Haunted Book Club with Gav Cross & John Reppion

Scores are getting even higher as this turned out to be very popular Story. And for very good reason.

We scored it:

Scare Factor: 4/5

Creep Factor: 4/5

Satisfaction: 4/5

The fact that it is still vaguely unknown that she did baffles us.

It is always a treat to come together on a Tuesday with the book clubbers and we can’t wait to bring the book club to life live at The Portico & Bloomimh Skull Coffee soon!

Details here.

Tickets for the secret gig discussed in The conversation are available. If you want that link, send me a message! Tickets will be very limited and free!

Plus, we announced an exclusive event for book clubbers only in June…

Next week whilst John takes a bit of a pause to get on with some life Gav will be reading a story every Tuesday at 9 pm live…

We are still looking for suggestions of stories to bring to the book club. You can add to that by clicking here.

Thank you for all the joining in, support, likes and shares. It really does help us!

Gav

Thank you Linnhe Harrison, Jude Wilde, Josie Ray, Annie, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app.

Thanks for reading Gav Cross: Storyteller! This post is public so feel free to share it.

We are back on the Tuesday train. Tuesday 14th of April is when we will have the chat for the next haunted book club. And of course it is:

The Red Room

by H.G. Wells

If you click the title above it will take you through to a free version online for you to read all of course course you can listen to Gav read it to you. Not just here but also on the podcast apps.

A hugely popular story and the genre I bet it is in the collection you have.

This version is from Gav's previous project where he read supernatural stories on a Monday evening and anybody who has come over from that knows that HG Wells is an obsession for him. See you at the end of this post for details…

Don't forget, we are very soon to be live at The Portico Library:

Coming up on Substack and beyond we have:

May 14th: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Portico Library, Manchester - The Old Nurse’s Tale by Elizabeth Gaskell

May 22nd: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Blooming Skull Coffee - Link to follow soon.

Now we have decided to continue with the haunted book club we need suggestions of stories and feedback.

CLICK HERE!

John Reppion & Gav Cross

April 2026

Find all the places we haunt here:

https://linktr.ee/haunted_bookclub

Shairing this helps us bring our kinda wierdos to the Haunted Book Club!

One of the highest rated of the stories so far. There there is a reason that Edith Nesbitt is so highly regarded as a writer of weird and supernatural fiction.

We scored it:

Scare Factor: 3/5

Creep Factor: 4/5

Satisfaction: 4/5

The fact that it is still vaguely unknown that she did baffles us.

It is always a treat to come together on a Tuesday with the book clubbers and we can't wait to bring the book club to life live at Norton Prairie this weekend. Saturday, the 18th of April.

Ticket Link

And then off to the Portico Library, Manchester. Details here.

Plus, we announced an exclusive event for book clubbers only in June…

Next week will be:

The Red Room

by

HG Wells

Then we will pick a few for the next few weeks from the list we've been given. You can add to that by clicking here.

Thank you for all the joining in, support, likes and shares. It really does help us!

Gav & John

(Gav would like to apologise for the Gyles B themed contribution to the ‘After Live’…

Thank you Chris Williams, Jude Wilde, Josie Ray, and many others for tuning into my live video with John Reppion! Join me for my next live video in the app.

Thanks for reading Gav Cross: Storyteller! This post is public so feel free to share it.

We are back on the Tuesday train. Tuesday 14th of April is when we will have the chat for the next haunted book club. And of course it is:

Man Sized in Marble

by

Edith Nesbit

If you click the title above it will take you through to a free version online for you to read all of course course you can listen to Gav read it to you.

A hugely popular story and the genre I bet it is in the collection you have.

This version is from Gav's previous project where he read supernatural stories on a Tuesday evening and anybody who has come over from that nose that he holds Edith in a special place for many reasons.

Don't forget, we are very soon to be live at Norton Priory :

Coming up on Substack and beyond we have:

April 14th: Haunted Book Club - Man Sized in Marble by Edith Nesbit

April 18th: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Norton Priory - Runcorn

May 14th: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Portico Library, Manchester - The Old Nurse’s Tale by Elizabeth Gaskell

May 22nd: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Blooming Skull Coffee - Link to follow soon.

