In this haunting and enigmatic short story by Shirley Jackson, an unnamed woman eagerly awaits her wedding day, only to find herself plunged into a nightmarish search for her missing fiancé, Jamie Harris. As she navigates the city streets and encounters a cast of indifferent, jaded characters, the protagonist's quest for love and connection takes on an increasingly surreal and desperate edge. Through masterful prose and subtle psychological insight, Jackson weaves a tale that blurs the lines between reality and illusion, exposing the fragility of human relationships and the ways in which societal expectations can shape and distort our perceptions. "The Daemon Lover" is a masterpiece of ambiguity and unease that will leave listeners pondering the nature of identity, desire, and the elusive search for meaning in a world that often feels isolating and uncertain. Join me as we delve into the unsettling depths of Shirley Jackson's unforgettable story.

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The Daemon Lover by Shirley Jackson

A weekly podcast that reads out ghost stories, horror stories, and weird tales every week. Classic stories from the pens of the masters Occasionally, we feature living authors, but the majority are dead. Some perhaps are undead.
We go from cosy Edwardian ghost stories (E. F. Benson, Walter De La Mare) to Victorian supernatural mysteries (M. R. James, Elizabeth Gaskell, Bram Stoker, and Charles Dickens) to 20th-century Weird Tales (Robert Aickman, Fritz Lieber, Clark Ashton-Smith, and H. P. Lovecraft) and wander from the Gothic to the Odd, even to the Literary, and then back again.
Each episode is followed by Tony's take on the story, which can ramble on to discuss the weather, books, his dogs, what Sheila is foraging, and what he thinks of hauntology. Perfect to fall asleep to, and perfectly optional if you only want the tale itself.

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Science Fiction

Drama

Fiction

Delve into the enigmatic realm of E.F. Benson's "In the Tube," a haunting tale where the boundaries of time, reality, and the supernatural blur. Anthony Carling, a man gifted with clairvoyance, shares his unsettling experience on the London Underground, where a spectral presence emerges, growing more vivid with each encounter. Through Carling's narrative, Benson explores the depths of fate, existence, and the unseen forces that shape our lives. "In the Tube" is a thought-provoking journey that will leave readers questioning the nature of reality and the mysteries that lie just beyond our perception.

Full notes here
https://tonywalker.craft.me/SK5lYBu31ps6j7
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In The Tube by E. F. Benson

In Sabine Baring-Gould's haunting tale, "A Dead Finger," an ordinary visit to the National Gallery in London spirals into a chilling encounter with the supernatural. Our unnamed narrator is tormented by the appearance of a disembodied finger, which leads to increasingly eerie and life-draining occurrences.
As his health declines and the sinister presence intensifies, the narrator turns to his ingenious friend, Mr. Square, whose unconventional methods might be the only hope of ending this terrifying ordeal. But what is the true nature of this spectral menace, and what dark secrets does it reveal about the world around us?
It was first published in The Cornhill Magazine, a popular literary periodical of the time, in its January 1902 issue. The story was later included in Baring-Gould’s collection A Book of Ghosts, published by Methuen & Co. in 1904.
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A Dead Finger by Sabine Baring Gould

In the darkness of a Mediterranean night, the _Osiris_ slices through the waves, carrying with it a passenger burdened by a haunting tale. Alastair Colvin, a man with a shadowed past, reluctantly shares his story of Thurnley Abbey, a Gothic estate nestled in the heart of rural England.
Whispered to be cursed and haunted, the abbey's notoriety has spread far and wide, striking fear into the hearts of locals and curiosity in the minds of the brave. As Colvin's narrative unfolds, his listener is drawn into a world where the line between the living and the dead blurs, and the abbey's dark secrets threaten to consume all who dare to uncover them.
Discussion of the story (with spoilers) here
https://tonywalker.craft.me/Sbfh2neVPiYdE7
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Thurnley Abbey by Perceval Landon

Prepare to delve into the haunting world of Guy de Maupassant's "Who Knows?", a chilling tale that blurs the lines between reality and the supernatural. Join the narrator as he recounts his unsettling experiences with his beloved furniture, which seems to take on a life of its own. As the story unfolds, you'll find yourself questioning the narrator's sanity and the true nature of the events that unfold. Is it a case of mental instability, or are there truly otherworldly forces at play? Immerse yourself in this atmospheric masterpiece and unravel the mystery that lies at the heart of "Who Knows?".
Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893) was a French writer who made significant contributions to the development of the short story genre during the latter half of the 19th century. Born on August 5, 1850, in Tourville-sur-Arques, France, Maupassant was influenced by the literary circle of Gustave Flaubert, who became his mentor. He began his literary career in 1880 with the publication of his famous short story, "Boule de Suif." Over the next decade, Maupassant produced a prolific body of work, including over 300 short stories, six novels, three travel books, and a volume of poetry. His stories, such as "The Horla" (1887) and "Qui Sait?" ("Who Knows?") (1890), often explored themes of madness, the supernatural, and the darker aspects of human nature. However, Maupassant's life was cut short by the effects of syphilis, which he had contracted in his youth. After a suicide attempt in 1892, he was committed to a mental asylum in Paris, where he died on July 6, 1893, at the age of 42.
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The Daemon Lover by Shirley Jackson

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