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Tales Of
Fear
PERFECT for fans of Roald Dahl.
Think you know Dahl? Think again. Discover a collection of deliciously dark ghost stories for adults, picked by Dahl himself . . .
Do you enjoy being scared? Featuring fourteen classic spine-chilling stories chosen by Roald Dahl, these terrible tales of ghostly goings-on will have you shivering with fear as you turn the pages.
They include such timeless and haunting stories as Sheridan Le Fanu's The Ghost of a Hand, Edith Wharton's Afterward, Cynthia Asquith's The Corner Shop and Mary Treadgold's The Telephone.
Featuring extraordinary cover art by Charming Baker, whose paintings echo the dark and twisted world of Dahl's short stories.
Roald Dahl reveals even more about the darker side of human nature in seven other centenary editions featuring his own stories: Lust, Madness, Cruelty, Deception, Trickery, Innocence and War.
Think you know Dahl? Think again. Discover a collection of deliciously dark ghost stories for adults, picked by Dahl himself . . .
Do you enjoy being scared? Featuring fourteen classic spine-chilling stories chosen by Roald Dahl, these terrible tales of ghostly goings-on will have you shivering with fear as you turn the pages.
They include such timeless and haunting stories as Sheridan Le Fanu's The Ghost of a Hand, Edith Wharton's Afterward, Cynthia Asquith's The Corner Shop and Mary Treadgold's The Telephone.
Featuring extraordinary cover art by Charming Baker, whose paintings echo the dark and twisted world of Dahl's short stories.
Roald Dahl reveals even more about the darker side of human nature in seven other centenary editions featuring his own stories: Lust, Madness, Cruelty, Deception, Trickery, Innocence and War.
320 pages, Paperback
First published August 10, 2017
68 people are currently reading
1140 people want to read
About the author
Roald Dahl
1,473 books26.6k followersRoald Dahl was a beloved British author, poet, screenwriter, and wartime fighter pilot, best known for his enchanting and often darkly humorous children's books that have captivated generations of readers around the world. Born in Llandaff, Wales, to Norwegian parents, Dahl led a life marked by adventure, tragedy, creativity, and enduring literary success. His vivid imagination and distinctive storytelling style have made him one of the most celebrated children's authors in modern literature.
Before becoming a writer, Dahl lived a life filled with excitement and hardship. He served as a Royal Air Force pilot during World War II, surviving a near-fatal crash in the Libyan desert. His wartime experiences and travels deeply influenced his storytelling, often infusing his works with a sense of danger, resilience, and the triumph of the underdog. After the war, he began writing for both adults and children, showing a rare versatility that spanned genres and age groups.
Dahl's children's books are known for their playful use of language, unforgettable characters, and a deep sense of justice, often pitting clever children against cruel or foolish adults. Some of his most iconic titles include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG, James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr Fox, and The Witches. These works are filled with fantastical elements and moral undertones, empowering young readers to challenge authority, think independently, and believe in the impossible.
Equally acclaimed for his work for adults, Dahl wrote numerous short stories characterized by their macabre twists and dark humor. His stories were frequently published in magazines such as The New Yorker and later compiled into bestselling collections like Someone Like You and Kiss Kiss. He also wrote screenplays, including the James Bond film You Only Live Twice and the adaptation of Ian Fleming's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Despite his literary success, Dahl was a complex and sometimes controversial figure, known for his strong opinions and difficult personality. Nonetheless, his books continue to be treasured for their wit, originality, and the sense of wonder they inspire. Many of his stories have been adapted into successful films, stage plays, and television specials, further cementing his legacy.
Dahl's impact on children's literature is immeasurable. His ability to connect with young readers through a mix of irreverence, heart, and imagination has made his stories timeless. Even after his death, his books remain in print and continue to be read by millions of children worldwide. His writing not only entertains but also encourages curiosity, courage, and compassion.
Roald Dahl's work lives on as a testament to the power of storytelling and the magic of a truly original voice. He remains a towering figure in literature whose creations continue to spark joy, mischief, and inspiration across generations.
Before becoming a writer, Dahl lived a life filled with excitement and hardship. He served as a Royal Air Force pilot during World War II, surviving a near-fatal crash in the Libyan desert. His wartime experiences and travels deeply influenced his storytelling, often infusing his works with a sense of danger, resilience, and the triumph of the underdog. After the war, he began writing for both adults and children, showing a rare versatility that spanned genres and age groups.
Dahl's children's books are known for their playful use of language, unforgettable characters, and a deep sense of justice, often pitting clever children against cruel or foolish adults. Some of his most iconic titles include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG, James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr Fox, and The Witches. These works are filled with fantastical elements and moral undertones, empowering young readers to challenge authority, think independently, and believe in the impossible.
Equally acclaimed for his work for adults, Dahl wrote numerous short stories characterized by their macabre twists and dark humor. His stories were frequently published in magazines such as The New Yorker and later compiled into bestselling collections like Someone Like You and Kiss Kiss. He also wrote screenplays, including the James Bond film You Only Live Twice and the adaptation of Ian Fleming's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Despite his literary success, Dahl was a complex and sometimes controversial figure, known for his strong opinions and difficult personality. Nonetheless, his books continue to be treasured for their wit, originality, and the sense of wonder they inspire. Many of his stories have been adapted into successful films, stage plays, and television specials, further cementing his legacy.
Dahl's impact on children's literature is immeasurable. His ability to connect with young readers through a mix of irreverence, heart, and imagination has made his stories timeless. Even after his death, his books remain in print and continue to be read by millions of children worldwide. His writing not only entertains but also encourages curiosity, courage, and compassion.
Roald Dahl's work lives on as a testament to the power of storytelling and the magic of a truly original voice. He remains a towering figure in literature whose creations continue to spark joy, mischief, and inspiration across generations.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
May 27, 2021
It was a nice selection of stories from authors I'm not familiar or heard of, what a great way to introduce readers to them. I'm not feeling the fear but a bit disturbing, yes
October 7, 2019
“Spookiness is, after all, the real purpose of the ghost story. It should give you the creeps and disturb your thoughts.” I was sent this selection of Dahl-curated ghost stories as part of a book bundle in advance of a blog tour for Roald Dahl Day last year. I chose to read just the five stories by women for this year’s all-female R.I.P. challenge, and will polish off the rest next year. This collection originated from a television series on ghost stories that Dahl proposed for the American market in 1958 (the pilot was poorly received and it never got made). As research he read nearly 750 ghost stories and whittled them down to the top 24. Women authors dominated early in the selection process, but by the end the genders came out nearly even, with 13 men and 11 women. It’s disappointing, then, that only five of the 14 stories included here are by women – one of whom gets two entries, so there’s just four female authors recognized. And this even though Dahl claims that, when it comes to ghost stories, “it is the women who have written some of the very best ones.”
