A man whose unbridled ambition and hidden crime have secured his position finds himself under relentless surveillance. The medieval carved beasts and grotesque figures adorning the cathedral's wooden choir stalls seem to come alive, their painted eyes and sculpted forms subtly watching, shifting, and judging his every move. The man's mounting paranoia gives way to a shocking, supernatural reckoning orchestrated by forces of judgment and tradition.
From the mind of M. R. James, the acknowledged master who redefined the ghost story for the 20th century and founded the 'antiquarian ghost story' genre, comes a chilling tale where the very art of a cathedral demands justice.
This story is a quintessential example of James' genius for building palpable creeping dread from art and architecture, making it essential reading for fans of classic ghost stories and supernatural fiction, and proving that sometimes, the most profound judgments are delivered by wood and stone.