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The Christmas Ghosts
Have a Very Merry, Ghostly Christmas!
G. Lawrence presents a collection of five short ghost stories, all based in Cornwall and Devon for Christmas. Spooky, amusing, and touching by turns, these ghost stories are a great seasonal buy!
G. Lawrence presents a collection of five short ghost stories, all based in Cornwall and Devon for Christmas. Spooky, amusing, and touching by turns, these ghost stories are a great seasonal buy!
168 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 11, 2016
12 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
G. Lawrence
50 books282 followersI am an independently published author, and proud to be so. Living in a little cottage in Wales in the UK, I love where I live as much as I love to write.
The age of the Tudors has been an obsession for me since I was a child, and many of my upcoming books will center on that time, but I also pen the odd dystopian fiction or historical fiction from other time periods. I will be releasing all my titles on amazon, for kindle and then hopefully for print later.
I studied Literature (with a capital L) at University and usually have twenty or more books I'm currently reading. Reading and writing are about mood for me, and I haven't found a genre I didn't enjoy something about so far...
You can often find me on Wattpad or Twitter when I'm not writing...
The age of the Tudors has been an obsession for me since I was a child, and many of my upcoming books will center on that time, but I also pen the odd dystopian fiction or historical fiction from other time periods. I will be releasing all my titles on amazon, for kindle and then hopefully for print later.
I studied Literature (with a capital L) at University and usually have twenty or more books I'm currently reading. Reading and writing are about mood for me, and I haven't found a genre I didn't enjoy something about so far...
You can often find me on Wattpad or Twitter when I'm not writing...
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 10, 2018
I chose to read The Christmas Ghosts as a member of Rosie Amber's Book Review Team and received a copy from the author but that has not affected the content of this review.
Guardian - Henry is on his way to stay in a cottage with his fiancée, Billie, when he gets lost on Bodmin Moor in the snow. Help arrives unexpectedly but Henry is even more surprised when he finds out who his rescuer was.
Hot Toddy - This was a lovely story of an elderly woman's special tradition at Christmas. She has all her family staying with her, or at least nearly all, and this ritual is all about that missing element. Thoughtful and wonderfully written and I really enjoyed this one.
Rodger Reed and the Road Kill Rabbit - Rodger is a horrible, horrible man. He is on his way home for Christmas, not because he wants to see his family but because he wants to make sure his father is leaving him exactly what he wants in his will, as he should. He kills a rabbit on the way with little remorse but lives to regret his lack of care.
Old Man Symmonds - Hayley is having a horrendous time under her new boss, Carol. She leaves and gets a temporary job in retail. Given the task of locking up one night she gets some overtime to clear up the stock room on the strict understanding she is to leave by 7pm. However, Hayley loses track of time, something she soon bitterly regrets.
The Christmas Ghosts - Eloise has made a career out of housesitting and is booked to look after a wonderful Victorian, very large cottage on the Cornish coast. She is a writer working on her first novel and is planning on getting a lot done on it during that month. It sounds idyllic to me - a writers' retreat, you get paid to go to? What's not to love!
Eloise was planning to spend Christmas Day with her family but after a row with her mother she returns to the cottage, and is astonished by what she finds going on there.
These stories are all very well written and are an entertaining and enjoyable read I'd highly recommend.
Guardian - Henry is on his way to stay in a cottage with his fiancée, Billie, when he gets lost on Bodmin Moor in the snow. Help arrives unexpectedly but Henry is even more surprised when he finds out who his rescuer was.
Hot Toddy - This was a lovely story of an elderly woman's special tradition at Christmas. She has all her family staying with her, or at least nearly all, and this ritual is all about that missing element. Thoughtful and wonderfully written and I really enjoyed this one.
Rodger Reed and the Road Kill Rabbit - Rodger is a horrible, horrible man. He is on his way home for Christmas, not because he wants to see his family but because he wants to make sure his father is leaving him exactly what he wants in his will, as he should. He kills a rabbit on the way with little remorse but lives to regret his lack of care.