Any road, these are the five stories I read, all of which I found suitably creepy, though the Wharton is overlong. Each one pivots on a moment when the narrator realizes that a character they have been interacting with is actually dead. Even if you’ve seen the twist coming, there’s still a little clench of the heart when you have it confirmed by a third party.
“Harry” and “Christmas Meeting” by Rosemary Timperley: A little girl who survived a murder attempt is reclaimed by her late brother; a woman meets a century-dead author one lonely holiday – I liked that in this one each character penetrates the other’s time period.
“The Corner Shop” by Cynthia Asquith: An inviting antique shop is run by two young women during the day, but by a somber old man in the evenings. He likes to give customers a good deal to atone for his miserly actions in the past.
“The Telephone” by Mary Treadgold: A man continues communicating with his dead ex-wife via the phone line.
“Afterward” by Edith Wharton: An American couple settles in a home in Dorset, and the husband disappears after a dodgy business deal in the company of a mysterious stranger.
Any road, these are the five stories I read, all of which I found suitably creepy, though the Wharton is overlong. Each one pivots on a moment when the narrator realizes that a character they have been interacting with is actually dead. Even if you’ve seen the twist coming, there’s still a little clench of the heart when you have it confirmed by a third party.
“Harry” and “Christmas Meeting” by Rosemary Timperley: A little girl who survived a murder attempt is reclaimed by her late brother; a woman meets a century-dead author one lonely holiday – I liked that in this one each character penetrates the other’s time period.
“The Corner Shop” by Cynthia Asquith: An inviting antique shop is run by two young women during the day, but by a somber old man in the evenings. He likes to give customers a good deal to atone for his miserly actions in the past.
“The Telephone” by Mary Treadgold: A man continues communicating with his dead ex-wife via the phone line.
“Afterward” by Edith Wharton: An American couple settles in a home in Dorset, and the husband disappears after a dodgy business deal in the company of a mysterious stranger.
March 3, 2021
A collection of spooky short stories about mostly ghosts by various different authors.
Didn't exactly feel "Fear" as the titles promised.
Didn't exactly feel "Fear" as the titles promised.
March 3, 2024
Fear is one of eight centenary editions of Dahl’s short stories for adults, grouped together by theme, and collects fourteen stories—however, contrary to what the cover would have you believe, these tales weren’t written by Dahl, but selected by him; this is a reissue of what was originally published as Roald Dahl’s Book of Ghost Stories. In the late 50’s, he pitched a television series of ghost stories, and ended up reading 749 supernatural tales from a variety of writers, of which he selected the twenty-four best, remarking that women were exceptionally well-represented (in the introduction, he then goes on the most benevolently sexist tangent I’ve ever read—obviously the other literary niche in which women excel in his eyes are children’s books). The series never ended up being green-lighted, but he kept all his notes and eventually decided to publish this anthology of what he considers to be the spookiest ghost stories ever written… although I really can’t say that I agree with him!
W.S. by L. P. Hartley · ★★★
An author begins getting regular and increasingly worrying postcards from locations ever closer to him. It was creepiest before the actual reveal, but I thought there was an interesting meta point made here, about feelings of inadequacy as a writer of fiction? And it also felt a little inspired by Frankenstein—an even more modern Modern Prometheus.
Harry by Rosemary Timperley · ★★★★
A young mother worries about her adoptive daughter’s new imaginary friend. I’ve definitely never read this particular story before, nor have I ever heard of the author, but it felt so familiar—is this where this particular ghost story trope started? It felt almost archetypal, and I thought it held up pretty well for something written in the 50’s. The twist didn’t come as a surprise, but the story was nicely atmospheric, and did a really good job at building up the sense of dread.
The Corner Shop by Cynthia Asquith · ★★★½
On a dreary evening, a young man takes refuge in an antiques shop and buys a jade frog for half a crown, which then turns out to be worth thousands. This was an atmospheric morality tale in which the twist unfortunately fell a little flat—not due to any failing on the author’s part, but by virtue of the reader already knowing it’s a ghost story going in.
In the Tube by E. F. Benson · ★★½
This somewhat archaic tale (it’s over a century old) starts with a metaphysical discussion about time, and is essentially the hybrid of a ghost story and… time travel? Maybe that’s a bit of a stretch, but it did venture a little into sci-fi, and I found it quite unique—if you could catch a glimpse of the future, would you try to change it, or would you do nothing, assuming events would inevitably take their course?
Christmas Meeting by Rosemary Timperley · ★★½
This is an exceptionally short story, barely four pages long, by one of the two authors featured in this collection twice. A middle-aged woman finds herself alone on Christmas, until a young man enters, mistaking her room for his own, and they make pleasant conversation. There was something bittersweet, homely, and rather nostalgic about it, especially in the opening paragraph.
Elias and the Draug by Jonas Lie · ★
The story of a Norwegian fisherman who loses all of his family at sea, one by one, years after injuring a Draug with a harpoon. I usually enjoy stories that have a mythological aspect to them, but despite there being unnecessary footnotes which cover what is then also explained in the story itself, I still don’t really know what a Draug is—from context, at first it appeared to be some sort of Selkie-like creature, but then it turned into a cursed apparition akin to the Flying Dutchman… and when I google it, the results all refer to Draugr, which are malevolent undead spirits who live in their graves. The family father makes no attempt to rescue his family members, and doesn’t seem to be at all affected by the fact that they all perish. If the main character can’t bring himself to care about the death of his family, why should I?
Playmates by A. M. Burrage · ★★★★
A bachelor in his 50’s takes in a young girl as a ward, who wants for nothing in his care… except the company of other children. He dislikes modern thinking, so he keeps her away from other children her age to see how she develops on her own, moving to the country. This vintage haunted house story was a fine example of what I expected (and wanted) this collection to be—as one of the longer stories collected, it built up a nice atmosphere, it was suitably unsettling even though nothing scary happens, and despite usually preferring grislier endings, the one here was so unexpectedly and oddly touching that I can’t fault it at all.
Ringing the Changes by Robert Aickman · ★★★★
Aickman is the only author in this collection, save for Edith Wharton, that I was already familiar with, having read his short story collection Cold Hand in Mine upon Stephen King’s recommendation a couple of years back. This story was one of the longer ones, and even though I wish the ending packed more of a punch, it was definitely the creepiest of the collection in both tone, atmosphere, and content: A newly married couple arrive in a seemingly deserted coastal village in England for their honeymoon, where the church bells ring endlessly, there is a putrid smell on the air, and the few locals they encounter act… rather oddly.
