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The Woman in Black
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Excellent stuff!
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The story tells the tale of an introverted academic who happens upon a strange whistle while exploring a cemetery on the East Anglian coast. When blown, the whistle unleashes a supernatural force that terrorises its discoverer. Montague Rhodes James was a noted British mediaeval scholar and provost of King's College, Cambridge (1905–1918) and of Eton College (1918–1936). He is best remembered for his ghost stories which are widely regarded as among the finest in English literature.
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Ideally spooky Halloween listening.... A chilling ghost story by the author of The Woman in Black. One murky November evening, after a satisfying meal in their Fleet Street lodgings, a conversation between four medical students takes a curious turn, and Hugh is initiated into a dark secret. In the cellar of their narrow lodgings in Printer's Devil Court and a little used mortuary in a subterranean annex of the hospital, they have begun to interfere with death itself, in shadowy experiments beyond the realms of medical ethics.
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Four seekers have come to the ugly, abandoned old mansion: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of the psychic phenomenon called haunting; Theodora, his lovely and lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a lonely, homeless girl well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the adventurous future heir of Hill House.
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Late one summer evening, antiquarian bookseller Adam Snow is returning from a client visit when he takes a wrong turn. He stumbles across a derelict Edwardian house, and compelled by curiosity, approaches the door. Standing before the entrance, he feels the unmistakable sensation of a small cold hand creeping into his own, ‘as if a child had taken hold of it’. At first he is merely puzzled by the odd incident but then begins to suffer attacks of fear and panic, and is visited by nightmares.
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E.F. Benson's Ghost Stories
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- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 284
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 251
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 250
Mark Gatiss ( Sherlock, Doctor Who, Game of Thrones) reads chilling tales by the unsung master of the classic ghost story: E. F. Benson. There's nothing sinister about a London bus. Nothing supernatural could occur on a busy train platform. There's nothing terrifying about a little caterpillar. And a telephone, what could be scary about that? Don't be frightened of the dark corners of your room. Don't be alarmed by a sudden inexplicable chill.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent stuff!
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Oh Whistle and I'll Come to You, My Lad
- By: M. R. James
- Narrated by: David Suchet
- Length: 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,571
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 1,346
-
Story3.5 out of 5 stars 1,333
The story tells the tale of an introverted academic who happens upon a strange whistle while exploring a cemetery on the East Anglian coast. When blown, the whistle unleashes a supernatural force that terrorises its discoverer. Montague Rhodes James was a noted British mediaeval scholar and provost of King's College, Cambridge (1905–1918) and of Eton College (1918–1936). He is best remembered for his ghost stories which are widely regarded as among the finest in English literature.
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A masterful performance from Richard Armitage
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Sir Derek Jacobi reads a collection of tales from the master of ghost stories, M. R. James, whose stories have for many years inspired the BBC's A Ghost Story for Christmas TV adaptations. M. R. James was described as "a man who, in company with Sheridan le Fanu, is the best ghost-story writer England has ever produced".
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4 out of 5 stars
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Stories Included
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The Travelling Bag
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 31
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From the foggy streets of Victorian London to the eerie perfection of 1950s suburbia, the everyday is invaded by the evil otherworldly in this unforgettable collection of new ghost stories from the author of The Woman in Black. In the title story, on a murky evening in a warmly lit club off St James, a bishop listens closely as a paranormal detective recounts his most memorable case, one whose horrifying denouement took place in that very building.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Good stories let down by the narration.
