Montague Rhodes James (1 August 1862 – 12 June 1936), who used the publication name M. R. James, was an English author, medievalist scholar and provost of King's College, Cambridge (1905–18), and of Eton College (1918–36). Though James's work as a medievalist is still highly regarded, he is best remembered for his ghost stories, which are regarded as among the best in the genre. James redefined the ghost story for the new century by abandoning many of the formal Gothic clichés of his predecessors and using more realistic contemporary settings. “The Treasure of Abbot Thomas” is a Ghost story written by M.R. James. It was published in his book Ghost Stories of an Antiquary. The tale tells the story of Rev. Justin Somerton, a scholar of Medieval history, who tells a rector the tale of how, while searching an abbey library he found clues leading him to the hidden treasure of a disgraced abbot. Absolutely brilliant; the scene down the well is truly the stuff to keep you awake at night!
