• A Haunting Tale

  • A Short Ghost Story
  • By: Bill Stokes
  • Narrated by: Jeff Hays
  • Length: 11 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (15 ratings)

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A Haunting Tale  By  cover art

A Haunting Tale

By: Bill Stokes
Narrated by: Jeff Hays
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Publisher's summary

Do you believe in ghosts? No? How about you visit this house and then decide?

There is a haunted house up there that squats like a huge wooden toad behind a thick grove of pine trees on the end of a dead end road. Maybe once it was painted, but now it has a gray cadaver-like complexion, and its siding is sagged and splintered as if the devil had been poking at it with his pitchfork. Its windows are streaked and stained, and trying to see through them from the outside is like trying to look a skull in the eye.

If this doesn't get you to believe in the supernatural, listen to the rest of this short story and you will believe; just like I did!

Warning: Don't listen to this story if you have a weak heart or are subject to night terrors or nightmares! Bill Stokes richly tells the tale of the haunted house in vivid and almost poetic words; you cannot help but be sucked in. Listen if you dare!

©1973 The Milwaukee Journal Sentinal (P)2016 Paul Stokes

What listeners say about A Haunting Tale

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Chilling.

I don't read many short stories as they can feel too rushed, or not enough development in the story. Yet this one, being at only a mere 11 mins in length, doesn't come across like this. This tells the tale of a man who doesn't believe in Ghosts. He knows the story of the abandoned house but decides to prove everyone wrong and spends a night there. What happens to him? Well read it and see!!

I have to applaud the author of this because for such an extremely short story, it's extremely well written. The author's descriptive writing really packs a punch and brings the book alive. He very eloquently describes the house and makes it incredibly creepy when the man goes in. This is a tale suitable for all ages and one to be enjoyed again and again.

Jeff Hays is a very strong narrator. Every book I've listened to that he narrated, has always been a pleasure to listen to. He is always clear and concise and knows how to tell a good story. Here he brings the creepy atmosphere to life makes the story more enjoyable.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Deliciously creepy!

If you could sum up A Haunting Tale in three words, what would they be?

Terrifying Ghost Story

Who was your favorite character and why?

The main character, unnamed, is just as crazy terrified as I would have been in this situation.

Have you listened to any of Jeff Hays’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes, quality seems to be part for the course for Hays.

If you could rename A Haunting Tale, what would you call it?

In an effort to not be trite, I'll not name Goosebumps (ok, I named it, but really, I couldn't help it!). In all seriousness, though, "hair raising, creepshow, chiller" could ALL have been possible titles. In eleven minutes, the author has managed to give us all the shivers. There is real talent in that.

Any additional comments?

I received a promotional copy of this audiobook, after purchasing and reading the ebook. My opinion remains the same, that this story is disturbing on a soul deep level. It's a tale to be told around a campfire, or around a ouija board in a haunted house. Beautifully disturbing, in a way that is easy to visualize. Stokes has mastery of the good scare.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Spooky Book

Any additional comments?

This was a great book!! The author did a great job setting the scene and writing the book. The narrator did a great job bringing the story and characters to life. This would be a great short story for anyone who loves spooky stories.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

very scary

it would be very scary to be alone and hear noise I would be terrified. but then I am a chicken. narrator was great very short I received this book from the publisher, author and or narrator for a honest review and unbiased option via audio book boom dot com

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

An excellent campfire story!

The house has stood empty for some time. It’s fallen into a disreputable state. Some say it’s haunted. The rational say that’s not possible, that it’s only silly ghost stories. Our main character takes the dare. Will his mind be changed about ghosts?

This story was deliciously spooky. It is told in both a quaint and lyrical manner, being a straight-forward ghost story peppered with plenty of appropriately creepy imagery. Our main character isn’t convinced this old, rundown house is haunted. On a very cold, snowy night, he ends up stuck at the house with a sleeping bag.

Suspense builds as the character becomes aware of the oddities of the house, the strange sounds (or lack of the expected ones), and, eventually, something more. I really loved that this story didn’t rely of shock and gore; rather, the tale titillated with hints of something just beyond our accepted norm. Plus, there’s bats. Stories always get a bonus point if there’s bats.

In my opinion, this tale is fit for kids and adults alike. I can see reading it at a campfire during Scary Story time or having it available for kids at sleep overs. It’s a well-wrought story that I found very delightful.

Narration: Jeff Hays gave a wonderful performance, as always. His voice contained just a hint of creepy when describing the house. I also liked how he was able to contain a hint of skepticism at the beginning of the story, as the main character, and how that changed as the tale went on.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Terrific Story and Storyteller

A HAUNTING TALE by Bill Stokes was so so so good! He set the scene perfectly. The story was indeed almost poetic. He puts the listener in the story and you can picture it perfectly. This was a fantastic short ghost story and I hope to hear more from this exciting author.

Jeff Hays performance was outstanding. His voice was perfect for this story. Another terrific storyteller whom paired with the author made this a hit. Loved it.

“This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobookboom”

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Quick and spooky

The author and narrator combine to give a quick and spooky tale of a haunted house. A great Halloween listen for any age. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story for the kids next sleepover 👻

Would you consider the audio edition of A Haunting Tale to be better than the print version?

The print would be great for a camping trip or a kids sleepover the audiobook is perfect for those night time family trips in the car.

What other book might you compare A Haunting Tale to and why?

I would compare this book to Click-Clack the Rattlebag by Neil Gaiman. Both stories are creepy and leaves a lot for the imagination

What about Jeff Hays’s performance did you like?

Always a great performance by JH

Any additional comments?

I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for a fair and unbiased review

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great campfire style ghost story

I really enjoy these short stories by Bill Stokes! This is a very well written ghost story! It's the kind of tale you could sit around a campfire and tell the kids. Excellent narration by Jeff Hays!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Very well told tale

If you could sum up A Haunting Tale in three words, what would they be?

Great haunting atmosphere.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Haunting Tale?

The narrator spends the night in the haunted house and his sleep is interrupted by a nocturnal visitor that makes a ghost believer out of him.

Which scene was your favorite?

I thought the opening description of the house was well written and masterfully narrated in such a way as to set the mood.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Just wish it was a little longer with more of a payoff or twist at the end.

Any additional comments?

I received this audio book free from the author, narrator, or publisher for free.

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