Old Man Symmonds - Hayley is having a horrendous time under her new boss, Carol. She leaves and gets a temporary job in retail. Given the task of locking up one night she gets some overtime to clear up the stock room on the strict understanding she is to leave by 7pm. However, Hayley loses track of time, something she soon bitterly regrets.
The Christmas Ghosts - Eloise has made a career out of housesitting and is booked to look after a wonderful Victorian, very large cottage on the Cornish coast. She is a writer working on her first novel and is planning on getting a lot done on it during that month. It sounds idyllic to me - a writers' retreat, you get paid to go to? What's not to love!
Eloise was planning to spend Christmas Day with her family but after a row with her mother she returns to the cottage, and is astonished by what she finds going on there.
These stories are all very well written and are an entertaining and enjoyable read I'd highly recommend.
November 27, 2018
This book of 5 short stories is a surprise. Yes, each story has a ghost, who appears at Christmas, but they are not horrifying. The protagonist may feel fear or confusion, but the reader feels curiosity. Why is the ghost returning?
In the first story, Guardian, we meet the most traditional ghost-like figure, but this is also the story about relationships, good and bad. Occurring on Bodmin Moor late on Christmas Eve, there is a gradual build up of tension and we fear for Henry, just as his mother did. Hot Toddy is a more reassuring story of enduring love, while Roger Reed and the Road Kill Rabbit is an amusing tale of an unpleasant man receiving his just reward.
My favourites are the last two stories. Old Man Symmonds echoes “A Christmas Carol”. There are two unjust bosses in different eras, mistreating their employees, but the heroine, Hayley, regains her confidence, realising her worth as a consequence of her encounter with the ghost. In this story and also in the final tale the main character deals with relationships and gains maturity. Eloise in The Christmas Ghost is struggling to become an author, but she already knows that her occupation as a house-sitter suits her disposition and her aspiration. Failing in her attempt to become closer to her critical mother, whose glass is always half-full, she returns to the Victorian cottage she is minding, to find a ghost whose fate is far worse than hers. The house has inspired her writing, will it help her to heal her family too?
I highly recommend this delightful volume of unusual ghost stories and hope that there will be a second volume to follow next Christmas.
In the first story, Guardian, we meet the most traditional ghost-like figure, but this is also the story about relationships, good and bad. Occurring on Bodmin Moor late on Christmas Eve, there is a gradual build up of tension and we fear for Henry, just as his mother did. Hot Toddy is a more reassuring story of enduring love, while Roger Reed and the Road Kill Rabbit is an amusing tale of an unpleasant man receiving his just reward.
My favourites are the last two stories. Old Man Symmonds echoes “A Christmas Carol”. There are two unjust bosses in different eras, mistreating their employees, but the heroine, Hayley, regains her confidence, realising her worth as a consequence of her encounter with the ghost. In this story and also in the final tale the main character deals with relationships and gains maturity. Eloise in The Christmas Ghost is struggling to become an author, but she already knows that her occupation as a house-sitter suits her disposition and her aspiration. Failing in her attempt to become closer to her critical mother, whose glass is always half-full, she returns to the Victorian cottage she is minding, to find a ghost whose fate is far worse than hers. The house has inspired her writing, will it help her to heal her family too?
I highly recommend this delightful volume of unusual ghost stories and hope that there will be a second volume to follow next Christmas.
December 2, 2017
This is a collection of five long short stories, all very different. My favourites are Hot Toddy, a beautiful story about a woman of nearly eighty who is visited by someone she loves very much, and the last one, The Christmas Ghosts itself, which is about a young woman who earns money by house-sitting for the wealthy, whilst trying to put together her first novel. I liked this one because her life appealed to me; the solitude in the lovely house, the beautiful surroundings, the hours and hours of uninterrupted time to write. I was amused by her rather childlike debut novelist fancies and fantasies, and nodded my head a few times about the difficulty she has in getting her friends and family to take what she is doing seriously. Oh yes, and the Christmas ghosts themselves. I can't tell you about them, because that would give away the story, but it's a lovely idea, and something I would adore; a view into the past.
