An interesting collection of folk horror short stories from authors I was already familiar and some that were new to me. There’s plenty of atmosphere and I found it interesting to compare the older tales with more recent writing. A fun spooky collection.

This was a solid selection of folklore tales spanning 150 years. There were a number of stories that highlights old and ancient monster, gods, and superstition. They also highlighted different cultures beliefs in the supernatural, and what becomes of those who dare to challenge the old tales. Those who doubt the ancient ways will not live to tell otherwise. They also hone in on a universal theme of fear, and how we try to control it.

I would recommend this collection to any lover of folklore, and historical horror. It would be a great book to add to your collection.

I really enjoyed this collection of folk horror stories. I didn't understand what truly makes something folk horror until I read this collection. It was fun encountering stories I'd never read by familiar writers (Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, E. F. Benson, and M. R. James) while also coming across authors new to me with intriguing tales to tell. Some stories benefit from being read aloud due to heavy dialect, and I would have appreciated a glossary of British slang and Gaelic words. I'm definitely interested in reading the first anthology in this series, Damnable Tales.

or some reason this didn't grip me from the start. The first story was interesting to me, coming from a different country, due to a different perspective on a similar folk belief; the second story left me cold ..and then I found myself postponing starting the 3rd story. But then it was October, so I guess I was more in the mood for spooky stories. But certain is that starting from No-Man's Land, I've enjoyed each and every story. It was also a nice surprise to see that I've enjoyed the most the stories written by female authors(I am not being biased!! lol). My favourite has been Elinor Mordaunt's The Countryside; but Shirley Jackson;s story came very close too!

All in all an enjoyable collection, perfect for this time of the year, but also for the genre aficionados.

A fantastic collection of folk horror tales in this follow up to the Damnable Tales anthology. The block prints really serve to accentuate the stories themselves. I kept going back to them over and over just to enjoy looking at them. Highly recommend this choice for anthology lovers, especially of Folk Horror, and the block prints are a fantastic added treat!

"Tales Accursed" by Richard Wells is an engrossing folk horror anthology assembling sixteen chilling stories from both renowned and lesser-known authors.

Each tale is accompanied by one of Wells' striking lino-print illustrations, adding a feel of eeriness to the collection . The anthology comprises the works of the masters of folk horror: Shirley Jackson and M. R. James, together with E. F. Benson and William Croft Dickinson.

Set in nature, more often than not rural, the stories combine the supernatural with the mundane.

From sea-witches on jagged rocks to hooded creatures on isolated beaches, the tales are designed to keep you on edge and make you look over your shoulder .

Generally speaking, "Tales Accursed" is a must-read for all the admirers of folk horror and supernatural stories. It's a great collection that'll leave you with goosebumps and a new appreciation for the genre.

Tales Accursed by Richard Wells is a beautifully curated collection of supernatural tales, combining the eerie elegance of folk horror with the haunting power of Wells’ own striking lino-print illustrations. This anthology brings together sixteen stories from masters of the genre like Shirley Jackson and M.R. James, alongside some lesser-known but equally spine-chilling voices such as William Croft Dickinson. The result is a book that is both visually captivating and deeply unsettling—a perfect read for lovers of dark, atmospheric horror.

Wells’ selection spans a variety of settings and supernatural elements, from eerie forests and still fir-woods to moonlit orchards and sinister beaches. These landscapes serve as a reminder that horror often springs from the natural world, with the familiar turning menacing as the supernatural weaves itself into ancient places. Whether it’s sea-witches casting spells on jagged rocks or hooded figures lurking on desolate beaches, each story taps into primal fears rooted in the unknown wilderness and our ancestors’ lingering superstitions.

What makes Tales Accursed truly stand out is the interplay between the stories and Wells’ artwork. Each tale is accompanied by a lino-print illustration that captures the essence of the haunting narratives within. The stark, intricate prints elevate the eerie mood of the stories, pulling the reader deeper into the world of each tale. The illustrations are not merely decorative; they seem to breathe life into the ancient horrors described in the prose, making the terror feel tangible and real.