The Telephone by Mary Treadgold · ★★
A man cheats on his wife, who dies shortly after finding out. Soon strange phone calls start coming in, which cause the mistress to suspect that the wife’s spirit still lingers and wants to hold on to the relationship… it was a story about ghosts, love, guilt, and moving on, and pretty forgettable.
The Ghost of a Hand by J. Sheridan Le Fanu · ★★
The residents and staff at an English manor are persistently terrorized by the knocking and rapping of a disembodied ghost hand trying to gain entry into the house. This was a quaint Victorian horror tale written sometime in the 1800’s, and I couldn’t help but picture the Addams Family’s Thing, an instant an unavoidable connection that probably made it less creepy than it would otherwise have been.
The Sweeper by A. M. Burrage · ★★★
The second story by this author included in this collection was a mild horror tale with lovely prose, but I unfortunately didn’t like the ending quite as much as the one by Burrage’s other included tale, or the way homeless people were portrayed. An old, wealthy, lonely, and stingy lady, who is however oddly known for donating food and money to any vagrant beggar knocking at her door, hires a young woman to keep her company at her estate, and we soon find out where her selfish generosity stems from.
Afterward by Edith Wharton · ★★½
I skipped reading this one as I was already familiar with it—it was included in a collection of Wharton’s Ghost stories I gave up on last year. A newly rich couple wants to move to a nice old house in the countryside, preferably with all the stereotypical inconveniences, including a ghost. They are promised that there is one, but that they won’t know they’ve been haunted until… well, afterward. The title itself foreshadows the ending, and giving any more of the plot away would spoil it. I found it relatively predictable, but it was probably still creepily shocking at the time it was first published.
On the Brighton Road by Richard Middleton · ★★★
The second-shortest story in the collection was a tale about a vagabond on the road towards London, who meets a young boy with a terrible cough who claims to have been walking for six years. The language was archaic, the story eerie, albeit predictable—not much more to say about this one.
The Upper Berth by F. Marion Crawford · ★★★½
A man who frequently crosses the Atlantic on a boat finds himself in a cabin permeated by the smell of sea water, in which the tightly shut porthole opens in the night—and what’s more, four previous passengers who’ve stayed in that cabin have thrown themselves overboard in the night. I thought that the sea setting was quite unique, and this was a 19th century story that was actually suitably creepy, and even had a decent gross factor provided by the descriptions of the haunting, slippery wet creature.
—————
My other reviews of Dahl's centenary editions of tales for adults (work in progress):
Cruelty: Tales of Malice and Greed · ★★★ [2.95]
Deception: Tales of Intrigue and Lies · ★★★ [3.4]
Fear: Tales of Terror and Suspense · ★★★ [2.89]
Innocence: Tales of Youth and Guile · ★★★★ [3.6]
Lust: Tales of Craving and Desire · ★★ [1.8]
Madness: Tales of Fear and Unreason · ★★★★ [3.6]
Trickery: Tales of Deceit and Cunning
War: Tales of Conflict and Strife
W.S. by L. P. Hartley · ★★★
An author begins getting regular and increasingly worrying postcards from locations ever closer to him. It was creepiest before the actual reveal, but I thought there was an interesting meta point made here, about feelings of inadequacy as a writer of fiction? And it also felt a little inspired by Frankenstein—an even more modern Modern Prometheus.
Harry by Rosemary Timperley · ★★★★
A young mother worries about her adoptive daughter’s new imaginary friend. I’ve definitely never read this particular story before, nor have I ever heard of the author, but it felt so familiar—is this where this particular ghost story trope started? It felt almost archetypal, and I thought it held up pretty well for something written in the 50’s. The twist didn’t come as a surprise, but the story was nicely atmospheric, and did a really good job at building up the sense of dread.
The Corner Shop by Cynthia Asquith · ★★★½
On a dreary evening, a young man takes refuge in an antiques shop and buys a jade frog for half a crown, which then turns out to be worth thousands. This was an atmospheric morality tale in which the twist unfortunately fell a little flat—not due to any failing on the author’s part, but by virtue of the reader already knowing it’s a ghost story going in.
In the Tube by E. F. Benson · ★★½
This somewhat archaic tale (it’s over a century old) starts with a metaphysical discussion about time, and is essentially the hybrid of a ghost story and… time travel? Maybe that’s a bit of a stretch, but it did venture a little into sci-fi, and I found it quite unique—if you could catch a glimpse of the future, would you try to change it, or would you do nothing, assuming events would inevitably take their course?
Christmas Meeting by Rosemary Timperley · ★★½
This is an exceptionally short story, barely four pages long, by one of the two authors featured in this collection twice. A middle-aged woman finds herself alone on Christmas, until a young man enters, mistaking her room for his own, and they make pleasant conversation. There was something bittersweet, homely, and rather nostalgic about it, especially in the opening paragraph.
Elias and the Draug by Jonas Lie · ★
The story of a Norwegian fisherman who loses all of his family at sea, one by one, years after injuring a Draug with a harpoon. I usually enjoy stories that have a mythological aspect to them, but despite there being unnecessary footnotes which cover what is then also explained in the story itself, I still don’t really know what a Draug is—from context, at first it appeared to be some sort of Selkie-like creature, but then it turned into a cursed apparition akin to the Flying Dutchman… and when I google it, the results all refer to Draugr, which are malevolent undead spirits who live in their graves. The family father makes no attempt to rescue his family members, and doesn’t seem to be at all affected by the fact that they all perish. If the main character can’t bring himself to care about the death of his family, why should I?
Playmates by A. M. Burrage · ★★★★
A bachelor in his 50’s takes in a young girl as a ward, who wants for nothing in his care… except the company of other children. He dislikes modern thinking, so he keeps her away from other children her age to see how she develops on her own, moving to the country. This vintage haunted house story was a fine example of what I expected (and wanted) this collection to be—as one of the longer stories collected, it built up a nice atmosphere, it was suitably unsettling even though nothing scary happens, and despite usually preferring grislier endings, the one here was so unexpectedly and oddly touching that I can’t fault it at all.
Ringing the Changes by Robert Aickman · ★★★★
Aickman is the only author in this collection, save for Edith Wharton, that I was already familiar with, having read his short story collection Cold Hand in Mine upon Stephen King’s recommendation a couple of years back. This story was one of the longer ones, and even though I wish the ending packed more of a punch, it was definitely the creepiest of the collection in both tone, atmosphere, and content: A newly married couple arrive in a seemingly deserted coastal village in England for their honeymoon, where the church bells ring endlessly, there is a putrid smell on the air, and the few locals they encounter act… rather oddly.
