Haunted Book Club with Gav Cross & John Reppion

Haunted Book Club 004 - Part 2 The Chat "Spinach" by E.F. Benson With Gav Cross & John Reppion

49 min · 31. mar. 2026
Billede af episoden Haunted Book Club 004 - Part 2 The Chat "Spinach" by E.F. Benson With Gav Cross & John Reppion

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The fourth Haunted Book Club and we threw ourselves into the horror horn stew and dumplings* that is ‘Spinach’ by E.F. Benson. It is fair to say from the gecko that both of us are fans of Benson. And hedging our bets it was an easy one to include him in our first run. Featuring recurring themes of cousins and the such like this seemed to be a favoured story. We aggregated the scores. Oh yeah. We scored it. Scare Factor: 1.5/10 - not generally seen as scary whatsoever! Creep Factor: 2/5 - it required a couple of readings in certain places for clarity and for some it just was not creepy at all. Satisfaction: 4/5 - we are not always going to agree and there was a wide range of responses for this one but overall probably not the book club’s favourite yet. You should have a listen and decide for yourself. You missed ‘The AfterLive’. The Substack exclusive and cut section of the HBC. You have to be here live to be part of that… The next Haunted Book is 9pm, Tuesday 14th of April. Man Sized in Marble by Edith Nesbit Our version of that will drop on your feed next week. Get listening or reading! April 6th: The Story - Man Sized in Marble by Edith Nesbit April 14th: Haunted Book Club - Man Sized in Marble by Edith Nesbit April 18th: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Norton Priory, Runcorn - The Curfew by Lucy M.Boston [https://nortonpriory.greatbritishevents.org/events/f75b3bc4-0469-46c7-b1a9-7ddc7a837909] May14th: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Portico Library, Manchester - The Old Nurse’s Tale by Elizabeth Gaskell [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/haunted-book-club-live-the-old-nurses-tale-tickets-1982503266638] May 22nd: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Blooming Skull Coffee, Bebington, Wirral - Link to follow Did you spot the Live LIVE? That’s right - you can sot with us in the same wonderful and atmospheric space that is Norton Priory or the Portico Library. We will still do the reading for you but you can join in live with like minded pals and us! Phew - that is a lot to take in. We know! Thank you again. Don’t turn around… (No, that still doesn’t feel quite right as a catchphrase either. We should workshop it). Now we have decided to continue with the haunted book club we need suggestions of stories and feedback. CLICK HERE! [https://forms.gle/dGfFZtYJzkK5CeBG7] Gav & John March 2026 * you will just have to listen for an explanation… Thank you Chris Williams [https://substack.com/profile/200929803-chris-williams], Josie Ray [https://substack.com/profile/96339265-josie-ray], Annie [https://substack.com/profile/13668610-annie], dean mcleod [https://substack.com/profile/109115009-dean-mcleod], and many others for tuning into my live video with John Reppion [https://substack.com/profile/20436514-john-reppion]! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gavcross.substack.com [https://gavcross.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

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14 episodes

episode The Haunted Book Club at the Wavertree Lock-Up with The Tower by Marghanita Laski artwork

The Haunted Book Club at the Wavertree Lock-Up with The Tower by Marghanita Laski

