Review | The Corona Book of Ghost Stories edited by Sue J. Eaton

A solid collection of ghost stories that are well-written and provide a range of experiences. The stories are set in a contemporary setting but bring up memories from the past.

Spirits involved can and do serve all manner of purposes. They appear as guardians of fate or seers with warnings of things yet to come. They can incite laughter or touch our conscience with their morality. They can inspire a shiver of fright, a frisson of despair or a quiet sign of sorrow and loss.

It wasn’t easy to pick my favourites but two of the stories in particular gave me the creeps! The Walking Woman by Christopher Wilson is a tragic haunting tale and a great example of how ghost stories are passed down through generations. Everything Here Is Mine by J.A.W McCarthy is a dark tale of vengeance where a spirit is intent on destroying everything that remains from her previous life.

My other picks of the bunch are Ligeia by Mike Sherer, a seductive tale of a dangerous Siren; The Garden by Sue Eaton, an interesting take on eco-horror, and Swim At Your Own Risk by Matthew Gorman, a simple premise of a haunted swimming pool yet terribly effective. I liked that the stories pack enough punch without being too long. If there’s one thing that I wanted more is that I wish the collection is more terrifying, but that’s just my personal preference!

Overall, The Corona Book of Ghost Stories is an entertaining horror anthology, and I’m happy to discover new authors to read!

I received a copy from the publisher for review purposes.

About the publisher: Corona Books

Photo by Gabriel