- By A reader on 06-08-17
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The M. R. James BBC Radio Collection
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- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 47
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 42
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 42
M. R. James was the master of the uncanny. His classic supernatural stories have haunted readers and listeners for over a century and been adapted countless times for radio, TV and film. This collection features dramatisations of 12 of his most popular stories: The Mezzotint, Casting the Runes, The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral, A Warning to the Curious, Rats, Oh, Whistle, and I’ll Come To You, My Lad, The Tractate Middoth, Lost Hearts, The Rose Garden, Number 13, Martin’s Close and Count Magnus.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Not one of the BBC’s finest hours
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The Secret of Crickley Hall
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,180
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,007
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,009
There is an old, empty house in Devil's Cleave, a deep gorge that leads from the high moors down to the harbour village of Hollow Bay. The house is Crickley Hall and it's large and grim, somehow foreboding. It's rumoured to be haunted. It's thought to hold a secret. Despite some reservations, the Caleighs move in, searching for respite in this beautiful part of North Devon, seeking peace and perhaps to come to terms with what's happened to them as a family. But all is not well with the house....
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5 out of 5 stars
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swish-THWACK
- By h on 23-12-12
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The Woman in White
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Late one moonlit night, Walter Hartright encounters a solitary and terrified woman dressed all in white. He saves her from capture by her pursuers and determines to solve the mystery of her distress and terror. Inspired by an actual criminal case, this gripping tale of murder, intrigue, madness and mistaken identity has never been out of print since its publication and brought Collins great fame and success.
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4 out of 5 stars
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A must read...
- By Russ Varley on 07-04-13
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Mist in the Mirror
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 81
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 65
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Story4 out of 5 stars 68
An inveterate traveller, Sir James Monmouth has spent most of his life abroad. He arrives in England on a dark and rainy night with the intention of discovering more, not only about himself but his obsession with Conrad Vane, an explorer. Warned against following his trail, Sir James experiences some extraordinary happenings - who is the mysterious, sad little boy, and the old woman behind the curtain? And why is it that only he hears the chilling scream and the desperate sobbbing?
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3 out of 5 stars
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Could have been better
- By Kindle Customer on 13-07-14
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A Collection of Ghost Stories
- By: E. F. Benson
- Narrated by: Greg Wagland
- Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 26
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 25
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E. F. Benson's (1867-1940) ghost and supernatural stories are marvellous jewels, that combine elegant writing with moments of blood-curdling horror. This collection comprises thirteen of his finest stories: The Man Who Went Too Far; The Horror Horn; The Other Bed; Gavon's Eve; The Room in the Tower; Ali Abdul's Grave; How Fear departed from the Long Gallery; The Shootings of Achnaleish; The Dust-Cloud; The Confession of Charles Linkworth; Caterpillars; At the Farmhouse; The Bus-Conductor.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Classic stories, lifeless reading
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The Turn of the Screw
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 261
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 245
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Story4 out of 5 stars 244
Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Emmy winner Emma Thompson lends her immense talent and experienced voice to Henry James' Gothic ghost tale, The Turn of the Screw. When a governess is hired to care for two children at a British country estate, she begins to sense an otherworldly presence around the grounds. Are they really ghosts she's seeing? Or is something far more sinister at work?
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4 out of 5 stars
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A Strange Little Novel
- By Maxwell Justus Mitchell on 29-09-18
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Wakenhyrst
- By: Michelle Paver
- Narrated by: Juanita McMahon
- Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 562
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 509
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Story4 out of 5 stars 509
In Edwardian Suffolk, a manor house stands alone in a lost corner of the Fens: a glinting wilderness of water whose whispering reeds guard ancient secrets. Maud is a lonely child growing up without a mother, ruled by her repressive father. When he finds a painted medieval devil in a graveyard, unhallowed forces are awakened. Maud's battle has begun. She must survive a world haunted by witchcraft, the age-old legends of her beloved fen - and the even more nightmarish demons of her father's past.
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4 out of 5 stars
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The Fens are the winners
- By Rachel Redford on 23-05-19
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Casting the Runes
- By: M. R. James
- Narrated by: David Suchet
- Length: 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 247
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 221
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 218
The tale of a man who unwittingly angers a sorcerer, who is assumed by some Monty scholars to be based on the self-styled 'Great Beast,' occultist Aleister Crowley. Montague Rhodes James was a noted British mediaeval scholar and provost of King's College, Cambridge (1905–1918) and of Eton College (1918–1936). He is best remembered for his ghost stories which are widely regarded as among the finest in English literature.
