My grandma believed in ghosts. I remember wobbly sketches of a man with no legs in a brown suit, wearing a hat. When she showed me she pointed to the hallway of the house we were in and said, “He’s right there.” Before she passed away she drew more sketches of other visitors. She would talk about them–the Tall Man, the Girl with the Jump Rope–and point to her closet. “They just come out and see me all the time.”
I couldn’t see her ghosts, but it doesn’t mean I don’t have my own. We all do. Memories, heartaches, and even smells can haunt you and can creep in under your defenses, bringing with them both painful and beautiful pieces of our pasts. Ghosts are everywhere, for all of us, and it makes the world a far more powerful and interesting place.
Track One: The Specialist’s Hat by Kelly Link
While their father researches the house, Claire and Samantha discover the secrets hiding in the walls of Eight Chimneys.
Track Two: Wish You Were Here by Nadia Bulkin
Dimas tells ghost stories to American tourists, but when the stories get too odd or too personal, Dimas finds himself treading through dangerous territory.
Track Three: Dreaming Like a Ghost by Kat Howard
Ghosts from the nearby graveyard aren’t the only thing haunting Tamsin in her new home.
Hidden Tracks
Sometimes you’ve got to dig a little deeper. Pull a book down from your shelf, run out to the library, or order it from Amazon. Get a collection or anthology in your hands, crack the pages, and get into it. These “Hidden Tracks” can’t be found online (as of this publication), but are worth seeking out and devouring. Enjoy the thrill of the hunt by tracking them down.
Track Four: 20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill
There’s magic in movies, and sitting in the theater you might find yourself sharing popcorn with someone who likes them so much, she couldn’t ever bring herself to leave. Mixing wonder and nostalgia with his scares, Hill creates an unforgettable and lovely story.
A group of women on their annual trip visit Lake Crescent, a place haunted by history and tragedy. From Barron’s superb short story collection, The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All, this haunting tale gives readers a different vibe to the theme and one of the best horror stories of the last decade.
Bonus Track: The Backbeat of Blatant Self-Promotion
Track Six: Acquisition by Jake Marley
Barlow has a talent for finding the dead. Or do they find him? This is your good pal Uncle Jake’s first published fiction, so I’m just gonna go on and set this here for the curious. If you happen to give it a read, drop me a line and let me know what you think!
If you have a favorite story or two that fits our theme, whether online or sitting on a shelf in your library, add it to the comments below!
JAKE MARLEY
If you enjoyed our Horror Mix-Tape and want to read our Hidden Tracks please consider clicking through to our Amazon Affiliate links. If you do you’ll help keep the This Is Horror ship afloat with some very welcome remuneration.
Buy 20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill.
Buy The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All by Laird Barron.
Buy Writers of the Future Vol. 33 edited by David Farland.