Spooky 19th century tales from a Scots writer

As Halloween approaches, we all like a little bit of a scare.

Despite being a household name during the latter half of the 19th century, few today are aware of the thrilling tales of Margaret Oliphant, and yet they are ripe for rediscovery.

From suspenseful hauntings to strange tales of afterlife and the emotional echoes of ghosts beyond simple frights, Oliphant’s stories possess a unique style and nuanced voice to deliver stories thoroughly unnerving and unforgettable.

Oliphant was a Scots writer, born at Wallyford near Musselburgh, and made her name, writing as Mrs Oliphant.

Revived from the British Library collection, editor Mike Ashley brings together a selection of Oliphant’s best-loved tales, including those with strange apparitions, haunted houses and bone-chilling stories of death and the beyond.

Alive during Victorian times, Oliphant had much inspiration for her spooky tales of horrors in the night.

This book is definitely not one for the faint-hearted.

The Open Door: and Other Stories of the Seen and Unseen, by Margaret Oliphant, edited by Mike Ashley, published by the British Library, £11.99

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