NOTE: at the beginning there is a technical blip where the camera we intended to use gave up the ghost… the ‘vision’ element disappears for a short while. So it was filmed on the backup laptop camera throughout. A reference and ready recording of a delightful evening! What a treat it was to be joined by Haunted Book Clubbers in person and online. But a special big thanks to Richard MacDonald the keeper of the keys. The Wavertree Lock-Up is an iconic heritage building in Liverpool that few people actually get access to. It is rare to host an actual event beyond an open day within this stoic building. We were joined by people who have been passing and meeting at the lock up for decades and we noticed how people would stop and look as the doors opened a local takeaway owner who had been in the area for a very long time had never seen inside and had to come over for a look. You can join the Wavertree Historical Society here for £5! [https://thewavertreesociety.uk/] A successful meet up and post performance debrief in The Coffee House pub aside, we had a fantastic evening. “Good story choice. It was fun getting together & chatting. Great reading Gav. Johns’ perspective is always great as he picks up on things I never would have noticed.” With an ancient dust tumbling off of the walls, Gav read the seemingly appropriate: The Tower by Marghanita Laski. John followed with his usual insights and fantastic understanding of this endlessly entertaining genre. And then we had what we have grown to love, delightful conversation with lovely people. Thoughtful, kind, funny and friendly. The more times we run these book clubs live the more we realise what smashing people we have supporting it. “Made it feel very welcome. Wonderful reading, nice group, great location.” Let us know what you think. Your comments help but are also lovely to get. Stick around for imminent updates of online book clubs. We have one more live confirmed gig on the 1st of August with Wyrd Wirral and we have several lover autumn life gigs bubbling under… Do you have an interesting space for a lovely group of people? A lovely group of people who would like a friendly chat about supernatural stories… Get in touch! Gav & John June 2026 “Great personal feel being able to discuss our thoughts.” Subscribe here to get updates, tell your friends, you can subscribe for audio only versions on all your podcast places or YouTube. And our socials are here: https://linktr.ee/haunted_bookclub [https://linktr.ee/haunted_bookclub] Thank you eejits [https://substack.com/profile/43705139-eejits], Rachael Prime [https://substack.com/profile/106115707-rachael-prime], Claire Faulkes [https://substack.com/profile/22081579-claire-faulkes], and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gavcross.substack.com [https://gavcross.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

17. juni 20261 h 3 min
episode Haunted Book Club 006 - Part 2 The Chat "The Red Room" by H.G. Wells With Gav Cross & John Reppion artwork

Haunted Book Club 006 - Part 2 The Chat "The Red Room" by H.G. Wells With Gav Cross & John Reppion

Scores are getting even higher as this turned out to be very popular Story. And for very good reason. We scored it: Scare Factor: 4/5 Creep Factor: 4/5 Satisfaction: 4/5 The fact that it is still vaguely unknown that she did baffles us. It is always a treat to come together on a Tuesday with the book clubbers and we can’t wait to bring the book club to life live at The Portico & Bloomimh Skull Coffee soon! Details here. [https://linktr.ee/haunted_bookclub] Tickets for the secret gig discussed in The conversation are available. If you want that link, send me a message! Tickets will be very limited and free! Plus, we announced an exclusive event for book clubbers only in June… Next week whilst John takes a bit of a pause to get on with some life Gav will be reading a story every Tuesday at 9 pm live… We are still looking for suggestions of stories to bring to the book club. You can add to that by clicking here. [https://forms.gle/n1JfYTLsfqqp8Ri16] Thank you for all the joining in, support, likes and shares. It really does help us! Gav Thank you Linnhe Harrison [https://substack.com/profile/128667519-linnhe-harrison], Jude Wilde [https://substack.com/profile/169764822-jude-wilde], Josie Ray [https://substack.com/profile/96339265-josie-ray], Annie [https://substack.com/profile/13668610-annie], and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. Thanks for reading Gav Cross: Storyteller! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gavcross.substack.com [https://gavcross.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

30. apr. 202639 min
episode Haunted Book Club 006 - Part 1 The Story - The Red Room by H.G. Wells artwork

Haunted Book Club 006 - Part 1 The Story - The Red Room by H.G. Wells

We are back on the Tuesday train. Tuesday 14th of April is when we will have the chat for the next haunted book club. And of course it is: The Red Room [https://www.gutenberg.org/files/23218/23218-h/23218-h.htm] by H.G. Wells [https://www.gutenberg.org/files/23218/23218-h/23218-h.htm] If you click the title above it will take you through to a free version online for you to read all of course course you can listen to Gav read it to you. Not just here but also on the podcast apps. A hugely popular story and the genre I bet it is in the collection you have. This version is from Gav's previous project where he read supernatural stories on a Monday evening and anybody who has come over from that knows that HG Wells is an obsession for him. See you at the end of this post for details… Don't forget, we are very soon to be live at The Portico Library: Coming up on Substack and beyond we have: May 14th: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Portico Library, Manchester - The Old Nurse’s Tale by Elizabeth Gaskell [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/haunted-book-club-live-the-old-nurses-tale-tickets-1982503266638] May 22nd: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Blooming Skull Coffee - Link to follow soon. Now we have decided to continue with the haunted book club we need suggestions of stories and feedback. CLICK HERE! [https://forms.gle/dGfFZtYJzkK5CeBG7] John Reppion [https://www.moorereppion.com/] & Gav Cross [https://linktr.ee/gavcross] April 2026 Find all the places we haunt here: https://linktr.ee/haunted_bookclub [https://linktr.ee/haunted_bookclub] Shairing this helps us bring our kinda wierdos to the Haunted Book Club! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gavcross.substack.com [https://gavcross.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

