Haunted UK Fiction: Tales of the Supernatural, Paranormal, and Uncanny

“The man fanned himself with this hat. This time a different odour caught in Lara’s nose, something sweet, but not exactly pleasant, like overripe fruit…”

This is Haunted UK Fiction, original stories of the supernatural, the monstrous, and the unknown.

Today’s story is The Same Dark Heart by Robert McDermott. If you’ve been listening to our show for some time, you’ll recognize Robert as the author of other brilliant stories like It Shows Up When It’s Needed, One Always Comes Back, and Sukie in the Graveyard. This particular story of Robert’s skews less toward nostalgia than his previous work, and more towards outright terror.

If you enjoyed this story, continue your listening with:

Salvation Street by Jed Vesper

The Thing in the Wall by Alec Rowan

Mother Never Liked Dead Things by SC Fisher

About the Author:

Robert McDermott lives and works in Dublin. His debut novel, 'Jone$town' was published by Riversong Books in 2021 and followed in 2024 by a collection of short stories 'The Occulting Light' also with Riversong Books. His most recent work is a novella called 'Klara and the Forest King', a quirky family-based fairytale inspired by Rumpelstiltskin. Robert’s stories have been widely published in anthologies both in print and online. His influences include Kurt Vonnegut, M.R. James, Kelly Link, Denis Johnson, Kevin Barry. When not writing he enjoys listening to podcasts (especially Haunted U.K.) and walking with his cocker spaniel, Alfie.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertmcdermott73author/

Email: [email protected]

If you have an original story that would send a chill down our spines, send it to [email protected]

Until next time… stay safe and take care.

Episode Credits

Story by: Robert McDermott

Narrated by: Melissa West

Script prepared by: Melissa West

Produced by: Pink Flamingo Home Studio

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a rating, and drop a review - it helps the show reach more listeners!

If you enjoy atmospheric storytelling, dark fiction, and immersive audio experiences, Haunted UK Fiction is your home for weekly supernatural tales.

All links (listen, follow, support, submissions): https://linktr.ee/hauntedukfiction

Contact: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Amidst the hundreds upon hundreds of pumpkins of all shapes and sizes that lay in that field, there sat one unique and peculiar, and rather large misshapen one. Creepily, it displayed all of Eugene’s exact same facial features, right down to his large set of slowly blinking, bloodshot eyes, bulbous, crooked nose, as well as his quivering, signature devious grin…”

This is Haunted UK Fiction, a sister podcast to Haunted UK featuring original stories of the supernatural, the monstrous, and the unknown.

In today’s episode, we present Punkinhead, a gory Halloween tale penned by Gary D up in Ontario, Canada.

If you enjoyed this story, continue your listening with:

Arena of Shadows by Jed Vesper

Spores by Lewis Darley

The Last Passenger by Iain Maynard

About the Author:

Over the span of his life, Gary has travelled the world and has lived in many different places. Over that time, he has had more than his fair share of strange and unexplainable experiences and encounters.

Instagram @ gary_d_up_in_ontario_canada

Submissions

If you have an original story that would send a chill down our spines, send it to [email protected]

Until next time… stay safe and take care.

Episode Credits

Story by: Gary D

Narrated by: Steven Holloway

Script prepared by: Melissa West

Produced by: Pink Flamingo Sound Studio

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a rating, and drop a review - it helps the show reach more listeners!

If you enjoy atmospheric storytelling, dark fiction, and immersive audio experiences, Haunted UK Fiction is your home for weekly supernatural tales.

All links (listen, follow, support, submissions): https://linktr.ee/hauntedukfiction

Contact: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I persisted up those grimy stairs. I had to. For up on the thirteenth floor was Mr Barnes. The man who said he had a message for me; a message from my dead husband, Simon…”

This is Haunted UK Fiction, a sister podcast to Haunted UK featuring original stories of the supernatural, the monstrous, and the unknown.

In today’s episode, we present Desperate for the Flesh by JS Apsley

If you enjoyed this story, continue your listening with:

27 by Alis Griffiths

Timelines by Emma Hudairi

Mother Never Liked Dead Things by SC Fisher

About the Author:

JS Apsley is the pen name of a horror and noir author from Glasgow, Scotland. His debut fiction short story submission "Immersion" won the Ringwood short story prize 2024 and he has gone on to place over 50 short stories in journals and magazines around the world. You can find his stories at www.jsapsley.com.

Apsley is now looking for a home for two completed novels: "Amongst the Broken Things", a crime thriller set in Glasgow 1990, and "The Storm Girl", a fantasy set in Glasgow 1937.

Social Media Links:

IG/Threads: @jsapsley_author

X: @js_apsley

Website: www.jsapsley.com

Contact Information: [email protected]

Submissions

If you have an original story that would send a chill down our spines, send it to [email protected]

Until next time… stay safe and take care.