Now we have decided to continue with the haunted book club we need suggestions of stories and feedback.

CLICK HERE!

Gav & John

April 2026

Find all the places we haunt here:

https://linktr.ee/haunted_bookclub

Shairing this helps us bring our kinda wierdos to the Haunted Book Club!

The fourth Haunted Book Club and we threw ourselves into the horror horn stew and dumplings* that is ‘Spinach’ by E.F. Benson.

It is fair to say from the gecko that both of us are fans of Benson. And hedging our bets it was an easy one to include him in our first run.

Featuring recurring themes of cousins and the such like this seemed to be a favoured story.

We aggregated the scores. Oh yeah. We scored it.

Scare Factor: 1.5/10 - not generally seen as scary whatsoever!

Creep Factor: 2/5 - it required a couple of readings in certain places for clarity and for some it just was not creepy at all.

Satisfaction: 4/5 - we are not always going to agree and there was a wide range of responses for this one but overall probably not the book club’s favourite yet.

You should have a listen and decide for yourself.

You missed ‘The AfterLive’. The Substack exclusive and cut section of the HBC. You have to be here live to be part of that…

The next Haunted Book is 9pm, Tuesday 14th of April.

Man Sized in Marble

by

Edith Nesbit

Our version of that will drop on your feed next week. Get listening or reading!

April 6th: The Story - Man Sized in Marble by Edith Nesbit

April 14th: Haunted Book Club - Man Sized in Marble by Edith Nesbit

April 18th: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Norton Priory, Runcorn - The Curfew by Lucy M.Boston

May14th: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Portico Library, Manchester - The Old Nurse’s Tale by Elizabeth Gaskell

May 22nd: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Blooming Skull Coffee, Bebington, Wirral

- Link to follow

Did you spot the Live LIVE?

That’s right - you can sot with us in the same wonderful and atmospheric space that is Norton Priory or the Portico Library. We will still do the reading for you but you can join in live with like minded pals and us!

Phew - that is a lot to take in. We know!

Thank you again. Don’t turn around…

(No, that still doesn’t feel quite right as a catchphrase either. We should workshop it).

Now we have decided to continue with the haunted book club we need suggestions of stories and feedback.

CLICK HERE!

Gav & John

March 2026

* you will just have to listen for an explanation…

Thank you Chris Williams, Josie Ray, Annie, dean mcleod, and many others for tuning into my live video with John Reppion! Join me for my next live video in the app.

Spinach

By E.F. Benson

We genuinely look forward to the conversation that we have with you Book Clubbers. We look forward to knowing that you will tell us straight if you think the story is ‘Woo Hoo!’ or ‘Boo Hoo…’

REMINDER: The chat will take place on Monday the 30th at 9 pm instead of the usual Tuesday. Put it in your diary now with a reminder, we wouldn’t want to miss you.

You can close your eyes and hopefully enjoy this reading by Gav. Or you can take your copy off the shelf. Here is a link to the text online:

Spinach BY E.F. Benson ON GUTENBERG

And then on the 30th of March at 9 pm, we will reconvene for the book club itself.

John brings his expertise. Gav brings his enthusiasm and the questions to hide the fact that he doesn’t know as much as people think he does and hopefully you will be there to join in the conversation live on Substack:

Link to Haunted Book Club on Substack

But don’t worry if you can’t make it and you subscribe you will get that conversation drop into your inbox or Podcast player soon afterwards.

Coming up on Substack and beyond we have:

March 30th: Haunted Book Club - Spinach by EF Benson

April 6th: The Story - Man Sized in Marble by Edith Nesbit

April 14th: Haunted Book Club - Man Sized in Marble by Edith Nesbit

April 18th: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Norton Priory - Runcorn

May 14th: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Portico Library, Manchester - The Old Nurse’s Tale by Elizabeth Gaskell

May 22nd: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Blooming Skull Coffee - Link to follow soon.

