Book excerpt: First published in 1890, ‘The Middle Toe of the Right Foot’ is a classic ghost story from famous American author Ambrose Bierce. A gruesome and horrifying murder has taken place. Manton, the only one left alive, flees the scene, leaving the house empty and abandoned. When a group of young men stumble across the empty property many years later, strange and unexplainable things start to happen. A terrifying tale suitable for all horror lovers. Ambrose Bierce (1842 - 1914) was an American author, journalist, and poet, best known for his horror and fiction stories. Born in Ohio to a large family, Bierce left home at 15 to become a printer’s apprentice. Bierce saw action during the American Civil War, and his terrifying experiences were recounted in horrifying and realistic detail in many of his stories such as ‘An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge’ and ‘One of the Missing’. Bierce also become known for his ghost and psychological horror stories, as well as his poetry. One of his most famous works is ‘The Devil’s Dictionary’ which contained satirical definitions of English words. Bierce wrote a letter to a friend in 1913 stating ‘I leave here tomorrow for an unknown destination’ before mysteriously vanishing without a trace.