Dickens started a tradition of releasing stories each Christmas with ?A Christmas Carol? in 1843. ?The Haunted House? was his 1859 offering and as the name suggests is set in a large house which as his introductory story explains is desired by John the narrator as a temporary country retreat for health reasons.
He is made aware of the terror the house holds for the locals but undaunted he and his sister Patty take residence without any servants save for the deaf stable hand who is untroubled by the ghostly goings on.
John and Patty invite friends to visit and except Patty who keeps her own room they all draw lots for which rooms they will stay in but agree not to share their experiences of their rooms until the twelfth night.
On that night they all gather together to feast on their experiences and share them with each other.
The Haunted House is a skillful portmanteau by Dickens assembling the best literary talent of his age including Wilkie Collins Elizabeth Gaskell Hesba Stretton Adelaide Anne Proctor George Augustus Sala and of course the literary leviathan himself to delight us scare us and occasionally raise a laugh or two before the next moment of fear and dread come calling.
1 - The Haunted House - An Introduction
2 - The Mortals in the House by Charles Dickens
3 - The Ghost in the Cloakroom by Hesba Stretton
4 - The Ghost in the Double Room by George Augustus Sala
5 - The Ghost in the Picture Room by Adelaide Anne Proctor
6 - The Ghost in the Cupboard Room by Wilkie Collins
7 - The Ghost in Master B's Room by Charles Dickens
8 - The Ghost in the Garden Room Part 1 by Elizabeth Gaskell
9 - The Ghost in the Garden Room Part 2 by Elizabeth Gaskell
10 - The Ghost in the Corner Room by Charles Dickens