Find all the places we haunt here:

https://linktr.ee/haunted_bookclub

Gav Cross & John Reppion

The third Haunted Book Club and we dipped out toe in the crossover World between ghost and weird fiction and legit literature.

The Pulitzer Prize winning Edith Wharton and The Eyes.

Featuring a wide range of responses and a shocking moment when a cork self pops… The haunted book club continues into the darkness.

We aggregated the scores. Oh yeah. We scored it.

Scare Factor: 0.9/10 - not generally seen as scary whatsoever!

Creep Factor: 1.5/5 - it required a couple of readings in certain places for clarity and for some it just was not creepy at all.

Satisfaction: 2/5 - we are not always going to agree and there was a wide range of responses for this one but overall probably not the book club's favourite yet.

You should have a listen and decide for yourself.

You missed ‘The AfterLive’. The Substack exclusive and cut section of the HBC. You have to be here live to be part of that…

The next Haunted Book is 9pm, Monday 30th of March.

Spinach

by

EF Benson

Our version of that will drop on your feed next week. Get listening or reading!

Mar 23rd: The Story - Spinach by EF Benson

March 30th: Haunted Book Club - Spinach by EF Benson

April 6th: The Story - Man Sized in Marble by Edith Nesbit

April 14th: Haunted Book Club - Man Sized in Marble by Edith Nesbit

April 18th: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Norton Priory, Runcorn - The Curfew by Lucy M.Boston

May14th: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Portico Library, Manchester - The Old Nurse’s Tale by Elizabeth Gaskell

May 22nd: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Blooming Skull Coffee, Bebington, Wirral

- Link to follow

Did you spot the Live LIVE?

That’s right - you can sot with us in the same wonderful and atmospheric space that is Norton Priory or the Portico Library. We will still do the reading for you but you can join in live with like minded pals and us!

Phew - that is a lot to take in. We know!

Thank you again. Don’t turn around…

(No, that still doesn’t feel quite right as a catchphrase either. We should workshop it).

Gav & John

March 2026

Thank you eejits, Jude Wilde, Claire Pitt, Clare Satsuma, Rachael Prime, and many others for tuning into my live video with John Reppion! Join me for my next live video in the app.

The Eyes

By Edith Wharton

We genuinely look forward to the conversation that we have with you Book Clubbers. We look forward to knowing that you will tell us straight if you think the story is ‘Woo Hoo!’ or ‘Boo Hoo…’

It was boo-hoo tonight as the full recording made fresh failed…

So this is a use of a live reading of the story by Gav from last year on his Phantastic Stories thread. So there are some unedited stumbles… Don't ever forgive him. He will be punished.

The Eyes

By Edith Wharton

You can close your eyes and hopefully enjoy this reading by Gav. Or you can take your copy off the shelf. Here is a link to the text online:

THE EYES BY EDITH WHARTON ON GUTENBERG

And then on the 17th of March at 9 pm, we will reconvene for the book club itself.

John brings his expertise. Gav brings his enthusiasm and the questions to hide the fact that he doesn’t know as much as people think he does and hopefully you will be there to join in the conversation live on Substack:

Link to Haunted Book Club on Substack

But don’t worry if you can’t make it and you subscribe you will get that conversation drop into your inbox or Podcast player soon afterwards.

Coming up on Substack and beyond we have:

Mar 17th: Haunted Book Club - The Eyes by Edith Wharton

Mar 23rd: The Story - Spinach by EF Benson

March 31st: Haunted Book Club - Spinach by EF Benson

April 6th: The Story - Man Sized in Marble by Edith Nesbit

April 14th: Haunted Book Club - Man Sized in Marble by Edith Nesbit

April 18th: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Norton Priory - Runcorn

May 14th: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Portico Library, Manchester - The Old Nurse’s Tale by Elizabeth Gaskell

May 22nd: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Blooming Skull Coffee - Link to follow soon.

Find all the places we haunt here:

https://linktr.ee/haunted_bookclub

Gav & John

Thanks for reading Haunted Book Club! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

The second Haunted Book Club and we haven’t even started haemorrhaging too many stories yet!