The Telephone by Mary Treadgold · ★★
A man cheats on his wife, who dies shortly after finding out. Soon strange phone calls start coming in, which cause the mistress to suspect that the wife’s spirit still lingers and wants to hold on to the relationship… it was a story about ghosts, love, guilt, and moving on, and pretty forgettable.
The Ghost of a Hand by J. Sheridan Le Fanu · ★★
The residents and staff at an English manor are persistently terrorized by the knocking and rapping of a disembodied ghost hand trying to gain entry into the house. This was a quaint Victorian horror tale written sometime in the 1800’s, and I couldn’t help but picture the Addams Family’s Thing, an instant an unavoidable connection that probably made it less creepy than it would otherwise have been.
The Sweeper by A. M. Burrage · ★★★
The second story by this author included in this collection was a mild horror tale with lovely prose, but I unfortunately didn’t like the ending quite as much as the one by Burrage’s other included tale, or the way homeless people were portrayed. An old, wealthy, lonely, and stingy lady, who is however oddly known for donating food and money to any vagrant beggar knocking at her door, hires a young woman to keep her company at her estate, and we soon find out where her selfish generosity stems from.
Afterward by Edith Wharton · ★★½
I skipped reading this one as I was already familiar with it—it was included in a collection of Wharton’s Ghost stories I gave up on last year. A newly rich couple wants to move to a nice old house in the countryside, preferably with all the stereotypical inconveniences, including a ghost. They are promised that there is one, but that they won’t know they’ve been haunted until… well, afterward. The title itself foreshadows the ending, and giving any more of the plot away would spoil it. I found it relatively predictable, but it was probably still creepily shocking at the time it was first published.
On the Brighton Road by Richard Middleton · ★★★
The second-shortest story in the collection was a tale about a vagabond on the road towards London, who meets a young boy with a terrible cough who claims to have been walking for six years. The language was archaic, the story eerie, albeit predictable—not much more to say about this one.
The Upper Berth by F. Marion Crawford · ★★★½
A man who frequently crosses the Atlantic on a boat finds himself in a cabin permeated by the smell of sea water, in which the tightly shut porthole opens in the night—and what’s more, four previous passengers who’ve stayed in that cabin have thrown themselves overboard in the night. I thought that the sea setting was quite unique, and this was a 19th century story that was actually suitably creepy, and even had a decent gross factor provided by the descriptions of the haunting, slippery wet creature.
—————
My other reviews of Dahl's centenary editions of tales for adults (work in progress):
Cruelty: Tales of Malice and Greed · ★★★ [2.95]
Deception: Tales of Intrigue and Lies · ★★★ [3.4]
Fear: Tales of Terror and Suspense · ★★★ [2.89]
Innocence: Tales of Youth and Guile · ★★★★ [3.6]
Lust: Tales of Craving and Desire · ★★ [1.8]
Madness: Tales of Fear and Unreason · ★★★★ [3.6]
Trickery: Tales of Deceit and Cunning
War: Tales of Conflict and Strife
February 3, 2021
Not a book by Roald Dahl, as the title would suggest, but a selection of ghost/supernatural stories by him. A mixed bag, as these sort of things usually are, but nevertheless a decent read with two or three outstanding tales. 3.5
March 7, 2019
Listened to in audio format.
I bought this because I enjoyed Roald Dahl`s 1980s series Tales of the Unexpected.
Fear is a selection of fourteen tales chosen by Roald Dahl. I enjoy short stories that I can dip in and out of, like most short anthologies some I enjoy more than others.
My favourite stories were
WS
Harry
The Corner Shop
Playmates
and The Telephone
Despite the name of the book none of the stories above were scary. However they had really interesting twists in the tales. The worst two were The Upper Berth which was about a sea creature and Ringing The Changes because they were about zombies.
Although 9 of the stories were a bit meh, I would definitely listen to those 5 stories again.
I bought this because I enjoyed Roald Dahl`s 1980s series Tales of the Unexpected.
Fear is a selection of fourteen tales chosen by Roald Dahl. I enjoy short stories that I can dip in and out of, like most short anthologies some I enjoy more than others.
My favourite stories were
WS
Harry
The Corner Shop
Playmates
and The Telephone
Despite the name of the book none of the stories above were scary. However they had really interesting twists in the tales. The worst two were The Upper Berth which was about a sea creature and Ringing The Changes because they were about zombies.
Although 9 of the stories were a bit meh, I would definitely listen to those 5 stories again.
February 9, 2019
After 4 long months I have finally managed to finish all the stories in this book. I had a really hard time giving this a rating as there were some stories that I loved and that I know will stay with me for quite some time (W.S., Harry, The Corner Shop, Playmates). However for the most part these stories were vastly overwritten, which is probably a product of the time they were written rather than the writers themselves. As a result I found a good chunk of the book really difficult to get through and I found myself not often wanting to pick it back up.
I’d recommend this book for anyone wanting something a bit creepy and chilling, but would say skip the stories that you aren’t loving.
I’d recommend this book for anyone wanting something a bit creepy and chilling, but would say skip the stories that you aren’t loving.
April 17, 2020
If you think Roald Dahl is just about children's stories, you better take another look at him as a collector of stories.
This series which focuses on horror provided some of the best horror stories I've read. Although some of these are quite unimpressive, there are those who have the potential to be classics (also: Check Edith Wharton's piece on this volume). An easy read during the quarantine for those who like to keep their senses up.
This series which focuses on horror provided some of the best horror stories I've read. Although some of these are quite unimpressive, there are those who have the potential to be classics (also: Check Edith Wharton's piece on this volume). An easy read during the quarantine for those who like to keep their senses up.
September 4, 2018
Let's start by saying that I think that the cover of the book is a bit misleading since the stories are selected but not written by Road Dahl. The stories are mostly about ghost but not particularly scary and a few of them I didn't like. This was not what I expected and I hope that the remaining collection I own is a bigger success.
January 21, 2019
Not his stories, just a collection of his fav. I dunno why this is published though.. nothing to shout about
May 3, 2020
14 histórias de terror de vários autores selecionados por roald dahl. Como livro recebe 4 estrelas se bem que , naturalmente, algumas histórias são mais interessantes do que outras.
March 3, 2021
Some alright stories in there. They didn't thrill me as much as I'd like, but some of them were okay. Favourites being W.S., The Corner Shop, The Telephone, The Sweeper, and Afterward.
