The Ghost at Massingham Mansions | A Max Carrados story by Ernest Bramah | A Bitesized Audiobook
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- Опубликовано: 20 авг 2021
- Flat No.11 Massingham Mansions is vacant and locked up: yet each night gaslight is seen at the window and the bath is heard running, even though both gas and water are disconnected. Could it be the restless spirit of a former tenant who died in the bathroom some years earlier? Max Carrados, the blind detective, has one particular advantage over the other people who have investigated the affair: he's not afraid of the dark...
A new, original recording of a classic public domain text, read and performed by Simon Stanhope for Bitesized Audio.
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Ernest Bramah (1868-1942) was born Ernest Bramah Smith, probably in or near Manchester, where he attended grammar school. An intensely private man, very little information is known about his personal life. His early career included a stint as assistant to Jerome K. Jerome; his first success as a writer came as a contributor of humorous sketches somewhat in the manner of Jerome, to newspapers and periodicals, and he later became editor of one of Jerome's magazines. As an author he is best remembered for creating two characters: Kai Lung, a Chinese storyteller who appeared in a number of humorous stories from 1900; and Max Carrados, the blind detective, created in 1913. He also wrote science fiction, and his 1907 novel 'What Might Have Been' (also known as 'The Secret of the League') is a dystopian story which was acknowledged by George Orwell as a major influence on his own 'Nineteen Eighty-four'. Orwell was also a great admirer of the Max Carrados stories, bracketing them with Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes and Freeman's Dr Thorndyke as "the only detective stories since Poe that are worth re-reading". The character of Carrados appeared in more than 25 short stories and novels between 1913 and 1934, and by the 1920s was more popular than Sherlock Holmes (whose later cases appeared alongside Carrados in The Strand Magazine). His blindness proves no obstacle to his detective skills; indeed his other senses are heightened and he regularly outwits criminals and fellow detectives alike.
The first known publication of 'The Ghost at Massingham Mansions' came in 'The Eyes of Max Carrados', a 1923 collection of short stories. Most of the stories in that volume had appeared in 'The News of the World' in 1913, but I've not been able to find any evidence whether this story had previously had a newspaper publication. As a result the exact date of composition is uncertain.
Recording © Bitesized Audio 2021. 
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Thanks for listening.
Simon Stanhope (narrator)
👍👍👍👍👍
Most enjoyable tale to listen to, lying on the sofa, with just table light on & a mug of coffee, quite relaxing with the addition of your dulcet tone, thank you for another enjoyable & not heard before gem of past literature
That sounds very cosy, glad you enjoyed it Irena
@@BitesizedAudio It was cosy even when the dog, ( all 90lbs/45kg of him), decided to lie his head across my feet & drop off to sleep, he does that quite often when I listen to you, I think your voice lulls him to Dreamland ( unless he's quietly listening in & enjoying the narrative ?? ) because he never snores as when I tune in elsewhere
Good idea but skip the coffee and head straight to wine 🍷 haha
@@hedylogospothos9206 Wine I think.is to be enjoyed, when in the company of friend's, & not drunk when alone, just my preference but I hope you enjoyed a glass
@@hedylogospothos9206 Assam tea. Winston smoke swirling in the dark with 2 candles and hubby asleep in the next room. Just you and me. 📻 m
Now I'm sleepy and I could be wrong but 9 minutes in and it seems like they are talking to the super because a ghost keeps turning on the lights in am unoccupied apartment and running up the gas bill! More real estate horror! I love it!
Hello Simon! Old fan here 😊 Thank you for your brilliant work. I save all of these for bedtime, the soothing quality of your voice cannot be overstated.
Why thank you Felene. Sleep well!
Indeed. I always have to actually listen to the story the next morning 😅
Confession: I let you talk me to sleep. After my nap, I rewind and actually listen to the story. Delightful. 💛
This was another good one Simon. I love when there's lots of different characters. Your changes in tones and accents are flawless. Cheers!😊
Thank you Shannon. Yes, I enjoy the ones with a few different characters.... up to a point, after which it gets a bit confusing to read!
@@BitesizedAudio 😆oh lol! I understand. But you make it sound so effortless.😊
Flawless
I love the Max Carrados stories, and your reading does them justice! Please may we look forward to the rest of the series?!