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a rating, and drop a review - it helps the show reach more listeners!

If you enjoy atmospheric storytelling, dark fiction, and immersive audio experiences, Haunted UK Fiction is your home for weekly supernatural tales.

All links (listen, follow, support, submissions): https://linktr.ee/hauntedukfiction

Contact: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“As I looked at this John Doe, I felt odd. Not scared, or creeped out, just… I don’t know… an unease? That might be the word… I had the oddest feeling, difficult to describe, a sort of apprehension. A bit like the feeling when you think you are being watched, but no one is there…”

This is Haunted UK Fiction, a sister podcast to Haunted UK featuring original stories of the supernatural, the monstrous, and the unknown.

In today’s episode, we present 39012 A Ghost Story, a chilling tale written and narrated by Paul Howse.

If you enjoyed this story, continue your listening with:

Bleakmore: A Gothic Tale by Emma Hudairi

Blackdamp by TJ McLaughlin

Driftstone Marsh by Jason Wells

About the Author:

Paul has always had a creative side. From a very young age, he was involved in theatre, TV, and all sorts of creative projects.

So how did he get into ghosts in the first place? He thinks it started with an Usborne book he had as a child: Mysteries of the Unknown: Ghosts, Monsters & UFOs. He read the monsters and UFOs sections several times, but it was the ghost section he kept returning to, particularly a famous photo taken by the Reverend K. F. Lord in 1963. The photo features an apparent “ghost” at the altar of Newby Church in Yorkshire, England. The image appears to show the figure of a monk well over seven feet tall!

Later in life, fictional shows like the infamous Ghostwatch, and then reality series such as Most Haunted, inspired Paul to revisit his love of the paranormal. He joined the Ghost Research Foundation (as it was at the time) and worked his way up from member, to senior investigator, and eventually President. Over the years he has investigated many genuinely chilling locations, and has even had some of his photographs published! One example appears in this book, which he’s sure many people now own: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ghost-Caught-Film-2/dp/0715332023

In 2000 Paul co-founded AtmosFEAR Scare Entertainment with his good friend Jason Karl (of Most Haunted fame). Unlike the Ghost Research Foundation, AtmosFEAR creates fictional events - scare attractions - where immersive environments, special effects, and live actors combine to deliver scary, thrilling experiences.

Paul is always inspired by a truly chilling ghost story. The story featured in this episode was inspired by one of his favourite authors, M. R. James. He loves a good fireside read on a dark, spooky night.

For the past five years Paul has also been producing a live promenade theatre experience at Christmas titled A Ghost Story for Christmas, at the local 700-year-old manor house, Samlesbury Hall. These shows are extremely popular and sell out well in advance, which proves that the lure of the ghost story, particularly at Christmas, is as strong today as it was in the Victorian period.

Upcoming Works

• Paul is currently in pre-production for this year’s ‘A Ghost Story For Christmas’ show, Caveat Emptor, inspired by Edith Wharton’s Afterward.
• Writing-wise, he is revisiting a project he began many years ago and has yet to complete: A Sceptic’s Guide to UK Ghosts and Hauntings, a look at haunted locations around the UK, many of which he has personal experience with. It’s detail-focused and evidence-led: not looking for ghosts, but looking for evidence.
• Also out next year is a new book about the 13 ghosts of Samlesbury Hall, which he’s co-writing with Jason Karl. The current working title is All “Manor” of Ghosts: The Ghosts of Samlesbury Hall. Our aim is to have it in print in time for Easter.

Contact Information: [email protected]

Submissions

If you have an original story that would send a chill down our spines, send it to [email protected]

Until next time… stay safe and take care.

Episode Credits

Story by: Paul Howse

Narrated by: Paul Howse (Introduction by Steven Holloway)

Script prepared by: Melissa West

Produced by: Pink Flamingo Home Studio

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a rating, and drop a review - it helps the show reach more listeners!

If you enjoy atmospheric storytelling, dark fiction, and immersive audio experiences, Haunted UK Fiction is your home for weekly supernatural tales.

All links (listen, follow, support, submissions): https://linktr.ee/hauntedukfiction

Contact: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“You’ve run out of time. But if you let me have your watch for just a moment, I can give you some back…”

This is Haunted UK Fiction, a sister podcast to Haunted UK featuring original stories of the supernatural, the monstrous, and the unknown.

In this episode, we present Buying Time, a story hailing from the strange town of Willerby. We stumbled upon the Willerby website some time ago, where we found a collection of stories about the town’s inhabitants. We were able to reach the webmaster, who granted permission to share these stories after we agreed to a number of bizarre conditions… which shall remain unspoken.