May 27, 2021
This started off interesting enough: W.S had me truly believing that this book was going to have some really sinister undertones and then... it just didn't. There were some stories that seemed to be completely normal and then had a chilling twist right in the final paragraph. Most of the stories, however, just didn't hit the mark. For a collection that boasts an ability to evoke feelings of 'terror and suspense', there was a severe lack of it throughout.
June 30, 2018
Listen. I tried, okay? Most of these stories were crap. Some of them were really well written. Only one story actually gave me the spooks. I was 90% done and I was DONE.
April 27, 2018
Roald Dahl read over seven hundred ghost stories in search of twenty-four to convert into scripts for an horror anthology television series. When the series didn't pan out, he selected fourteen of the stories for a print anthology entitled Roald Dahl's Book of Ghost Stories, which was later rereleased as this less specifically titled collection, Fear.
After reading the introduction where Dahl makes a big deal of how much garbage he went through to find the really good stuff for this collection, I had high expectations, which mostly weren't borne out. There are a few excellent and spooky stories in this collection, but the majority left me cold.
W.S. by LP Hartley, Harry by Rosemary Timperley, Playmates by AM Burrage, Ringing the Changes by Robert Aickman (one of my favourite authors) and The Sweeper also by AM Burrage are the standouts, and of those I'd only really call Harry and Ringing the Changes actually frightening.
The rest I found predictable and/or tedious. Some of this may be because Seinfeld is Unfunny -- Cynthia Asquith's The Corner Shop, for example, seems to be very well regarded and has been copied to death in the century since it was first published.
If you want good ghost stories, read a Robert Aickman collection instead.
After reading the introduction where Dahl makes a big deal of how much garbage he went through to find the really good stuff for this collection, I had high expectations, which mostly weren't borne out. There are a few excellent and spooky stories in this collection, but the majority left me cold.
W.S. by LP Hartley, Harry by Rosemary Timperley, Playmates by AM Burrage, Ringing the Changes by Robert Aickman (one of my favourite authors) and The Sweeper also by AM Burrage are the standouts, and of those I'd only really call Harry and Ringing the Changes actually frightening.
The rest I found predictable and/or tedious. Some of this may be because Seinfeld is Unfunny -- Cynthia Asquith's The Corner Shop, for example, seems to be very well regarded and has been copied to death in the century since it was first published.
If you want good ghost stories, read a Robert Aickman collection instead.
December 27, 2024
I have read and enjoyed many collections of Dahl's short fiction but while he is good, maybe very good, he is not an author I am likely to return to anytime soon. There are aspects of his writing which I like and enjoy but there isn't, for me, sufficient depth or variety.
I am giving this collection three stars because I couldn't give it less but I couldn't give it more because none of the stories have stayed with me.
A simpler way to put it is that while I will never read this or any other Dahl anthology again I would happily reread, and have, 'Slade House' by David Mitchell. I would happily recommend anyone to read David Mitchell rather than Dahl. Compared to Mitchell Dahl is not even second rate.
I am giving this collection three stars because I couldn't give it less but I couldn't give it more because none of the stories have stayed with me.
A simpler way to put it is that while I will never read this or any other Dahl anthology again I would happily reread, and have, 'Slade House' by David Mitchell. I would happily recommend anyone to read David Mitchell rather than Dahl. Compared to Mitchell Dahl is not even second rate.
December 26, 2025
Despite the 2 stars, I actually really like this book for a few reasons. For one, I was definitely interested in the origin of the book. I love the idea of a collection of old horror shorts getting film adaptations and them ultimately getting canned is pretty sad. I also really love the cosiness of this book, it was a fun train read and it quickly became part of my night routine. It did take me a very long time to read it though because of how boring the book ended up getting. I think this is mainly because it was a product of its time (many of which being from the 1800's) and society then had very different fears back then unlike now. I was very impressed with the first short story and then my enthusiasm to finish the book dwindled because of just how not scary it became.
I rated each short story out of 1-5 and then found the mean of my results. I also gave small reviews after I finished a story which I will share now.
"W.S" - 4 stars
+Really unique premise
+Had me yelling at the pages in a good way
+Awkward pacing at times
"Harry" - 3 stars
+Super spooky when children are involved
+I knew it was all over when she left the kid at school
+Rather abrupt ending
"The Corner Shop" - 1 star
+Boring
+I didn't like how mean the mc was to the old man
+Abrupt ending that was basically unfinished
+Cool writing style though
"In The Tube" - 2.5 stars
+Kinda mid
+Boring start and boring end
+Really fun descriptive bits through despite how annoyingly wordy the writing style was
"Christmas Meeting" - 2 stars
+Very short
+Only got interesting around the last paragraph which was basically an infodump
+Interesting enough premise that made me think for like 10 seconds before moving on
"Elias and the Draug" - 0 stars
+So hard to follow
+Zoned out multiple times while reading it
+Really dated
+I felt bad for everyone but Elias because he was a terribly sailor, husband and dad
"Playmates" - DNF
+I wasn't all that interested in the start of this story, then I started reading another book and couldn't remember what happened when I came back with little desire to read it again
"Ringing the changes" - 1.5 stars
+Ruined because of the racism
+Really boring
+Didn't make much sense
+I hated the mc
"The Telephone" - 2.5 stars
+Kinda liked the middle and the end but it didn't make much sense (was he being haunted by Katherine of something?)
+The beginning was weird with all the references to the mc's age but it could have been better justified if this had been more of a social commentary, the happy ending ruined that.
"Ghost of a hand" - 3.8 stars
+Finally a good story
+Not quite a 4 because of how abrupt and unfrightening the storytelling was but it was a little scary
+Some confusing elements but I can let them slide
"The Sweeper" - 5 stars
+This story is the first one that has had me hooked since the first two and its so refreshing to read a +well written and well paced short story
+very interesting plot, I was invested in the characters and set up
+Best story so far
"Afterwards" - 4.7 stars
+Writing style had me so hooked
+Love how the story took its time to unfold
+Still some elements I didn't quite understand but it was a very intense and thrilling read either way
"On the Brighton Road" - 1.5 stars
+This felt like those 2 sentence horror stories on Reddit
+Very nonsensical with little explanation in a way that left me questioning in criticism and not with investment
I forgot to do the last story and I forgot its name but I remember giving it a 2 stars. It was confusing what the entity the mc was being targeted by and the fact that he kept going back for more made no sense to me.
I rated each short story out of 1-5 and then found the mean of my results. I also gave small reviews after I finished a story which I will share now.
