# Help ID this horror story **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 16, 2010, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-horror-story/536300 "2010-04-16T03:53:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-horror-story/536300/1 "2010-04-16T03:53:51Z")
My brother was visiting last night, and reminded me of a book that we had when we were kids (so probably 25+ years ago). It was a collection of short stories, which I think were all “ghost” stories. He remembers it as having a silver cover. The story that stuck in both of our minds was one about a crystal bell that could bring someone back from the dead - but a living person had to die in their place. It ended with the bell being shattered when someone rang it, and the ringer having a shard of crystal that pierced his heart. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-horror-story/536300/2 "2010-04-16T04:01:31Z")
Sounds like the story you’re thinking of is “The Rose-Crystal Bell” in \*[Ghosts and More Ghosts](http://www.amazon.com/Ghosts-More-Robert-Arthur/dp/0394811925)\*by Robert Arthur. ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-horror-story/536300/3 "2010-04-16T04:29:09Z")
That was fast! Thank you, I think you’re probably right. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-horror-story/536300/4 "2010-04-16T13:08:08Z")
I asked the same question here a few years ago! I too got a quick answer and ran out to buy the book. The story I always remembered most was the one where a radio show host handcuffed himself to a bed in an abandoned house in the middle of the night to help him give atmosphere to the story he was telling about the swamp monster. There’s a lot of good stories in there. Actually, one funny thing about this book is that I don’t recall there being any stories in it which involve ghosts!