Daniel McGachey

Montague Rhodes James in contemplative mood.

Detail of the manuscript showing MRJ's working of the cryptic latin inscription

Coming soon: 'The Haunted Archive - The Annotated Ghost Story Manuscripts of M.R. James'.

Beautiful facsimile autograph manuscript editions of MRJ's ghost stories, annotated by leading Jamesian scholars.

Volume 1: 'Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad' coming to Kickstarter soon...

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Love Death Line. It's grim, yes, but with a nice line in black humour courtesy of Donald Pleasence's copper and with a superb cameo by a bowler-hatted Christopher Lee representing 'the Establishment' allowing for a bit of satire.

YouTube video by valpy Kenneth Williams - The Marrow Song (Oh! What a Beauty!)

On what would have been the great Kenneth Williams' 100th birthday, a lugubrious ditty, and no messing about! www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyTP...

YouTube video by bmoviereviews Return of Captain Invincible - Bullshit song

Suddenly put in mind of 'The Return of Captain Invincible'. If only politicians were still as eloquent... www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8Eq...

The Black Fox: A Novel of the Eighteen-Seventies Available now for pre-order. Please note that all orders will be despatched after the publication date.  Two small green-silver spots, almost like small fragments of reflected moonlight, shone up at t...

Described in Ro Pardoe's 'James Gang' list in 'Meddling With Ghosts' as a 'superb Jamesian novel of the 'Stalls of Barchester Cathedral' type.' shop.bl.uk/products/the...

According to Harry Alan Towers, Kinski turned down the role, saying, 'I'm not doing a fucking Dracula movie.' So they gave him his script pages with a different title attached. Then, as he was chewing the scenery, he suddenly stopped and said, 'Why do I feel like I'm in a fucking Dracula movie?'

With this, Detectorists, and his version of Worzel Gummidge, he's shown a wonderful knack of quietly reminding you of the decency in people when everything else in the media seems to be focussed on telling you the worst.

UK paperback cover for The Final Problem by Arturo Perez-Reverte, showing the main character, Ormond Basil, who bears a close resemblance to Basil Rathbone, whose shadow takes on the silhouette of Sherlock Holmes.

Copy purchased this morning, so thanks for the heads up on this one. I love the paperback cover.

And that's straight onto the reading pile.

Finished watching Small Prophets last night, and I'm firmly of the opinion that Mackenzie Crook is a modern day alchemist himself.

SINGULARITY –A Horror/Sci-Fi Anthology- Issue 2 A gritty, unnerving horror/sci-fi comic anthology packed with body horror, biotech nightmares, revenge noir, and futuristic weirdness

I just backed SINGULARITY –A Horror/Sci-Fi Anthology- Issue 2 on @kickstarter.com www.kickstarter.com/projects/vhs...

One year ago. #thesignalman

Hope you enjoy. Currently working on my offering for this Hallowe'en's set of issues, with some thoughts for something ghostly for Christmas, too...

Eille Norwood as Sherlock Holmes

Venturing out shortly into the blustery weather for an appointment with Mr Sherlock Holmes on the silent silver screen.

Also bought another copy of Susan Hill's original novel, this time with beautiful and atmospheric illustrations by Nick Tankard. nicktankard.co.uk

Following Saturday's revisit to The Woman in Black on stage, I'm having a mini-WiB marathon. Rewatched the Hammer film & relistened to the serialised radio adaptation. Hammer sequel next to see if it's improved with age, & the second radio adaptation, culminating with the mighty 1989 TV version.

A brilliant tribute to a brilliant screen presence. The line, 'a lady who asks for little and gets it,' could have been spoken by Groucho.

Opening title caption for the 1966-71 supernatural soap opera 'Dark Shadows'.

Just slightly over 5 months till Dark Shadows reaches its 60th anniversary. I'm clinging to the hope that there'll be an announcement from @bigfinish.bsky.social before then.

Theatrical programme for The Woman in Black and souvenir keyring in the shape of a train ticket to Crythin Gifford.

Lost track of the number of times I've seen The Woman in Black on stage, but the play never loses its power to enchant and ensnare (despite the best efforts of the sweet wrapper rustling, mobile phone screen flashing element of the audience) and exercise the imagination.

SIR SHERLOCK - The Red Letter Day The beginning of a brand-new, full-cast audio series and novellas, starring Tom Baker MBE and John Leeson as Holmes and Watson.

Tom Baker returns to Baker Street? How wonderfully irregular! www.kickstarter.com/projects/152...

Publicity shot of Barry Bostwick, Nell Campbell, and Patricia Quinn against a fishnet background.

Ticket booked to see Barry Bostwick, (Little) Nell Campbell, and Patricia Quinn when the Rocky Horror Picture Show 50th Anniversary Tour climaxes(!) in Edinburgh in May! "Well... how nice!"

Yes, it's at the Theatre Royal all this week.

I'm hoping there will be future tours. I never got to see it in London, but saw it once in Llandudno while on a visit there, and several times in Glasgow, so much closer to home. And I'll happily see it several more times.

An illustration in the style of a sepia photograph. Between two stone gateposts is a desolate graveyard. There is sea, and beyond it, land but the landscape is very flat. A tall woman dressed in late Victorian mourning is stood amongst the graves, looking spooky and mardy.

Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black, revisited. Faffing about with portfolio work.

Marvellous and atmospheric. I'm seeing the play again on Saturday and looking forward to it enormously. A great favourite.

THHHUUUUNKKKK!!!

Not a chance. What an embarrassing decision to relive for the rest of eternity when you came back as a ghost trapped in a recurring cycle of your last moments alive!

Or for chopping up cabbages that have REALLY pissed you off. That's one very angry coleslaw to dish out.

On a big yellow sticker with stern red writing on the packaging.

I would think the very moment you consider ordering a guillotine you should at least have an inkling you may regret the purchase!