writing for various newspapers and magazines, including the Pall Mall Gazette and the Saturday Review. Marr...

Abraham "Bram" Stoker was born on November 8, 1847, in Clontarf, Dublin, Ireland. He was the third of seven children born to Abraham Stoker and Charlotte Mathilda Blake Thornley Stoker. Stoker spent much of his early childhood bedridden due to an unknown illness, during which he entertained himself with stories and books. Despite his illness, he eventually made a full recovery and went on to study...

One of my own stories from my newly published collection ‘Further Ghost Stories’. For those who dislike buying from Amazon, you can get it from my Ko-Fi store, and I actually end up with a bigger royalty from Ko-Fi, but this is only for digital versions (epub and PDF). For those who want a paperback, it will have to be Amazon. This is an affiliate link, so I get a small commission on top of the ro...

This episode features an audiobook reading of William Hope Hodgson's classic horror story, "The Voice in the Night." The story is set on a small sailing vessel in the North Pacific Ocean and centers around a mysterious voice calling out from the darkness. The audiobook reading is filled with suspense and tension, as the characters encounter strange and unsettling occurrences on a deserted island....

P. G. Wodehouse Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, popularly known as P. G. Wodehouse, was a British humorist and author who was born on October 15, 1881, in Guildford, Surrey, England. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest comic writers in English literature and is best known for his humorous and cleverly written novels and short stories featuring the characters of Jeeves and Wooster, Psmith,...

F. Marion Crawford Francis Marion Crawford was an American author and journalist who lived from 1854 to 1909. He was born in Bagni di Lucca, Italy, to a family of art connoisseurs and spent much of his childhood traveling throughout Europe. Crawford attended Harvard University for a year before leaving to pursue a career in writing. Crawford began his writing career as a journalist, working for se...

Step back in time to Victorian Paris, a city of mystery and intrigue, where danger lurks around every corner and secrets are hidden behind every closed door. In this podcast episode, you will be transported to the heart of the City of Lights, where a thrilling tale of suspense and intrigue awaits."A Terribly Strange Bed" is a little gem of a story, published in 1852 by the master of suspense himse...

Robert W. Chambers Robert W. Chambers was an American author and artist born on May 26, 1865, in Brooklyn, New York. He is most famous for his collection of short stories, "The King in Yellow," published in 1895, which influenced many writers of horror and weird fiction. Chambers was born into a family of artists and attended the Art Students League of New York. H e initially pursued a career as a...

M. R. James The Tractate Middoth is a classic ghost story first published in 1911. This short story takes place in a library and is about a mysterious book called the Tractate Middoth. The book holds the key to righting a family wrong, but the evil deceased has made it as difficult as possible to prolong the agony of his heirs. Follow the main character, a librarian, as he becomes obsessed with fi...

Join Tony as we explore Edward Bulwer-Lytton's classic short story, 'The House & The Brain'. This captivating tale, first published in 1859, follows a narrator as he investigates the strange occurrences in a haunted house. The story is notable for its suspenseful atmosphere, its examination of the power of the human mind, and its timeless themes. This is an engaging listen for those interested in...

Rosemary Timperley was born in 1920 in North London and died in November 1988. Her father was an architect and her mother a teacher. Timperley went to her local girls’ school and became a teacher herself.  She taught English and history at a state school. Her pupils said she was a very dramatic figure (she ran the drama club) and wore long, swirling black dresses with long drop or hoop earrings. C...

Afterward" by Edith Wharton is a haunting and evocative audiobook that delves into the mind of a young woman, Mary Boyne, as she moves with her husband into the ancient house at Lyng, jokingly asking if it has a ghost. It does, her friend admits, but you won’t realise till long afterward. The narrator's voice will immerse you in the story, adding to the eerie atmosphere, making it an unforgettable...

Despite the title, this is not a supernatural story. It was requested by Leigh Grieveson, one of my patrons. I struggled to find a copy so in the end, he photographed his and sent the pictures to me and I read the story from the jpeg files. It’s a story in the vein of Boomerang, in that it is the 1940s tale of white Europeans out in the jungle of the colonies. There is a zombie but it’s not what y...

Oh no, they were doing it in sweet New England too from at least 1799 to about 1892. For all I know, they’re still doing it. Hop over to my Youtube Channel for the facts. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tonywalker.substack.com

Thank you to Steven Shipman for recommending this story. The Lonesome Place was published by August Derleth in 1962 in a collection known as Lonesome Places. You can still find copies but they are expensive. I read the story and then say how great I thought it was followed by various rambles into barely related subjects. My call to action is for you to check out my other YouTube Channel This is a...

Start writing today. Use the button below to create your Substack and connect your publication with Classic Ghost Stories Podcast Dickens's second Christmas story is called "The Chimes." The main character in this story is an old messenger Toby Veck who has lost hope in people.  He is drawn to a church's bell tower, where he meets the ghosts of the bells and the goblins who help them. He learns th...

The Shadow by E Nesbit is a masterful story of an apparition that signifies death. It is set in a large house with servants in England at the end of the 19th or beginning of the 20th Century.  A Christmas party was held in the old manor house, the men have gone to billiards and left a group of young women to tell ghost stories. Then Miss Eastwich, the housekeeper is invited in and tells a real gho...

The Shepherd by Frederick Forsyth Frederick McCarthy Forsyth CBE is an English author and journalist. He was born on August 25, 1938. A former RAF pilot and investigative journalist, created the modern thriller when he wrote The Day of The Jackal He is best known for thrillers like The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Fourth Protocol, The Dogs of War, The Devil's Alternative, The Fist of Go...

Thanks to Gavin Critchley for commissioning this episode. The Ghost of Jerry Bundler by W. W. Jacobs is Jacob's second most famous supernatural fiction short story after The Monkey's Paw. It's a Christmas Ghost story set in the bar of an old coaching inn in an English country town just a few days short of Christmas. A group of travellers find themselves having to stay over Christmas at the haunted...

One of my own stories, specially written for Christmas 2022. It’s a very personal story, and you may find it a little sentimental, but it is my Christmas present to those listeners who are happy to receive it from me. Classic Ghost Stories Podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If y...