The Ghost of Old Coal House

by Amy Cross

The year is 1843, and Arthur Foreman is on his way to visit his sister and her family for Christmas. Tucked under his arm, he carries the manuscript of a strange ghost story, written by the mysterious Walter Ward of Old Coal House.

Arriving at his sister's home, Arthur immediately realizes that something is wrong. Elizabeth seems distant and distracted, and she finally erupts in a fit of fury. After being thrown out of the house, Arthur searches through the snowy night for refuge. All the usual boarding houses are closed for the holiday. His only choice is to make his way up the hill and knock on the of Old Coal House, and to ask for a room.

Soon, Arthur discovers that Walter Ward's tales are not necessarily works of fiction after all. A strange figure stalks the halls and corridors of Old Coal House, tormenting Mr Ward and driving him to drink. When he sets foot in the house for the first time, Arthur does not believe in ghosts at all. By the time he leaves the following morning, he has discovered the truth not only about Old Coal House itself but also about a terrible tragedy that once struck his own family.

Genres: Horror, Ghosts, Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Supernatural, Gothic

156 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 11, 2020

About the author

Amy Cross writes novels and short stories in a number of genres, mainly horror, paranormal and fantasy. Books include The Farm, Annie's Room, The Island, Eli's Town and Asylum.

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arthur Foreman is working for a publisher and intends visiting his sister Elizabeth over Christmas. His publisher asks him to make a trip to a Mr Ward who sends in ghost stories every year. What is the connection between Elizabeth, Arthur and their dead brother Edward and Mr Ward and his beloved Lydia? What terrible secret is hidden in the attic of Old Coal House and what circumstances lead to the detection of some ghostly phenomenon? Marvelous tale in the fine tradition of a Victorian ghost story. Really enjoyed the setting and the perspectives how the story was presented by the narrator. Very good and at parts eerie ghost story. Really recommended!

[Argent Talonn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: The Ghost of Old Coal House
Author: Amy Cross
Genre: Horror
Publication year: 2020

Review: A Dickensian type story with MC Arthur Foreman told in first person. Arthur works at a publishing house in the late 1800s. He intends to visit his sister for Christmas when his boss asks him to look in on a reclusive, unpublished writer that lives in the same town as his sister. The writer submits ghost stories every year and the publisher is interested in maybe giving him a chance.

When Arthur arrives, his sister is unhappy and unwelcoming. She turns him away. Arthur is forced to go meet with the wannabe author, Walter Ward, before he must return home. Ward lives at the Old Coal House. When Arthur talks to Ward, he is invited to stay the night, but he is warned that the place is haunted. Scary good with a setting that is perfect. Cross sets the mood better than most writers.

Clearly, I loved it.

[Louie the Mustache Matos · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ghost of Old Coal House is a Gothic Victorian tale told in the first person narrative-form. Arthur Foreman works for a publishing house. He is going to visit his sister and her nuclear family for Christmas in a town where the mysteriously reclusive Walter Ward also lives. Ward is an unpublished author that sends a supernatural horror story to the publishing house every year. Because Ward seems like such an oddity, Arthur’s superiors send him to meet with Ward. They want to know what drives this man to write a thematically similar story every year.

When Arthur arrives at his sister’s home, he detects something wrong with her, and when she uncharacteristically throws a fit, she throws him out of the house. He must spend the night at the Old Coal House. Ward invites him to stay, but he warns Arthur of the ghost that haunts his nights.

By the end of the tale, not only has Arthur discovered the secret to Old Coal House’s haunting, but he also unravels the cause of his sister’s anger might be tied to their shared history when they were all children. I found this to be a Charles Dickens type horror that I thoroughly enjoyed despite its supernatural elements. This is definitely one of Cross' very best IMHO,

[Shainlock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that the best thing I can say about this work in summary would be that it personifies haunting, obsession, and madness perfectly. If insanity is repetition in futility then this shows a great example. I liked this story and it is very much an Amy Cross, in that, it will leave you thinking. It will, in essence, haunt you, a bit.
It is a quick read too.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75🌟
Very entertaining ghost story - would be a perfect Christmas read. Not hugely scary but nicely creepy and atmospheric.

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

1843 Victorian-era ghost story told with a Jane Austen flavor. Repetitive at times.

[Lisa]

EXCELLENT!

LOVED IT!
Very unique story about the afterlife with a couple of unexpected twists that I really didn't see coming. Her typos are getting a lot better as well! She's turning in to quite the pro! I

It begins as the story of a man quite low on the ladder of a publishing company who hears his colleagues laughing uproariously behind meeting room doors the day before he's to leave to visit his sister for Christmas vacation. His boss, seeing his puzzlement, explains that every Christmas they receive a manuscript from who they have deemed to be a crazy old man, and every New Year, they return to him a rejection letter.

Hearing that he is going to the same town on his vacation, his boss gives him the assignment of meeting "Mr Crazy" and bringing back to the office a report of everything he finds out about him. Hoping to impress his boss, he agrees.

However, when he arrives in the town, his first "meeting" with this author is of him being tossed out of a public house (bar) for being too drunk. The "bouncers" mention where he lives, letting the man know he's the gentleman he was looking for, and sees his opportunity to meet him, takes him home to "Coal House".

There, he is told by the author that all of the stories he's sent have been TRUE & based on hauntings there.

And such is the story...a very good one if I do say so myself!

[Shweta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good story; simple and straightforward without many layers. Well-written with likeable characters. But I'd expected more and felt a twinge of disappointment as the story ended. An enjoyable read, though. 3.5 stars rounded to 4.

“Poor Arthur,” she said with a faint smile. “I don’t know what’s worse. Someone who desperately tries to invent proofs that ghosts are real, or someone who desperately tries to ignore the evidence that’s right in front of their eyes.”

[Natalie Grandinetti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unable to put this book down

Just finished reading this and seriously enjoyed it. It was a marvelous tale that kept me reading unto the very end. I liked the way the author pulled the story back and forth in time in an appropriate fashion. A couple of times, I became annoyed with the few 'present time' interruptions, but they were short and I now feel they provided a good bridge of safety towards the next leg of this 'haunted' journey. It was a suspenseful story coupled with shocking developments up to the very end. I do question something that hadn't really been resolved for me in the last chapter, and that is if what terrified the main character in the beginning was still doing so? I will leave it at that, but I highly recommend this book, while giving yourself time, in the event you also will be unable to put it down!

[Emma-Nicole Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great ghost story

This had the classic ghost story ambience. The strange gothic house, Victorian setting, snowy landscape (for added chill and cosy factor). I really enjoyed it.
The story begins with a manuscript that is repeatedly sent to a publishing company each Christmas. It features a ghost story set in an old house. By chance, the main protagonist, who works for the publishing house, will be passing through the town where the author lives and where the ghost story takes place, over Christmas. He visits the author only to find the tale of horror, rejected every year, has a very sinister substance to it.
I even continued reading this with the family making lots of noise in the background , as I found it gripping..

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

First and foremost, a shout out to the A Christmas Carol in the beginning of the book was absolutely amazing, and I loved it.

This book is structured so that it gets scarier in review, if that makes sense. The slices back and forth from the past and present crank up the tension, as the narrator bemoans with every flash forward that the true horror is to come. When we started to unravel the mysteries, at first I thought that the reveals were...intense, certainly, and scary, but not truly horrifying. They felt almost anti-climatic at first. But the more hints that were dropped, the more the shadows were peeled back, and the dawning realization of what truly had happened in Old Coal House—what was still happening—came as a gut punch.

To do a multi-stage reveal like, doubling back and adding new hints while discarding others, so the whole picture is constantly changing and shifting, was really strong and inventive writing. I would love to see this as a movie, assuming it could be done well, as there were several visuals in the last few chapters that I would love to see played out on a screen.

The ghost in the story may have Lydia, but there’s no doubt that the person truly haunting the house was Ward.

[Timea Tokes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not scary at all, told not lived...

I don't normally post negative reviews, but I felt like I needed to say something about this book. Although the plot showed potential and the writing style seemed authentic, I'm sorry to say that this ghost story didn't do it for me.

The story is told extremely slowly, and in a way that wasn't scary or particularly interesting. I found the plot lacking in twists and the usual bone-chilling adventures its genre would normally suggest. I loved the cover and the blurb, but unfortunately the story simply didn't live up to its reputation. It was more tell than show, which isn't my cup of tea. Sorry.

Having said that, I have read other titles from the author, so please check out her other work.

[JPNorthernBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest I am pleasantly surprised. When I saw the page length for this novella I suspected it would end up feeling I rushed and unfulfilling. I'm pleased to say that I was wrong. The Ghost of Old Coal House is a nice, ghostly tale. First, a requirement that I always harp on, this ghost stories actually has ghosts. It’s delivery accordingly feels like an old school ghost story told around hearths. Part of this comes from its 1800’s setting. I enjoyed that historical aspect a lot, finding it both refreshing and impart to the characters an air of refinement and dimension.

Read this and other reviews on my blog at https://theowllightlibrary.wordpress....

[Julia Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wouldn't recommend reading this story if you want a spooky tale that gives you goosebumps. The fundamental question asked in The Ghost of Old Coal House is if we go anywhere after we die and will we see again those we have loved and lost. With this in mind, I realised immediately the story was not a normal scary ghost story, although it did have some scary moments.
I did find the writing clunky and the sentences long-winded so perhaps a little more editing would help to tighten the narrative. But this didn't spoil my enjoyment.
However, It also had some surprises which caught me out and I enjoyed those. There were many poignant moments, but the thread of love and loss was very apparent in this story and I'm happy to give four stars.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

A couple of things that were off but a pretty good ghost story

I have mixed feelings about this book. I had a hard time getting into in, but by the 2nd half I couldn't put it down. Without giving too much away, one thing that bothered me was that in beginning when Aruthur was freaking out, though it made for a good hook, it made little sense when you see the way the story wrapped up. So other than that, it was a good book. I would recommend it if you like a good creative ghost story with some intriguing plot twists. There were also a couple of funny self-deprecating jokes about writing books about ghosts.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

On a blustery, snowy Christmas Eve in 1843,
Arthur Foreman is traveling to his sisters
home to spend Christmas. But things do
not go as planned.
Arthur ends up taking refuse at the huge
mansion on top of the hill. It is the
Old Coal House.
Walter Ward lives here. Mr Ward writes a
haunting ghost story that he sends to
Arthur’s firm every year. There stories are
never the same but are always rejected
and returned to Mr Ward.
This year, Arthur is given the task of
returning the manuscript in person.
Now he needs to seek shelter at Mr Ward
house.
What he finds will stand your hair on edge!!
Shocking, terrorizing, haunting and frightening
happenings occur.

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok writing, unpolished, unoriginal

The story seems a bit too familiar, and the ending isn’t at all surprising. There is simply nothing original about the story or its telling. Though grammatically sound, for the most part, the writing isn’t lively—almost everything is delivered in past tense, which could work if readers are expected to consider this a ”retelling” of a tale, but the time references attached to certain chapters/passages indicate otherwise. Also, the wording/phrasing doesn’t necessarily fit the stated setting. It’s possible that a good editor could do something with this “book,” though I’m not sure that it’s original enough to merit the effort.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ghost of Old Coal House

Arthur works for a publishing company and is asked by his employer to return a manuscript to a man who lives in the same village as his sister. What Arthur doesn't know is that this is one Christmas he will never forget when he is faced with the prospect that ghosts actually exist.
Amy Cross has written a memorable book which is easy to read, but gripping. I read it in two sittings as I had to keep reading to find out what happened next.
If you love ghost stories then The Ghost of Old Coal House is for you.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I was supposed to be working, but it grabbed my attention from beginning to end. This is the story of Mr. Ward, a man who every year sends a publishing house a novel about a haunting, his haunting. Every year his work is rejected. This year, a new assistant associate will visit the town where Mr. Ward lives. Maybe he can visit him and find out more about his extravagant story?

The writing style is quite entertaining. It reminded me of Titanic (the film). Now I want to read more from her, the author.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this, it was written much in the style of Susan Hill Set in 1843 Arthur Foremans visit to his sister gives him the opportunity to return a manuscript sent to the Publishing house where he works. The author sends year;y manuscripts too the firm which usually causes some hilarity so the owners want Arthur to seek the man out and find out more about him. This turns out to be one of the worst things Arthur could ever have conceived and a Christmas he will never forget. A good story for cold dark, windy evenings. Recommended.

[Shellbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!WOW!WOW!. What a bloody good read. It's quite a quick read, I read it in two sittings because I was dying to know what happened at creepy Coal House, the conclusion sent shivers all over my body and raised the hairs on my arms, it was really spooky towards the end. I loved the characters and I really felt for Arthur. I don't want to go into it too deeply because I don't want to ruin it for other readers but I wasn't expecting the twist at the end. The plot was consistent and their were no long, drawn out paragraphs, it truly was a brilliant read and I would highly recommend.

[Kadlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad! Worth a read!

Stopping myself suddenly, I realized that he was not even listening. He was writing furiously, no doubt already embellishing the tale I had told, and I saw no real reason to stop him. Indeed, if he wrote of a hideous ghoul that caused death and destruction in Old Coal House, then that might well be a good way to obscure the nature of what had really transpired. I resolved that I would certainly prefer to remember such outrageous scenes, rather than the dark and silent horror that I instead witnessed.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. Okay, I know it was all somewhat cliche as ghost stories go, but it was quite entertaining and I read it in a few hours.
I am quite pedantic where spelling and grammar are concerned, but having read the reviews I was armed and prepared!
The spell checker seemed to have used American English for this book and tenses changed quite often, but all in all it was a decent way to spend a couple of hours.

[John Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gothic horror at its best!

This tale could have been written in Victorian or Edwardian England, it was so atmospheric. The best story I have read, from the pen of Amy Cross. I was both intrigued and enthralled in equal measure, such was the quality of her writing. I recommend this book to all devotees of the supernatural.

[Lottie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was good and I enjoyed reading it, but it was a little too drawn out in places. I felt this took away from the suspense of the book with unnecessary detail. Even the characters of the book urged Arthur to "get on with his story," and I had to agree. It took too long to get to the point!

[Savannah B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting!

This felt much more like Amy Cross's usual work and it was a delight! It wasn't horribly rushed and cheesy like some of the other books I've read (I quit reading her stuff for a while because it had gotten a little disappointing). There were a few misspellings here and there but I didn't mind. 5 stars!

[Tracy Richards · Rating 3 out of 5]

Catching Story

This book hooked me straight away and promised to be a very festive Christmas Ghost Story. It did tick a lot of boxes and I truly enjoyed the gripping nature of the events as they unfolded. The story had the potential to be one of the best I had read by this author but sadly it laboured a little during the middle chapters.

[Sharon Woodey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as others by the author

I usually love Amy Cross books and her haunting series but I confess I skipped a lot of this book. It just didn't resonate with me whether it was the old style language that didn't seem right or the story itself i don't know but I will still read other books by the author and put this one down to not my cup of tea.

[Christine Dunne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

I have been reading your books for many yr
Ears now as ever I get fortunate Addis anew one. Thank you for this tale tell you what you keep writing them and I'll keep reading them sincerely Christine Dunne Harlingen tx

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesomeness

I absolutely cannot tell you how much I loved this story! Very different than anything I read elsewhere and from others!
A book that was very hard to put down! Creep? Very much so! Suspense for sure! Thank you for this read!

June