Thank you Steff. Yes indeed, I'd like to read more... maybe all of them eventually. The later stories are still under copyright in the US for another few years unfortunately so I can't do them for RUclips, but I'll work my way through the public domain ones first and then maybe by then I'll be able to do the later ones!
An hour and ten minutes bathed in your dulcet tones. I am refreshed. What a marvel you are, Simon. Always a pleasure. And I am reminded of the old adage - "Save water - bath with a friend". ❤
Is that you by any chance Mr L? I don't think I've seen this moniker before... If so, I hope you received my reply to your message the other day (my email is a bit erratic sometimes). Glad to know you enjoyed the story!
@@BitesizedAudio It is, Mr S. Thank 'ee for your mail and will reply asap. I've been formatting my book for publication this weekend and I'm no tech head! But no pain, no...😊😊
I love that this author became so successful even though he wasn’t very educated and at one point was even more popular than Sherlock Holmes! That’s another thing I love about this channel is the background information! This channel is nothing if not thorough and very professional and I love the story! I love the premise of a blind detective!🦋
Thank you Maria. Funnily enough I've just been reading some more Max Carrados and hope to record a new story in the next few weeks. I hope you got my reply to your message earlier? Some comments don't seem to be getting through for some unknown reason
Yes! I was hoping it was going to be a long one! Time flies when listening to your readings at night, absolutely enjoy them. Thanks my dude
You're most welcome, thanks Bruce!
Dear Mr Stanhope: a most pleasant accompaniment to an evening, a hitherto unknown (to me) writer, well read and a pleasure to listen to.
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks Mick
I’ve never been on YT when a story from you was put up.
And an excellent-sounding one at that!
Perfect timing! Thanks Chris, hope you enjoy it
Yay love your stories
Thanks so much
You're a gem
Glad you like them, thank you for your kind comments
This story looks especially intriguing. Thank you so much for all the work you put into recording these stories for us. You are SO appreciated !
Thanks BlueFriend, very kind of you. I remember you mentioned you prefer the mystery/detective stories to the ghost ones - and this is a sort-of hybrid of both! Hope you enjoyed
@@BitesizedAudio Yes, it was a great story, thank you. I also loved that it was an hour long.... I know its more work for you but more pleasure for us. There's just something about your voice, your narration that is so nice to fall asleep with :-))
Thank you for introducing me to the worlds of Ernest Bramah and Max Carados.
You're most welcome, glad to know you enjoy them. Lots more to come!
What a wonderful story can’t wait to hear the end.I really like all your videos.have good and blessed day.😉👩🏻🦱
Thank you! You too!
What a treat, to listen to a good story while working on my current jigsaw puzzle. Another good one, Simon!
Excellent, thanks GradKat. I hope the picture comes together!
Love these stories!! Thank you so much!
You're most welcome Gina, thanks so much for listening and taking the time to comment. Many more stories still to come I hope...
Thank you, Simon and friends.
I really cant listen today so, poor me, I have to wait until tomorrow.
So good of you to grace us with a most spactaclur voice weekly. I can't thank you enuff.
You're welcome Page Burner, hope you're riding out the storm OK...
@@BitesizedAudio I got her by the ears and a saddle on her back. lol
Doing great thanks for asking hope all is well
Thank you for another great story. I usually listen when I go to bed so I have listened, sort of, to this one at least twenty times. I would be determined to hear the whole thing then the next thing I know I am waking up in the morning... You do such a marvelous job narrating. I was so happy today to finally know what happened. I listened to it with a cup of coffee sitting up straight in the living room. Thanks again.
You are a wonderful reader and I am thoroughly enjoying your audiobooks. Thank you so much.
Thank you! Very kind of you to say so, glad to know you're enjoying them. More to come...
I can hardly believe I’ve been at work so much that 4 days have elapsed before I was able to listen; you are so wonderful mrStanhope and I am thankful as always for you readings🙏🏾😃
So glad you enjoyed it SholaB52, thank you for your lovely comment!
I just read the description, and am utterly amazed that I'd never heard of this author or the character, Max Carrados. Thank you for my introduction into this character. I shall certainly seek out more Max Carrados; I'll also seek out the Dr. Thorndyke stories. I've listened to all the Sherlock Holmes stories.
I was also elated to read that Bramah was an assistant to another of my favorite late-19th/early-20th century authors: Jerome K. Jerome. What I've listened to so far left me ROFLMAO.
