Bringing together a stellar line up of spooky authors, this book is everything is promises to be and more:

From unscrupulous mediums and the legend of Krampus, to suspicious piles of salt and a fan maker working on a very special commission, The Winter Spirits has a spooky tale for everyone; beautifully constructed short stories from some of the most iconic writers in this genre.

The standouts for us have to be Laura Shepherd-Robinson and Susan Stokes-Chapman

The Winter Spirits is published in the UK on 19th October - pre order now!

Review will be posted on History Belles Instagram in due course.

This is the perfect book for autumn/winter. A collection of ghostly short stories based around the festive season. I enjoyed them all, the different styles of writing really brought the characters to life and it’s great to read start to finish, or to dip in and out. Fab!

Released on 19th October 2023

'The Winter Spirits' is a hauntingly enchanting anthology that resurrects the age-old tradition of Christmas ghost stories, breathing fresh life into it for a modern audience. Featuring a dozen original stories by acclaimed authors in the realm of historical and gothic fiction, this compilation takes readers on a spooky journey through chilling narratives centred around the festive season. While the inherent challenge of maintaining consistency across a collection of this magnitude results in varying levels of success, this volume largely manages to pull it off with its tales of eerie intrigue.

What sets this anthology apart from its predecessor, 'The Haunting Season,' is its shift towards the realm of the uncanny. While ghosts still play a role, the inclusion of stories that delve into the supernatural and the mysterious adds depth and diversity to the reading experience. This evolution enhances the overall quality of the book, making it a more compelling and engaging read.

For me one of the standout features is the inclusion of two stories inspired by the island of St. Kilda, These narratives transport us to a remote and hauntingly beautiful corner of the world, adding an extra layer of mystery to the anthology.

Among the tales, 'Inferno' was a particular standout for me with its palpable sense of gothic, vampiric malevolence that lingers long after the last page has been turned. This story, in particular, showcases the authors' skill in weaving atmospheric narratives that transport readers to eerie and unsettling worlds.

However, no anthology is without its weaker entries, and for me ''Jenkin' fell into this category. While it may not have resonated with every reader, its bonkers weirdness still serves as a testament to the diversity of styles and themes that can be found within this anthology.

'The Winter Spirits' is a compilation that offers a diverse range of stories, each exuding its own unique and unsettling charm. While not every tale achieves the same level of excellence, the majority succeed in delivering spine-tingling chills and captivating narratives. One to read on dark, frosty nights with the snow falling outside.

The Winter Spirits is the inevitable follow-up to the surprisingly successful The Haunting Season, which became the first short story collection to hit the Sunday Times bestseller list since records began. This collection is more substantial than its predecessor, with twelve short stories rather than eight, which means that it retains all the authors from the original line-up (Bridget Collins, Natasha Pulley, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Elizabeth Macneal, Imogen Hermes Gowar, Jess Kidd, Laura Purcell and Andrew Michael Hurley) and adds four more (Susan Stokes Chapman, Laura Shepherd-Robinson, Stuart Turton and Catriona Ward). It's also slightly more thematically focused, with all the stories based around Christmas or Advent, though I continue to be baffled by the lack of editorial control on these collections - the first suffered from a glut of stories about Victorian mental health and motherhood, and while this one is more varied, it's a shame to see all the writers, once again, choose modern historical settings, which made the stories feel overly traditional to me. On the other hand, this is probably the point, as this is clearly intended as a cozy ghostly gift collection rather than being aimed at dedicated horror fans.

Most of the stories fit very much into this mould. All (except Ward's baffling 'Jenkin') are well-executed but too morally tidy and bland for me. Millwood Hargrave's 'Host', about Victorian spiritualism, stands out from this crowd by giving us a nicely unsettling, open ending. Collins's 'The Gargoyle', featuring a supernatural amanuensis, is also more promising, although like her story in The Haunting Season, it feels like it finishes just as it starts to get interesting. Turton's 'The Master of the House' works because it's so stripped back, feeling almost fable-like as a father pursues his son through the house of the devil. Purcell, whom I find disappointing as a novelist, once again proves that she's great at writing short stories that tread the line between fun and scary; I liked her contribution to The Haunting Season a lot, and this one, 'Carol of the Bells and Chains', makes good use of the Krampus legend.