"W.S" - 4 stars
+Really unique premise
+Had me yelling at the pages in a good way
+Awkward pacing at times
"Harry" - 3 stars
+Super spooky when children are involved
+I knew it was all over when she left the kid at school
+Rather abrupt ending
"The Corner Shop" - 1 star
+Boring
+I didn't like how mean the mc was to the old man
+Abrupt ending that was basically unfinished
+Cool writing style though
"In The Tube" - 2.5 stars
+Kinda mid
+Boring start and boring end
+Really fun descriptive bits through despite how annoyingly wordy the writing style was
"Christmas Meeting" - 2 stars
+Very short
+Only got interesting around the last paragraph which was basically an infodump
+Interesting enough premise that made me think for like 10 seconds before moving on
"Elias and the Draug" - 0 stars
+So hard to follow
+Zoned out multiple times while reading it
+Really dated
+I felt bad for everyone but Elias because he was a terribly sailor, husband and dad
"Playmates" - DNF
+I wasn't all that interested in the start of this story, then I started reading another book and couldn't remember what happened when I came back with little desire to read it again
"Ringing the changes" - 1.5 stars
+Ruined because of the racism
+Really boring
+Didn't make much sense
+I hated the mc
"The Telephone" - 2.5 stars
+Kinda liked the middle and the end but it didn't make much sense (was he being haunted by Katherine of something?)
+The beginning was weird with all the references to the mc's age but it could have been better justified if this had been more of a social commentary, the happy ending ruined that.
"Ghost of a hand" - 3.8 stars
+Finally a good story
+Not quite a 4 because of how abrupt and unfrightening the storytelling was but it was a little scary
+Some confusing elements but I can let them slide
"The Sweeper" - 5 stars
+This story is the first one that has had me hooked since the first two and its so refreshing to read a +well written and well paced short story
+very interesting plot, I was invested in the characters and set up
+Best story so far
"Afterwards" - 4.7 stars
+Writing style had me so hooked
+Love how the story took its time to unfold
+Still some elements I didn't quite understand but it was a very intense and thrilling read either way
"On the Brighton Road" - 1.5 stars
+This felt like those 2 sentence horror stories on Reddit
+Very nonsensical with little explanation in a way that left me questioning in criticism and not with investment
I forgot to do the last story and I forgot its name but I remember giving it a 2 stars. It was confusing what the entity the mc was being targeted by and the fact that he kept going back for more made no sense to me.
March 30, 2021
Supernatural anthologies, like all anthologies, are mixed bags by nature, but at least this selection has the advantage of being curated by a known master of the macabre (Roald Dahl) and, for the most part, steers away from stories that have been over-anthologised. It does mean that this book cleaves close to Dahl's own tastes - so a handful of the stories have twist endings, a few revolve around time displacement, and Dahl makes a point in his introduction (if not so much the final selection) in promoting female authors as the best proponents of the genre. In the same introduction he also declares that most classic ghost stories aren't very good and that he trawled through a library of dross to settle on just 24 good ones (14 of which appear in this volume).
About that mixed bag then...
For my money, the collection opens strongly with L.P.Hartley's sinister 'W.S' (in which an author begins receiving cryptic postcards that seem benign at first but become more menacing), Rosemary Timperley's 'Harry' (a gut-wrenching tale about a mother's growing fear over her adopted child's apparently imaginary friend) and Lady Cynthia Asquith's 'The Corner Shop' (a masterclass in misdirection of obvious appeal to Dahl).
Your tolerance for E.F.Benson's 'In The Tube' (too meandering in my estimation) and 'Elias and the Draug' (quite possibly too...Norwegian?) may extend beyond mine, but there are other spooky highlights, including Robert Aickman's characteristically weird 'Ringing The Changes' (about zombies rather than ghosts, if we were being strict about things), another short and sweetly melancholy tale from Rosemary Timperley ("A Christmas Meeting"), A.M.Burrage's 'Playmates', and Mary Treadgold's 'The Telephone'.
A decent ghost story anthology then, with the introduction from Dahl (in which he explains both his selection process and how the book was a by-product of a stillborn US TV series) being of chief interest.
About that mixed bag then...
For my money, the collection opens strongly with L.P.Hartley's sinister 'W.S' (in which an author begins receiving cryptic postcards that seem benign at first but become more menacing), Rosemary Timperley's 'Harry' (a gut-wrenching tale about a mother's growing fear over her adopted child's apparently imaginary friend) and Lady Cynthia Asquith's 'The Corner Shop' (a masterclass in misdirection of obvious appeal to Dahl).
Your tolerance for E.F.Benson's 'In The Tube' (too meandering in my estimation) and 'Elias and the Draug' (quite possibly too...Norwegian?) may extend beyond mine, but there are other spooky highlights, including Robert Aickman's characteristically weird 'Ringing The Changes' (about zombies rather than ghosts, if we were being strict about things), another short and sweetly melancholy tale from Rosemary Timperley ("A Christmas Meeting"), A.M.Burrage's 'Playmates', and Mary Treadgold's 'The Telephone'.
A decent ghost story anthology then, with the introduction from Dahl (in which he explains both his selection process and how the book was a by-product of a stillborn US TV series) being of chief interest.
December 5, 2025
Pages of Horror
A review on Roald Dahl’s Fear
Title: Fear: Tales of Horror and Suspense
Author: Roald Dahl
Rank: 47th book in 2025
This book is a little different from the rest of the collection. The stories aren’t Roald Dahl’s originals. Instead, it’s a compilation of horror tales he gathered for a television mini‑series that never made it past the pilot stage. Rather than letting those stories go to waste, Dahl bundled them into this anthology, giving us a book full of terror and wickedness.
Some of the selections really capture the essence of horror. Personally, I was hooked by Harry. It’s haunting and lingers long after you finish. Playmates is another standout. There’s something about horror involving children that feels extra unsettling, and both of these stories use that theme brilliantly. They build suspense in a way that makes you want to race through the pages just to see what happens next.
That’s the magic of horror fiction, isn’t it? It’s about immersion. Unlike movies or series, where visuals instantly trigger fear, short stories have to work harder. Authors need to draw readers in with detail and atmosphere, so we can picture the terror ourselves. When that connection clicks, the fear feels real. But when it doesn’t, the story can fall flat. I’ll admit, a few tales here left me detached when reading, but not feeling. And that’s a missed opportunity.
Maybe that’s the trade‑off of this anthology: since these aren’t Dahl’s own works, the quality varies depending on the author’s style. Some voices resonated with me, others… not so much. Still, it’s a cool collection to dip into, especially if you’re craving eerie, old‑school chills. A little late for horror month, maybe but fear doesn’t need a season.
