Customer Reviews

The Upper Berth

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When a man gets up to tell a story about a peculiar crossing of the Atlantic, everyone listens close. He tells of a ship named the Kamtschatka, and a haunted stateroom. But, this is no ordinary story of mysterious lights and vague dreads. Brisbane is a strong man, and the spirit that he faced had already killed four travelers. But, Brisbane is a man of courage, and he determines to get to the bottom of the mystery, no matter what the cost.

This is no ordinary hunt, however, and what Brisbane soon finds himself wrestling with would chill the stoutest heart!

Francis Marion Crawford (1854-1909) was an Italian-American author who wrote many stories that were "weird and fantastic." Sadly, he is little remembered today, but during his day he was considered one of the greats. This short story is particularly excellent, a great work of horror. I liked how the protagonist of the story is presented as a strong and courageous man (so often in horror stories, the protagonist spends the entire story on the run), but his courage only takes him deeper into a terrifying situation.

I found the story to be quite gripping, keeping me turning the pages deep into the night. So, if you want a good ghost story (make that a great ghost story), then get The Upper Berth by Francis Marion Crawford, you won't regret it!