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TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains DOLLS and PARENT LOSING TRACK OF A CHILD.

This Victorian ghost story is the first ever to feature the haunted doll. Although it may be a modern horror trope present in many movies, TV shows and stories nowadays, this tale shows just how new the idea of creepy dolls was. Dolls gaining the innovation of sound was a completely new feature at the time of this story’s publication, and F. Marion Crawford obviously knew the potential for what a creepy story he could tell with them. This scary story of a haunted doll stalking a worried father is sometimes terrifying, sometimes heartbreaking, and all the time spooky. Please enjoy The Doll’s Ghost from 1896.

Composing the music for this episode became much more heart wrenching than I thought could be possible. It was quite difficult for me, emotionally. This score has now become so integral to how I interpret this story that I cannot read it without hearing the music - nor hear the music without growing emotional at remembering Mr. Puckler's fear of losing his child (and the fear of being lost as a child). Experimenting with ways to replay the same melody, shaping it from a child's perspective, graduating to a parent's perspective, then perverting it with the fear of the ghost, was an exhilarating challenge.

This podcast is perfect for educators, teachers, students and schools/colleges looking to educate themselves and others on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, Victorian era writing, old ghost stories and classic horror fiction. Also great for fans of horror, Lovecraftian lore, Gothic fiction, poetry, short horror fiction, and timeless classic scary stories.

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Episode music and narration by Tynan Portillo.

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Intro music by Emmett Cooke on PremiumBeat.

Grandfather Clock Sound Effect on Pixabay:

Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay

Thunder:

Sound Effect by DRAGON-STUDIO from Pixabay

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