Ars Gratia Sanguis

Not one but two ST regulars are to be found in a prestigious new collection from Black Shuck Books.

Web page here.

GREAT BRITISH HORROR 6: ARS GRATIA SANGUIS, features eleven more previously unpublished stories from authors at the very top of their game.

The Acolytes Triptych ~ Steve Duffy
Untitled (Cloud of Blood) ~ Brian Evenson
The Field Has Eyes, the Wood Has Ears ~ Helen Grant
From Life ~ Muriel Gray
Everybody’s Always Losing Somebody ~ Sean Hogan
The Redeemers ~ Andrew Hook
Having a Benny ~ Sarah Lotz
Blind Man’s Buff ~ Lucie McKnight Hardy
Our Lady of Flies ~ Teika Marija Smits
Sibyl ~ Lisa Tuttle
The Waiting Room ~ Stephen Volk

Lifestyle Choices

 

Sir Michael Hordern's M.R. James Readings

Many years ago I bought one of the Argo double cassettes (remember those?) of... well, the title of this blog post will tell you what I bought. Now, after many years of bootlegs and general nonsense, there seems to be a legit downloadable version of the readings. They can be purchased at Audible here.

The cheap cover hints at a cheap production, and sure enough it is a barebones effort. However, all the readings are here. (Warning - there are several Quick Classics MRJ's but this is only one containing all the readings.) The contents are:

'The Diary of Mr. Poynter'

'Casting the Runes'

'Oh Whistle...'

'Count Magnus'

'The Ash-Tree'

'Canon Alberic's Scrap-Book'

'The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral'

'Lost Hearts'

'Rats'

'The Haunted Dolls' House'

'There Was a Man Dwelt...'

'The Mezzotint'

That's over six hours of fine listening! 

I'm not hanging around with this one...

 

The real 'Woman in Black'?

 A fascinating article about a celebrated Victorian haunting here. 

At the end of April 1882, two months after the Despards established their new household at ‘Donore’, Rosina saw an apparition for the first time. One evening after retiring to her room she was disturbed by the sound of someone at the bedroom door. Thinking that it may have been her mother, who we are told was an invalid who did not enjoy the best of health, she stepped to the door and on opening it reported the following: 

“I saw no one; but on going a few steps along the passage, I saw the figure of a tall lady, dressed in black, standing at the head of the stairs. After a few moments she descended the stairs, and I followed for a short distance, feeling curious what it could be. I had only a small piece of candle, and it suddenly burnt itself out; and being unable to see more, I went back to my room.”

A Playmobil Warning to the Curious

Too Near The Dead Book Launch

Helen Grant is interviewed by Lalla Merlin about her new Gothic novel. 

Sadly, the swearing at the start when they didn't know I was listening has been censored.