20. apr. 202627 min
episode Haunted Book Club 005 - Part 2 The Chat "Man Sized in Marble" by Edith Nesbit With Gav Cross & John Reppion artwork

Haunted Book Club 005 - Part 2 The Chat "Man Sized in Marble" by Edith Nesbit With Gav Cross & John Reppion

One of the highest rated of the stories so far. There there is a reason that Edith Nesbitt is so highly regarded as a writer of weird and supernatural fiction. We scored it: Scare Factor: 3/5 Creep Factor: 4/5 Satisfaction: 4/5 The fact that it is still vaguely unknown that she did baffles us. It is always a treat to come together on a Tuesday with the book clubbers and we can't wait to bring the book club to life live at Norton Prairie this weekend. Saturday, the 18th of April. Ticket Link [https://nortonpriory.greatbritishevents.org/events/f75b3bc4-0469-46c7-b1a9-7ddc7a837909] And then off to the Portico Library, Manchester. Details here. [https://linktr.ee/haunted_bookclub] Plus, we announced an exclusive event for book clubbers only in June… Next week will be: The Red Room by HG Wells Then we will pick a few for the next few weeks from the list we've been given. You can add to that by clicking here. [https://forms.gle/n1JfYTLsfqqp8Ri16] Thank you for all the joining in, support, likes and shares. It really does help us! Gav & John (Gav would like to apologise for the Gyles B themed contribution to the ‘After Live’… Thank you Chris Williams [https://substack.com/profile/200929803-chris-williams], Jude Wilde [https://substack.com/profile/169764822-jude-wilde], Josie Ray [https://substack.com/profile/96339265-josie-ray], and many others for tuning into my live video with John Reppion [https://substack.com/profile/20436514-john-reppion]! Join me for my next live video in the app. Thanks for reading Gav Cross: Storyteller! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gavcross.substack.com [https://gavcross.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

15. apr. 202653 min
episode Haunted Book Club 005 - Part 1 The Story - Man Sized in Marble by Edith Nesbit artwork

Haunted Book Club 005 - Part 1 The Story - Man Sized in Marble by Edith Nesbit

We are back on the Tuesday train. Tuesday 14th of April is when we will have the chat for the next haunted book club. And of course it is: Man Sized in Marble [https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0602511h.html] by [https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0602511h.html] Edith Nesbit [https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0602511h.html] If you click the title above it will take you through to a free version online for you to read all of course course you can listen to Gav read it to you. A hugely popular story and the genre I bet it is in the collection you have. This version is from Gav's previous project where he read supernatural stories on a Tuesday evening and anybody who has come over from that nose that he holds Edith in a special place for many reasons. Don't forget, we are very soon to be live at Norton Priory : Coming up on Substack and beyond we have: April 14th: Haunted Book Club - Man Sized in Marble by Edith Nesbit April 18th: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Norton Priory - Runcorn [https://nortonpriory.greatbritishevents.org/events/f75b3bc4-0469-46c7-b1a9-7ddc7a837909] May 14th: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Portico Library, Manchester - The Old Nurse’s Tale by Elizabeth Gaskell [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/haunted-book-club-live-the-old-nurses-tale-tickets-1982503266638] May 22nd: Haunted Book Club Live LIVE - Blooming Skull Coffee - Link to follow soon. Now we have decided to continue with the haunted book club we need suggestions of stories and feedback. CLICK HERE! [https://forms.gle/dGfFZtYJzkK5CeBG7] Gav & John April 2026 Find all the places we haunt here: https://linktr.ee/haunted_bookclub [https://linktr.ee/haunted_bookclub] Shairing this helps us bring our kinda wierdos to the Haunted Book Club! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gavcross.substack.com [https://gavcross.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

6. apr. 202648 min