An Account of Some Strange Disturbances in Aungier Street

Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

Summary

"It was the face of a man who had died in a paroxysm of terror."

Two young medical students, seeking a quiet place to study, rent a massive, dilapidated old house in Dublin's Aungier Street. But the silence they seek is soon shattered by heavy, unseen footsteps, the scratching of a giant rat, and the terrifying apparition of a large man with a crimson velvet waistcoat. They soon discover the house's dark history: it was once the residence of a notorious "hanging judge" who took his own life within its walls. As the atmosphere grows increasingly oppressive, the students realize that the Judge's spirit is not merely wandering—it is actively seeking a new victim.

The Master of Atmospheric Dread: Le Fanu is a pioneer of psychological horror. In this story, he uses the "uncanny"—taking a familiar domestic space and making it feel wrong. The horror isn't just in the ghost itself, but in the growing sense of unease, the shadows that move on their own, and the feeling of being watched by something that "ought not to be there."

The Legacy of the "Hanging Judge": The figure of the Judge represents a common theme in Le Fanu's work: the past refusing to stay buried. The Judge's cruelty in life translates into a predatory supernatural presence in death. The story's climax is a masterclass in suspense, as one of the students finds himself paralyzed by the gaze of the long-dead jurist.

A Classic for Fans of the Macabre: Often cited as one of the greatest ghost stories ever written, this tale influenced a generation of horror writers, including M.R. James. It is a brief but unforgettable journey into the heart of a haunted city.

Open the door to Aungier Street. Purchase this classic of Gothic horror today.

Available since: 01/13/2026.

Print length: 102 pages.

Other books that might interest you

The Dream of a Ridiculous Man

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

While contemplating his life and deeming himself ridiculous, a man on the verge of suicide is interrupted by a young girl begging for his help. In his dark mood, he brushes her away, but when he returns home to commit the act he cannot move past his feelings of guilt over his treatment of the girl.

The Dream of a Ridiculous Man was adapted into a 1990 BBC production entitled The Dream, starring Jeremy Irons.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky was a Russian novelist, journalist, and short-story writer who had an immense influence on 20th-century fiction. He is commonly regarded as one of the finest novelists who ever lived, penning classics that include: Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, Demons, and The Brothers Karamazov. His ideas profoundly shaped literary modernism, existentialism, and various schools of psychology, theology, and literary criticism.

Show book

A Medical Crime - From their...

J Storer Clouston

The bookshelves of British literature are incredible collections that have gathered together centuries of very talented authors.  From these Isles their fame spread and whilst among their number many are now forgotten or neglected their talents endure.  Among them is J Storer Clouston.

Show book

The Complete Works of Lewis Carroll

Lewis Carroll

Step Into a World Where Logic Meets Pure Imagination.

While his most famous characters are known by millions, the full scope of Lewis Carroll's genius is a vast landscape of wit, satire, and mathematical play. This comprehensive collection brings together the entire literary output of the man who redefined storytelling, proving that nonsense is often the highest form of wisdom.

This collection explores the diverse pillars of his imagination:

The Pioneer of Literary Nonsense: Experience the groundbreaking stories that abandoned the moralizing of the Victorian era in favor of pure, unchecked wonder and linguistic play.

The Master of Verse: From epic satirical poems to short, playful rhymes, explore the rhythmic brilliance and invented languages that influenced generations of poets.

The Mathematical Mind: As a professional logician, Carroll infused his fiction with riddles, paradoxes, and games that continue to challenge and delight the intellect.

The Victorian Satirist: Discover the sharp social commentary hidden beneath the whimsy, offering a unique window into the eccentricities of his time.

Lewis Carroll's work remains a cornerstone of human creativity, appealing to the curious child and the philosophical adult alike. Whether you are navigating a world of riddles or getting lost in a dreamscape of talking creatures, this volume is an essential treasury for any library of classic literature and imaginative fiction.

Don't just scratch the surface of the looking glass. Buy the "Complete Works" today and own the entire horizon of Carroll's genius.

Show book

The Marvelous Land of Oz

L. Frank Baum

Return to the enchanting world of Oz in L. Frank Baum’s "The Marvelous Land of Oz." Follow Tip, a spirited young boy, as he escapes from the clutches of the wicked witch Mombi with his magical creations—a wooden man named Jack Pumpkinhead and the animated Saw-Horse. Alongside familiar friends like the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, Tip encounters new adventures and uncovers surprising secrets. Brimming with whimsy and wonder, this timeless tale celebrates courage, friendship, and self-discovery.

Show book

Midsummer Night's Dream A -...

William Shakespeare

The play is set in Athens and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict among four Athenian lovers.

Show book

Stephen Leacock - A Short Story...

Anonymous

Stephen P H Butler Leacock FRSC was born on 30th December 1869 in Swanmore, near Southampton, England, the third of eleven children.
The family emigrated to Canada in 1876, settling on a 100-acre farm in Sutton, Ontario. There he was home-schooled until, funded by his grandfather, he was enrolled into the elite Upper Canada College in Toronto. Academically he was very strong and thence proceeded on to the University of Toronto to study languages and literature. After completing two years of study in only one, he was obliged to leave because his alcoholic father had abandoned the family and finances could not stretch to cover his education. Leacock now enrolled in a 3 month course to become a qualified high school teacher and thereby gain a regular income. For the next decade he worked at Upper Canada College.
His passion was economics and political theory and in 1899 he became a postgraduate student at the University of Chicago and earned his PhD. In 1906, he wrote ‘Elements of Political Science’, quickly adopted as a standard academic textbook for the next two decades and his most profitable book.
Although he had already published several humorous pieces it was only in 1910 that these works were collected and published and turned him into a commercially successful writer. Volume after volume now appeared almost annually and it was often said that more people had heard of him than of Canada.
Politically he was a social conservative. He opposed women’s right to vote and was a champion of Empire but also an advocate of social welfare legislation and wealth redistribution, but often caused friction with his racist views.
Stephen Leacock died on 28th March 1944 of throat cancer in Toronto, Canada. He was 74.

Show book