Thank you again.
I love the ghost stories. Please keep playing. We are enjoying it.
I'll do my best! Thanks @ABDULLAH37917
Lovely! Just starting a bit of weekend work. Thanks so much for the entertainment!!!
You're welcome! Thanks Eliza
Always outstanding, Simon; thank you for all your hard work!
And thank you for your kind and supportive comments, greatly appreciated, and glad to know you enjoyed it
Another brilliant story, so well read. I am hooked on these. Thank You everytime.
Great dry sense of humor on this one. 👏 Great read, Simon! Thanks!
Thank you, Simon! As ever, excellent, story and your marvellous narration - a much needed restorative tonic in the current lockdowns here in Australia !
Thank you for the coffee, much appreciated. I hope the lockdown doesn't last too much longer!
Great something to listen to Sunday morning, will post what I think about this one after hearing it.
I am here from HorrorBabble and am so very happy with their recommendation! Excellently done- thanks so much for these tales! 🙏🖤
Welcome to the channel! I didn't know that HorrorBabble had recommended me, how very kind of them. Glad you're enjoying the stories, thanks for listening and taking the time to comment, much appreciated.
Thank you! 💕
Carrados I love the blind detective you are an excellent reader thank you
Thanks for listening Kim, appreciate your comments
Nice easy and relaxing to listen to. Thankyou for the upload, Gillx
Have really enjoyed these very early ghost stories. so love the narration.!
Shoot! Missed the Live show... forgot I had to turn off my notifications setting for a while. Next time, for sure.
Yes, the notifications get a bit overwhelming sometimes I think! Thanks Charlie
Love the ghost stories, they are my favorite. . Look forward to them. Thank you!
Another marvellous tale, loved Mr Trigott! Always something to look forward to and ease lockdown and jogging, one can lose one’s self in Simon’s wonderfully masterful, forthright and interesting voice 👍😉🍷💕
@The Last Sausage Very kind of you to say so, thank you! Yes I liked that character too, great fun to read
As enjoyable as the first Bramah tale 👏👏
Thank you. More to come from this author/character in the months ahead, I hope
Intriguing and entertaining, this story, Simon. And, as always, beautifully read! That Carrados is remarkable, isn’t he! (Kindest regards and best wishes from your cousins from across the pond - including your charming young, and sometimes mischievous, namesake!) PS -Misplaced my debit card, had to order another! 🙀 Will update my membership status ASAP!)
He is indeed a great character, I think he's probably my personal favourite of the "rivals of Sherlock Holmes", certainly one of the best drawn with a group of friends and colleagues comparable to Dr Watson, Mrs Hudson, Lestrade and so on. Thanks so much for your support as a channel member Rachel, I really appreciate it. There seem to have been some problems recently with my membership posts not being seen by members... do let me know if you're able to see them in the future!
Bitesized Audio Classics Thank you, Simon. 💕👍
Fabulous stories, fabulous narrator, fabulous new writers and detectives I’ve never come across before thank you so much 😊
Many thanks Mr Stanhope for selecting the choicest of stories and narrating the same in impeccable manner. Superb storytelling!
Warm regards.
Thank you @krishna sen, very kind of you to say. Thanks for listening!
Well - thank you for introducing me to a wonderful new detective! Must get some of Mr Bramah's books for myself - but I will be reading them with your voice in my ear!!!
Nice one love the pictures too
Thanks Johnny. I can't quite put my finger on why, but I do think there's something particularly spooky about an old abandoned bathtub/bathroom... perhaps it's the image of accumulated grime of neglect or disuse as opposed to the shiny clean tiles etc that we'd expect (or hope for!)
@@BitesizedAudio hahahaha yea
Thank you. I only have a slight knowledge of these characters, but they were conveyed well both in writing and acting. Nice to hear something from the early days of detective fiction.
Thanks for listening Bilinda, and for your kind feedback. Best wishes
A solid 70 minutes of good entertainment. Thank you Simon
You're most welcome. Thanks Snippy
Simon I love and appreciate what you do for us!
Most stories come from an upper class perspective, are there many that you’ve found written from a working class narrative?
