M.R.James is probably the finest ghost-story writer England has ever produced. These tales are not only classics of their genre, but are also superb examples of beautifully-paced understatement, convincing background and chilling terror.
As well as the preface, there is a fascinating tail-piece by M.R.James, `Stories I Have Tried to Write`, which accompanies these thirty tales. Among them are `Casting the Runes`, `Oh, Whistle and I`ll come to you, My Lad`, `The Tractate Middoth`, `The Ash Tree` and `Canon Alberic`s Scrapbook`.