The Signalman

By Charles Dickens,

Book cover of The Signalman: A Ghost Story for Christmas

Book description

"This book is amazing." Halloween might seem like the spookiest time of year, but Charles Dickens felt otherwise. He was among the many authors who set their scariest stories during the dim and shivering days of--yes, Christmas. First published in 1866 for a special yuletide issue of All the Year…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Why read it?

1 author picked The Signalman as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This short story reminds me of a disused railway line that my siblings and I took to be a playground when we lived in a small village in North Wales. All that remained of the route was the track ballast. The route was some two miles long and at one point cut into the hillside before entering a long dark tunnel. It was easy to imagine a steam train from bygone years appearing in the mouth of the tunnel, much as the engine that brought the doom of the signalman in Dickens’s tale. 

Want books like The Signalman?

Our community of 10,000+ authors has personally recommended 96 books like The Signalman.

Browse books like The Signalman

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in ghost story, Christmas, and presidential biography?

10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about ghost story, Christmas, and presidential biography.

Ghost Story Explore 149 books about ghost story
Christmas Explore 240 books about Christmas
Presidential Biography Explore 18 books about presidential biography