The Masque of the Red Death

by Edgar Allan Poe

Harry Clarke’s iconic illustration to accompany a very non pockect sized edition…

Thank you to every one that joined in especially if your name was Claire/Clare. Never too many Claire/Clare’s.

Lots to say about this one - we didn’t find it scary. Some of us get the ‘ick’ from EAP. But it did stick around in our visual perceptions of horrible plagues…

We aggregated the scores. Oh yeah. We scored it.

Scare Factor: 1.5/10 - Not so scary at all but some of us love the florid language and style.

Creep Factor: 2.5/5 - This one lingers… Those aristo’s and their partying.

Satisfaction: 4/5 - It’s a classic for a reason. It’s got everything on the surface and so much more going on underneath.

Was it a ‘Woo Hoo!’ or a ‘Boo Hoo…’?

You should have a listen and decide for yourself.

You missed ‘The AfterLive’. The Substack exclusive and cut section of the HBC. You have to be here live to be part of that…

The next Haunted Book is 9pm, Tuesday 17th of March.

The Eyes

by Edith Wharton

Our version of that will drop on your feed next week. Get listening or reading!

Mar 3rd: Haunted Book Club - The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe

Mar 9th: The Story - The Eyes by Edith Wharton

Mar 17th: Haunted Book Club - The Eyes by Edith Wharton

Mar 23rd: The Story - Spinach by EF Benson

March 31st: Haunted Book Club - Spinach by EF Benson

April 6th: The Story - Man Sized in Marble by Edith Nesbit

April 14th: Haunted Book Club - Man Sized in Marble by Edith Nesbit

April 18th: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Norton Priory, Runcorn - The Curfew by Lucy M.Boston

May 21st: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Portico Library, Manchester - The Old Nurse’s Tale by Elizabeth Gaskell

Did you spot the Live LIVE?

That’s right - you can sot with us in the same wonderful and atmospheric space that is Norton Priory or the Portico Library. We will still do the reading for you but you can join in live with like minded pals and us!

Phew - that is a lot to take in. We know!

Thank you again. Don’t turn around…

(No, that still doesn’t feel quite right as a catchphrase either. We should workshop it).

Gav & John

March 2026

Thank you eejits, Josie Ray, Rachael Prime, Chris Williams, Clare Williams, and many others for tuning into our live video with John Reppion and Gav Cross ! Join us for my next live video in the app.

Subcribe for notifications about the the Haunted Book Club and more!

We had such fun at the first Haunted Book Club. Who knew that such a classic tail could throw up so much new thinking? That is of the value of a good conversation with good people and we hope we can keep that rolling with this dark red classic…

The Masque of the Red Death

By Edgar Allan Poe

You can close your eyes and hopefully enjoy this reading by Gav. Or you can take your copy off the shelf. Here is a link to the text online:

Link to the story at the Poe Museum

And then on the 3rd of March at 9 pm, we will reconvene for the book club itself.

John brings his expertise. Gav brings his enthusiasm and the questions to hide the fact that he doesn’t know as much as people think he does and hopefully you will be there to join in the conversation live on Substack:

Link to Haunted Book Club on Substack

But don’t worry if you can’t make it and you subscribe you will get that conversation drop into your inbox or Podcast player soon afterwards.

Coming up on Substack we have:

Feb 17th: Haunted Book Club - The Signalman by Charles Dickens

Feb 23rd: The Story - The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe

Mar 3rd: Haunted Book Club - The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe

Mar 9th: The Story - The Eyes by Edith Wharton

Mar 17th: Haunted Book Club - The Eyes by Edith Wharton

Mar 23rd: The Story - Spinach by EF Benson

March 31st: Haunted Book Club - Spinach by EF Benson

April 6th: The Story - Man Sized in Marble by Edith Nesbit

April 14th: Haunted Book Club - Man Sized in Marble by Edith Nesbit

May 21st: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Portico Library, Manchester - The Old Nurse’s Tale by Elizabeth Gaskell