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5 out of 5 stars
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An encounter with evil
- By Kaggy on 07-12-14
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Murder on the Orient Express
- An Audible Original Drama
- By: Agatha Christie
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- Length: 5 hrs and 47 mins
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,995
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,706
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,695
What begins as a routine journey on the luxurious Orient Express soon unfurls into Agatha Christie's most famous murder mystery. This all-star production features lead performances from Tom Conti ( The Dark Knight Rises, Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence) as Hercule Poirot, Sophie Okonedo ( After Earth, Hotel Rwanda and Ace Ventura) and Eddie Marsan ( Sherlock Holmes, V for Vendetta and Hancock) plus a full supporting cast.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Superb Audible drama production...
- By Salter on 02-10-18
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A Warning to the Curious
- By: M. R. James
- Narrated by: David Suchet
- Length: 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 223
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 204
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Story4 out of 5 stars 207
The story of Paxton, an antiquarian and archaeologist who holidays in "Seaburgh" and inadvertently stumbles across one of the lost crowns of Anglia, which legendarily protect the country from invasion. Montague Rhodes James was a noted British mediaeval scholar and provost of King's College, Cambridge (1905–1918) and of Eton College (1918–1936). He is best remembered for his ghost stories which are widely regarded as among the finest in English literature.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Fabulous
- By Amazon Customer on 17-01-14
Summary
As is so often the case with truly well-constructed fiction, this story contains all the exquisitely crafted detail and richness that film adaptations can struggle to encompass. Only enhanced by Paul Ansell's thoughtful narration, this is Susan Hill at her best.
Eel Marsh house stands alone, surveying the windswept salt marshes beyond Nine Lives Causeway. Once, Mrs Alice Drablow lived here as a recluse. Now, Arthur Kipps, a junior solicitor with a London firm, is summoned to attend her funeral, unaware of the tragic and terrible secrets which lie behind the house's shuttered windows.
It is not until he glimpses a young woman with a wasted face, dressed all in black, at the funeral, that a sense of profound unease begins to creep over him and take hold, a feeling deepened by the reluctance of the locals to talk about the woman in black or what happens whenever she is seen.
And Kipps has to stay on in the lonely house, sorting out Mrs. Drablow's papers, when the mist begins to enshroud both it and its surrounding graveyard and the high tide cuts it off from the world beyond.
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Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Elizabeth
- 07-04-08
A Great Listen.
Great story, reads like a diary account. The narrator is fluent and expressive. Recommended.
17 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Pamela
- 28-07-11
Spooky
I really loved this, so atmospheric and the narrator was great, he really captured the panic of the main character. I really loved to the language in this, so descriptive. You could nearly see everything happening in front of you as you listened. I would definitely recommend this, a great homage to the classic ghost story.
13 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- karenlr
- 23-09-10
Brilliant
I have seen the theatre production of this book about three times now and I loved every one. The book was just as good if not better.
I love descriptive books and this one was very much one of those.
The narrator was good too. Even though I knew what was coming I couldnt put my ipod down and got quite cross when it run out of power! This is one of those books that i could listen to year after year. Marvelous!
13 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Carolyn
- 07-01-07
Enjoy!
Spooky, atmospheric book. A real treat for a winter's evening! Suasan Hill always writes good books and it is read convincingly too.
22 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Gail
- 12-11-11
Terrifyingly unnerving - well recommended
Susan Hill has a talent for writing stories that unnerve by creating an atmosphere of creeping terror, rather than in-your-face horror. I have seen The Woman in Black at the theatre, and didn't think it could be improved on, but Paul Ansdell's utterly convincing narration took the story to a whole new level for me. I will be looking for other books narrated by him.
