Showing results by author "M. R. James" in All Categories

In this particular story we meet Stephen Elliott, a young orphan boy who is sent to stay with his much older cousin, Mr Abney, at a remote country mansion. His cousin is a reclusive alchemist, obsessed with making himself immortal. Stephen is repeatedly troubled by visions of a young gypsy girl and a travelling Italian boy, but what could they be trying to tell him?

In this particular story, a traveller in Sweden stumbles upon the history of a mysterious and ominous figure, Count Magnus. Apparently the count went on a ‘black pilgrimage’, the details of which are discovered by the traveller in an alchemical textbook. However, it might not be the best of ideas to go poking around in the history of such a mysterious man....

Many hybrid forms of the mystery-crime-thriller genre exists. All of them are narratives that keep one in suspense about what is about to happen. The thriller also shares a literary lineage with ancient epic and myth populated by monsters, terror and danger. Alexandre Dumas, Alfred Hitchcock, and Robert Ludlum are some of the masters of the genre.

Ghost stories from the golden age. Six great writers weave their spell in creepy, insidious style.

A British antiquary named Somerton and his protégé follow a coded message about a huge treasure said to have been buried within a monastery by a disgraced abbot. Much to their peril they ignore ominous warnings of a supernatural guardian protecting the treasure. They are led to a place in Germany where the treasure is discovered. When he takes the treasure, Somerton finds that an entity will torment him until he returns the treasure to its hiding place. 

A ghost story about a non-existent room 13 in an inn. The occupant of room 12 and the inn-keep hear noises next door, but it’s not coming from room 14. When they do discover the door to number 13, strange things start happening....

"Cuori spezzati" fu pubblicato per la prima volta in Italia da Dino Buzzati nella sua celebre antologia "Pesanervi". "Cuori spezzati" è una storia di fantasmi terrificante che racconta di Stephen Elliott, un giovane orfano mandato a vivere da un vecchio cugino in una casa sperduta in camppagna. Suo cugino è un alchemista ossessionato dalla ricerca dell'immortalità. Stephen è perseguitato dalla visione di una giovane ragazza zingara e un giovane ragazzo italiano a cui manca il cuore.

In one of M.R. James’ creepiest short stories, night of terror plays out with every glimpse at a static picture and the viewer is powerless to prevent a dark figure’s progress. 'The Mezzotint' is taken from the second volume of the Victorian Anthologies Horror series, featuring short stories by classic writers of the spooky, the scary and the supernatural. Guaranteed to give you the shivers, each collection includes familiar and loved creepy tales as well as those less well-known. With music by Benedict Edwards.

In the story, a young, scientifically minded college professor finds an old bronze whistle while exploring the ruins of a Knights Templars' preceptory. That night, he blows on the whistle and a vision comes to him of a dark expanse with a lonely figure in its midst. The sound also appears to call up a gust of wind, but the sensible professor dismisses it as a coincidence. More strange incidents follow, however, to shake his disbelief in the supernatural.

First published in 1911, A School Story is a classic paranormal tale written by M. R. James, an author considered to be the originator of the modern-age ghost story. In this particularly story, a Latin teacher is troubled by unusual phrases from the dead language that start to show up among the work he sets his students; something about the phrases remind him of a dark secret from his past.

This collection of M. R. James’ supernatural stories is read by critically acclaimed star of stage and screen Sir Michael Hordern. Included here are some of M. R. James’ most beloved stories, including 'No. 13', 'Count Magnus', 'Canon Alberic's Scrap-Book', 'The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral', 'Lost Hearts', alongside many more spine-tingling tales. 

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic fiction read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly abridged and remastered stories are now available to download for the first time. Horror, mystery and suspense abound in this collection of stories from the king of ghostly tales, M. R. James.

Horror, mystery and suspense abound in this second collection from the king of ghostly tales, M. R. James. Featuring stories that have haunted listeners for more than 100 years, such as 'Lost Hearts' and 'Casting the Runes', this collection is read by critically acclaimed star of screen and stage Sir Michael Hordern.

This collection brings together the best British writing of the 20th century, narrated by a trio of beloved voices from the stage and screen. From the ghost stories of M.R. James to the intensity of D.H. Lawrence’s Sons and Lovers, as well as the intrigue of Joseph Conrad’s spy thriller, The Secret Agent, these enthralling modern classics will delight every listener. These classic stories are read by The Jewel in the Crown’s Tim Pigott-Smith; legendary Shakespearean actor Sir Michael Hordern; and Sir Ian McKellen.

The publication of a mysterious book on the history of witchcraft is at the center of a dark and terrifying mystery. It's a race against time as Edward Dunning must try to unravel the secret of the ancient runes, and a demonic curse placed upon him by the evil Magnus Karswell - played by legendary film star David Warner (The Omen, Titanic). A classic chiller brought to life in this terrifying adaptation of the M.R. James classic!

The Story of a Disappearance and an Appearance is a strange tale told in the form of four mysterious letters. The writer's uncle, the rector in a small market town, has mysteriously disappeared in the days before Christmas. The writer of the letters has been summoned to help the search for the missing man. He writes every day to his brother to update him on events...and describes a series of most bizarre and inexplicable happenings.

'A School Story' is an intriguing ghost tale set in a private school near London. During a lesson one of the boys finds himself writing a strange sentence in Latin which he himself cannot properly explain. When the teacher reads it, he turns pale and appears to become suddenly very ill. A week or so later, again during class, another even more mysterious Latin message appears...and then events turn very strange and sinister indeed.

The boundaries which divide life from death are at best shadowy and vague. Never more so than in this collection of 30 weird and macabre tales.

M.R. James (1862-1936) was provost of King's College, Cambridge. and Eton College. He was a highly regarded scholar and academic in his time but today is remembered for his ghost stories which are considered among the finest in the genre. Here is one of them: "The Tractate Middoth".

M. R. James (1862-1936) was provost of King's College, Cambridge, and Eton College. He was a highly regarded scholar and academic in his time but today is remembered for his ghost stories, which are considered among the finest in the genre. Here is one of them: "The Ash Tree".