March 22, 2023
Fear by Roald Dahl is a collection of fourteen short stories that showcase Dahl's mastery of the suspense and horror genres. Each story is a gem of its own, ranging from tales of psychological terror to supernatural horror.
What I loved most about this book is Dahl's ability to create tension and suspense with every story. He has a talent for building up anticipation and then delivering an unexpected twist that leaves the reader both shocked and delighted. From the creepy story of a young boy who becomes convinced that his dentist is a murderer, to the spine-chilling tale of a woman who discovers the dark secret of her husband's family, each story is expertly crafted and will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Another strength of Fear is Dahl's masterful use of language. His prose is deceptively simple, but each word is carefully chosen to create a vivid and immersive world. Whether he is describing the haunting landscape of a deserted beach or the eerie sounds of a creaking house, Dahl's writing draws you in and holds you captive until the very end.
Fear is a must-read for fans of horror and suspense. Dahl's ability to create tension and his unique style of storytelling makes this book a true masterpiece of the genre. Whether you're a seasoned horror fan or just looking for a good scare, Fear is sure to deliver.
What I loved most about this book is Dahl's ability to create tension and suspense with every story. He has a talent for building up anticipation and then delivering an unexpected twist that leaves the reader both shocked and delighted. From the creepy story of a young boy who becomes convinced that his dentist is a murderer, to the spine-chilling tale of a woman who discovers the dark secret of her husband's family, each story is expertly crafted and will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Another strength of Fear is Dahl's masterful use of language. His prose is deceptively simple, but each word is carefully chosen to create a vivid and immersive world. Whether he is describing the haunting landscape of a deserted beach or the eerie sounds of a creaking house, Dahl's writing draws you in and holds you captive until the very end.
Fear is a must-read for fans of horror and suspense. Dahl's ability to create tension and his unique style of storytelling makes this book a true masterpiece of the genre. Whether you're a seasoned horror fan or just looking for a good scare, Fear is sure to deliver.
May 24, 2018
First published in 1983 under the title 'Roald Dahl's Book of Ghost Stories', Fear is an anthology of 14 short stories apparently hand picked from hundreds by Dahl when he was trawling through any ghost stories that he could find suitable for adaptation to screenplays for a projected tv series. Although the tv series idea went south, the 24 stories selected by Dahl were the source for the 14 selected for this anthology. In the 2017 reprint, the blurb on the back says 'these terrible tales of ghostly goings-on will have you shivering with fear', which is over egging things a little - the guy who wrote that must have been od'd on caffeine because the stories are actually a bit tame, though still very spooky and enjoyable. It seems to me also that Dahl may have unconsciously picked stories that read a little like his own, but I suppose that's natural enough. Only a minimal printing history of the stories is included, so you can't really tell when most of them were first published, but those that have dates cover the period of the late 19th century up to the mid 1960s although the oldest, by J Sheridan Le Fanu is actually an extract from a novel. Great fun.
September 10, 2018
Following an insightful introduction to this collection by Roald Dahl of how he read all the ghost stories he could lay his hands on marking each one out of ten. He’s not one to fool his audience and cheerfully admits that many received nothing at all so you can be sure that this collection is the cream of the crop of ghosts. Not being a great lover of ghouls and ghosts I was easily tempted in when I saw that the first story was written by the author L.P. Hartley of The Go Between fame.
L.P. Hartley’s story called W.S. features a writer who receives postcards signed off with the initials W.S., coincidently the author’s own initials his name being William Streeter but he brushes this aside commenting that Shakespeare also shared them. Then the pictures on the postcards get closer until they get to Gloucester, very close to where William Streeter lived. The police are convinced they are a hoax, the author wonders whether he is schizophrenic but what is there is another explanation – when the doorbell rings William Streeter finds out. Although I declare myself immune to ghosts and ghoulies I must admit there was a frisson of fear to accompany my delight at this clever tale.
L.P. Hartley’s story called W.S. features a writer who receives postcards signed off with the initials W.S., coincidently the author’s own initials his name being William Streeter but he brushes this aside commenting that Shakespeare also shared them. Then the pictures on the postcards get closer until they get to Gloucester, very close to where William Streeter lived. The police are convinced they are a hoax, the author wonders whether he is schizophrenic but what is there is another explanation – when the doorbell rings William Streeter finds out. Although I declare myself immune to ghosts and ghoulies I must admit there was a frisson of fear to accompany my delight at this clever tale.
June 16, 2020
A long read I must say, most of the words used to describe the spookiness aren't that frightening, not sure because of my age wise or too much for character explanations, but the usage words enhanced my English vocabulary even better.
My favourites (short stories) are,
1. Harry by Rosemary Timperley, sad ghost story, a good sad, the best one.
2. Christmas Meeting by Rosemary Timperley, a really short one, but meaningful to read.
3. Playmates by A.M. Burrage, about adopted girl living in a big mansion, always read books in library,
didn't go to school because her guardian has this thought school system is bad in terms of socialising with other kids (also he intended to experiment this homeschool situation), and the girl has her own friends whom the people assumed those are just her imagination when actually they are supernatural specimens.
4. The Sweeper by A.M. Burrage, poverty and revenge I guess not so sure but interesting plot.
5. On the Brighton Road by Richard Middleton, simple and light read.
All in all, I personally think that to avoid fear to ghost, I need to read more rather than watching horror stories, for my mind can control imagination heheh.
My favourites (short stories) are,
1. Harry by Rosemary Timperley, sad ghost story, a good sad, the best one.
2. Christmas Meeting by Rosemary Timperley, a really short one, but meaningful to read.
3. Playmates by A.M. Burrage, about adopted girl living in a big mansion, always read books in library,
didn't go to school because her guardian has this thought school system is bad in terms of socialising with other kids (also he intended to experiment this homeschool situation), and the girl has her own friends whom the people assumed those are just her imagination when actually they are supernatural specimens.
4. The Sweeper by A.M. Burrage, poverty and revenge I guess not so sure but interesting plot.
5. On the Brighton Road by Richard Middleton, simple and light read.
All in all, I personally think that to avoid fear to ghost, I need to read more rather than watching horror stories, for my mind can control imagination heheh.
August 12, 2018
In 1958, Roald Dahl began his research on ghost stories for a prospective television series. Reading more than hundred stories by some of the greatest literary figures as well as by lesser known authors, Dahl was highly disappointed in his discovery of overabundant but unsatisfactory horror literature. Unfortunately, the TV series never took off. A few decades later Dahl figured it would be a good idea to present them in the form of a book.
