The Winter Spirits: Ghostly Tales for Frosty Nights by Bridget CollinsMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Firstly, I know it's not winter, but do you know what, the weather was so autumnal there for a while it felt like it nearly was, so why not.
This is a collection of 12 short stories (most around 1 hour listen) centred around Christmas and advent, by some of the best historical and gothic fiction writers:
• Host by Kiran Millwood Hargrave: 4.5 Stars
• Inferno by Laura Shepherd-Robinson: 4 Stars
• The Old Play by Andrew Michael Hurley: 2.5 Stars
• A Double Thread by Imogen Hermes Gowar: 3 Stars
• The Salt Miracles by Natasha Pulley: 4 Stars
• Banished by Elizabeth Macneal: 4.5 Stars
• The Gargoyle by Bridget Collins: 4 Stars
• The Master of the House by Stuart Turton: 3.5 Stars
• Ada Lark by Jess Kidd: 3.5 Stars
• Jenkin by Catriona Ward: 4.5 Stars
• Widow's Walk by Susan Stokes-Chapman: 3.5 Stars
• Carol of the Bells and Chains by Laura Purcell: 4.5 Stars
On the whole this has been a great listen, with some stories being more spine tingling and engaging for me than others and the narrators where good too, which always helps.
Even with the lower starred stories, that is based on spookiness, rather than quality of writing , as all the stories are well crafted, we just all have our own tastes and ideas of what is scary or suspenseful.
I think this would be a brilliant listen around the festive period for fans of all things ghostly and gothic.
What I've enjoyed about this is getting a taste for the authors style and not only enjoyed the stories from authors I already love, but have now found some new authors to add to my list, what a great introduction, in time for spooky season.
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