Montague Rhodes James (1862-1936), who wrote as M. R. James, was an English author, medieval scholar, and provost of King's College, Cambridge, and of Eton College. He is best known for his outstanding ghost stories. James reinvented the ghost story for the modern audience by moving away from Gothic elements and using realistic contemporary settings. His protagonists and plots often reflected his own antiquarian interests. Accordingly he is known as the originator of the "antiquarian ghost story".

This collection features the following works:
- Count Magnus
- The Diary of Mr. Poynter
- The Haunted Dolls' House
- Rats
- Wailing Well