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Peter Straub

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Ghost Story Mass Market Paperback – September 1, 1989

by Peter Straub (Author)

4.2 5,281 ratings

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In life, not every sin goes unpunished.
GHOST STORY
For four aging men in the terror-stricken town of Milburn, New York, an act inadvertently carried out in their youth has come back to haunt them. Now they are about to learn what happens to those who believe they can bury the past -- and get away with murder.
Peter Straub's classic bestseller is a work of "superb horror" (The Washington Post Book World) that, like any good ghost story, stands the test of time -- and conjures our darkest fears and nightmares.

Editorial Reviews

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Stephen King The terror just mounts and mounts.

Chicago Sun-Times The scariest book I've ever read....It crawls under your skin and into your dreams.

About the Author

Peter Straub is the New York Times bestselling author of more than a dozen novels, including A Dark Matter. He has won the Bram Stoker Award for his novels Lost Boy Lost Girl and In the Night Room, as well as for his recent collection 5 Stories. Straub was the editor of the two-volume Library of American anthology The American Fantastic Tale. He lives in New York City.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pocket Books; Reissue edition (September 1, 1989)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 560 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0671685635
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0671685638
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.7 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.19 x 0.75 x 6.75 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #684,539 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,922 in Ghost Fiction

Customer Reviews:
4.2 5,281 ratings

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Peter Straub

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Peter Straub is the author of seventeen novels, which have been translated into more than twenty languages. They include Ghost Story, Koko, Mr. X, In the Night Room, and two collaborations with Stephen King, The Talisman and Black House. He has written two volumes of poetry and two collections of short fiction, and he edited the Library of America’s edition of H. P. Lovecraft’s Tales and the forthcoming Library of America’s 2-volume anthology, American Fantastic Tales. He has won the British Fantasy Award, eight Bram Stoker Awards, two International Horror Guild Awards, and three World Fantasy Awards. In 1998, he was named Grand Master at the World Horror Convention. In 2006, he was given the HWA’s Life Achievement Award. In 2008, he was given the Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers Award by Poets & Writers. At the World Fantasy Convention in 2010, he was given the WFC’s Life Achievement Award.

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5,281 global ratings

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Customers find the book's story scary and well-crafted. They describe it as amazing, captivating, and a masterpiece of the genre. The characters are well-developed and interesting. However, some readers felt the book was boring, monotonous, and unsatisfying. They also felt the first 200 pages were slow and boring. Opinions vary on the writing quality, with some finding it enjoyable and entertaining, while others found the style overly wordy and old-fashioned. There are mixed reviews on the pacing, with some finding it fast and steady, while others felt it dragged out at times.

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Scariness level Readability Character development Writing quality Pacing Engrossedness Boredom Length

253 customers mention "Scariness level"185 positive68 negative

Customers find the book's scariness level high. They describe it as a classic horror novel with an interesting premise. The setting and events are described as effective for inspiring terror. Many readers find the story gripping and mention it keeps them up at night.

"...One of if not the scariest story I’ve ever read...." Read more

"...This is a horror classic! The prose, the character building, the sense of dread are perfect! I can see why Ghost Story is so hyped up...." Read more

"This is horror as literature. Wonderfully paced and deep without being full of itself. A masterpiece of the genre." Read more

"...The story year excellent, the author definitely put Alot of time into the details of the plot and location...." Read more

168 customers mention "Readability"168 positive0 negative

Customers find the book captivating and well-crafted. They describe the story as a masterpiece with multiple stories woven into a single thread. The book takes them on an engaging journey worth reading.

"...I like the movie, but it barely scratches the surface of what you will experience by reading the novel...." Read more

"...It is difficult to evaluate the book because many of the sections are above average, certainly as far as plot goes...." Read more

"...Wonderfully paced and deep without being full of itself. A masterpiece of the genre." Read more

"...This may be Straub's masterpiece, and certainly ranks up there among the most horrifying reads of all time. And I've read quite a few...." Read more

58 customers mention "Character development"45 positive13 negative

Customers appreciate the well-developed characters and interesting plot.

"...The characters are well-written, convincing, and fun...." Read more

"...This is a horror classic! The prose, the character building, the sense of dread are perfect! I can see why Ghost Story is so hyped up...." Read more

"...Also, quite a few characters are sympathetic and interesting...." Read more

"...a bit too long-winded, with not enough action, and some intensely unlikable characters. Having said that, the story is, indeed, creepy...." Read more

75 customers mention "Writing quality"51 positive24 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the writing quality. Some find the prose visually detailed and engaging, with a gothic style and drama. Others feel it's overly wordy, erratic, and corny.

"...This is a horror classic! The prose, the character building, the sense of dread are perfect! I can see why Ghost Story is so hyped up...." Read more

"...I thought the characterization was spot on and you genuinely come to care and relate to each and every one of them...." Read more

"...Surprises are limited. The style of writing is overly wordy and a bit old-fashioned...." Read more

"...Straub is an entertaining writer, and his prose is visual and detailed...." Read more

43 customers mention "Pacing"14 positive29 negative

Customers have different views on the pacing of the book. Some find the first part fast-paced and engaging, with a steady plot that never gets boring. Others say it starts out slow and takes a long time to get to the point. The author seems to speed things up at times, but some feel it's too quick to reach the climax.

"...Reading back through my critique, it’s kind of scatterbrained, all over the place. That’s “Ghost Story,” in a nutshell...." Read more

"This is horror as literature. Wonderfully paced and deep without being full of itself. A masterpiece of the genre." Read more

"...There were moments I felt the author sped it up a bit...." Read more

"...It starts slowly but each piece that is added to the story is integral to the overall tale. I am so glad I read this book again...." Read more

23 customers mention "Engrossedness"15 positive8 negative

Customers have mixed views on the book's engrossment. Some find the story interesting with rich descriptions and an engaging narrative that draws them in. Others find it confusing, uninspiring, and convoluted in the first few chapters.

"...The characters are well-written, convincing, and fun...." Read more

"...saying...if you're reading this book and find the first few chapters uninspiring and confusing...keep pushing through...." Read more

"This is horror as literature. Wonderfully paced and deep without being full of itself. A masterpiece of the genre." Read more

"...It's long and plodding with a lot of rich description...." Read more

59 customers mention "Boredom"17 positive42 negative

Customers find the book boring and unsatisfying. They say it gets monotonous in the middle, making less sense as they progress. Some feel it's not worth the hype, nothing like the movie, and plodding cliched.

"...Otherwise, I may have stopped reading it myself. It felt endless. Doubt I will be reading him again...." Read more

"...But the further I got into the book, the less sense it made. I still don’t understand why this particular group of people were… chosen?..." Read more

"...The characters are well-written, convincing, and fun...." Read more

"...It certainly messes with your mind as you begin to wonder what's reality and what's a hallucination." Read more

35 customers mention "Length"4 positive31 negative

Customers find the book too long for what happens in the story. They find the first 200 pages boring and slow, with too much reading required to find moments. Readers feel the book is bloated and lacking action.

"...and I found myself, both in the beginning and toward the end, skipping pages. I hate to do that but Straub becomes extremely repetitive...." Read more

"...To give an honest review, the story lasted a good hundred or so pages to long...." Read more

"...However, it felt a little long for what happened in the story. There was some stuff that I didn't think needed to be in here...." Read more

"...For me, personally, it was a bit too long-winded, with not enough action, and some intensely unlikable characters...." Read more

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j. brown
Scariest story I’ve Ever Read!
Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2025
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Took me a few chapters to get interested and I’m glad I kept trying! One of if not the scariest story I’ve ever read. As a longtime fan of Edgar Allen Poe I didn’t have all that much hope for Peter Straub’s work but good grief! Nothing short of amazing! If you are prone to nightmares do take caution.

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Megan
The evil things that live on in dreams
Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2024
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Many years ago, Ricky, Lewis, and Sears did something terrible. Something absolutely awful, and in doing so, crossed paths with primeval forces. Angry and evil forces. Whether they were always evil is something that isn't clear. These forces--or spirits, if you will--seem to operate on rules outside of mortal timelines and scruples.

As members of the Chowder Society, Ricky, Lewis, and Sears meet regularly to tell ghost stories, except in one case. It turns out this exception is tied to a large number of other happenings involving Ed, David, Don, Peter, and more. Something about this story--and the anniversary of a friend's death--draws out the forces that have been watching for years now. Not only do these forces go after Ricky, Lewis, et al, but also other residents of the town of Milburn.

