The Haunted House

Written by Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins and Elizabeth Gaskell

Narrated by Richard Mitchley, Ghizela Rowe and Mark Rice-Oxley

Whilst writer Charles Dickens needs no introduction, his ‘Haunted House’ anthology might, not least because in his role as editor he introduces a formidable array of known and lesser-known literary talents.

Dickens started a tradition of releasing stories each Christmas with ‘A Christmas Carol’ in 1843. ‘The Haunted House’ was his 1859 offering and, as the name suggests, is set in a large house which, as his introductory story explains, is desired by John the narrator, as a temporary country retreat for health reasons.

He is made aware of the terror the house holds for the locals but undaunted, he and his sister, Patty, take residence without any servants, save for the deaf stable hand, who is untroubled by the ghostly goings on.

John and Patty invite friends to visit and except Patty who keeps her own room, they all draw lots for which rooms they will stay in but agree not to share their experiences of their rooms until the twelfth night.

On that night they all gather together to feast on their experiences and share them with each other.

The Haunted House is a skillful portmanteau by Dickens, assembling the best literary talent of his age including Wilkie Collins, Elizabeth Gaskell, Hesba Stretton, Adelaide Anne Proctor, George Augustus Sala and, of course, the literary leviathan himself to delight us, scare us and occasionally raise a laugh or two before the next moment of fear and dread come calling.

1 - The Haunted House - An Introduction

2 - The Mortals in the House by Charles Dickens

3 - The Ghost in the Cloakroom by Hesba Stretton

4 - The Ghost in the Double Room by George Augustus Sala

5 - The Ghost in the Picture Room by Adelaide Anne Proctor

6 - The Ghost in the Cupboard Room by Wilkie Collins

7 - The Ghost in Master B's Room by Charles Dickens

8 - The Ghost in the Garden Room, Part 1 by Elizabeth Gaskell

9 - The Ghost in the Garden Room, Part 2 by Elizabeth Gaskell

10 - The Ghost in the Corner Room by Charles Dickens

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Copyright Group
• Release date: Feb 16, 2021
• ISBN: 9781839677823

Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens was born in 1812 and grew up in poverty. This experience influenced ‘Oliver Twist’, the second of his fourteen major novels, which first appeared in 1837. When he died in 1870, he was buried in Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey as an indication of his huge popularity as a novelist, which endures to this day.

Reviews for The Haunted House

[dickens.and.docks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fun collaboration between Dickens and other great writers! I liked each story, but Dickens’ and Gaskell’s the best. Wonderful readers.