You can find over 50 more stories from the village of Willerby here: https://www.welcometowillerby.co.uk

If you enjoyed this story, continue your listening with:

Timelines by Emma Hudairi

Shortcuts by Willerby

Windy Ridge by Anne Marie Whittaker

Submissions

If you have an original story that would send a chill down our spines, send it to [email protected]

Until next time… stay safe and take care.

Episode Credits

Story by: Willerby

Narrated by: Steven Holloway

Script prepared by: Melissa West

Produced by: Pink Flamingo Home Studio

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a rating, and drop a review - it helps the show reach more listeners!

If you enjoy atmospheric storytelling, dark fiction, and immersive audio experiences, Haunted UK Fiction is your home for weekly supernatural tales.

All links (listen, follow, support, submissions): https://linktr.ee/hauntedukfiction

Contact: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I must be careful in the streets tonight, for harsh, intrusive orange lights can unmask many a secret from the shadows, and lay bare silent plans of death for others to see. The prying eyes of fools and victims must neither see nor hear my tread…”

This is Haunted UK Fiction, original stories of the supernatural, the monstrous, and the unknown. This episode features a deeply unsettling, haunting story titled The Cats Are Crying by Matt Havenhand. 

About the Author:

Matt lives with his fabulous family in Yorkshire on the coast. His influences include Thomas Harris, Steven King, James Herbert, Clive Barker and Mary Shelley. He has had a piece published in America in the past. He enjoys exploring the darker side of human behaviour in fiction, as this is far more fascinating. He also enjoys psychological horror and true crime.

Email: [email protected]

If you enjoyed this story, continue your listening with:

The Overcoat by LD Brown

The Last Ghost Hunters by Liah Thorley

TriskaideCATphobia – a collection of 3 original stories: All the Cats are Black by Willerby, The Medium’s Cat by Susan Ballinger, and Have You Seen Murphy? by Melissa West

Submissions

If you have an original story that would send a chill down our spines, send it to [email protected]

Episode Credits

Story by: Matt Havenhand 

Narrated by: Steven Holloway

Script prepared by: Melissa West

Produced by: Pink Flamingo Home Studio

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a rating, and drop a review - it helps the show reach more listeners!

If you enjoy atmospheric storytelling, dark fiction, and immersive audio experiences, Haunted UK Fiction is your home for weekly supernatural tales.

All links (listen, follow, support, submissions): https://linktr.ee/hauntedukfiction

Contact: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“It was only when he glanced at the waiting cars that Kian noticed something wasn’t right. Apart from the van’s juddering engine, none of the other cars were idling. There was no exhaust smoke tailing in the air. No sound of radios or movement. No drivers on their feet moaning…”

This is Haunted UK Fiction, a sister podcast to Haunted UK featuring original stories of the supernatural, the monstrous, and the unknown. In today’s episode, we present Death Toll (PT1), a wild and terrifying tale written by Mark Robinson. 

If you enjoyed this story, continue your listening with:

The Swaying Woman of Skelton Wharf by Max T. Storey

27 by Alis Griffiths

Grandpa’s Clock by Jed Vesper

About the Author:

Hailing from the UK, Mark Robinson writes horror, crime and speculative thrillers and hosts the Behind the Screams indie writer Q&A on Substack. With over thirty short stories published and five novellas slowly going out of print, Mark’s most recent work is Doll Parts, released in early 2026 from RDG Books Press.

The inspiration for Death Toll came to Mark whilst sitting by the pool on holiday, having just drove through the M6 Toll plaza in the early hours on the way to the airport and thinking how spooky the place was. He wanted to do something with ghosts, urban legends and the classic slasher trope, and the setting of a Toll plaza at night seemed to bring all those ideas together.

Bluesky: @themarkrob 

Instagram: @themarkrobwrites

Website: https://themarkrobwrites.wordpress.com

Submissions

If you have an original story that would send a chill down our spines, send it to [email protected]

Until next time… stay safe and take care.

Episode Credits

Story by: Mark Robinson 

Narrated by: Steven Holloway

Script prepared by: Melissa West

Produced by: Pink Flamingo Home Studio

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a rating, and drop a review - it helps the show reach more listeners!

If you enjoy atmospheric storytelling, dark fiction, and immersive audio experiences, Haunted UK Fiction is your home for weekly supernatural tales.

All links (listen, follow, support, submissions): https://linktr.ee/hauntedukfiction

Contact: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Her scream made him drop his phone. One hand went to her mouth while the other pointed to the toll booth at the window. Ben spun, catching his elbow on the door. A spark zipped up his forearm. The operator in the booth was dead…”

This is Haunted UK Fiction, a sister podcast to Haunted UK featuring original stories of the supernatural, the monstrous, and the unknown. In today’s episode, we present Death Toll Part 1, a wild and terrifying tale written by Mark Robinson. 

