The reviewer found the collection of ghost stories to be a delightful rediscovery, with some stories like 'The Trains' and 'Three Miles Up' standing out as particularly creepy and memorable. They appreciated the classic nature of the stories and the variety of authors represented, though some were less impactful.
The reviewer stumbled upon this collection of ghost stories and was thrilled to rediscover some classic tales. They found 'The Trains' by Robert Aickman and 'Three Miles Up' by Elizabeth Jane Howard to be particularly unsettling and memorable, with the latter being their pick for the creepiest story in the collection. The reviewer also enjoyed rediscovering old favorites like 'Seaton's Aunt' and 'The Rocking-horse Winner', which still managed to give them chills. While some stories like 'The Travelling Grave' and 'The Ghost Ship' were less personally appealing, they still found value in them and were intrigued enough to seek out more works by Richard Middleton. Overall, they highly recommend this collection for anyone interested in classic ghost stories, praising its ability to evoke shivers and its representation of some of the best in the genre.
Quick quotes
I'm hard pressed to pick a favorite, but Aickman's 'The Trains' and 'Three Miles Up,' by Elizabeth Jane Howard totally rattled me.
Howard's work (new to me) wins my choice for creepiest story in this collection, about some friends who decide to take a boat ride through England's canals.
As someone who loves a great ghost story, especially the classics, I'd say that this book is definitely a must-have for anyone who is even remotely interested.