Product Description
Carmilla is the book that set the text for Dracula, that threw the light on our morbid fascination with the vampire legend. This is Carmilla, J. Sheridan LeFanu's classic novel of blood, terror -- and a love that dare not speak its name. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Little-known gem of vampiria
Pre-dating Bram Stoker's Dracula, this charmingly accessible vampire novel is perhaps a bit more subtle than modern novels but daring nonetheless, especially in the lesbian overtones that one might read as a cautionary message to young women of the era tempted to explore forbidden sensual impulses. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
Carmilla is a Gothic novella by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. First published in 1872, it tells the story of a young woman's susceptibility to the attentions of a female vampire named Carmilla. Carmilla predates Bram Stoker's Dracula by 25 years. Carmilla, the title character, is the original prototype for a legion of female and lesbian vampires. Though Le Fanu portrays his vampire's sexuality with the circumspection that one would expect for his time, it is evident that lesbian attraction is the main dynamic between Carmilla and the narrator of the story. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Love will have its sacrifices. No sacrifice without blood
The vampire has always been used to convey sexuality -- and one of the earliest ones, the title character of "Carmilla," is no exception. Years before Bram Stoker ever dreamed of Dracula. Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu wove together a luscious, haunting gothic mystery that centers around a lovely, immortal young woman with a taste for blood.

When a mysterious carriage crashes at their schloss, Laura's father offers to take care of a young lady named Carmilla, who has been stunned by the collision. Laura herself is struck by how similar the girl looks to a strange figure that visited her as a child -- and Carmilla claims that they've had some sort of mutual vision of one another.

Even more striking, Carmilla immediately becomes VERY attached to Laura ("You are mine, you shall be mine, you and I are one for ever"), and Laura is strangely entranced by Carmilla's speech.

As the days go by, Laura is increasingly bespelled by Carmilla, despite the young woman's strange behavior (and her weird resemblance to an ancient painting in the schloss, of a woman named Mircalla -- get it?), and is becoming increasingly ill and nervous. But when they visit an old friend, he reveals the shocking truth about Carmilla's true nature... and what she will do to Laura.

"Carmilla" is a true gothic novel in the best sense of the word -- a lushly-written little novella filled with ruined palaces, abandoned villages, moonlight and blood. And Le Fanu injects a not-so-subtle lesbian subtext into the story, since Carmilla seems to be as infatuated with Laura as she is hungry for her blood. Lots of kisses, adoring speeches, and Carmilla constantly creeping into Laura's bedroom.

And Le Fanu's writing is utterly exquisite. He swathes this eerie little story in a ghostly wrap of lush writing ("Over the sward and low grounds a thin film of mist was stealing like smoke, marking the distances with a transparent veil") and some deeply creepy moments, such as Laura waking to see Carmilla covered in blood.

Le Fanu also sketches out his characters quickly and effectively, despite the novella's brevity. Laura is a sweet ordinary girl who seems both weirded out and entranced by Carmilla, and Carmilla herself is a larger-than-life character -- sensual, obsessive, vibrantly erotic and extremely creepy, except when she goes off on crazy rants about how much she hates hymns and funerals.

Stoker brought the vampire into the limelight, but "Carmilla" seductively introduced the vampire's eerie allure long before that. Luscious and eerie. ... Read more

Product Description
The sixth volume of an eight book collection from 'the grandfather of the ghost story'