If I may offer one piece of advice thought.... please do not do as I did and listen to it as you drive on your own down dark country lanes in the November fog!!
10 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Adele
- 19-10-11
A classic, spine chilling story
This is a dark, chilling and wonderfully mystical tale, brilliantly narrated by Paul Ansdell. Set in, or around, the Victorian era, the story superbly envelops and entwines its characters, ghostly atmospheres and settings. At times, one almost gets the feeling of being there, and more than once did I find the hairs prickle at the back of my neck! I am not surprised this book has now been adapted to the screen -it definitely deserves the attention!
10 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Richard
- 23-09-10
As scary as M R JAMES
One of the most spine chilling ghost stories ever written. Atmospheric, absorbing, utterly spooky. Be warned, if you are of gentle spirit, this story is not for you. It certainly kept me awake a good few nights and I do not consider myself to be an overly sensitive soul. It will play havoc with your nervous system! Susan Hill is a wonderful novelist and her love of classic ghost stories has clearly driven her to write her own. Master of the ghost story M.R.JAMES would have been proud to have called this story his.
19 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- catsatcastle
- 14-09-11
Classic ghost story
I finally got around to listening to the unabridged reading having first heard the radio dramatisation and then seen the stage play and now feel that is not the best order. Having been scared out of my wits by the stage version, I found the book much less frightening as the play heightens the shocks in the story.
It is a good ghost story and is well narrated. It has the classic style of the narrator reliving the events long afterwards around the fire on a dark winter night. The climax is very chilling and the theme of grief and loss pervades the whole story with the narrator forever haunted by his experiences.
It's a good listen.
7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kev Duncalf
- 04-03-16
woman in black
loved it you felt as though you were there you could smell the smells feel the damp wonderful narrative 5 star book
5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kandra
- 01-12-15
Don't judge this story by the Film!!
I listened to this book purely because Susan Hill wrote it! and I love her Simon Serrailer series!! The book did not frighten me at all - it was nicely suspenseful and kept me listening. But the ending truly brought it all together for me almost like a Jeffery Archer short story. When I saw the film I was disappointed and can only be thankful that I read the book first or I would not have touched it with a bargepole after seeing the film. Saying that, the film diverges from the book so much that even if you have seen it - go and read /listen to the book! It will be just as good because the film does not tell you the real story.
7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Alycee
- 13-01-12
Eerily facinating!
I loved listening to this book. I was caught up in the story right away and could feel the horror and fear the character in the story felt by the way the narrator read and related the events of the story. I got everything I expected from reading a "Ghost Story." I would recommend this book to anyone who appreciates a good ghost story.
32 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Mel
- 25-01-12
Classic Gothic Ghost Tale
Surrounded by family on a snowy Christmas Eve, the fireplace ablaze, the tree bedecked and aglow....what secret memories could possibly cause the senior Arthur Kipps to tremble with terror when family members turn out the lights and begin telling harmless ghost stories around the tree? Woman in Black is an engrossing classic ghost story--no bells no whistles--with a lush style of writing that lays out an almost palpable atmosphere. Paul Ansdell perfectly captures the spirit (so to speak) of this post-Victorian placed tale with his narration. Very enjoyable, easy listen--and (at least at the time of this posting) a nice little price for the entertainment value.
59 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Janice
- 22-10-11
Believably spookey
Any additional comments?
This is the perfect ghost story - enough detail to bring you into the scene, but not overwritten to make it tedious. Told in the first person, you experience the mystery along with the main character. (I just loved the brave little dog, Spider). Wonderfully read by Paul Ansdell. The story moves right along and is the perfect length - a great way to get through a 4 hour road trip.
