Having established herself as one of our premier horror writers, Gemma Amor has turned her talents to the Victorian Christmas ghost story - a particular favourite of mine. When a couple's carriage breaks down and are a lost in a blizzard, their attempts to seek shelter see them stumble across a lone inn upon the snow covered moors. But as they reach the inviting glow of the old building, a fresh impropriety awaits them - a black mourning ribbon upon the door...

Gemma has created the perfect atmospheric tale worthy of any Victorian Christmas ghost story anthology. The antagonistic couple, well written to the setting, are accompanied by an additional character which is the Inn itself - a warm, welcoming place which plays its part in soothing the violent emotions that charge the story. A typically Dickensian tale, this plays out in all the right beats and it is refreshing to see an author write in homage to an era with such natural ease.

If you have exhausted all the original collections you can find, then grab a mince pie, stoke up the fire and let yourself be abosrbed in this haunting new Christmas tale from one of our top British horror talents. ( )