'FEAR' is a collection of fourteen stories of horror and suspense. Roald Dahl observes, in the introduction of the book that horror like Children's literature is challenging to write. Often what seems like a great idea ends up being a failure on paper.
'FEAR' is a meticulously chosen collection of stories. Even though not all of the stories would send a chill running down your spine, quite a few of them would. In my opinion, this entire series by Penguin is slightly over priced. Not having read any of the other collections, I cannot guarantee a judgement, however, this is a wonderful—if not bone-chilling—collection of ghost stories.
August 15, 2018
As horror anthologies go, this one is decidedly average, in that it is poor, and that is the average for horror anthologies. I'm being a bit kind with three stars here. Most of the stories in this book I would have rated two. The book opens with an introduction by Roald Dahl in which he states after reading 300 stories he could only find six he wanted to include. Such dedication made me very excited to read this book. I guess it just goes to show how subjective horror, like comedy, can be. Something that is scary to one person spurs no reaction in the next. Some of this might be down to the age of the stories. A lot of them were, with a modern eye, very predictable. Some of it is down to that subjectivity - as someone who is and will always be child free, I will never be as unnerved by the "loss of a child" scenario as an actual parent would - but occasionally I think it was down to the story just being bad.
Give it a go. Maybe you'll be more triggered into fear by these stories than I was, but be prepared to be disappointed.
Give it a go. Maybe you'll be more triggered into fear by these stories than I was, but be prepared to be disappointed.
May 17, 2021
2.5 stars
After reading Trickery, I decided to read more of Dahl’s short story collection for adults and actively hunted for books in this series. However in the introduction I realized that Fear is a collection of stories selected by Dahl and not actually written by him. Hence, the stories are not as captivating as those written by Dahl himself.
This collection is intended to be one of ghost stories, invoking fear in the reader. I did not find them particularly fearful, some were rather amusing. Most of these stories must have been written some years ago, as the language harks back to that of the 1920-50s. I did find some of the writing rather detailed and long winded.
I was taken up by Harry and The Playmates. I think these stories would appeal to those who appreciate the style of Edith Wharton and similar writers, but I’m resuming my reading of Dahl’s writing, in War; Tales of Conflict and Strife.
After reading Trickery, I decided to read more of Dahl’s short story collection for adults and actively hunted for books in this series. However in the introduction I realized that Fear is a collection of stories selected by Dahl and not actually written by him. Hence, the stories are not as captivating as those written by Dahl himself.
This collection is intended to be one of ghost stories, invoking fear in the reader. I did not find them particularly fearful, some were rather amusing. Most of these stories must have been written some years ago, as the language harks back to that of the 1920-50s. I did find some of the writing rather detailed and long winded.
I was taken up by Harry and The Playmates. I think these stories would appeal to those who appreciate the style of Edith Wharton and similar writers, but I’m resuming my reading of Dahl’s writing, in War; Tales of Conflict and Strife.
October 12, 2018
The funny thing about this collection is I started off feeling disappointed. I was hoping to be scared terribly, and when I wasn't right away I figured the whole thing would be a bust. Then, as I read more and reflected on the older stories as I continued, I found the collection to be quite brilliant. There's only about 2 or 3 out of the 14 I would say I actively disliked, but as for the others I felt there were nice, original angles on what may perhaps be spooky storylines I could have conceived myself, as I must of heard various versions elsewhere in literature or media.
My favorites were:
-Playmates
-Christmas Meeting
-The Cornershop
-On the Brighton Road
And the others which I liked but didn't love had some great aspects to them! I can't wait to read the other six books in this collection!
My favorites were:
-Playmates
-Christmas Meeting
-The Cornershop
-On the Brighton Road
And the others which I liked but didn't love had some great aspects to them! I can't wait to read the other six books in this collection!
May 8, 2022
I had never read any of Roald Dah's books, and even after reading this compilation, I technically still haven't! All of the stories contained in 'Fear' are not his, but his introduction to it, was very interesting to read.
To know that he read hundreds of short stories to choose the best ghost/horror themed ones, was indeed a remarkable feat.
This compilation containes very short stories, spanning 2-3 pages, with the Iongest one being of 40 pages. I enjoyed reading most of the stories and they are very easy reads, bar a few.
Roald Dahl has compiled other books in this way and I am now eager to buy the entire collection! Amongst the other titles are 'Lust' , 'Trickery' & 'Innocence'.
I recommend every avid reader out there, to at least read one of these themed compilations, based on his/her individual preference!
To know that he read hundreds of short stories to choose the best ghost/horror themed ones, was indeed a remarkable feat.
This compilation containes very short stories, spanning 2-3 pages, with the Iongest one being of 40 pages. I enjoyed reading most of the stories and they are very easy reads, bar a few.
Roald Dahl has compiled other books in this way and I am now eager to buy the entire collection! Amongst the other titles are 'Lust' , 'Trickery' & 'Innocence'.
I recommend every avid reader out there, to at least read one of these themed compilations, based on his/her individual preference!
April 30, 2025
I’ve read most of the themed short story collections by Roald Dahl (aside from “War”) but this one differs as it’s a collection short stories by other authors, selected by Dahl some 70 years ago. He prefaces the stories with an introduction of how these were a shortlist of the best of many fear themed short stories. But as someone who rarely reads (or watches) horror I can’t say that any of these stories really terrified me.
The stories themed well together but didn’t make for an addictive read and it took me way too long to finish this. Some of the stand out stories for me were “Harry”, “Playmates”, “Ringing the Changes” and “The Sweeper”. “Ringing the Changes” by Robert Aickman from 1955 was my favourite of the short reads and the only story that truly terrified me and thought it as reminiscent of the 1989 Woman in Black film 😱
The stories themed well together but didn’t make for an addictive read and it took me way too long to finish this. Some of the stand out stories for me were “Harry”, “Playmates”, “Ringing the Changes” and “The Sweeper”. “Ringing the Changes” by Robert Aickman from 1955 was my favourite of the short reads and the only story that truly terrified me and thought it as reminiscent of the 1989 Woman in Black film 😱
May 12, 2023
I like Roald Dahl, but since this anthology is not of his own writing, it brought out a different response from me and it varied for each story. Some I liked, some I really liked, and some I simply had trouble going through. I understand that many people would not find some of these stories particularly 'scary', but bear in mind that they were originally selected for TV adaptation. In such case, I could actually imagine the sinematic potential that Dahl might have seen in these stories. Given the right screenplay adaptation and direction, a story like 'Harry' (my favourite) could be turned into a cocktail of psychological turmoil where terror, love, loss, despair, fear, jealousy, all mashed in one rollercoastering yet increasingly tense episode.
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