James Doig

A collection of most excellent "modern" ghost stories. Still, they're filled with moldering manuscripts, aging grimoires, and hinted ancient necromancies. There is no Casper in these little stories. All the ghosts, or haints, or spirits are intent on eating, killing, or otherwise dragging you to hell. There are no helpful spirits beyond the pale here.

The stories that are not original to this collection have all been extensively revised and there is even an effective story of haunted web servers, in fact probably the most effective ghost story of any kind having to do with modern information technology.

I cannot recommend this collection enough.… (més)

I have always had an interest in reading traditional ghost stories but have not come across Australian ones before. It was therefore with a little trepidation that I began this collection. After all Australia is not generally known for the genre is it ?
I need not have worried as this is as good a selection of ghosts and spirits that you could find anywhere. Each story is headed by a short biography of the author,and as most of them were previously unknown to me,this was extremely useful.
As to the stories themselves - the first one 'The White Maniac : A Doctor's Tale' by Mary Fortune is the best. Of the rest,there are only a couple that I thought less than good,'The Cave of the Invisible' is confused and doesn't really get anywhere. The other is 'Hallowe'en - a standard werewolf tale. The remaining fourteen stories are all well worth reading,but I would urge you to try 'The Mystery of Major Molineux' by Marcus Clarke,which is told extremely well,albeit with a slightly disappointing ending (what is the strange transformation of the Major which drives those who witness it to madness and death?) 'The Bunyip' by Rosa Campbell Praed and 'The Accurses Thing' by Edward Dyson.
In short,this is a marvelous collection of unusual ghost stories which deserves to be better known.… (més)