I am delighted to share my review today for The Winter Spirits. This is a collection of short ghosty tales that have been written by different authors and are ideal for snuggling up by the fire to read.
From the creators of The Haunting Season comes a dazzling collection of never-before-seen ghostly tales.
The tradition of a haunted tale at Christmas has flourished across the centuries. These twelve stories, authored by some of today’s most loved and lauded writers of historical and gothic fiction, are all centered on Christmas or Advent, boldly and playfully re-imagining a beloved tradition for a modern audience. Taking you from a haunted Tuscan villa to a remote Scottish island with a dark secret, these stories are your ultimate companion for frosty nights.
Featuring new and original stories from Bridget Collins, Imogen Hermes Gowar, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Andrew Michael Hurley, Jess Kidd, Natasha Pulley, Elizabeth Macneal, Laura Purcell, Susan Stokes Chapman, Laura Shepherd-Robinson, Stuart Turton, and Catriona Ward.
MY REVIEW
This collection of 12 short stories has a definite spooky and supernatural feel. They are ghostly and are great for reading by the fire, at least that is when I read them over the New Year period!
The stories range in topics, but they all have an eerie undertone. They are written by different authors, some of which I have heard of, some I have read books from, but the majority I have not come across. This makes the collection ideal for discovering authors you may not have come across before.
The short stories are as follows –
Host by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Inferno by Laura Shepherd-Robinson
The Old Play by Andrew Michael Hurley
A Double Thread by Imogen Hermes Gowar
The Salt Miracles by Natasha Pulley
Banished by Elizabeth Macneal
The Gargoyle by Bridget Collins
The Master of the House by Stuart Turton
Ada Lark by Jess Kid
Jenkin by Catriona Ward
Widow’s Walk by Susan Stokes-Chapman
Carol of the Bells and Chains by Laura Purcell
They all have a gothic and mystery edge to them and are mostly set in the UK, for me, this adds to the overall atmospherics of the stories, their settings and the general feel. They are mostly historical fiction and again this adds to the gothic vibe.
With any collection of short stories, there are always going to be some that hit the spot more than others, and this one was no exception. For me, there was a mix of 3, 4 and 5-star stories but all were good and very readable.
A good collection for the winter months and they will send some chills and eeriness to the reader. Happy to recommend this collection.
Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx
