Best Ghost Story 25 from 1800-1849

Coming in at spot 25 in my countdown of the Top 40 ghost stories published in the  English language for the first half of the nineteenth century is The Sexton of Cologne by George Soane (1789-1860). It was first published in 1826 and was still being published as late as 1871. The scary ghost story is based upon old legend and George Soane was the first to codify it into the English language. Given its high level of writing, compelling characters and shocking ending, it is one of the best ghost stories for this period.

This is the only known picture of George Soane, the son and rebel family member of the famous architect, John Soane. From my research, I peg him as one of the most underrated authors of the supernatural from 1800-1849. I selected his horror story "The Lighthouse" to be included in The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849. "The Sexton of Cologne" is his best ghost story and I hope you enjoy it. 

Best Ghost Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Ghost Anthology Published!

In my last post I promised exciting news. Well, here it is. The Best Ghost Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Ghost Anthology is published and available on Kindle. In the coming weeks I'll let you know when it is available at the iBookstore, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, etc. The physical book is still at the designer's and I hope to have it published in time for the Halloween season. Next week I'll also post the stories and authors in the book. Believe me, I have picked the most well-written scariest ghost stories for the first half of the nineteenth century. It's reasonably priced at $2.99 and also available for Kindle UK and Germany. Enjoy!

Best Ghost Story 26 from 1800-1849: "The Story of the Goblins Who Stole a Sexton" by Charles Dickens

The 26th best ghost story of the fifty year period in review comes to us by the venerable Charles "Boz" Dickens (1812-1870). The scary story was first published in 1836 and later appeared as Chapter 29 in The Pickwick Papers. The ghost story is both funny and horrific in parts, reminiscent of A Christmas Carol in this regard.

The name of the story is The Goblins Who Stole a Sexton and it is one of Dickens's best ghost stories. The protagonist is one Gabriel Grub, a "sexton and grave-digger" who is going about his business on Christmas Eve when horror strikes among the gravestones. I will let you read it for yourself.

In closing, be ready for an exciting announcement in my next post that you will not want to miss! 

Scary Story in Nashville - U2 Concert

Sent from my iPhone

Best Ghost Story 27 from 1800-1849: The Chase

In October of 1833 a scary ghost story was published in The Western Monthly Magazine, a publication that was unafraid to publish supernatural stories. The story was simply titled The Chase and beneath it, it claims to be from "the log book of Richard Mizen, Q. S." I have been unable to find a "Richard Mizen" listed elsewhere in the literature and this captain is likely a fiction. Regardless, "The Chase" is one of the best ship battle stories for the first half of the nineteenth century. The writing is at a high level. The dialogue snaps and feels real. The drama builds to a climatic end and it is one of the best anonymous ghost stories in the countdown of the Top 40 ghost stories from 1800-1849. I hope you enjoy it.

AndrewBarger.com 

Best Ghost Stories 1800-1849: Story 28 is Solange by Alexander Dumas

The 28th best ghost story for the first half of the nineteenth century is Solange by the esteemed Alexander Dumas (1802-1870). This is the best ghost story by Dumas given its plot, style and characters. It is also his scariest ghost story with the plot building to its climatic end, which I won't give away here. The full title of the tale is "Solange: Dr. Ledu's Story of the Reign of Terror" and it was published in 1849. Most of the Top 40 ghost stories I have picked for this countdown have a ghostly presence throughout. In Solange, however, the ghost appears near the end, but it's effect is horrific just the same.

The portly Alexander Dumas is best known for creating such memorable characters as the Three Musketeers and Quasimodo. He is not considered a player in the realm of supernatural tales. None of his stories made my list of the Top 40 horror stories for the period in review and, obviously, none of them reached the level of the dozen picked for The Best Horror Stories 1800-1849 that I edited. He did pen "The Vampire of the Carpathian Mountains," which is thought to be the first vampire story set in the ominous mountain range of Europe. He also wrote a werewolf story by the title of "The Wolf Leader" in 1857.  

Best Ghost Stories 1800-1849; Mary Burnet by James Hogg

It's been awhile since I last posted scary ghost story 30, maybe too long. Without further delay I pick James Hogg's (1770-1835) Mary Burnet as the 29th best ghost story for the first half of the nineteenth century. The scary story is the classic case of an "innocent maiden" who is wronged and, well . . . I'll let you read for yourself what happens. 

James Hogg, commonly known by his penname "The Ettrick Shepard," was self-educated. He eventually made his way out of the rustic life of country living in Scotland. He began writing short stories and articles for Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine and befriended Sir Walter Scott. While Hogg's novels did not leave a deep mark on literature, his short stories were penned at a very high level. In my estimation he is greatly overlooked as a writer of horror and ghost stories in this important half century. Two of his stories made my list of the Top 40 horror short stories for the period in review, but none rose to the level of the top dozen that I include in The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849, which recently won a literary award. Hogg has a way with dialogue that takes one back to the old Scottish brogue and in the scary story of "Mary Burnet" he does not disappoint in this regard.