The selection of stories is varied, featuring classic folk horror motifs such as apparitions, curses, and the malevolent forces of nature. Wells has balanced familiar favorites with less well-known gems, ensuring that even seasoned horror readers will find something fresh and unexpected. The stories range in tone and style, but all share a creeping, atmospheric dread that keeps readers on edge, wondering what sinister force lurks just beyond the next page.

Tales Accursed is more than just a collection of ghost stories—it’s an immersive experience in folk horror, with each story drawing the reader into its own isolated, haunting world. The anthology skillfully evokes the sense of unease that comes from being alone in the dark, surrounded by ancient landscapes that seem to watch and wait.

For fans of folk horror, supernatural tales, and art that captures the very soul of the macabre, Tales Accursed is an unmissable addition to the bookshelf. Richard Wells has crafted an anthology that is both a visual and literary feast, combining timeless storytelling with artwork that echoes the cold, eerie beauty of the stories it illustrates. This is the kind of book that will make you glance at shadows twice and listen for things rustling in the night.

This is a nice collection of spooky tales, many from the 19th and early 20th centuries, accompanied by woodcut illustrations. It's good to see such a collection balanced among well-known authors and ones who have become less so over time. Early horror/dark fantasy aficionados will enjoy it.

The download date was unfortunately missed, I would be happy to re-review it if it became available again. I have awarded stars for the book cover and description as they both appeal to me. I would be more than happy to listen and review it if a download becomes available. If you would like me to re-review please feel free to contact me at thesecretbookreview@gmail.com or via social media The_secret_bookreview (Instagram) or Secret_bookblog (Twitter). Thank you.

A fun and creepy collection of folk horror stories. The lithographs are stunning and added to the experience of reading this anthology!
A few of these stories will keep you up at night listening for every creek that goes bump in the night.

Thank you NetGalley and Unbound Publishing for this ARC!

A spine-tingling journey through the shadowed realms of folk horror, Tales Accursed is a carefully curated collection of stories that makes the most of its chilling atmosphere. Richard Wells brings together 16 unsettling tales, blending classic supernatural horror from masters like M. R. James and Shirley Jackson with lesser-known gems, such as Elinor Mordaunt’s haunting “The Country-Side.” Each story is perfectly paired with Wells’ signature lino-cut illustrations, which only deepen the eerie and timeless feel of the anthology.

What really sets Tales Accursed apart is its ability to evoke a sense of creeping dread through familiar landscapes—forests, orchards, and coastal cliffs teem with ancient spirits and forgotten evils. It’s not the jump scares that get you but the slow, inexorable sense of the unknown encroaching on the mundane. Whether it's a witch lurking by the sea or mysterious creatures inhabiting quiet woodlands, the collection taps into primal fears with a subtle, lingering effect that stays long after you've finished reading.

For fans of folk horror, this is a must-read, especially as Wells’ selection covers both well-trodden ground and fresh, forgotten corners of the genre. The illustrations add a touch of artful menace that will make you hesitate before turning the page—just in case something more than words awaits you in the shadows.

Perfect for a chilly autumn evening when the wind howls, Tales Accursed is folk horror done right, earning a solid five stars for its atmosphere, curation, and sheer unsettling brilliance.

Thank you to Netgalley for this advanced copy in exchange for a fair review. I was quite excited about this book and it didn't quite live up to my expectations. Some of the stories were excellent, but many felt like strange picks that didn't represent the best or most varied in the genre. Overall, worth reading if you're into folk horror, but probably not for a general horror fan.

A good collection of spooky, folk inspired horror stories.

The illustrations in the book are stunning as well!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.


This was a fantastic collection of stories, and perfect for the chilly fall weather. Highly recommend this anthology!

