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Post by helrunar on Jun 30, 2020 21:29:29 GMT
Intriguing!
H.
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Post by humgoo on Jul 1, 2020 14:41:48 GMT
just don't give hope on an Angry Dead reprint. Just when I've already given up any sparkle of hope! Will there be any new stories please? It doesn't feel right that we hear no more of the promising career of the good Cambridge Beast. There has to be a sequel! And Jane Bradshawe must've had some adventures while fixing those stained glasses around the country during all these years?
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Post by ropardoe on Jul 1, 2020 15:01:08 GMT
just don't give hope on an Angry Dead reprint. Just when I've already given up any sparkle of hope! Will there be any new stories please? It doesn't feel right that we hear no more of the promising career of the good Cambridge Beast. There has to be a sequel! And Jane Bradshawe must've had some adventures while fixing those stained glasses around the country during all these years? Unlikely! A new introduction is a probability, but let's not get ahead of ourselves!
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Post by ropardoe on Oct 25, 2021 13:47:59 GMT
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Post by dem bones on Oct 26, 2021 8:54:10 GMT
Great news, Ro, and well done Jilly Paddock & Dave Brzeski for making it available to a wider public and at a hugely reasonable price (£5.95 UK). Hope to have a copy toward end of week, so will post cover, TOC, & Co., when it arrives if nobody else has done so.
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Post by 𝘗rincess 𝘵uvstarr on Oct 26, 2021 12:52:09 GMT
Congratulations. It seems to take a day or so for anything to register with me.
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Post by dem bones on Oct 27, 2021 8:53:26 GMT
Rosemary Pardoe - The Angry Dead (Cathaven Press, Oct. 2021) Introduction The Gravedigger and Death Hold Fast Joan Annie's Ghost Margaret and Catharine Ne Resurgat The Blue Boar of Totenhoe The Chauffeur The Hatchment The Wandlebury Eyecatcher The Sheelagh-na-gig The Cambridge BeastBlurb: OCCULT DETECTIVE MAGAZINE AN ODM SPECIAL EDITION "I love the occult detective sub-genre of literary ghost stories a great deal, and none more so than the ghostly investigations of art restorer Jane Bradshawe!" - Jessica Amanda Salmonson
"All of the elements of literate, affectionate, and skilful pastiche are here: the country churches, the English lanes, the wood-carving and paint-work restoring heroine, the casual references to endearingly obscure historical volumes... The least of these stories pass in a pleasant dreamy haze... but several tales in The Angry Dead transcend homage and qualify as exceptional contemporary ghost stories in their own right." Thus wrote Glen Hirshberg of the original publication of The Angry Dead in 2001. The twelve stories included (eleven of them featuring church restorer Jane Bradshawe) were originally written and published in the 1980s, and have all been fully revised for this reprint. Interior illustrations by Autumn Barlow"All stories have been newly revised by the author, and with the exception of Joan, are original to this collection" — all the more reason for a revisit.
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Post by dem bones on Oct 28, 2021 18:08:32 GMT
Dave Carson, The Gravedigger and Death, Ghosts & Scholars #5, 1983) "My name is Jane Bradshawe and I'm a church restorer." The Gravedigger and Death: Miss Bradshawe travels to South Tilford on the marshes to clean two seventeenth century wall-paintings in St. Peter's church. The mural, depicting a terrified sexton cowering before a particularly horrible skeleton, is best left begrimed. Hold Fast: Miss Bradshawe's attempts to repair a rare surviving Commonwealth Shield in Marston Church are hindered by the ghost of a churchwarden loyal to the King. The story is inspired by a genuine Commonwealth Coat of Arms discovered in Ramsey Church, Essex. This is very, very rare - they were commanded to be removed from all churches at the Restoration (it survived because it was recycled - there is a Charles II Coat of arms on the other side!). Joan: A dilemma for the Rev. Jonathan Pride, newly arrived to St. Peter's, Norton Hills. The rectory is haunted by the cadaverous ghost of a young girl, benign in herself, but so vile to look upon as liable to cause someone a heart attack. Haunting dates from the aftermath of the civil war when a Royalist's widow and infant daughter were evicted by a Puritan rector and left dependent on the charity of now staunchly Parliamentarian neighbours. Annie's Ghost: "I must say you've moved into a nice area. It seems to come equipped with a resident senile streaker." In this new version, it is Jane's aunt, uncle and their teenage daughter move into a new house built on the site of the old Infield Manor. Before they can unpack, cousin Annie is made uncomfortably aware of a ragged, emaciated old man, all hairy and sallow, malingering by the garden fence where once stood an eighteenth century folly ...
