Reggie Oliver is fast becoming my favourite author of dark fiction. His stories engender the same sense of unease as those of such classic ghost story writers such as M.R. James or E.F. Benson. As always, the book is beautifully produced by Tartarus Press with perfectly troubling little vignettes by the author at the head of each story. ( )

Reggie Oliver's first collection of strange stories, now available again as a smart paperback reprint from Tartarus Press. The first edition, from Haunted River in 2003, is long out of print and highly collectable. This new edition from Tartarus includes the author's own fine illustrations, many revised, but omits one tale, 'A Warning to the Antiquary' . Oliver explains in his author's note that this was written as a jeu d'esprit, but that he feels that it 'has rather outlived its charm'. That's as maybe, but the stories presented here have lost none of their magic.

These first tales display Oliver's considerable gifts as a writer of ghost stories already fully-formed, effortlessly engaging the reader with deftly - sometimes waspishly - observed characters and a mix of genuine antiquarian knowledge and plausible invention in the fine old Jamesian manner. A number of the pieces feature Oliver's signature backstage settings, and all deliver authentic unease and thrilling shocks. If, like me, you know Oliver's work, but missed this title in the original edition, this will be an essential purchase. If you're new to his writing, this inexpensive paperback offers the opportunity to start at the beginning with the finest contemporary practitioner of the classic English ghost story. ( )