#1 New York Times bestselling author Peter Straub’s classic tale of horror, secrets, and the dangerous ghosts of the past… What was the worst thing you’ve ever done? In the sleepy town of Milburn, New York, four old men gather to tell each other stories—some true, some made-up, all of them frightening. A simple pastime to divert themselves from their quiet lives. But one story is coming … themselves from their quiet lives.
But one story is coming back to haunt them and their small town. A tale of something they did long ago. A wicked mistake. A horrifying accident. And they are about to learn that no one can bury the past forever…
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This is an older classic, but still gives the tingles. Everyone loves a story about comeuppance.
It’s an excellent story, well crafted and not one to leave on the bedside table! I read it after having seen the movie many years ago, and as usual, the book was much scarier than the movie, which had already caused me more than a few sleepless nights! If you enjoy a genuine scare, this book is for you. Enjoy!
Ricky Hawthrone, Sears James, Lewis Benedikt, and John Jaffrey—the remaining members of the Chowder Society—are already suffering from terrible nightmares. They are used to entertaining themselves with ghost stories, never thinking the things they talk about might come back to haunt them until it’s too late. Knowing they need outside help, they finally call on Don Wanderley, an author and the nephew of their deceased friend, Edward. They don’t know that Don has his own ghosts, and his presence in their small town of Milburn is required by the demons that already plaque them. Strange things begin to happen, people die horrible, unexplained deaths, and the past revisits each of them in turn. Scary and filled with edge-of-your-seat descriptions of ghouls and other things that go bump in the night, this book will keep you up nights long after the last page is read.
I read this years ago and really enjoyed it. It became a movie that followed the book very closely.
I like books written by this author. Enjoyed this one as well.
A classic.
One of the best non-gory thrillers I have ever read. I was prepared to be bored, having already seen the wonderful movie with Fred Astaire and like greats. But having all those delicious WORDS to tell the story sweetly and slowly—terrific!!
I read Ghost Story over 35 years ago. It scared the hell out of me then, and it scares me still. A must read for any horror fans.
This is the scariest book I’ve personally read. Salem’s Lot is the other. I lived in this trance state semi-psychosis as I read it. And I blame the book. Peter Straub revives the ghost story genre so successfully that he deserved to call it Ghost Story. He “owned” it. No one since has gotten close. When I think of mastery in the realm of the Horror genre, this book is my first thought. Unequivocally. Did I mention it is the scariest book I’ve ever read? And the characters are incomparable: four old men with a LOT to lose. Wow.
Yikes! Up there with Stephen King, my all-time fav!
This has been 1 of my all time favorites…Once you start turning pages? You just can’t stop! And not to mention the movie itself…Loved it!!!
Akin to stories like IT or Summer of Night, small town horror but flipped on its head concerning older characters rather than kids.
I absolutely loved this story. I’m sure that it has been compared to Stephen King’s IT over the years, it certainly shares some similar concepts. Small town horror with an ensemble cast of characters facing against a shape shifting being with what little meager means they can. I wouldn’t be surprised if Straub and King bounced ideas off each other back in the day, considering their previous collaboration on The Talisman. But Ghost Story holds its own big time.
I was deeply invested in these characters, and trying to determine just what it was that was after them, and what reason it had to haunt them in such a way. The stories-within-stories, also kind of similar to IT in terms of structure, built a strong rooting toward the final confrontations, of which I thoroughly enjoyed as well.
Although I say it’s similar in structure to IT, there is definitely one major difference; in Books like IT or Summer Of Night the characters were mostly kids, facing an unknown monstrosity they don’t understand. In Ghost Story, most of the cast are in their senior years, happy to have lived out their lives instead of facing the evil force that they must. It changes the dynamic greatly.
Having said all that, there is one problem. The audio-book version wasn’t assembled very well. There are chapters within the audio listings that actually cut the book’s chapters into pieces. You could be finishing a chapter of the audio, but find that it ends midway through a chapter of the story. They compiled the audio-book chapters badly.
Perhaps I’m biased because I’m developing my own small town horror story (which I’m sure this will influence), or perhaps I’m biased because one of the main characters is a writer (which I’ve mentioned in other reviews I am a sucker for), but I definitely recommend it. If you are a fan of Stephen King’s IT or Dan Simmons’ Summer of Night, I think you’ll really like Ghost Story.
If you don’t mind split chapters, then go ahead and give this a listen. Or definitely read the book itself.
I’m a Straub fan now for sure.
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This was truly a scary story. Sometimes you read a scary story and you think it really wasn’t that scary. But this one is. Great for the Halloween season. After you read the book then watch the movie,
Loved it. One of my favorite books.
Boring
“What’s the worst thing you ever done?”
“I won’t tell you, but I’ll tell you the worst thing that ever happened to me…”
These are the words that set the “The Chowder Society”, four elderly men who’ve known each other since they were young, into telling each other ghost stories. They’ve all known each other since their youth, when they were wild and reckless. Friendship and loyalty binds, them along with dark secret from those past days.
They tried to bury that secret and forget it, but some things don’t want to be forgotten. Sometimes, they also want… revenge!
“Ghost Story” is the first Peter Straub book I ever read and as mentioned by other reviewers, the book is NOT a fast read. In fact it seems to plod along at times… HOWEVER, there is a method to the author’s madness. Everything he gives us serves a purpose in the story.
Furthermore, his pacing and many references are reminiscent to classic ghost stories from long ago. Spine-chilling and haunting the story catches the imagination and refuses to let go.
However, it’s not a short easy read. Mr. Straub has a lot of material to throw at us but does so in a manner that builds suspense and terror.
This is a brilliant piece of writing that is thoroughly worth a read. Just don’t expect to be taken on a thrill-a-minute joyride. Like it’s elderly protagonists, the story moves a slow and steady pace, but it draws you in deeper and deeper as it goes. Soon you’ll find yourself wanting more and more as the various pieces and “ghost stories” start coming together, leading to terrifying encounters that build up to a mesmerizing climax.
My only beef with the story the first time I read it was the prologue which is longer than I would normally like to see. But as I said earlier, Mr. Straub links everything he presents us into one tidy and creepy package. Nothing he gives the reader is wasted, so I can forgive him for the lengthy prologue. This is still a 5 star read!
So come and meet The Chowder Society: The respectable Doctor John Jaffery, the randy Lewis Benedict, the respectable Sears James, and the faithful and easily overlooked Ricky Hawthorne. These men are not your usual run of the mill ‘action-heroes’, but they will take on an evil unlike anything you’ve ever read before.
Loved the wonderful plot, the secrets and the revenge!
excellent read
For the most part I find Peter Straub’s work a bit too fussy, a bit too head-before-heart, for my taste. But GHOST STORY is the exception. This books burrows beneath the conscious mind and works dark magic. It actually scared me – in daylight, with other people around, and after a lifetime spent becoming inured to horror, it scared me. A little bit pretentious, a fair bit misogynist, and entirely effective – really a masterpiece of horror.
4 friends meet after years apart. An old crime comes back to haunt them. The world is well-developed. It’s somewhat claustrophobic, which builds the tension as the 4 men come to terms and face what they did.
Peter Straub doesn’t dumb down his writing, so be prepared to concentrate on what you are reading. This is not a light poolside read but well worth spending the time in his world….I felt you dare.