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Post by dem bones on Oct 29, 2021 10:18:19 GMT
Wendy Wees, Margaret and Catherine, ( A Graven Image, 1985) Margaret and Catherine: Miss Bradshawe's work now takes her to Crossly Abbey, and a monument to Sir Henry Bisham(1539-1592), paragon of virtue, his wife, Joan, and three of their five daughters deep in prayer. How peculiar that the mason has depicted the smallest girl distracting the eldest from her devotions! Happily for us, a manuscript in the local library paints Sir Henry in a less favourable light than history has afforded him, setting us up for a grim ghost stories which may still have repercussions in the present day. Vies with the marvellous Ne Resurgat and The Gravedigger and Death for darkest of these Essex tales to date. The Blue Boar of Totenhoe: Miss Bradshawes repairs to the medieval church of All Saints, whose pulpit requires attention. The rectory unavailable, Jane takes a room at The Blue Boar. On learning her profession, cheery landlady, Mrs Miles, asks her opinion on the inn sign she found cast aside in the attic. The accomplished painting is that of a tramp while in the throes of delirium tremens. It could never be hung for fear of scaring away potential customers. Why, it is as if the boar, a ferocious, bloody toothed horror, is poised for attack .... Colin P. Langeveld, The Blue Boar of Totenhoe, ( The Angry Dead, 1986)
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Post by Michael Connolly on Oct 29, 2021 11:30:42 GMT
The cover of the 2000 edition of The Angry Dead also by Wendy Wees is worth a look.
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Post by ropardoe on Oct 29, 2021 13:45:58 GMT
Dave Carson, The Gravedigger and Death, Ghosts & Scholars #5, 1983) "My name is Jane Bradshawe and I'm a church restorer." The Gravedigger and Death: Miss Bradshawe travels to South Tilford on the marshes to clean two seventeenth century wall-paintings in St. Peter's church. The mural, depicting a terrified sexton cowering before a particularly horrible skeleton, is best left begrimed. Hold Fast: The story is inspired by a genuine Commonwealth Coat of Arms discovered in Ramsey Church, Essex. This is very, very rare - they were commanded to be removed from all churches at the Restoration (it survived because it was recycled - there is a Charles II Coat of arms on the other side!). Joan: A dilemma for the Rev. Jonathan Pride, newly arrived to St. Peter's, Norton Hills. The rectory is haunted by the cadaverous ghost of a young girl, benign in herself, but so vile to look upon as liable to cause someone a heart attack. Haunting dates from the aftermath of the civil war when a Royalist's widow and infant daughter were evicted by a Puritan rector and left dependent on the charity of now staunchly Parliamentarian neighbours. Annie's Story: "I must say you've moved into a nice area. It seems to come equipped with a resident senile streaker." In this new version, it is Jane's aunt, uncle and their teenage daughter move into a new house built on the site of the old Infield Manor. Before they can unpack, cousin Annie is made uncomfortably aware of a ragged, emaciated old man, all hairy and sallow, malingering by the garden fence where once stood an eighteenth century folly ... “Annie’s Ghost” not “Story”, but either way, I think it’s a better title as the original one rather gave the game away! Thanks Kev for this brilliant running write-up. Incidentally, Mark Valentine has given the book a great write-up on the Wormwoodiana blog, where he accuses me of murdering Mary Ann Allen. I’m saying nothing!
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Post by dem bones on Oct 29, 2021 15:10:51 GMT
“Annie’s Ghost” not “Story” .... Just as I was congratulating myself on noting 'Catharine' had become 'Catherine', too! Fixed it now. It's been a joy to revisit the stories, albeit in revised form. I'd not read The Blue Boar of Totenhoe in over two decades, forgotten all about it. Now it's a personal best-of-book contender.
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Post by dem bones on Oct 30, 2021 11:22:17 GMT
That really is the loveliest review by Mr. Valentine ( Wormwoodania: The Angry Dead). We can only share his disappointment at Miss Bradshawe's reluctance to share details of her further ghostly adventures. The Chauffeur: A shock change of scenery. Jane is holidaying in Cornwall at friends Edwin and Marion's swish Tudor manor, Courtham House. It's haunted, of course, but Mr. Watkins the chauffeur is without a malicious bone in what used to be his body. Not for the first - or last - time, Miss Bradshawe does a spectre a good turn. We learn in Ro's intro that the story is based on a genuine haunting. The Hatchment: Back on familiar territory. St. Thomas's Church, Little Wendens. A heraldic funeral ornament painted by Lady Charlotte Bidwell conceals a secret she is anxious to remain hidden. Jane, tasked with repairing the rotting canvas, again saves the day. Another ghost ghost with no ill intention ed, but her shrunken face could still give the unwary a horrible turn.
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Post by dem bones on Oct 31, 2021 14:15:47 GMT
Alan Hunter , The Cambridge Beast, Dark Dreams #6, 1988 The Wandlebury Eyecatcher: A gloom-laden folly, built in 1770 by Sir John Crawshay of the local manor house, who reputedly lost his soul in a wager with the Devil. Unlikely as this may sound, Miss Bradshawe is relieved to walk away from the faux ruin in one piece. The Sheelagh-na-gig: Jane takes her leave having witnessed uncanny transformation at Appleton parish church where a grotesque stone carving beneath the eaves is gradually beatifying. But is it black miracle or white? If the former, the implications for mankind are not comfortable to dwell upon. The Cambridge Beast: A thing of abomination stalks the roof of King's College Chapel, Cambridge. No Miss Bradshawe participation on this occasion. Account provided told by Penny Cole, a member of Cambridge Uni's first all-female night-climbing team. It's been a rare treat revisiting these stories ( Ne Resurgat set aside for tonight). The one shame is that we're unlikely to learn details of Miss Bradshawe's runs-ins with, say, the ghosts of William Corder, the Grey Nun of Borley Church, the White Lady of Upmister Golf Club and all those other great spooks provide Essex an acceptable face.
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