Count Magnus: A short horror from the master of ghost stories

Written by M. R. James

Narrated by Lizzie Abbott

First published in 1904, Count Magnus is a classic paranormal tale written by M.R. James, an author considered to be the originator of the modern age ghost story. Though popular in written form, his stories were in fact designed to be read out loud - something he would do every Christmas in his role as housemaster to young boys boarding at Eton school. In this particular story, a traveller in Sweden stumbles upon the history of a mysterious and ominous figure, Count Magnus. Apparently the count went on a ‘black pilgrimage’, the details of which are discovered by the traveller in an alchemical textbook. However, it might not be the best of ideas to go poking around in the history of such a mysterious man…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Andrews UK
• Release date: Aug 11, 2021
• ISBN: 9781789826739

M. R. James

Montague Rhodes James was born in 1862 at Goodnestone Parsonage, Kent, where his father was a curate, but the family moved soon afterwards to Great Livermere in Suffolk. James attended Eton College and later King's College Cambridge where he won many awards and scholarships. From 1894 to 1908 he was Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge and from 1905 to 1918 was Provost of King's College. In 1913, he became Vice-Chancellor of the University for two years. In 1918 he was installed as Provost of Eton. A distinguished medievalist and scholar of international status, James published many works on biblical and historical antiquarian subjects. He was awarded the Order of Merit in 1930. His ghost story writing began almost as a divertissement from his academic work and as a form of entertainment for his colleagues. His first collection, Ghost Stories of an Antiquary was published in 1904. He never married and died in 1936.