Whilst many highly regarded writers have created collections of strange and supernatural fiction and several other authors are now primarily known for their literary efforts within this genre, the author of this large collection surely stands alone. Not only is his body of supernatural and gothic fiction extremely substantial, he wrote ghost and horror fiction if not exclusively then certainly as the subject matter of the overwhelming majority of his considerable literary output. His authorship of novels and stories of the other worldly began from the first part of the nineteenth century making him one of the earliest specialist exponents of the genre in the 'modern' period. He is widely regarded as a master of his craft, and it is certain that once he had set out to create a thrill or chill in the minds of his reader one was sure to follow! J. Sheridan Le Fanu was without doubt the premier writer of ghostly fiction during the Victorian age and his influence on the genre can be seen in the work of his peers and those who followed after. An Irishman, in 1861 Le Fanu became the editor of the 'Dublin University Magazine' and this gave his fiction ready access to the public. 'The House by the Churchyard' and 'Wylder's Hand' were originally published in the magazine. This special Leonaur edition of Le Fanu's weird and supernatural fiction runs to 8 substantial volumes and is possibly the most comprehensive collection of his work yet assembled. It includes his highly regarded novels and a plethora of shorter works designed to provoke fear and horror among his dedicated aficionados.
The long novel Checkmate and the short stories The Fortunes of Sir Robert Ardagh; The Child That Went With the Fairies; What Was It?; Ultor De Lacy: a Legend of Cappercullen; Fireside Horrors For Christmas and The Questioning of Paddy Mullowney's Ghost.
All volumes are available in softcover and hardcover with dust jacket for collectors. Leonaur hardcovers feature real cloth bindings, gold foil lettering on their spines and head and tail bands. ... Read more

Product Description
The first volume of an eight book collection from 'the grandfather of the ghost story'

Whilst many highly regarded writers have created collections of strange and supernatural fiction and several other authors are now primarily known for their literary efforts within this genre, the author of this large collection surely stands alone. Not only is his body of supernatural and gothic fiction extremely substantial, he wrote ghost and horror fiction if not exclusively then certainly as the subject matter of the overwhelming majority of his considerable literary output. His authorship of novels and stories of the other worldly began from the first part of the nineteenth century making him one of the earliest specialist exponents of the genre in the 'modern' period. He is widely regarded as a master of his craft, and it is certain that once he had set out to create a thrill or chill in the minds of his reader one was sure to follow! J. Sheridan Le Fanu was without doubt the premier writer of ghostly fiction during the Victorian age and his influence on the genre can be seen in the work of his peers and those who followed after. An Irishman, in 1861 Le Fanu became the editor of the 'Dublin University Magazine' and this gave his fiction ready access to the public. 'The House by the Churchyard' and 'Wylder's Hand' were originally published in the magazine. This special Leonaur edition of Le Fanu's weird and supernatural fiction runs to 8 substantial volumes and is possibly the most comprehensive collection of his work yet assembled. It includes his highly regarded novels and a plethora of shorter works designed to provoke fear and horror among his dedicated aficionados.
This volume contains the novels The Haunted Baronet and The Evil Guest, the novella Carmilla, a novelette A Chapter in the History of a Tyrone Family and ten short stories: A Debt of Honour; An Account of Some Strange Disturbances in Aungier Street; An Adventure of Hardress Fitzgerald, a Royalist Captain; An Authentic Narrative of a Haunted House; Billy Malowney's Taste of Love and Glory; Borrhomeo the Astrologer; Catherine's Quest; Devereux's Dream; Doctor Feversham's Story and The little Red Man.
All volumes are available in softcover and hardcover with dust jacket for collectors. Leonaur hardcovers feature real cloth bindings, gold foil lettering on their spines and head and tail bands. ... Read more

Product Description
From "Green Tea":

"The evil spirits associated with man are, indeed from the hells, but when with man they are not then in hell, but are taken out thence. The place where they then are, is in the midst between heaven and hell, and is called the world of spirits -- when the evil spirits who are with man, are in that world, they are not in any infernal torment, but in every thought and affection of man, and so, in all that the man himself enjoys. But when they are remitted into their hell, they return to their former state. . . ."

"If evil spirits could perceive that they were associated with man, and yet that they were spirits separate from him, and if they could flow in into the things of his body, they would attempt by a thousand means to destroy him; for they hate man with a deadly hatred. . . ."

"Knowing, therefore, that I was a man in the body, they were continually striving to destroy me, not as to the body only, but especially as to the soul; for to destroy any man or spirit is the very delight of the life of all who are in hell; but I have been continually protected by the Lord. Hence it appears how dangerous it is for man to be in a living consort with spirits, unless he be in the good of faith. . . ."

"Nothing is more carefully guarded from the knowledge of associate spirits than their being thus conjoint with a man, for if they knew it they would speak to him, with the intention to destroy him. . . ."

*

Also included in this volume are "Mr. Justice Harbottle," "Madam Crowl's Ghost," and "The Dead Sexton." ... Read more

Product Description
Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (1814-1873) was an Irish writer of Gothic tales and mystery novels. He was the premier ghost story writer of the nineteenth century and had a seminal influence on the development of this genre in the Victorian era. Le Fanu studied law at Trinity College in Dublin. He soon abandoned law for journalism. In 1838 he began contributing stories to the Dublin University Magazine. He became owner of several newspapers from 1840, including the Dublin Evening Mail and the Warder. Le Fanu worked in many genres but remains best known for his mystery and horror fiction. He was a meticulous craftsman, with a penchant for frequently reworking plots and ideas from his earlier writing in subsequent pieces of writing. He specialised in tone and effect rather than "shock horror", often following a mystery format. Key to his style was the avoidance of overt supernatural effects. Among his famous works are: The House by the Church-Yard (1863), Uncle Silas (1864), Carmilla (1872), The Purcell Papers (1880), and The Evil Guest (1895). ... Read more

Product Description
The second volume of an eight book collection from 'the grandfather of the ghost story'

Whilst many highly regarded writers have created collections of strange and supernatural fiction and several other authors are now primarily known for their literary efforts within this genre, the author of this large collection surely stands alone. Not only is his body of supernatural and gothic fiction extremely substantial, he wrote ghost and horror fiction if not exclusively then certainly as the subject matter of the overwhelming majority of his considerable literary output. His authorship of novels and stories of the other worldly began from the first part of the nineteenth century making him one of the earliest specialist exponents of the genre in the 'modern' period. He is widely regarded as a master of his craft, and it is certain that once he had set out to create a thrill or chill in the minds of his reader one was sure to follow! J. Sheridan Le Fanu was without doubt the premier writer of ghostly fiction during the Victorian age and his influence on the genre can be seen in the work of his peers and those who followed after. An Irishman, in 1861 Le Fanu became the editor of the 'Dublin University Magazine' and this gave his fiction ready access to the public. 'The House by the Churchyard' and 'Wylder's Hand' were originally published in the magazine. This special Leonaur edition of Le Fanu's weird and supernatural fiction runs to 8 substantial volumes and is possibly the most comprehensive collection of his work yet assembled. It includes his highly regarded novels and a plethora of shorter works designed to provoke fear and horror among his dedicated aficionados.
This volume contains the novel Uncle Silas, the novelette Green Tea and five short stories: Ghost Stories of Chapelizod; Ghost Stories of the Tiled House; Haunted; Jim Sulivan's Adventures in the Great Snow and Laura Silver Bell.
All volumes are available in softcover and hardcover with dust jacket for collectors. Leonaur hardcovers feature real cloth bindings, gold foil lettering on their spines and head and tail bands. ... Read more

Product Description
The vampire novella "Carmilla" set in Austria is one of Le Fanu's best tales and greatly influenced Bram Stocker, who published Dracula 25 years later. This is definitively a great book and a must for the lovers of horror tales. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

the female dracula...except she came first!
Carmilla, told in diary format, is the story of a beautiful woman that comes to live with a family and of course there's a lot more to her than meets the eye.She gets up rather late, never eats, has strange outburst of temper, and of course strange things begin to happen.You guessed it, young women in the area are dying after short bouts of mysterious illnesses and our even intrepid narrator is plagued by strange dreams, or are they?
If this sounds a lot like Dracula, you're right, except Carmilla was written well before Dracula and Stoker credited the book as influencing his.Lucy, Mina and even VanHelsing are all previewed here, even the diary story telling style!
The best parts of the story are the recounting of the daily life withthe slow revelation of the strange happenings in the area.I love the vampire living among us, and we don't realize the evil that lurks..has some applications for today, no doubt.
Overall a quick read, barely 100 pages, and very interesting.Well worth it, especially if like me you're a great fan of Stoker's Dracula.

"I saw Carmilla standing...in one great stain of blood."
Even though author Joseph Sheridan Le Fenu is an esteemed Irish writer of the 19th century, I began this book with trepidation. I'm so accustomed to the dramatic, graphic, face-paced writing of the 20th century that I had my mind set against reading anything too lyrical, flowery or poetic. Certainly I expected to be entertained by any vampire tale, but never expected to be captivated...

How wrong I was! I was not only captivated, I was enchanted...as though Carmilla had placed a spell on me as she had on the main character Laura. (I shudder at the thought...)

Carmilla lures the sweet, innocent young girl with fancy speeches, kisses and loving endearments, but there are enough eerie, creepy scenes to please any lover of good horror. The interaction of Laura and the extremely sensual Carmilla is the main focus of this book, but it's left to an old family friend, General Spielsdorf, to expose Carmilla and effect a satisfactory outcome.

Le Fanu's prose is lush and haunting; subtle in places, emboldened in others. From Laura's first sight of the beautiful vampire Carmilla to her last--when she sees her true, bloodthirsty nature--I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

It's a pity that this book never received the acclaim of Bram Stoker's "Dracula," especially since Stoker was strongly influenced by "Carmilla," writing his own vampire story twenty-five years later. But as in life, timing is everything, so therein possibly lies the answer.

At any rate, it is one of Le Fanu's best stories, a great book that should be in the library of everyone who loves horror. I truly enjoyed the short time I spent with the well-crafted Laura and Carmilla. Excellent writing...

Reviewed by Betty Dravis, July 4, 2010
Author of "Dream Reachers" (with Chase Von) and other books

Love will have its sacrifices. No sacrifice without blood
The vampire has always been used to convey sexuality -- and one of the earliest ones, the title character of "Carmilla," is no exception. Years before Bram Stoker ever dreamed of Dracula. Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu wove together a luscious, haunting gothic mystery that centers around a lovely, immortal young woman with a taste for blood.

When a mysterious carriage crashes at their schloss, Laura's father offers to take care of a young lady named Carmilla, who has been stunned by the collision. Laura herself is struck by how similar the girl looks to a strange figure that visited her as a child -- and Carmilla claims that they've had some sort of mutual vision of one another.

Even more striking, Carmilla immediately becomes VERY attached to Laura ("You are mine, you shall be mine, you and I are one for ever"), and Laura is strangely entranced by Carmilla's speech.

As the days go by, Laura is increasingly bespelled by Carmilla, despite the young woman's strange behavior (and her weird resemblance to an ancient painting in the schloss, of a woman named Mircalla -- get it?), and is becoming increasingly ill and nervous. But when they visit an old friend, he reveals the shocking truth about Carmilla's true nature... and what she will do to Laura.

"Carmilla" is a true gothic novel in the best sense of the word -- a lushly-written little novella filled with ruined palaces, abandoned villages, moonlight and blood. And Le Fanu injects a not-so-subtle lesbian subtext into the story, since Carmilla seems to be as infatuated with Laura as she is hungry for her blood. Lots of kisses, adoring speeches, and Carmilla constantly creeping into Laura's bedroom.

And Le Fanu's writing is utterly exquisite. He swathes this eerie little story in a ghostly wrap of lush writing ("Over the sward and low grounds a thin film of mist was stealing like smoke, marking the distances with a transparent veil") and some deeply creepy moments, such as Laura waking to see Carmilla covered in blood.

Le Fanu also sketches out his characters quickly and effectively, despite the novella's brevity. Laura is a sweet ordinary girl who seems both weirded out and entranced by Carmilla, and Carmilla herself is a larger-than-life character -- sensual, obsessive, vibrantly erotic and extremely creepy, except when she goes off on crazy rants about how much she hates hymns and funerals.

Stoker brought the vampire into the limelight, but "Carmilla" seductively introduced the vampire's eerie allure long before that. Luscious and eerie.

Amazing classic sadly overlooked
If you're lucky enough to know nothing about this story, then don't read any descriptions about it! Instead, get your hands on a copy ASAP and read it without any foreknowledge. I knew what the story was about before reading it, and I consider that a spoiler on par with knowing Jekel is turning into Hyde before reading and discovering this in the way the author intended. The story was still very enjoyable, I think I would have enjoyed it even more had the suspense and mystery not already been spoiled for me. Reading Carmilla I can now see where another, far more famous, classic author drew inspiration. The subtly, creeping horror of this book is deliciously spooky. Highly recommended.

One of the definitive works of vampire fiction.
"I live in your warm life and you shall die -die, sweetly die- into mine."


Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's "Carmilla" is among the greatest and most influential horror stories ever told.It's a wonder that it hasn't received the mainstream acclaim and notoriety of Bram Stoker's masterpiece Dracula.The tale of a female vampire insinuating herself into a family's midst as a welcomed guest while preying upon their daughter is as timeless as any.I know what you're thinking: she's just a female version of Dracula, right?Well here's the thing about that: Carmilla was published in 1872 and predated her much more famous brother in undeath by a good 25 years. Stoker himself acknowledged the story as a primary influence on his work.So it is Dracula who owes his very existence to the queen vamp.And to this day, the novella remains a compelling read with it's deliberate pacing, first-person narration (also not unlike "Dracula"), and creative subtle horror.

One of my favorite aspects of vampire mythology is the predator who walks among us and feeds upon us in our sleep.Carmilla is the best example of this.The character devises a strategy which allows her to enter the homes of well-to-do families as an invited and welcomed guest due to circumstances which appear to be beyond her control.Using her wit beauty and charm, she becomes as a member of the family and is able to cover her tracks by playing the weak and helpless frightened little girl with odd habits which are easy to overlook. Then she slowly drains her victim night after night, savoring each feeding as one would a sexual affair while supplementing her appetite with the blood of village girls before resting in her grave and returning to her locked room before anyone is aware she has gone.Carmilla's apparent passion for her preferred victims is More then a little lesbian in it's insinuations.She intentionally seeks out beautiful young girls like her and throws herself into a deep and intimate friendship with an intensity that often alarms the object of her affection.While there is no blatant sexual inference made by the author, the innuendo is unmistakable.After all, these sorts of vampire stories are often meant to be somewhat sensual in nature and for their time were about as close as one could get to sexualized material.It's hard to picture somebody wrapping their mouth around your neck without feeling a little twinge of something at the thought.And with two women (or men) involved it's downright scandalous.

While female vampires are typically portrayed as oversexed and domineering, Carmilla stands out as a character whose greatest strength is as an active and vivacious conversationalist and a very girlish intelligent but creature capable of thinking on her feet and beating her prey to the punch.In one rather impressive passage Carmilla is greeted by a girl whom she visited and attempted to prey upon as a young child, she very quickly realizes the danger of recognition and turns the subject around by claiming happily that she once had a dream as a young girl where the same situation unfolded.This places the pressure on the victim, makes the predator seem as innocent as the prey, and gives a rather romantic and adventurous token of a shared dream between the girls to make it seem as though they were destined to meet.This is just brilliant writing.A vampire whose key attribute is her intelligence is a rare thing these days.And while I'm on the subject, the only thing more terrifying then being visited in the night as a child by a girl who vanished when the room was breached would be encountering that exact same girl -completely unchanged- as an adult.Creepy.Another fascinating little twist is that vampires in this story are only able to give their true name or else an anagrammatical pseudonym.Thus Carmilla is known by different names to different people, but all are derived from the same letters.Mircalla was her birth (and death) name, and Marcilla another alias.This is another aspect of the story that has influenced vampire lore to this day.You may be surprised at how many vampire names you read and hear are anagrams once you are aware of this.