I've saved the best till last! Natasha Pulley always delivers: her brilliant 'The Salt Miracles', set on a fictional version of St Kilda, is as imaginative and haunting as all her writing. It's hard not to read it as a bit of a 'this is how it's done': Pulley's time period (which we can pin down to 1903-4) doesn't feel like a moody backdrop, but is integral to the selfhood of her central character, a priest who's wrestling with what Weber would call the 'disenchantment' of modernity in the face of the horrors of the Boer War and a new wave of Sherlock Holmes stories that preach logic over belief. Advent is also not just when the story happens to be set, but crucial to the mystery at its centre. Worth the price of the book alone.

3.5 stars.

As we are coming into the spooky season, I thought I’d pick up and resin The winter Spirits by various different authors.

The selection of stories were really good, some spooky, some with morals, lots of gothic tales and some with a bit of cosmic horror which I love.

Most of these stories could be read in within 40 to 60 mins and are captivating enough to get completely lost in. Would be a lovely little book to just flip to any story and read at random again.

Loved the writing styles of the authors, some I’ve not heard of so I’ll definitely be seeking more of Natasha Pulley, Jess Kidd, I’ve heard of Catronia Ward and Laura Purcell but never read any of their work. I will do now!

The Winter Spirits is a great book to cosy up with on cold, dark nights. If you dare

First of all thank you to Little, Brown Book Group and Netgalley for the copy.

Having recently read one of Laura Purcel's novel, I knew I had to give this a go.

Did I like the book? I have pre-ordered a physical copy. If that does not tell you anything, I don't know what will.
As with any anthology, different people will enjoy different stories more, but I found the selection to offer a fantastic mix of the supernatural, psychological horror and some gruesome elements.

A recommended reading for the lovers of romanticism and gothic literature!

An excellent collection of ghostly winter tales from a selection of the best voices in gothic and speculative fiction writing today. Some stories are not as strong as others of course, but this is the result in any anthology ever penned. 'A Double Thread' by Imogen Hermes Gowar is by far the strongest offering, with Andrew Michael Hurley and Laura Shepherd-Robinson also right up there. Off the back of this, I may have to secure the first collection in this ongoing series

My bells tinkled and rang. The pine needles pattered across the floor. If I squinted, I could just see the blue edge of her, dancing in a fury, whirling with her hands out, breathing her spite against the walls. The plaster bubbled and split. ['Banished', Elizabeth Macneal: loc. 1925]

A follow-up to last year's The Haunting Season, this collection features twelve stories by contemporary authors working in the Gothic / historical / fantastical / weird milieu: the settings are historical and mostly British, though Catriona Ward's 'Jenkin' is set in Maine, and Laura Shepherd-Robinson's 'Inferno' takes place in late eighteenth-century Italy. Despite the subtitle, not all of the stories feature ghosts. Andrew Michael Hurley's 'The Old Play' centres on a drama that is traditionally performed on New Year's Eve: this year Committee have made some improvements, which they don't explain to the actor playing the role of the Beggar. He's haunted, true, but it's by the memory of war, of Dresden and Hamburg burning. 'Widow's Walk', by Susan Stokes-Chapman, is a slowly-clarifying story about vengeance -- as, in a very different key, is 'A Double Thread' by Imogen Hermes Gowar. And Natasha Pulley's thoroughly unnerving 'The Salt Miracles', set on a remote Scottish island where pilgrims can be cured (if they don't simply vanish) centres on an angel rather than a ghost, though perhaps not the sort of angel one might expect in a winter-themed anthology.

No two stories are alike, even when they share a theme or a setting (such as Victorian spiritualism, which is the focus of both 'Host' by Kiran Millwood Hargrave and Jess Kid's 'Ada Lark': two very different perspectives). Some feel very much in the classic understated mode; others are nightmarish Gothic horrors. And the authors' voices are distinctive, each with its own flavour. 'Host' has tempted me to read Hargrave's longer fiction; 'The Salt Miracles' confirms my crush on Pulley's prose; 'Jenkin', by Catriona Ward, is as chilling as any of her novels. Those are probably my favourites right now, but there isn't a weak story in the collection.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance review copy, in exchange for this honest review. UK publication date is 19th October 2023.

The Winter Spirits went above and beyond in meeting the parameters set for it: the twelve short stories perfectly encapsulated the atmospheric gloom of a rainy winter’s night. Whilst I definitely preferred some other overs, all of them managed to invoke creepy, unsettling imagery as well as tell a satisfying story in under 50 pages. I had only read one of the authors previously, but will definitely be seeking out some of the other’s work.

