The Ash Tree  By  cover art

The Ash Tree

By: M. R. James
Narrated by: David Suchet

Publisher's summary

The tale of a man who unwittingly angers a sorcerer, who is assumed by some Monty scholars to be based on the self-styled 'Great Beast,' occultist Aleister Crowley.

Montague Rhodes James was a noted British mediaeval scholar and provost of King's College, Cambridge (1905–1918) and of Eton College (1918–1936). He is best remembered for his ghost stories which are widely regarded as among the finest in English literature.

One of James's most important achievements was to redefine the ghost story for the new century by dispensing with many of the formal Gothic trappings of his predecessors, and replacing them with more realistic contemporary settings.

'Montague Rhodes James has an intelligent and scientific knowledge of human nerves and feelings; and knows just how to apportion statement, imagery, and subtle suggestions in order to secure the best results with his readers.' HP Lovecraft.

Actor David Suchet is best known for his definitive portrayal of Hercule Poirot, the Belgian detective created by the legendary mystery author Agatha Christie, in a number of international television productions. He narrates his story in Poirot and Me.

©1904 M. R. James (P)2013 Audible Ltd

What listeners say about The Ash Tree

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Very good

Interesting story. the narrator is very good as well, he had the perfect voice for it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Masterfully written

Short story written by one of the masters!
I’ve always enjoyed M.R. James and his craft for writing books in a Victorian style.
These treasured authors of old are invaluable.
The story is interesting, and the performance was excellent.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Another spooky treatise from the master

I'm a huge fan of M.R. James, and enjoy hearing various interpretations of his work.
David Suchet is a wonderful actor and does a credible job with this creepy story.
Take a risk.. tune in and feel the chills.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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A Great Classic Ghost Story

I love Suchet’s work as Poirot, but this was the first time I’d heard him narrate literature. Spectacular performance, as expected. This was also my first taste of M.R. James. I liked this story and will read more.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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The spooky tree

Old time scary story that is very short but has a big impact. Enjoyable story

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Superbly Narrated Spooky Tale

This is one of my favorite MR James stories. The Ash Tree is a classic tale of horror. This edition is superbly narrated by David Suchet. He only narrated a few of James’ tales, but this was one and a treat for the ears is indeed. I wish he’d done all of them. He and Derek Jacobi’s readings are superb.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful performance.

The narrator was superb as always.
MR James never fails to create a captivating story.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Old school story about witches

This was an old school story about witches. Nice basic short story. I'm not sure I would really consider it a mystery / thriller though.

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Chills on Chills! So visual!

Wow! I am such a fan of M. R .James now. You can almost see the authors who took inspiration from him. What is better than a creepy tree, mysterious deaths, witches and catching movement out of the corner of your eye? For such a short story, this felt like it was three times as long. Time seemed to slow in the creepy parts, which is most of it. The narration is wonderful and fits this story perfectly! I have listened to three of these stories now ( and this will not by last) they feel like the twilight zones, the good ones! A+

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