Sheep and horses are exsanguinated. People die in mysterious ways. Then the worst snowstorm of the century falls on out-of-the-way Milburn, eventually cutting it off from the rest of the world. It's like the snow is a weighted blanket trying to remind our protagonists that there's no hope at all.

And it's true, maybe there is no hope at all. They're dealing with ancient forces that live a long time, perhaps forever, and can speak directly into your mind, make you see things that you dream about. Even if they do succeed, what's to say it's a final success?

Maybe there really is no hope, but our protagonists aren't going without a fight!

Ghost Story is a good novel, although sometimes it seems to ramble. The characters are well-written, convincing, and fun. It's not often you see a spooky novel where the some of the main characters are elderly (or at least old) and actually do something other than be old.

Over the course of the book, you get a broad overview of Milburn and its various denizens, how they're connected, and what it means as the snow slowly entombs them in the little town.

Ghost Story does feel a little dated. It was published around 1980, so that tracks. This definitely feels like 80s horror, so some people might find it a little cheesy or trite. There were definitely a few places where I raised my eyebrow and wondered if I was coming to a point where I'd have to stop reading and write a negative review.

Luckily, the story holds up despite its age. If you like early Stephen King stories, you'll probably like Ghost Story. In fact, I believe Straub and King are roughly contemporaries.

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5 people found this helpful

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Confused
Horror classic!
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2024
Verified Purchase
I tried to read this novel a few years ago and gave up after 50 or 60 pages. I just tried it again and finished it, and I am so glad I did! This is a horror classic! The prose, the character building, the sense of dread are perfect! I can see why Ghost Story is so hyped up. In my opinion, it ranks right up there with Stephen King's Pet Semetary and Salem's Lot, and Ronald Malfi's Come With Me and Little Girls.
I know Straub has been accused of being long-winded and his endings can be a bit convoluted, but it's easy to overlook those "flaws" when reading this book.
I like the movie, but it barely scratches the surface of what you will experience by reading the novel.
If you have never read thus book, and you are a fan of horror fiction, then I highly recommend you read it.

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8 people found this helpful

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Jana L.Perskie
Spooky, But Not Straub's Best Novel
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2005
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In October 1929, three weeks after Black Monday, when the stock market collapsed, five of Milburn, New York's finest young men murdered an attractive and exotic young woman. There was no premeditation involved. In fact her death was an accident, although her burial was non conventional, to say the least. The event has been kept a secret for half a century. Is it coming back to haunt them and the town where she died? Now, fifty years later, the same men, much older and still residing in Milburn, find themselves terrorized by prophetic nightmares. In the dreams several of them die. And terrible things are happening in their small, sleepy town .

Edward Wanderly, one of the quintet died the year before under tragic circumstances, which lead the others to believe that foul play had been involved. He appears to have died of fright. After their friend's death, the group of four begins to meet weekly, calling themselves "The Chowder Society." They dress formally for the occasion, drink fine brandy, smoke the best cigars, and proceed to tell each other haunting stories about their past, although they never mention the murder. They all seem to be in denial about the possibility that the dead woman has come back to haunt them. One of the members begins a particular story, and a pertinent one by saying, "I won't tell you the worst thing I ever did, but I'll tell you the most dreadful thing that happened to me in my life, or it didn't happen and I imagined it all. Anyway, it scared the pants off of me. This is the worst story I know."

Desperate for answers, the group writes to Ed Wanderly's nephew, Don, an author, and ask him to come to Milburn. Don published a novel called "The Nightwatcher," about shape-shifting supernatural predators. Unbeknownst to any of our protagonists, the novel has much in common with their reality. Nightwatchers, sometimes called Shapeshifters, are quasi immortal, demonic creatures who are able to assume human or animal forms or disguises. They are evil pranksters who despise humankind and derive a sadistic enjoyment from toying with their victims, often driving them to despair, madness and even suicide. Don returns as much for his own personal reasons as because of request of the Chowder Society members.

This is a spooky tale of supernatural revenge that can, at times, rivet the reader to the page. It is difficult to evaluate the book because many of the sections are above average, certainly as far as plot goes. Also, quite a few characters are sympathetic and interesting. However, the narrative plods frequently, and I found myself, both in the beginning and toward the end, skipping pages. I hate to do that but Straub becomes extremely repetitive. I found myself saying out loud, "I get it already!" Annoyingly, he will have an intelligent character open a door, behind which is obviously something no one wants to see. And the character does this over and over again - if he doesn't die first. Or he/she will walk up a stairway, at the top of which someone/thing bad is lurking. We all know this. But Straub insists. I roll my eyes. Cliches like this run through the novel and take away from the surprise and scariness. And the plot is not that original. How many times have we read about a town under siege by the undead, or something equally as horrifying? The author's earlier book, "Floating Dragon," has a somewhat similar storyline.