Highlights for me were: A Double Thread, The Salt Miracles, The Master of the House Widow’s Walk, and Carol of the Bells & Chains. I look forward to returning to these stories this time of year, for many years to come.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for providing me with an eARC. All opinions are my own.

A winter’s tale ★★★☆☆

As a follow up to The Haunting Season (2021) comes another round of spooky stories – this time set at Christmas.

I don’t regularly read short story collections but I enjoyed this range of gothic tales, especially The Salt Miracles by Natasha Pulley, Jenkin by Catriona Ward, and Carol of the Bells & Chains by Laura Purcell.

Full of ghosts and in-between places, myths and folklore, warnings and hauntings, this is the ideal read for cosy winter nights.

A great collection of spooky stories, I really enjoyed them. I thought it was excellent how the authors managed to draw me in and make me care in just 30-ish pages!

There's a great variety in the stories. They are not all ghost stories, some have other supernatural beings. A lot of the stories are also centered around bad people getting what they deserve, so they are quite satisfying.

There were a couple of stories that felt incomplete to me, or like I didn't get enough information to make sense of what will happen. I also thought the link to Christmas was very flimsy in most of the stories - they could have been set in any winter day.

Favourite stories:
Ada Lark by Jess Kidd
Banished by Elizabeth Macneal
A Double Thread by Imogen Hermes Gowar
Host by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Going to have to get that gorgeous Waterstones special editions now! XD

All of my favourite authors in one place, delightfully spooky gothic book, I devoured it !
Perhaps my favourite book of short stories of the year. I will be buying this little beauty not just for myself but as a stocking filler for my friends. Winter in a book.

Deliciously spooky, often macabre, atmospheric and thrilling and all exquisitely written. What a treat to have the chance to read and review this advance review copy. This looks as if there will be a stunning special edition- maybe with splayed edges and beautiful cover artwork. Definitely one to treat yourself to this winter, or will make an amazing gift for the bookworms out there, especially those who enjoy gothic, mostly Victorian historical fiction.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this treat.

Absolutely over the moon when I discovered that ‘The Haunting Season’ was getting a sequel.
A historical fiction of short stories set in the dead of winter where spirits lurk on the edge of reality between candlelight and shadow.
Although I received an ARC of this book, I have already preordered this special edition from @waterstones and will be buying more as Christmas presents.
Happy haunted reading

This was a lovely collection of dark and ghostly stories, great to curl up and read around Halloween or winter time.
A good mix of stories with some really great authors, I was impressed with this
Would make a lovely gift as well

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc

The winter spirits is a collection of 12 short gothic ghost stories from a collection of well-known authors of historical fiction that we know on love. These are creepy tales of old, great for cosy nights in. Each ghost story has a supernatural element and a twist.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from these creepy gothic tales. But these are such an enjoyable read and in parts a spine tingling. I would recommend.
Thanks Little brown for a copy of this book.

This is a treat of a collection of 12 short stories perfect for the long, dark, freezing and cold Winter nights, a long standing tradition, by authors I have loved and am mostly familiar with bar a couple of writers new to me. This meant that I knew I was guaranteed tales of quality, of the disturbing, the spooky, the ghostly and the creepy, and so it turned out, all were great, although on a personal level some were stronger than others. The stories are:

Host by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Inferno by Laura Shepherd-Robinson
The Old Play by Andrew Michael Hurley
A Double Thread by Imogen Hermes Gowar
The Salt Miracles by Natasha Pulley
Banished by Elizabeth Macneal
The Gargoyle by Bridget Collins
The Master of the House by Stuart Turton
Ada Lark by Jess Kid
Jenkin by Catriona Ward
Widow's Walk by Susan Stokes-Chapman
Carol of the Bells and Chains by Laura Purcell

They are largely historical fiction and primarily set in Britain, some bear a similarity with each other, where the natural world, where weather can play a key role, the fear and horror may originate in a all too fertile over-imaginative human mind, the psychological and where a story can suddenly jump from the seemingly straight forward to the surprising and shocking. We are given a glimpse into the legendary Krampus, an out of control wheelchair, a haunted villa, a Scottish island with secrets, revenge, lies, a medium and more. A marvellous collection of eerie dark stories and horror, of which my favourites were The Master of the House, The Gargoyle, Banished and The Old Play. Highly recommended winter and halloween reading! Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

