They return at evening : A book of ghost stories by Herbert Russell Wakefield
"They return at evening : A book of ghost stories" by Herbert Russell Wakefield is a collection of ghost stories written in the early 20th century. It showcases unnerving hauntings and moral aftershocks in English settings, following figures such as a reclusive baronet, a steadfast butler, and a clear-eyed barrister drawn into occult trouble. Expect poised, civilized surfaces steadily eroded by guilt, menace, and the uncanny. The opening of the collection presents
three intertwined moods of dread. First, a country gentleman coolly recounts a toxic marriage that ends in a fatal “accident,” then marries a kindred soul only to be harried by voices, broadcasts, and apparitions that drive him toward a guarded confession to the coroner for his new wife’s sake. Next, a homeowner interviews a butler once suspected of murder, who tells how a ruthless squire’s killing of a poacher’s dog unleashed a piercing nocturnal “Sound” and an unseen hound that stalked its victim until a death the inquest could not explain. Finally, a celebrated barrister meets an old friend whose frayed nerves led him to a mesmeric occultist; after seductions, forgery, and a rebuffed club nomination, the occultist sends a malign paper sigil and incantation the friend finds himself compelled to use, hinting that darker consequences are beginning. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
That dieth not -- Or persons unknown -- "He cometh and he passeth by" -- Professor Pownall's oversight -- The third coach -- The Red Lodge -- "And he shall sing...." -- The seventeenth hole at Duncaster -- A peg on which to hang -- An echo.
Credits
David E. Brown, Andrew Butchers, Rod Crawford, Joyce Wilson, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from images made available by the HathiTrust Digital Library.)
Reading Level
Reading ease score: 80.4 (6th grade). Easy to read.
