Classic Ghost Stories

Clark Ashton Smith's "Symposium of the Gorgon," a masterful blend of satire and fantasy, made its debut in _Fantastic Universe Science Fiction_ in October 1958. Published relatively late in Smith's career, the story showcases his enduring talent for crafting bizarre and imaginative narratives, even as his output had begun to wane. The appearance in _Fantastic Universe_ introduced this darkly humorous tale to a new generation of pulp readers. ⭐ Join my Patreon ⭐ https://patreon.com/barcud Go here for a library of ad-free stories, a monthly members only story and early access to the regular stories I put out.  You can choose to have ghost stories only, or detective stories or classic literature, or all of them for either $5 or $10 a month.  Many hundreds of hours of stories. Who needs Audible? Or, if you'd just like to make a one-off gesture of thanks for my work https://buymeacoffee.com/10mn8sk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In H.G. Wells's "The Red Room," a young man, confident in his rationality, seeks to debunk the supernatural in a reputedly haunted chamber. He is certain that his experience will be defined by logic and reason. But the air within the castle walls is heavy with unspoken dread, and as the candles dwindle, something shifts. Is it the room itself, or something within him, that begins to unravel? "The Red Room" was first published in The Idler magazine in March of 1896. H.G. Wells (1866-1946), a visionary of science fiction and social commentary, explored the depths of human experience with unparalleled skill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Late one fog-bound night, a man goes in search of a book to help him sleep. He finds a book he doesn’t remember. Did he inherit it? It has no title. No author. It’s written in Latin, in an unknown but legible hand. And once he begins to read it, he can’t stop returning to it each night. He was a happy family man. A little bored, but happy. But what is he now? Margaret Irwin’s *The Book* first appeared in *The London Mercury* in 1930—a quietly chilling study of possession, hidden knowledge, and the horrors that live on our own shelves. ⭐ Join my Patreon ⭐ https://patreon.com/barcud Go here for a library of ad-free stories, a monthly members only story and early access to the regular stories I put out.  You can choose to have ghost stories only, or detective stories or classic literature, or all of them for either $5 or $10 a month.  Many hundreds of hours of stories. Who needs Audible? Or, if you'd just like to make a one-off gesture of thanks for my work https://buymeacoffee.com/10mn8sk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beneath the brooding skies of Braun Fell, the Dewle family grapples with a dark inheritance, and John, a boyhood friend, is urgently summoned to help them navigate their dilemma. A lust for wealth consumes beautiful Jonquil, driving her to urge the use of questionable methods, while her husband, who would do anything to please her, is wary about such a path. So what will John advise? Join me as we unravel this tale of greed, forbidden knowledge, and the shadows that linger in the human heart. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What lives after love dies? A man once full of charm and wit writes from a forgotten island—Delos, sacred to Apollo, now silent and desolate. He is bound by invisible chains, haunted by the soul of a wife who once tried to revive a long-dead mystery cult, drawing down ancient gods and transfiguring herself through ritual, art, and something far older than reason. In a mansion of endless chambers lit by perfumed oil, something stirs. Something born of beauty, death, and myth. As memory decays and sanity loosens its grip, only a scarlet thread guides the living through a maze of visions, shadows, and flesh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What lives inside beautiful, silent things? In a quiet English manor, a collector of rare objects welcomes guests, family, and a child with an unusual gift. The air is calm. The room is bright. But some objects carry more than history. D.K. Broster’s Clairvoyance is not a tale of shadows and creaking floors. It is something more delicate—and more unsettling. A story where knowing too much may draw you close to something you never meant to meet. D.K. Broster’s short story Clairvoyance was first published in 1932 as part of her collection A Fire of Driftwood, issued by William Heinemann Ltd. The collection showcases Broster’s range beyond historical fiction, featuring several supernatural tales that highlight her psychological insight and narrative control. Clairvoyance stands out for its restrained atmosphere and eerie ambiguity, earning it enduring praise among readers of uncanny fiction. The collection is now in the public domain and is freely available through digital archives such as Faded Page and Project Gutenberg Canada. 