Bell, Peter - Hauntings: Tales Of Supernatural Dread
At times, the sheer consistency of Bell seems uncanny, almost frightening.
Ten stories here, of recent vintage or new to this collection.
Rock climbers and Carl and William tackle the crags of Scotland in spring, before the horde of rookies, except they started too early and they are soon disoriented and trapped by a blizzard. In “The Bothy”, they find shelter in the self-named dwelling, only to encounter a fellow lost soul.
“Rounding The Stone” lingers in Machen territory, featuring an abandoned rural church, perhaps the grounds of an earlier pagan site, and the solitary explorer, overly curious, oblivious to the prickles rising on the back of his neck.
“Pict, Celt, Saxon, Viking and Norman had come and gone, yet the yews that crowded darkly round had outlived them all.”
So thought Blake, educated wanderer, with free time enough to traipse the back country, even take the wayward turn and finding an ancient chapel.
In “Ragnarok”, he scratches into the history, lightly, suspecting Norse origins, not suspecting how truly old the origins were.
The university professor and attractive female student. The thirst of knowledge, flirtation, followed by trysting. (I had witnessed similar scenarios during my college years.) In “The Curator Of Souls”, Dr. Slade proves a novice compared with Laura, in a tale that softly eddies into the realm of Aickman.
“Crucifix” concludes this strong collection and is a gem for bibliophiles.
Pamela worked for a Brighton bookshop, high end, prestigious. Until she was released owing to, shall we say, a misunderstanding.
Luckily, she accepts an offer to inventory a large, private collection in Scotland.
The owner, Lady Wilson Brodie, wants shed of the books, gathered over the years by her deceased husband, and his father before him, as well as … going back a century. Lady Gwen has no interest in, let alone knowledge of, books in general. She preference is for drink.
As for the books, Pamela spies numerous rarities, many worth a ransom, which could easily tempt the individual who was dismissed owing to “a misunderstanding”.