The empty house is the second story out of “The ghost collection” that I found on Librivox alongside “The judge’s house” and my first read of Blackwood’s work.

Asked by his elderly aunt Julia, Jim Shorthouse embarks with her on a journey through a haunted house.

According to his aunt, the house is not that different from the surrounding houses, however no one seems to be able to stay in it for a long time. His aunt suspects that the haunting dates back to a hundred years ago from the murder of a servant girl by a jealous stableman. Using eachother’s company for courage they set off and start exploring the house.

Although for a short story it was not as short as some, it still felt like it lacked a lot. Especially in the end. Which is why this post will feel shorter than most. It felt like it ended on a whim and it really was not satisfying. Even though the story was written well and it had some decent world building it still did not really stick with me. But maybe it just was not for my tastes.

Perhaps, for that time the story felt scary and creepy but for me it did not do much. Still, I heard good things about Blackwood’s work so I’ll check out more of his work in the future. But for now the second story of the ghost story collection was sort of a miss. Next up will probably be “Phantasmagoria”.

Final verdict: 6/10