The Toll House

The Toll House

William Wymark Jacobs (8 September 1863 - 1 September 1943), was an English author of short stories and novels. Although much of his work was humorous, he is most famous for his horror story The Monkey's Paw. Jacobs is now remembered for his macabre tale "The Monkey's Paw" (published 1902 in the collection of short stories The Lady of the Barge) and several other ghost stories, including "The Toll House" (published 1909 in the collection of short stories Sailors' Knots) and "Jerry Bundler" (published 1901 in the collection Light Freights). However, the majority of his output was humorous in tone. His favourite subjects were marine life: "men who go down to the sea in ships of moderate tonnage" said Punch, reviewing his first collection of stories, Many Cargoes, which achieved great popular success on its publication in 1896. Michael Sadleir described Jacobs' fiction thus: "he wrote stories of three kinds; describing the misadventures of sailor-men ashore; celebrating the artful dodger of a slow-witted village; and tales of the macabre." Many Cargoes was followed by the novel The Skipper's Wooing in 1897, and another collection of short stories, Sea Urchins (1898) set the seal on his popularity. Among his other titles are Captains All, Sailors' Knots, and Night Watches. The title of the last reflects the popularity of perhaps his most enduring character: the night-watchman on the wharf in Wapping, recounting the preposterous adventures of his acquaintances Ginger Dick, Sam Small, and Peter Russet. These three characters, pockets full after a long voyage, would take lodgings together determined to enjoy a long spell ashore; but the crafty inhabitants of dockland London would soon relieve them of their funds, assisted by the sailors' own fecklessness and credulity. Jacobs showed a delicacy of touch in his use of the coarse vernacular of the East End of London, which attracted the respect of such writers as P. G. Wodehouse, who mentions Jacobs in his autobiographical work Bring on the Girls! written with Guy Bolton, published in 1954. The stories which made up Many Cargoes had a varied previous serial publication, while those in Sea Urchins were, for the most part, published in Jerome K. Jerome's Idler. From October 1898 Jacobs' stories were being published in The Strand, an arrangement which lasted almost to his death, and provided him with financial security. He also had a lot of financial problems in his story business. John Drinkwater described Jacobs' fiction as being "in the Dickens tradition."

The Toll House

***Looking for more spectacularly thrilling ghost stories by Carly Reagon? THE INFIRMARY and HEAR HIM CALLING are out now*** Discover the spinetingling ghost story everyone is raving about: 'If you like a good ghost story put this chilling thriller to the very top of your reading list' Sarah Pearse author of THE SANATORIUM 'Will keep you up long after the witching hour' Rebecca Netley, author of THE WHISTLING 'A satisfyingly good old-fashioned ghost story' Susan Stokes-Chapman, author of PANDORA 'I hoovered this up in one go.' Natasha Pulley, author of THE WATCHMAKER OF FILIGREE STREET 'A book that feels like it's watching you . . . unsettling and gripping' Cari Thomas, author of THREADNEEDLE ________ The past isn't always dead and buried. A house with history. That's how the estate agent described the old toll house on the edge of the town. For Kelda it's the perfect rural home for her young son Dylan after a difficult few years. But when Kelda finds a death mask concealed behind one of the walls, everything changes. Inexplicable things happen in the house, Kelda cannot shake the feeling of being watched and Dylan is plagued by nightmares, convinced he can see figures in his room. As Dylan's behaviour becomes increasingly challenging, Kelda seeks answers in the house's mysterious past. But she's running out of time. Because something has awoken. And now it won't rest . ________ 'Beautifully written. Carly Reagon is one to watch.' C.J. Cooke, author of THE LIGHTHOUSE WITCHES 'Had me turning pages late into the night' Anita Frank, author of THE LOST ONES 'An edge-of-the-seat, nail-biting read. I loved it.' Kate Hamer, author of THE GIRL IN THE RED COAT

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