Published: Jan. 03, 2010
Words: 2811 (approximate)
Language: English

Ebook description

A short story about an old house in Japan, its history, and how what has gone before in the house has affected the people who live there now.

Tags

japan, house, ghost, ghost story, ghostly encounters, kamakura

Available ebook reading formats

This book is free.

Format	Full Book
Online Reading (HTML, good for sampling in web browser)	View
Online Reading (JavaScript, experimental, buggy)	View
Kindle (.mobi for Kindle devices and Kindle apps)	Download
Epub (Apple iPad/iBooks, Nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, and most e-reading apps including Stanza, Aldiko, Adobe Digital Editions, others)	Download
PDF (good for reading on PC, or for home printing)	Download
RTF (readable on most word processors)	Download
LRF (Use only for older model Sony Readers that don't support .epub)	Download
Palm Doc (PDB) (for Palm reading devices)	Download

Reviews

Log-in to write a Review   Log-in to add a Video Review

Review by: Nicole Storey on Nov. 08, 2011 :
“Keiko’s House” is a short story that is very special because many events in the story actually happened. It is a beautiful tale that speaks of honor, love, and respect for a couple that happened to care for a young naval officer that was billeted on their family. I can honestly say that normally, I don’t care for short stories. They are usually too short to be interesting and I can’t connect to the characters and the plots are not developed enough to hold my attention. However, lately I have read some very interesting short stories but none of them grabbed and held me like “Keiko’s House”.

I fell in love with the two characters in this tale; the old man and the middle-aged Keiko. Both had characteristics that were individual and strong, and I felt like I was there with them in the tale. I felt that each word they spoke was carefully chosen to immerse the reader in the story and make them feel what the author was trying to convey. It probably took me five minutes to read the story, but they were the best five minutes I have spent in a long time.

My only problem with “Keiko’s House” was that it ended too soon! I would love so much for Mr. Ashton to take this wonderful tale that is based on real events and turn it into a novel. I would like to read about when the young naval officer was billeted to the couple and how they reacted to him then. What events transpired during that time that eventually led to the old man coming back to the house? What kindness did the couple show to him that made the officer feel so much love and respect for them? These are questions that only Mr. Ashton can answer…and I sincerely hope he does.

I would recommend this story to anyone who has ever looked at their grandparents and wondered about events that may have happened to them in their youth. It made me think of my own grandparents who lived in a time that is almost forgotten now; forgotten by everyone but them. It also reminded me that people may do and say things that seem curious to us (such as the way Keiko’s father acted before he died), but there may be something, some event in their past, that compels them to act this way. I believe Keiko learned this lesson from the old man and much more.

Thank you, Hugh, for sharing this story with me. You have a Best Seller on your hands and I can’t wait to see which direction you decide to take with this story!
(review of free book)

Review by: Julia Crane on June 03, 2011 :
I really enjoyed this short story especially the ending. Amazing you could get so many emotions in so few words. Beautiful work.
(review of free book)

Review by: izzy on Nov. 03, 2010 :
Lovely short story
(review of free book)

Review by: donald takeshita-guy on Jan. 05, 2010 : (no rating)
Neat story. Makes me want to go to Japan and take a look at the house. Looking forward to reading Hugh's length novel Beneath Gray Skies.
(review of free book)

Reason for report:
— Select a reason — Book is or contains spam Book infringes copyright Same content is published elsewhere with different author (for ex., by private-label rights) Duplicate Incomplete work (such as sample or serial) Should be marked adults-only Category is inappropriate Poorly formatted Nudity or other inappropriate content on cover Nudity or other inappropriate visual content in book Inappropriate erotica content Cover image is improper Content is inappropriate Other violation of Terms of Service Other reason not shown above.

Additional details: