The Residence at Whitminster

From the mind of M. R. James, the acknowledged master who redefined the ghost story for the 20th century and founded the 'antiquarian ghost story' genre, comes a chilling tale where an ancient clerical building holds a palpable aura of malice.

A young scholar who comes to stay at a large, antiquated house known as the former clerical residence. The house is steeped in the history of one of its most infamous former occupants--a profoundly wicked and malicious clergyman. As the scholar discovers the house's archives and its deeply unsettling atmosphere, he realises that the malice of the former resident has not departed. The house itself seems to be the guardian of a dark, persistent memory, and the scholar finds himself subject to subtle hauntings and increasingly frightening visitations that culminate in a terrifying physical manifestation of the long-dead cleric's spite.

This story is a quintessential example of James' genius for combining creeping dread with historical malevolence, making it essential reading for fans of classic ghost stories and supernatural fiction, and proving that some clerical legacies are eternally cursed.