If you enjoyed this story, continue your listening with:

Driftstone Marsh by Jason Wells

Deathly Cold by Harrie Tabor

Rattle Chains by Elle Forkin

About the Author:

Hailing from the UK, Mark Robinson writes horror, crime and speculative thrillers and hosts the Behind the Screams indie writer Q&A on Substack. With over thirty short stories published and five novellas slowly going out of print, Mark’s most recent work is Doll Parts, released in early 2026 from RDG Books Press.

The inspiration for Death Toll came to Mark whilst sitting by the pool on holiday, having just drove through the M6 Toll plaza in the early hours on the way to the airport and thinking how spooky the place was. He wanted to do something with ghosts, urban legends and the classic slasher trope, and the setting of a Toll plaza at night seemed to bring all those ideas together.

Bluesky: @themarkrob 

Instagram: @themarkrobwrites

Website: https://themarkrobwrites.wordpress.com

Submissions

If you have an original story that would send a chill down our spines, send it to [email protected]

Until next time… stay safe and take care.

Episode Credits

Story by: Mark Robinson 

Narrated by: Steven Holloway

Script prepared by: Melissa West

Produced by: Pink Flamingo Home Studio

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a rating, and drop a review - it helps the show reach more listeners!

If you enjoy atmospheric storytelling, dark fiction, and immersive audio experiences, Haunted UK Fiction is your home for weekly supernatural tales.

All links (listen, follow, support, submissions): https://linktr.ee/hauntedukfiction

Contact: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

History repeating… until reality sets in.

“Tom doesn’t usually use this bus stop.  He isn’t even from the area, but today the fates have decided that this is where he must be.  Tom has no say in the matter.  Tom is dead.”

This is Haunted UK Fiction’s Flash Fiction Friday, original short-form stories of the supernatural, the monstrous, and the unknown.

This episode features a story titled Tom and Ava, a gut-wrenching tale by Emma Hudairi who previously brought us Bleakmore: A Gothic Tale. 

If you enjoy this story, continue your listening with:

Timelines by Emma Hudairi

Freddie by Ruth Saberton

It Shows Up When It’s Needed by Robert McDermott,

About the Author:

Emma has always had a fascination with ghost stories and supernatural tales, from hiding under the covers as a child reading Aidan Chambers library books, to hiding behind cushions as an adult watching paranormal  investigations and listening to podcasts. Some of her writing is inspired by Yorkshire, a place she knows well, where stunning coastline, historic buildings and sometimes desolate landscapes lend themselves perfectly to a fertile imagination and the possibilities of spooky goings on.

Submissions

If you have an original story that would send a chill down our spines, send it to [email protected]

Until next time… stay safe and take care.

Episode Credits

Story by: Emma Hudairi 

Narrated by: Steven Holloway

Script prepared by: Melissa West

Produced by: Pink Flamingo Home Studio

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a rating, and drop a review - it helps the show reach more listeners!

If you enjoy atmospheric storytelling, dark fiction, and immersive audio experiences, Haunted UK Fiction is your home for weekly supernatural tales.

All links (listen, follow, support, submissions): https://linktr.ee/hauntedukfiction

Contact: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Looks are not always what they seem…

“You’re Ellen Swan!” the tea lady remarked… “You’re even more beautiful in real life. You stay away from the pool.”

This is Haunted UK Fiction, a sister podcast to Haunted UK featuring original stories of the supernatural, the monstrous, and the unknown.

In today’s episode, we present After Midnight by Ruth Saberton, a story rooted in Cornish folklore that comes with a stern warning and dire consequences.

Born in London and now living and inspired by Cornwall, Ruth Saberton is the bestselling author of over 30 novels. Ruth has been published by Orion, Harper Collins, Pan Macmillan and Little Black Dress, both under my own name and pen names. When Ruth isn’t writing, she’s riding her horse, taking walks while listening to podcasts, boating, and spending time with family and friends.

You can find out more about Ruth using the links below

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruthsabertonauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthsabertonauthor/

Contact: [email protected]

Website: https://www.ruthsaberton.com

If you enjoyed tonight’s story, you’ll likely enjoy the following:

Yours Ever, Erica by Robert McDermott

Freddie, by Ruth Saberton

And The Wedding Dress, a flash fiction story by Melissa West.

Submissions

If you have an original story that would send a chill down our spines, send it to [email protected]

Until next time… stay safe and take care.

Episode Credits

Story by: Ruth Saberton 

Narrated by: Steven Holloway

Script prepared by: Melissa West

Produced by: Pink Flamingo Home Studio

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a rating, and drop a review - it helps the show reach more listeners!

If you enjoy atmospheric storytelling, dark fiction, and immersive audio experiences, Haunted UK Fiction is your home for weekly supernatural tales.

All links (listen, follow, support, submissions): https://linktr.ee/hauntedukfiction

Contact: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.