28 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Karen
- 23-01-10
good story and narration
This book is a great one to hear for those who like a ghost story with an actual ghost, rather than mere suggestions of ghosts. Paul Ansdell's narration was excellent, I thought, as well. He was great at making different accents for various characters, and for expressing the panic and fear felt by the protagonist. There are two reasons why I did not give this 5 stars: One is b/c I like to be driven to fear when reading a supernatural story, and while The Woman in Black was engrossing and full of supernatural occurrences, it didn't make me shudder or wonder about shadows in the corner of my room at night. The 2nd reason is b/c I was disappointed with the ending, which I will not spoil for anyone reading this who has not yet listened to the story.
42 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Eva
- 21-12-11
Hidden classic
What made the experience of listening to The Woman in Black the most enjoyable?
I loved how the story moved along and took you with it. It made me want to hear more.
Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?
Toward the end it did. I can't say that I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. However I was there enough to want more.
What does Paul Ansdell bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
He did a great job reading it as well as giving each character their own voice. I love the accent, it just fit.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
The last time he see's the woman in black and what happens. It was horrible and sad.
Any additional comments?
I found this book on a recommendation. I am so glad I followed up on it. I hope the rest of her stories are as wonderful as this one was. It is a must read if you like the horror and suspence genres.
24 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- D. Hutchins
- 25-04-12
Loved it!
Any additional comments?
OK so I'll be honest. The movie intrigued me. My kids made fun of me because I would watch the trailer over and over again but I wouldn't go watch the movie. I'm not much of a movie person - the trailer was creepy enough for me. But I made the decision that I would read the book, then see the movie. I really loved this book. I loved the narration which was very soothing and SUCH a wonderful contrast for the eeriness of the content. I think that was my favorite part! Now I can't wait for the movie to come out on DVD. I am planning SUCH an evening for my family...
20 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- H
- 18-11-11
Chilling tale, fantastic narration!
The Woman in Black is so darkly enchanting. I had seen trailers for the movie which provoked me to give the book a try. The story alone is profound, moving, and horrifying... but narrator, Paul Ansdell, read with such emotion and feeling that served to better the listener's understanding of Arthur Kipps' horror. I found myself delightfully nervous for Kipps as I listened. I would definitely and already have recommend this to everyone.
A first rate story by Susan Hill. I know I shall be searching for other books narrated by Ansdell.
16 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- karen
- 20-10-11
Wonderfully creepy -- just excellent.
A classic tale of haunting, almost Poe-ish, and a pure pleasure. I've enjoyed everything Susan Hill has written, and this novella was no exception. A wonderfully-told tale, lots of things that go bump in the night -- or even during the daytime, with plenty of shrieks and groans, but -- interestingly enough -- no undue blood or gore. Just a good old fashioned ghost story, The narrator was perfect -- just enough of an accent to make it exotic and sound as though it was a tale from long ago. Highly recommended.
16 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Evonne
- 07-06-17
Worth the listen!
Would you listen to The Woman in Black again? Why?
Yes. I often listen to audiobooks more than once. Not all just the good ones. On this one, well because it was so well thought out and written. The story wasn't so much scary material it was just secretive in the hidden secrets sense that people leave behind.
Who was your favorite character and why?
I liked Sam Daily. At first, I thought he might be a pretentious town folk by the description the main character gave. He turned out to be a really nice and caring guy.
Which character – as performed by Paul Ansdell – was your favorite?
I liked them all
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Neither
Any additional comments?
I recommend this one if you are looking for a short under 10 bucks book. I sometimes find that although a book is 10 hours long it still never really fully develops into a great book. This is a great one and if you are a fan of British genre, accent etc this one doesn't disappoint. The narrator was excellent. I really felt like I was in his head seeing and feeling what he saw and felt.
4 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Diane
- 22-10-17
Spooked
I did not have high expectations for this novella, having watched portions of the movie starring Daniel Radcliffe which was over the top with gruesome horror and jump out of your skin moments. The book, on the other hand, is much more subtle, to chilling effect— giving me goosebumps on more than one occasion. I loved the Gothic style and creeping horror that slowly envelopes the main character. Narration is pitch perfect. A wonderful, creepy Halloween treat!
3 people found this helpful