I love anthologies for finding new (to me) authors and there are many here that I’d love to read more of. There are usually a few duds in any compilation but not so here, I enjoyed them all. Having said that I did have my favourites and love reading reviews to see if others agree. I thought The Old Play was bonkers, but in a good way! Carol of the Bells and Chains really portrayed the terror of Krampus. I remember learning about Santa around the world and being terrified of Pere Fouettard and grateful to live in England where we only have Father Christmas! The story that will stay with me is The Master of The House which seems to be a favourite with other reviewers too. A sad tale with just the right amount of creepiness and gore but also a tale of redemption.
If I had to give a criticism it would be that I expected more ‘Christmas’, (maybe due to the holly on the cover?) this is definitely a winter collection rather than a Christmas one.

Here is a collection of Christmas stories with a twist, solidly in the holiday ghost story tradition. And what a fabulous collection it is! Usually in any short story collection there is at least one story that I am not that thrilled about. Not so here. Each story was wonderful in its own chilling way. These are not holly jolly Christmas stories, There is a sense of menace and creepiness to all of them. One story was like Bluebeard with a twist and another reminded me in a vague way of The Lottery. Settings range from old country houses to remote island villas to a small house next to a church in a seaside village and more. The writing is superb. In her story, The Gargoyle, Bridget Collins describes 'window boxes foaming with lobelia.' What a perfect description! All the stories take place at Advent, Christmas, or New Year's Eve. This is my first time reading most of these authors, but I would happily read more of their work based on this collection. I was a little sorry when I got to the end--glad to have had the reading experience, but bummed that it was over. Definitely 5 stars!

Last year I read a fantastic anthology of spooky stories called The Haunting Season, which I enjoyed very much, so I was delighted when the publisher, Little Brown Book Group, sent me an ARC of their follow up title, The Winter Spirits; Ghostly Tales for Frosty Nights. I was so excited to read it that I put everything else on hold, curled up under a blanket and lost myself in a dozen chilling winter's tales.

I have been desperate to share this book on my blog, but I wasn't allowed to mention it until just before publication date. As I recieved the ARC back at the very beginning of autumn, it has been hard keeping this one to myself, because its just so good! Many of the authors who contributed to the original anthology have also written stories for The Winter Spirits too, so it has the feel of a group of old friends gathering together to celebrate the dark season. Laura Purcell, Bridget Collins, Kiran Milwood Hargrave, Jess Kidd to name a few, have once again come together to bring about a fabulous anthology of ominous tales that will leave you as chilled as the kiss of first frost.

The twelve tales are sinister and atmospheric, set mostly in Victorian times when ghost stories were all the rage. In this collection we have table tapping seances, sinister dolls, macabre theatricals and a very disturbing familiar spirit. Here there are Yuletide balls on snowy nights, the Victorian language of fans takes on a disturbing new meaning, while pagan folklore and ancient spirits come to life, bringing death in their wake.

There are also stories that have a more gentile feel to them; ones where ghostly happenings are wrapped in Regency gowns and lacy corsets, where a new gown or a pretty accessory for a Christmas party are all tied up in menacing package. I especially enjoyed these contributions because there is something so thrilling about fine ladies being haunted during the darkest, coldest nights of the year!

Some of my favourite tales were A Double Thread, Widow's Walk, Carol of the Bells and Chains and Ada Lark. I also enjoyed Inferno, which recounts what happens to lecherous men when they encounter a vengeful female spirit! My other favourites include The Salt Miracles and Banished, largely because these are both set in Scotland and based on factual events, which adds greatly to the spooky feel, and also The Gargoyle, which is dripping with Gothic atmosphere and might possibly be the best of a great bunch.

I have been bursting to blog about this collection of imaginative and grotesque tales for weeks now, and while it isn't out quite yet, I am finally allowed to share it. Lucky for you, you only have a few days to wait until you can get your hands on it!

So if, like me, you enjoy snuggling down on a winters night with a good ghost story, or you enjoyed The Haunting Season, then The Winter Spirits will be right up your street. It is another triumph of an anthology, bringing together chills, thrills, ominous atmosphere and the macabre. If you like to be a little bit spooked during the darker evenings, then I highly recommend this book. It's perfect for a cosy night in, hidden under the duvet, reading by candlelight with a pumpkin spice latte beside you. And if the candles flicker, you'll know you're not alone. Don't get too spooked!

BB Marie x