Tales Accursed is a chilling collection of gothic horror stories that really gets under your skin. Each story explores the dark side of human nature and the supernatural, blending classic horror elements like curses and haunted places with a modern twist. The result is a mix of eerie vibes, psychological tension, and some moral dilemmas that keep you hooked.

The detailed settings and well-developed characters are what make these stories stand out. You’ll find themes of fate, guilt, and the unknown running through most of them, and the vivid, creepy imagery sticks with you long after you’ve finished reading.

While some stories take a bit longer to get going, and others dive into the horror a little too fast, it’s still a great read for anyone who loves gothic or psychological horror. It’s the kind of book that’ll give you both chills and something to think about.

One of our most cherished “literary” traditions is the campfire story. Young people sit around an outdoor fire late at night and swap horror stories, often about killers or monsters on the loose. As someone who sat and listened to these stories in my youth, I can attest they can be very spooky when told in the right way. As the story is told, we keep looking into the darkness to see if something is out there. But in the light of the following day, when we realize we’ve just been sitting in an empty field, the stories often seem silly. “Tales Accursed,” an anthology compiled by illustrator Richard Wells, is a collection of 16 similar stories with a more supernatural edge. But while a few of them were creepily entertaining, most of them were difficult to follow and resembled the disappointing morning-after landscape from my youth.

The 16 stories in “Tales Accursed” date from 1870, and most were written before 1930 (and are in the public domain). Even the handful of more recent stories often recount events that occurred decades or centuries earlier. Some authors, like Algernon Blackwood, Sheridan Le Fanu, John Buchan, and Shirley Jackson, are very well known to horror buffs or literary fans in general. Others are more obscure, some deservedly so. Almost all the stories are set in the British Isles. The plots are simplistic, with few frills and nuances. The stories take place in secluded, gloomy places or on remote mountaintops. They involve ghosts, witches, demons, strange creatures, and pagan religious rituals, almost all occurring at night. The so-called “normal” people who encounter these entities usually come to bad ends or disappear without a trace.

The stories in “Tales Accursed” have a monotonous sameness to them, just like the campfire stories from my youth. Whether written in the first or third person, most of the tales are simply narratives of myths the author or narrator has heard at one time or another, often from someone else relating what they heard at one time. Second- or third-hand hearsay about things taking place far away isn’t the scariest material, especially if the author abruptly shifts narrators or points of view throughout the story. Further, the speakers often relate their tales in thick dialects, with Gaelic, Latin, or other foreign words or phrases frequently thrown in. As a result, I had difficulty understanding what they were saying, even if I reread the passages several times. I’m still unsure what happened in some of these stories. Needless to say, stories you have to strain to understand aren’t usually the spookiest.

These tales’ age works against them as well. Only five stories were written after 1930, and two were set decades or centuries earlier. Most stories first appeared in various British monthly magazines of the era (the same publications in which early Agatha Christie short stories appeared). These tales tend to be lengthy, with much empty language (authors often got paid by the word). They wouldn’t escape the typical editor’s red pen today. The verbosity and overly ornate language disguise the fact that most folk tales are basic stories in which few events actually occur.

Some stories are good, especially those that place the central character inside the story rather than just hearing it recounted. The narrator of John Buchan’s “No-man's-Land” takes a hiking trip to the Scottish Highlands. He ignores the stories of strange creatures lurking in the woods until he gets lost. The narrator recounts the danger he faces going through foggy moors with treacherous footing and the even greater danger he encounters when he meets the creatures. Similarly, in “The Temple” by E.F. Benson, the narrator and a friend go on a holiday to Cornwall to enjoy golf and study the plentiful ancient ruins to be found. What they find is that the house they rent sits in the middle of what once was a pagan temple that practiced human sacrifice. Genre fans will appreciate what happens next far more than the narrator and his friend did.

