The inquisitive Mr Wraxhall discovers that a long-dead Swedish nobleman does not lie easy in his tomb.

Mark Gatiss writes and directs his fourth festive ghost story based on the works of M R James (after The Tractate Middoth, Martin’s Close and The Mezzotint) and while it’s undeniably effective, there’s no great surprises.

One of James’ most famous ghost stories is A Warning to the Curious, the title of which is a common theme to his work – namely, don’t poke around in dangerous matters, as no good will come of it. Travelogue writer Mr Wraxhall (a fruity Jason Watkins) is travelling around Europe, when he visits the home of Froken de la Gardi (MyAnna Buring) and discovers the legend of fearsome Count Magnus.

Magnus was an explorer who discovered the secrets of eternal life, chronicling the expedition of the Holy Land in the Book of the Black Pilgrimage. Wraxhall is continually warned to steer clear of Magnus, but in an act of arrogance and obsession he just won’t let things go, until it’s too late. It’s a creepy little tale, and this is a solid adaptation of James’ short story of the same name included in his 1904 collection Ghost Story of an Antiquary, but there’s an inevitability to it that pays off exactly as you expect.

Verdict: A welcome addition to the A Ghost Story for Christmas thread that sits nearly alongside its forebears without being particularly memorable. 7/10

Nick Joy