That's a very interesting point, thank you. Yes, I suppose it's partly to do with the backgrounds of the authors themselves and the audience they were appealing to in the contemporary periodicals... but yes, even many authors who rose from relatively humble beginnings frequently chose to write as you say from a middle or upper class perspective. To answer your question, the first name that springs to mind would probably be Arthur Morrison (whose 'The Thing in the Upper Room' is on the channel) who made his name writing realistically about working class life in Victorian and Edwardian London. Amongst other things, Morrison created two different detective "rivals to Sherlock Holmes", Martin Hewitt and Horace Dorrington, the latter in particular a very original creation. I've not done any of those for the channel yet, but have them in mind! There's also H. G. Wells... I'd certainly like to read more of his tales. Thanks for your comment, appreciated
@B.Quinton +B.A.C. In this tale the attitude is loud and clear. When discussing anything to do with the 'lower orders' generally and the second detective specifically. It is what it is,of its era and I wouldn't change a word of it !
Also, I'm a H.G.Wells lover, I will listen to anything he's written, he's varied when it comes to science fiction and fantasy. Two spring straight to mind, they're 'The green door' and 'The magic toy shop' . Possibly both on B.A.C. ? If not, I think they are, then G.W. must have done then on Magpie, definitely one of the two, maybe even both .
I woke up late today with this one playing, I did miss the introductory chapters 🤷♂️ . I was going to turn it off because I have to be in a particularly receptive mood for 👻 stories,as soon as I realised it was Max my ears pricked up and I pay attention Lol love his stories.
Thx again I have no clue at this moment how many titles went unnoticed by me during my sleep. I forgot to turn auto play off I don't mind especially if it helps the channel.
🙏🤩🕊️🤍
Early morning but just now going to bed listening to my favorite channel...thank you for being here for me!!
Why, thank you Elizabeth, you're very kind! Best wishes
Elegant, amusing. Thank you!
Oh, that was good. Thankyou very much, enjoyed listening to it.
Bit of a strange one that was and will need to listen to again later on. Indeed a good story which got my day off to a good start. 👍
It's a quirky one I think, perhaps bearing more than one listen! Thanks Space Hound
Love the Max Carrados stories. Thank you!
What an amazing voice! Thanks for this, fantastic listening whilst in bed.
Love it, love it, rather ridiculous but I love it. Thank you Simon and RUclips.
Appreciated, thanks Greg!
" rather ridiculous " is understatement !! " Preposterous " would be more accurate. I don't mind suspending my disbelief but
there are limits. This is complete tosh - albeit of the most refined variety !
Just one more story before bed. Just one, I promise. Really. One....
Just brilliant...thank you
Very fine tale, many thanks xx
It's a fun one, isn't it? Thanks Lynda
Very clever and nicely done. ❤
I really enjoy your stories. Thank you.
You are a master storyteller, sir! 💕
Very kind of you to say, thank you Jen!
Alright y’all, Simon is on all of our favorites for listening when we go to bed. Tell me if I’m wrong. And you know it’s our travel stories when we aren’t listening to music. California to Arizona, USA.
I luv yr voice so much ....it gives me so much comfort...thank you 👍🤗
Ahh! A ghost story. My favourite. Thank you 😊
Thank you💐💐💐
Beautifully read, many thanks
Thank you Elizabeth, glad you enjoyed it
Love... Thank you!
Surely there are more than a few max carrados stories. I must do some searching. Thank you sir, for this fabulous reading 💕.
Hello Judi, yes indeed there are many Carrados stories. So far I've only read a couple for this channel but I'm planning another one very shortly, and have several more in the pipeline for later in the year. Some of the later stories aren't in the public domain yet due to US copyright complications but perhaps I'll be able to record them all eventually...
I'm here because Carrados the blind detective was mentioned in the Dead Boy Detectives show. Edwin, a ghost of a boy who died in 1916, reads from the beginning of this story for a short time.
I was curious because i had never heard of Carrados before.
Great video
Thanks once more!
Such a fun story with an unexpected ending. It left me chuckling and looking for another story.
Wonderful, glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for listening
14:09
2am here and I'm hysterically laughing, at the description of the man running down the dark hallway frantically 😆😆😆😆. Talking about breaking records for the fastest to go down 12 flights of stairs 6 at a time 🤣🤣🤣🤣. That the hall was black as hell!!
Very enjoyable thank you
Much better than the television. We only have the T. V as my husband likes the football.
I love the narrative voice . Too good .
Thank you!
Re~listen on this hot July 17th 2022 day ...*TY Simon*
Well now that I've finished it 🤣🤣 I never could have guessed how that one was going to turn out!
Obfuscation. I’m going to be using that word and every second sentence that comes out of my mouth starting today.
It's a pleasing word, isn't it? A good word to discombobulate your interlocutors!
@@BitesizedAudio ThatgoRobertmeearly is the opposite of discombobulate.
One thing I always liked about the old mystery novels (who-done-its) and in this case this ghost story, is Ernest Bramah's incorporating arcane knowledge into the story, in the form of the chemical element called *platinum black.* I had never heard of it before, so I had to google.
There's nothing in Bramah's short biography that accompanies the description box that indicates he had a background in chemistry. But his treatment of the gas pipeline with the element was quite sophisticated, I thought.
Yes indeed, an interesting point - as I noted in the description, Bramah was intensely private and despite his considerable success as an author he allowed virtually no details of his private life to enter the public domain, so as a result his biography is fairly sketchy and we don't know very much about his education or background...
@@BitesizedAudio --
I wonder if *Bramah* is his real last name. Very close spelling to *Brahmin* in Hinduism. But I guess this had already occurred to you I suppose.
_The Brahmin specialised as intellectuals, kings, priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari), teachers (acharya or guru), ayurvedic physicians and protectors of sacred learning across generations._ -- wiki
And it is not unknown that people of this class (and other classes) are often drawn to secret societies, for instance, where arcana knowledge is passed down. There obviously had to be some reason why he was so scrupulous that little information was given out about his private life.
Esoteric magicians also change their names and take on magical nams.. I have come across two -- one is *Christopher Warnock* who runs the Renaissance Astrology website. He also has a very impressive background, and who, I believe, also traveled to India, if I'm not mistaken. The other is a RUclipsr in the US, who says he was a Satanist, but now is a Libertarian. He took on the last name of *Warwick.*
Great story Mr. Peabody!
Stanhope is an excellent voice actor.
This one was completely bonkers !
It is a bit, but I rather like it!
Ohhhh, please do the whole series!!
That might take a while, but I'll do my best. I've several more from this character/author in the pipeline... Thank you Evelan
I wish there were people called Ernest now.
I'm sure there are some... Although I must admit, I don't know any personally. Surely the name is due a revival in popularity!
Another enjoyable Max Carrados outing. He’s turning into a favorite of mine; much less annoying than that Holmes fellow! 😉.
I love the stories you narrate, Simon.
Isn't this a second or third story featuring Caradoss? I have heard these names, his and Carlisle's, before, I think. I lobe them either way.
Thanks Patricia. Yes, I've done three from this series so far (the others are The Coin of Dionysius and The Tragedy at Brookbend Cottage), and in fact have another one in the pipeline which I hope to upload in the next couple of weeks. Glad to know you enjoy them
Hello there, as a real life Massingham its fair to say I'm enjoying this story.
Excellent, delighted to know that Mr M
This one is a fun one!
Great story! Generally I prefer "real" ghosts but this writer's ingenuity delivered where many paranormal writers fail to do so.
Today, as I am listening on bank holiday, you are reading perfectly as always as I decorate the spare room 😁
Thanks Andy! A very worthwhile occupation, hope it goes well!
Thank you, Simon, a bit of a rush as the new carpet and fitter arrive Tuesday and all the paint must be dry by then - your narration of these excellent tales are like a friend beside me as I work 😊
Thank you! ❤
Some really subtle humour in this one!
Thank you! 😊
Loved it
Thanks for listening!
Thank you
Fabulous
Love Simon Stanhope's voice.
Thank you Emily, appreciated!
Very enjoyable once more. I noticed the use of derogatory reference to servants“slavies“? Did I hear that right? How horrendously elitist
Thanks AOB. You did hear right, I had the same reaction, "slavey" is indeed the term... I looked it up, and I think actually it may not have been intended to be quite so derogatory as it sounds to us nowadays. It was apparently used to describe female servants, in particular housemaids, who were overworked by their employers, so may even have been intended sympathetically at the time, odd though that sounds. My dictionary describes the term as "dated slang"....
When Simon says anything , take heed and listen.
Quite so! Thanks @billybatchelor28