‘… into this calm environment let the ominous thing put out its head, unobtrusively at first, and then more insistently, until it holds the stage.’

Often ranked as one of M.R. James’s most unnerving narratives, A Warning to the Curious is an ominous tale of the consequences of an enquiring mind.

First published in the literary journal, London Mercury, in 1925, A Warning to the Curious follows young antiquary and archaeologist Paxton, holidaying on the south-east coast of England. During his stay, Paxton hears of a peculiar legend: buried deep in the Suffolk soil lies a lost crown, protecting England from invasion and keeping the land safe from disorder. When Paxton learns that the last surviving member of the Ager family – the bloodline whose responsibility it was to guard the crown – had passed, the opportunity was too great to waste. With a burning curiosity to quench, Paxton manages to locate the crown and retrieve it from the earth. However, as Paxton quickly begins to realise, the cost of his actions prove chillingly devastating… Expertly narrated by Jonathan Keeble, this audiobook edition is a ghost story for the ages.

M.R. James (1862 – 1936) was an English scholar and author. He was provost of Kings College, Cambridge, and of Eton College. Widely known for his academic work in medieval studies, he was also admired for his ghost stories which remain largely influential on modern horror to this day.