I've only read historical fiction by this author, so it was interesting to see how she fared with contemporary stories, but I am happy to report that, yes, she can do this, too! Another thing I liked about this collection was that it is not twee or 'heartwarming', as some Christmas stories can be; one of the ghosts is a mangled animal, and another wears a Nirvana hoodie. 😄
I've only read historical fiction by this author, so it was interesting to see how she fared with contemporary stories, but I am happy to report that, yes, she can do this, too! Another thing I liked about this collection was that it is not twee or 'heartwarming', as some Christmas stories can be; one of the ghosts is a mangled animal, and another wears a Nirvana hoodie. 😄
January 20, 2018
This was an interesting set of short stories. They dealt with ghosts, but they weren't overly creepy or scary, which I liked because I'm a wimp - haha. I enjoyed each of them, but none stood out either.
January 8, 2017
Highly recommended
A brilliant and entertaining collection of ghostly short stories, perfect for the festive season and beyond. This would be an excellent choice for book clubs too as there is so much packed in to the stories. Each story holds important messages, like; it's ok to do something for yourself, love is everlasting throughout life and death, money isn't everything, what goes around comes around. And many more too. I love Gemma Lawrence, she is an excellent author and I highly recommend any of her books. A talented author who's way with words draw you right into the story almost as if you are there yourself. This collection of short stories are so believable it's uncanny. Ms Lawrence, you rock in the world of writing. X dawn h
A brilliant and entertaining collection of ghostly short stories, perfect for the festive season and beyond. This would be an excellent choice for book clubs too as there is so much packed in to the stories. Each story holds important messages, like; it's ok to do something for yourself, love is everlasting throughout life and death, money isn't everything, what goes around comes around. And many more too. I love Gemma Lawrence, she is an excellent author and I highly recommend any of her books. A talented author who's way with words draw you right into the story almost as if you are there yourself. This collection of short stories are so believable it's uncanny. Ms Lawrence, you rock in the world of writing. X dawn h
January 2, 2026
Ghost-themed short stories with a cozy mystery feel
This is a very nice collection of short stories with a Christmas/winter theme, each featuring some sort of ghostly element. They aren't scary stories although one of them, 'Rodger Reed and the Roadkill Rabbit' is quite macabre, but also amusing. I've read several historical fiction novels by this author, G. Lawrence, and these imaginative tales showcase her accomplished writing in a very pleasing but different way to the novels. My favourite story 'The Christmas Ghosts' felt quite reflective, as though the author had used a little of her own personal back story within the nicely crafted plot. This themed collection is a great introduction to the author's work, and a very enjoyable read. I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys cozy mystery stories – you won't be disappointed.
This is a very nice collection of short stories with a Christmas/winter theme, each featuring some sort of ghostly element. They aren't scary stories although one of them, 'Rodger Reed and the Roadkill Rabbit' is quite macabre, but also amusing. I've read several historical fiction novels by this author, G. Lawrence, and these imaginative tales showcase her accomplished writing in a very pleasing but different way to the novels. My favourite story 'The Christmas Ghosts' felt quite reflective, as though the author had used a little of her own personal back story within the nicely crafted plot. This themed collection is a great introduction to the author's work, and a very enjoyable read. I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys cozy mystery stories – you won't be disappointed.
February 5, 2017
Recommended read!!
I usually read only true paranormal books but this one caught my eye somewhat so I thought I'd give it a try.
How surprised I was at just how much I enjoyed it especially the last story.
I shall certainly be looking out for similar books from this talented author.
Marvellous!!
I usually read only true paranormal books but this one caught my eye somewhat so I thought I'd give it a try.
How surprised I was at just how much I enjoyed it especially the last story.
I shall certainly be looking out for similar books from this talented author.
Marvellous!!
August 18, 2021
Good little read. Not historical as Gemma usually writes but made a nice change.
February 16, 2017
An interesting read
It's good to read ghost stories which are actually life affirming. A short passage in the 2nd tale did make me shed a tear, not for the story itself but for memories it stirred in me. Fr ghost stories with a twist, this book is worth reading. I hope it makes you smile, it has me
It's good to read ghost stories which are actually life affirming. A short passage in the 2nd tale did make me shed a tear, not for the story itself but for memories it stirred in me. Fr ghost stories with a twist, this book is worth reading. I hope it makes you smile, it has me
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews