Mystery
In many of the stories, the unknown is a motif. Frequently, the writers of ghost stories use the unknown in order to create an element of mystery and apprehension.
Imaginary friends
Imaginary friends occur frequently in these stories, and are often found in stories that feature children. This motif is seen most prominently in the story “Harry, in which the narrator’s daughter has an imaginary friend, which later turns out to be untrue in a shock twist.
Children
Children are a key motif in many of the stories in this collection. For example, "Harry," is about an adoptive daughter who starts speaking to an imaginary friend, while "Playmates," is about a young orphan who is adopted by an academic, who has her own imaginary friends who she refers to as playmates.
Hot, sunny days, dark shadows on grass, children with red hair, and the name "Harry."
In the opening to her story "Harry," Timperley's narrator expresses her seemingly irrational fears: "Such ordinary things make me afraid. Hot, sunny days, dark shadows on grass, children with red hair, and the name "Harry." At first, we are unsure why she is scared of these things, but later it is revealed that these things represent the loss of her daughter Christine. This phrase is repeated again at the very end of the story, emphasizing the significance of these symbols.
Postcards
In "W.S" by L.P Hartley, a writer called Walter Streeter is shocked to receive postcards signed by one of his fictional characters. For Streeters, these postcards represent the unthinkable and a seemingly supernatural presence in his life. Later, it is revealed that these postcards foreshadowed his death, making them representative of his demise.
