Books 2015 - Readers in Peril Challenge 3 - The Ghosts of Motley Hall by Richard Carpenter

[byslantedlight]

No one lives in the empty old mansion any more, but Motley Hall is still home to a thriving community of ghosts, who are more than a match for any psychic investigators or building speculators who come nosing around. Another hilarious comedy by the author of Catweazle.

I first read The Ghosts of Motley Hall when I was Quite Young, having borrowed it from the library, and I was desperate to see the tv series, because the book made me giggle and I liked the ghosts, and I liked Catweazle and Richard Carpenter's work in general, and it wasn't fair that I lived in Australia and the tv series was only on in England.

Since when I grew up, and only remembered the book in passing, and then barely at all. Only in the meantime I also moved to England, and YouTube was invented. *g* I can't remember where I came across a copy of the book again, but it's been sitting on my shelves for a while now, and of course it's perfect for the RIP challenge, and I remembered YouTube! And sure enough someone has posted episodes, and I have fulfilled another childhood dream - and watched something for Peril the Screen. *g*

The Ghosts of Motley Hall are Bodkin (Elizabethan), Matt the stable boy (Georgian), Fanny (Regency-ish), Sir George (Victorian) and the White Lady (mysterious), all attached to the Uproar family of Motley Hall. You might get an idea of the gentle humour involved when I tell you that Sir George was General Uproar, and that of course there's been an Uproar at Motley Hall for centuries... *g*

I enjoyed re-reading the book, which is various stories of things that the ghosts have to cope with, a wee smile on my face occasionally, but to be honest I wasn't expecting much of the tv series, because it was a children's programme to start with, it's quite old now, and let's be honest, I'm even older, but actually I've watched the first four episodes, and I think I've actually giggled at least once in every single one. There's the kind of Christmas-cracker joke that you laugh and groan at, but there's also some proper witty moments, and it's all good fun. There's even the odd surprising moment - I've not come across it in the eps yet, but I was amused to read the White Lady protesting I always come quietly... *vbg* And I did like the one where the villains were storing stolen tvs in Motley Hall, and the ghosts had to find out what they were - they'd never seen television before, and if you've never seen ghosts watching a yoga exercise programme... *vbg*

The poor old ghosts are dead, and there's a lovely bit of melancholy to them when think about it, but they seem to rub along pretty well together, and I'm rather glad they were there for my RIP challenge this year. If you've not seen the series, I'd recommend it, in a gentle 1970s type humour type way. Definitely. *g* Here, have a look...

Peril the First: Read four books, any length, that you feel fit (the very broad definitions) of R.I.P. literature. It could be King or Conan Doyle, Penny or Poe, Chandler or Collins, Lovecraft or Leroux… or anyone in between.
1. Night of the Living Deed by E.J. Copperman
2. Bedlam by Ally Kennan
3. The Ghosts of Motley Hall by Richard Carpenter


Peril On the Screen: This is for those of us that like to watch suitably scary, eerie, mysterious gothic fare during this time of year. It may be something on the small screen or large. It might be a television show, like Dark Shadows or Midsomer Murders, or your favorite film.
1. The Ghosts of Motley Hall (Granada Television, 1976-78)