📚 You can now buy my books where you are! 😊 https://tonywalkerbooks.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What watches us from the trees? A solitary girl begins to wander, again and again, into the woods above her home. At first, they offer calm—shade, silence, the companionship of trees. But as the summer deepens, so does her enchantment. She begins to hear music. She starts to see movement—half-glimpsed figures, never quite there. The woods begin to notice her. And something waits at their heart, beautiful and terrible. This is In the Woods, a haunting story by Amyas Northcote. Quiet. Slow. Uneasy. You can hear it now, on the Classic Ghost Stories Podcast. ⭐ Join my Patreon ⭐ https://patreon.com/barcud Go here for a library of ad-free stories, a monthly members only story and early access to the regular stories I put out.  You can choose to have ghost stories only, or detective stories or classic literature, or all of them for either $5 or $10 a month.  Many hundreds of hours of stories. Who needs Audible? Or, if you'd just like to make a one-off gesture of thanks for my work https://buymeacoffee.com/10mn8sk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What price, a parent's love? A Scottish family, seeking a quiet life, rents Brentwood House – a grand, Georgian mansion standing in wooded grounds beside a ruined keep and a deep glen – only to find themselves in a terrifying ordeal. As their son plunges further into despair, can they, as a family, keep a hold of reality? Is there a happy solution? "The Open Door" by Margaret Oliphant was originally published in 1881 as part of the collection Stories of the Seen and Unseen. Join me, Tony Walker, narrator of The Classic Ghost Stories Podcast, for this week's story. 📚 You can now buy my books where you are! 😊 https://tonywalkerbooks.com/ ⭐ Join my Patreon ⭐ https://patreon.com/barcud Go here for a library of ad-free stories, a monthly members only story and early access to the regular stories I put out.  You can choose to have ghost stories only, or detective stories or classic literature, or all of them for either $5 or $10 a month.  Many hundreds of hours of stories. Who needs Audible? Or, if you'd just like to make a one-off gesture of thanks for my work https://buymeacoffee.com/10mn8sk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happened down in the cellar? In Andrea Smith's disquieting tale, Peg grapples with her brother Milo's delicate state after a shocking incident. Whispers, unease, and a chilling presence haunt their isolated cottage. Can Peg protect Milo from whatever threatens them, or will a haunting past cast a shadow over them both? 📚 You can now buy my books where you are! 😊https://tonywalkerbooks.com/ ⭐ Join my Patreon ⭐ https://patreon.com/barcud Go here for a library of ad-free stories, a monthly members only story and early access to the regular stories I put out.  You can choose to have ghost stories only, or detective stories or classic literature, or all of them for either $5 or $10 a month.  Many hundreds of hours of stories. Who needs Audible? Or, if you'd just like to make a one-off gesture of thanks for my work https://buymeacoffee.com/10mn8sk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who digs in dead ground? A chance encounter on a desolate beach leads Maddox to a discovery that chills the very air. A parchment, a prayer, or perhaps a curse. The local priest knows better than to pry, but Maddox cannot resist the lure of the unknown. On the windswept Breton coast, something awakens. Experience the unsettling tale of "Celui-Là." Helen Madeline Leys, born on 11 July 1892 in Hampton Hill, Middlesex, and passing away in Devon in 1965, was a British educator and writer whose work, though initially overlooked, is now gaining renewed appreciation for its subtly unsettling atmosphere and exploration of folk horror themes. Whilst her given name was Helen Madeline Leys, she wrote under a number of pseudonyms, most notably Eleanor Scott. 📚 You can now buy my books where you are! 😊 https://tonywalkerbooks.com/ ⭐ Join my Patreon ⭐ https://patreon.com/barcud Go here for a library of ad-free stories, a monthly members only story and early access to the regular stories I put out.  You can choose to have ghost stories only, or detective stories or classic literature, or all of them for either $5 or $10 a month.  Many hundreds of hours of stories. Who needs Audible? Or, if you'd just like to make a one-off gesture of thanks for my work https://buymeacoffee.com/10mn8sk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices