"The Story of the 'House in Bell's Wynd' is almost tremendous in its gathering climax, the breathless terror evolved by the main leading feature not in any degree suffering from the quieter termination of the narrative. The other stories are of a startling order, and, for the fireside, with the muttering winds and the falling snows without, we do not know of a more fascinating volume."--_Weekly Dispatch._ "Mr Leighton has a power of vivid description, and an art of interpolating mysterious thoughts and reflections, which makes him unrivalled in the recital of a tale of mystery or murder; and in certain portions, where the awful story arrives at its climax, he seems to revel in his description of the details."--_Glasgow Herald._ "Mr Leighton is one of the best story-tellers of our time. He puts in his shadows so very deep and dark as sometimes to make the feeling of horror, although romantic, too intense to be agreeable; but he never fails strongly to interest one, which is the sure test of success in this sort of writing."--_Dundee Advertiser._