Two of the more recent stories are among the best in the anthology. H.R. Wakefield’s “Woe Water” first appeared in “Weird Tales” in 1950, when horror writing had developed somewhat. It’s the diary of a man who claims his wife accidentally drowned, despite considerable evidence to the contrary at a coroner’s inquest. He buys a house that has a lake on the property, where several locals committed suicide over the years by drowning themselves. The narrator’s grip on reality and sanity quickly unwinds as the story progresses.

“Lisheen” by Frederick Cowles isn’t actually scary, but it will leave modern-day readers with a highly queasy feeling. The story was written in the 1940s but didn’t appear in print until 1993, over 45 years after the author’s death (for reasons I can guess based on the contents). Its central character is a 17th-century minister whose story is revealed in bits and pieces in Church records re-discovered in the 20th century. The minister witnesses the birth of a local girl whose mother dies in his presence. Also on hand for the event is the baby’s father, a demon visible only to the minister. Despite this vision, the minister adopts the girl, whom he names Lisheen. She’s bright and attractive but, at age six, starts removing her clothes at night and going to the ancient ruins on top of a nearby mountain. The minister follows and watches the ensuing rituals, year after year, until Lisheen turns 17 and he decides to marry her. This story would have been highly distasteful in the 1600s, the 1940s, or 1993. Today, it’s even more so, but it holds a creepy fascination for some and extreme disgust for others. Anyone reading “Tales Accursed” is forewarned.

Although the stories in “Tales Accursed” are highly uneven in quality, Richard Wells, an accomplished illustrator, provides woodcut-style drawings that precede each story and hint at the tale’s contents. These drawings complement the anthology’s best stories and make the others more tolerable. I highly recommend them to graphic horror novel fans and other dark art lovers.

However, I can’t recommend “Tales Accursed.” About one-third of the stories are entertaining, while many others are boring at best and nearly incomprehensible at worst. Further, they suffer from a sameness that makes binge readers feel they are repeatedly rereading the same stories. Recounting ancient folk horror successfully in a modern-day setting requires a deft touch that most of these authors cannot demonstrate. Accursed are they who waste their time making their way through “Tales Accursed.”

NOTE: The publisher graciously provided me with a copy of this book through NetGalley. However, the decision to review the book and the contents of this review are entirely my own.

Thank you to Unbound and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In his collection of folk horror, Tales Accursed, Richard Wells shows the progression of the genre over the course of the past 150 years in chronological order. The tales originate from headlining authors including Shirley Jackson and Algernon Blackwood. Though the genre of folk horror lends itself to a dry writing style and a desolate atmosphere—writing choices that lend the genre its classic eerie feel—the stories that Wells selected did not easily keep me engaged. The stories themselves began to feel repetitive. My largest critique remains that the collection missed the occult pre-occupation that inundated stories dating to the mid-twentieth century, and this could have added variety within a series that began to seem altogether too uniform as the collection progressed. The stories that most stood out to me were “Morag-of-the-Cave” by Margery Lawrence and, of course, “Ancient Lights,” a creation of Algernon Blackwood himself. While some of the stories did not hook me, I do feel that this collection would interest fans of Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle. Richard Wells’ artwork prefaces each story, and his art style represents woodcut printmaking, which our modern generation too often overlooks as a rich element of our global art history. I adored seeing it featured here. This artful addition made Tales Accursed special despite its drawbacks.

Such a perfect collection as the nights draw in and its getting chilly. Some real classics but also some great hidden gems

I wish this would have been available to read on Kindle as I don't enjoy reading with the Netgalley app. It was interesting to read stories that were published from 1870 to 2014. I loved the illustrations. The Shirley Jackson story is my favourite. I recommend this collection to fans of the Brothers Grimm and traditional folk horror stories.

This book is such a great read for this time of year! I absolutely loved the collection of stories and artwork. Such a great collection of authors like Shirley Jackson, E. F. Benson, William Croft Dickinson and many others! This is a great short story collection to read working yourself up to October!