👻 Ghost Stories

The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton

✍️ Edith Wharton
Reader Score
4.6
(1 review)
$15.82
Temporarily out of stock

Currently unavailable

This book is sold out right now. Leave your email — we'll let you know if it comes back, and you'll get 10% off any book today.

In stock now — readers of this book also loved:

Ghosts ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Edith Wharton
Ghosts
$16.95
86
Here and Beyond ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Edith Wharton
Here and Beyond
$12.99
86
Dracula (Masterpiece Library Edition) ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Dracula (Masterpiece Library Edition)
$22.99
92
Edgar Allan Poe: Collected Works ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe: Collected Works
$24.99
92
Dracula (Deluxe Edition) ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Bram Stoker
Dracula (Deluxe Edition)
$40.00
92
The Tell-Tale Heart and Other Writings ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.7
1
Edgar Allan Poe
The Tell-Tale Heart and Other Writings
$15.99
88
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

Edith Wharton's elegant collection of ghost stories exploring disquiet in New England, Brittany, and New York.

This compilation showcases Edith Wharton’s talent for crafting tales of psychological horror. The narratives are grounded in specific locations and social contexts. A rich young man faces a fate foreshadowed by a fearsome double. A farmer deals with the bewitchment of a dead girl. A woman’s reputation is saved by a ghostly bell. These stories draw on traditions of gothic fiction while remaining firmly rooted in Wharton’s era. The inclusion of a New York club setting highlights her focus on American society. Brittany provides a backdrop for ancient cruelties. Dorset offers a site for retrospective haunting. The elderly aesthete’s account of ghastly eyes adds a layer of personal terror. Wharton uses these elements to create a cohesive collection that reflects the anxieties of her time.

Key Themes
fearsome double ghostly bell ghastly eyes
Literary Context

The stories are set in New England, Brittany, Dorset, and New York. They reflect the social mores and anxieties of Wharton's own era. The collection bridges American and European gothic traditions through its diverse geographical settings.

Difficulty
●● Medium
Recommended For Fans Of
M.R. James · Shirley Jackson · Henry James · Angela Carter
👻
Ghost Stories
🏛 Little Brown and Co. (UK) 📅 2006 📖 284 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781844083572

📝 Description: The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton

Edith Wharton brings her signature elegance to a collection of ghost stories that explore the darker undercurrents of her own time. These tales evoke moods of disquiet and darkness, moving beyond simple scares to examine psychological unease. The settings range from the icy landscapes of New England to the ancient cruelties of Brittany, offering a diverse backdrop for supernatural encounters. The book contains specific narratives that highlight Wharton’s skill in blending social observation with horror. Readers will find a fearsome double foreshadowing the fate of a rich young man in New England. A married farmer becomes bewitched by a dead girl, while a ghostly bell intervenes to save a woman's reputation. In Brittany, ancient cruelties are conjured up, and Dorset witnesses a retrospective haunting. The collection also includes a story set in a New York club, where an elderly aesthete recounts the ghastly eyes that haunt his nights. This volume suits readers who appreciate literary fiction with supernatural elements and those interested in late nineteenth-century American and European social dynamics. It may not appeal to those seeking fast-paced action or graphic horror. Wharton qualifies as a master of this genre through her ability to weave disquiet into the fabric of everyday life. The stories are organized by setting and theme, allowing for a varied reading experience that reflects the breadth of her imaginative scope.

💎 Our verdict on The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Edith Wharton demonstrates remarkable skill in weaving psychological unease into the fabric of everyday life, creating a cohesive collection that transcends simple genre tropes. Her elegant prose transforms settings like New England’s icy landscapes and Brittany’s ancient cruelties into backdrops for profound disquiet. The stories excel in their subtle blending of social observation with horror, offering readers a varied experience organized by theme and location. While it lacks fast-paced action or graphic content, its strength lies in its atmospheric depth and intellectual rigor. This volume is best suited for discerning readers who value literary merit alongside supernatural intrigue, providing a masterclass in understated terror and social commentary.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate literary fiction infused with supernatural elements will find deep satisfaction in this volume. It offers a sophisticated exploration of psychological horror, where the terror stems from social dynamics and internal dread rather than graphic violence. Those interested in late nineteenth-century American and European social structures will gain insight into the period's anxieties through Wharton’s lens. The book is ideal for those seeking atmospheric, mood-driven narratives that prioritize disquiet over action. It serves as a compelling study of how the mundane can become ghastly, appealing to fans of gothic fiction who value elegance and subtlety in their scares.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.6
Based on 1 reviews
5
0
4
1
3
0
2
0
1
0
H
Horror Reads editorial team

Edith Wharton demonstrates remarkable skill in weaving psychological unease into the fabric of everyday life, creating a cohesive collection that transcends simple genre tropes. Her elegant prose transforms settings like New England’s icy landscapes and Brittany’s ancient cruelties into backdrops for profound disquiet. The stories excel in their subtle blending of social observation with horror, offering readers a varied experience organized by theme and location. While it lacks fast-paced action or graphic content, its strength lies in its atmospheric depth and intellectual rigor. This volume is best suited for discerning readers who value literary merit alongside supernatural intrigue, providing a masterclass in understated terror and social commentary.

✍️ More books by this author Edith Wharton

Pomegranate Seed and Other Ghostly Tales
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Edith Wharton
Pomegranate Seed and Other Ghostly Tales
$18.99
86
Read →
The Eyes: A Modern Gothic (Adapted)
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Edith Wharton
The Eyes: A Modern Gothic (Adapted)
$29.95
81
Read →
The Eyes: A Modern Gothic (Adapted)
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Edith Wharton
The Eyes: A Modern Gothic (Adapted)
$29.95
86
Read →
Trece cuentos de terror por mujeres
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Edith Wharton
Trece cuentos de terror por mujeres
$14.68
78
Read →
Trece cuentos de terror por mujeres
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Edith Wharton
Trece cuentos de terror por mujeres
$23.65
81
Read →
Crucial Instances
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Edith Wharton
Crucial Instances
$11.99
81
Read →

🏛 Books from this publisher Little Brown and Co. (UK)

Madame de Treymes: Four Short Novels. Edith Wharton (Revised)
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Edith Wharton
Madame de Treymes: Four Short Novels. Edith Wharton (Revised)
$18.99
78
Read →

You might also like

See more →
Ghosts ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Edith Wharton
Ghosts
$16.95
86
Read →
Here and Beyond ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Edith Wharton
Here and Beyond
$12.99
86
Read →
Frankenstein ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Mary Shelley
Frankenstein
$15.95
92
Read →
The Haunting of Hill House ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Shirley Jackson
The Haunting of Hill House
$16.99
92
Read →
Frankenstein ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Frankenstein
$12.99
92
Read →
Dracula (Masterpiece Library Edition) ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Dracula (Masterpiece Library Edition)
$22.99
92
Read →

Have a question about this item?

Ask about the edition, condition, delivery or anything else — we reply by email or phone, usually within a day.

Home Genres
Cart
Wishlist