I am not sorry I read "Ghost Story." I would certainly recommend it to fans of the horror genre. Peter Straub has written far better novels, however, and I have read far better ghost stories.

JANA

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21 people found this helpful

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K. Coleman
True horror
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2025
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This is horror as literature. Wonderfully paced and deep without being full of itself. A masterpiece of the genre.

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3 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer
Creepy
Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2024
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While not at all scary, you definitely get creepy vibes from this story. I thought the characterization was spot on and you genuinely come to care and relate to each and every one of them. The story year excellent, the author definitely put Alot of time into the details of the plot and location. To give an honest review, the story lasted a good hundred or so pages to long. What we are given is Alot of details which interrupted the flow and made me just jump ahead. Enjoyed this story though, will read other works in the future.

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HS
Hat mir sehr gut gefallen
Reviewed in Germany on March 4, 2025
Verified Purchase

Sehr gute Story. Das Buch wurde in einem anderen Roman erwähnt und dadurch wurde ich neugierig. Kann ich nur empfehlen. Ich habe dann mehr von diesem Autor gelesen, aber dies ist bei weitem das Beste!

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Lynne
Superb storytelling
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 2, 2023
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First published almost 44 years ago, Ghost Story set the bar for the horror genre that was to follow. It was a book against which others were measured. First coming across it as a teenager in the mid-1980s, I was thrilled and chilled in equal measure. It left a lasting impression which remained throughout the passing decades. I recently set aside time for a re-read; but would it be as good as I remembered or would I be disappointed?

Firstly, it's a book which requires a certain level of commitment — don't expect to breeze through it in an afternoon. Secondly, the first half is rather slow and meandering — the groundwork being laid for what is to follow. However, if you stick with it (and it does require some stamina), the second half picks up pace and the story comes into its own.

Peter Straub's storytelling is superb and just as enjoyable second time around. The intervening 37 years had completely erased my memory of the creeping unease and mounting tension that slowly smothers. The atmosphere is one of anticipation and dread. A fantastically scary read.

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Rodrigo Calejon
Excelente história de suspense
Reviewed in Brazil on November 13, 2020
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A narrativa é extremamente bem elaborada e interessante. A história é muito criativa para a época de sua escrita e os personagens são cativantes. A trama deixa algumas pontas soltas, mas não atrapalham a conclusão.

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E.Slevin
A Riveting Pager-Turner
Reviewed in Canada on February 23, 2020
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A frightening tale with an array of endearing characters. I was interested in reading this book because I had seen the movie when I was a child; but the film only bore the skeletal structure of the original story ( a misshapen version, at that). The fully fleshed-out tale is well balanced, thrilling, and FUN...a delicious read, start to finish.

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Sergio
Obra maestra
Reviewed in Mexico on June 27, 2017
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Una novela de horror bastante entretenida para quien tiene la tolerancia de leer a Peter Straub, yo lo comparo con Eso de Stephen King por la longitud y el final inesperado definitivamente a must read para los fans de las novelas de horror

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Ghost Story Mass Market Paperback – September 1, 1989

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Top reviews from the United States

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5.0 out of 5 stars Scariest story I’ve Ever Read!

4.0 out of 5 stars The evil things that live on in dreams

5.0 out of 5 stars Horror classic!

3.0 out of 5 stars Spooky, But Not Straub's Best Novel

5.0 out of 5 stars True horror

4.0 out of 5 stars Creepy

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars Hat mir sehr gut gefallen

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb storytelling

4.0 out of 5 stars Excelente história de suspense

5.0 out of 5 stars A Riveting Pager-Turner

5.0 out of 5 stars Obra maestra

Scariest story I’ve Ever Read!

The evil things that live on in dreams

Horror classic!

Spooky, But Not Straub's Best Novel

True horror

Creepy

Hat mir sehr gut gefallen

Superb storytelling

Excelente história de suspense

A Riveting Pager-Turner

Obra maestra