A review by callum_mclaughlin
Ghostly Stories by Celia Fremlin

3.0

These classic tales of domestic horror are at once quintessential of their period and shrewdly observant of how stifling the female experience can be. In the first, a teenage girl’s delight to be left home alone soon dwindles when the phone won’t stop ringing and the doorknob starts to rattle. In the second, a woman is haunted by distressing dreams that her adult niece is in danger. The prose is simple yet effective, and both follow a defined arc that culminates in a satisfying twist. Neither felt particularly ground-breaking, but I enjoyed both and would certainly read more of Fremlin’s work.