The Outcast and Other Dark Tales by E. F. Benson

The Outcast and Other Dark Tales by E. F. Benson, edited by Mike Ashley / From the British Library's "Tales of the Weird" series / ISBN 9780712353861 / 284-page paperback

***

The terrifying presence of a restless spirit on the top deck of a London bus; a possession at the bridge table on a cruise up the Nile; a nightmare encounter with druidic sacrifice in the innocuous setting of a terraced back garden . . . E F Benson’s "spook stories" pushed the boundaries of the ghost story tradition by exploring new, previously "out of bounds" settings—such as public transport and even hauntings by daylight—to frighten his readers from the 1890s to the 1930s. Benson delighted in twisting every idea and image and experimenting with the unexpected; this new collection of short stories from across his long career in writing draws together the most innovative, satisfyingly dark, and still resonant tales to thrill anew. This edition also features a detailed introduction containing the fascinating story of Benson’s life, and the never before-republished story "Billy Comes Through."