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Dark Encounters

Dark Encounters

£5.99

A chilling, atmospheric collection of classic Scottish ghost stories — elegantly crafted, deeply unsettling and steeped in historic authenticity.

William Croft Dickinson’s masterful tales of the uncanny bring Scotland’s brooding landscapes, dark folklore and spectral legends vividly to life.


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About the Ebook

Dark Encounters is a spine‑tingling collection of ghost stories set against the haunting landscapes of Scotland. Written with elegance, precision and a historian’s eye for detail, William Croft Dickinson blends the supernatural with real events, objects and figures from Scottish history.

These stories range from the quietly uncanny to the deeply disturbing: a cursed manuscript that strangles its readers, the murderous spectre of a long‑dead baron, and eerie presences that linger in ancient houses, lonely glens and forgotten ruins.

For readers drawn to the unnerving, the unknown and the unexplainable, this collection offers a masterclass in atmospheric storytelling — the kind that raises the hairs on the back of your neck.

This edition also includes a rare final tale, ‘The MacGregor Skull’, posthumously published in The Scotsman in 1963.


Critical Praise

"Tales of suspense for the twilight hour… a crucial addition to the distinguished canon of Scottish ghost stories."


Why You'll Love This Ebook

  • Classic ghost stories written with elegance, atmosphere and historical depth.
  • Authentically Scottish settings rooted in real events, places and folklore.
  • Perfect for fans of the uncanny, the gothic and the quietly terrifying.
  • A rare final story included in this edition, completing Dickinson’s ghostly legacy.
  • A Polygon classic from Birlinn’s celebrated fiction list.

About the Author

William Croft Dickinson, CBE (1897–1963), was a distinguished historian and a leading authority on early modern Scotland. Alongside his academic work, he wrote both children’s fiction and adult ghost stories, earning a reputation for blending scholarly insight with atmospheric, unsettling storytelling.


Publication Details

Publisher: Birlinn Ltd

Imprint: Polygon

Publication Date: 31 October 2017

Print Length: 224 pages

ISBN (Ebook): 9780857909503

Format: Ebook

Language: English

Categories: Short Stories / Fiction


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