A young woman accepts an invitation to meet her boyfriend's parents over dinner, unaware that one of the guests will attend from beyond the grave. A warm-hearted seamstress enjoys a glass of champagne with friends, until their happy chatter is silenced by the unmistakable crack of a gunshot. A cad's comeuppance is served in shades of pink.

Take a journey into the lives of Sophie, Mark, Joyce and the other characters who breathe life into Charleton House, a magnificent stately home set in the stunning Derbyshire hills. Share an old lady's nostalgia as she ventures down memory lane. Chuckle as a spectre from the past drops in to wreak a bit of festive mayhem. See if you can work out how an impossible crime was committed. Wonder at a haunting visit to a childhood home.

Whether they be ghostly or romantic, mysterious or festive, these charming, quirky and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny short stories will make the perfect cosy companion.