The editor of this stunningly well-written collection has declared himself of the opinion that a ghost story is a ghost story, and that the gender of the writer does not necessarily leap from the page. Jenny Uglow, who wrote the introduction, is not so sure. She thinks women's ghosts may be a little different from men's. And it is true that a breath of feminine whimsy haunts these pages, a gentle sighing over lost loves and lost children, while male characters are often lampooned for their pomposity and feared for it as well. This anthology of 34 20th-century ghost stories will appeal to two audiences: those who like their spines thoroughly tingled, no matter what sex the author, and those who love good writing whatever the subject. For whether you admire the ghostly genre or not, here are undeniably some of the best examples of elegant, precise story writing that could ever grace your shelves, from the pens of authors including Elizabeth Bowen, Angela Carter, Elizabeth Jane Howard, E Nesbit, Fay Weldon, Edith Wharton and Lisa St Aubin de Teran. Especially not to be missed are the two contributions by Marjorie Bowen-two perfect masterpieces in less than 150 words. --Helen Falconer