A masterfully curated collection of fourteen dark Christmas stories from the golden age of the ghost story tradition. Editor Richard Gabela resurrects forgotten tales from masters including Elizabeth Gaskell, Robert Louis Stevenson, Algernon Blackwood, and E.F. Benson, alongside newly translated works by Guy de Maupassant, Emilia Pardo Bazán, Hjalmar Söderberg, and Camillo Boito-many appearing in English for the first time. From spectral children haunting snow-covered manors to cursed toys that come alive on Christmas Eve, these stories showcase the Victorian and Edwardian tradition of telling ghost stories by the fireside during the darkest nights of the year. The collection spans 1852 to 1929, featuring both beloved classics and rare discoveries that prove the holiday season has always had its shadows. Perfect for readers who appreciate classic horror, Gothic literature, and the atmospheric chill of a well-crafted ghost story. This anthology revives the lost art of Christmas horror-when families gathered not just for carols and cheer, but for tales that made them grateful for the warmth of the fire and the safety of locked doors.
Stories include: The Old Nurse's Story by Elizabeth Gaskell; The Phantom Coach by Amelia B. Edwards; Between the Lights by E.F. Benson; The Snow by Hugh Walpole; The Kit-Bag by Algernon Blackwood; The Dead Sexton by Sheridan Le Fanu; Markheim by Robert Louis Stevenson; A Christmas Eve by Guy de Maupassant; The Fur Coat by Hjalmar Söderberg; Jesusa by Emilia Pardo Bazán; Christmas Eve by Camillo Boito; Smee by A.M. Burrage; Jerry Bundler by W.W. Jacobs; The Wondersmith by Fitz-James O'Brien.
Includes bibliography with original publication information and translator credits.