To my knowledge, Le Fanu's masterpiece has yet to be fully captured in another medium, but the character has become a standard of vampire mythology regardless.My favorite of the many adaptations is Hammer Studio's The Vampire Lovers, where the story was highly sexualized and the character was transformed into a more intimidating and aggressive figure.It's a loose adaptation, but it's also the best. Two inferior sequels followed.An even looser adaption was Spanish grindhouse classic The Blood Spattered Bride which transformed the story into an exploitative battle of the sexes with mixed results. Carmilla has also been featured in comic books video games and anime, referenced on television, and has inspired unofficial literary and film sequels to her story.Not too shabby for a character only classic horror buffs recognize.But as with all great literary works, nothing ever fully captures the mood and grace of the story in it's purest form.

"Carmilla" is a rare tale of a vampire capable of making anybody love her, but a slave to her own obsessions.Such pleasure she takes from befriending her victims and becoming part of their lives
that she doesn't even seem to care that such habits repeated over multiple households in the same vicinity will inevitably lead to her demise.Perhaps she is just bored and starved for attention and human interaction.Her true motives for her unusual habits are never revealed; simply left to the reader to decide for themself.And while it may have been overshadowed by higher-profile contributions to the genre that were themselves inspired by this work, "Carmilla" stands tall as one of the giants among the many works of vampire fictionwell over 130 years after it was published.It is available both as a stand-alone novella and as part of many short story collections including The Penguin Book of Vampire Stories, which no vampire fanatic can live without.However you get it, if you claim to be a follower of the undead you must possess this story.
... Read more

Product Description
Before DRACULA came CARMILLA A Strange AgonyThe exquisite and deadly vampire Carmilla haunts J. Sheridan LeFanu?s influential novel. A Gothic tale of blood and terror, Carmilla inspired later classics by Bram Stoker and Robert Louis Stevenson, ever shadowed by a love that dare not say its name. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Love will have its sacrifices. No sacrifice without blood
The vampire has always been used to convey sexuality -- and one of the earliest ones, the title character of "Carmilla," is no exception. Years before Bram Stoker ever dreamed of Dracula. Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu wove together a luscious, haunting gothic mystery that centers around a lovely, immortal young woman with a taste for blood.

When a mysterious carriage crashes at their schloss, Laura's father offers to take care of a young lady named Carmilla, who has been stunned by the collision. Laura herself is struck by how similar the girl looks to a strange figure that visited her as a child -- and Carmilla claims that they've had some sort of mutual vision of one another.

Even more striking, Carmilla immediately becomes VERY attached to Laura ("You are mine, you shall be mine, you and I are one for ever"), and Laura is strangely entranced by Carmilla's speech.

As the days go by, Laura is increasingly bespelled by Carmilla, despite the young woman's strange behavior (and her weird resemblance to an ancient painting in the schloss, of a woman named Mircalla -- get it?), and is becoming increasingly ill and nervous. But when they visit an old friend, he reveals the shocking truth about Carmilla's true nature... and what she will do to Laura.

"Carmilla" is a true gothic novel in the best sense of the word -- a lushly-written little novella filled with ruined palaces, abandoned villages, moonlight and blood. And Le Fanu injects a not-so-subtle lesbian subtext into the story, since Carmilla seems to be as infatuated with Laura as she is hungry for her blood. Lots of kisses, adoring speeches, and Carmilla constantly creeping into Laura's bedroom.

And Le Fanu's writing is utterly exquisite. He swathes this eerie little story in a ghostly wrap of lush writing ("Over the sward and low grounds a thin film of mist was stealing like smoke, marking the distances with a transparent veil") and some deeply creepy moments, such as Laura waking to see Carmilla covered in blood.

Le Fanu also sketches out his characters quickly and effectively, despite the novella's brevity. Laura is a sweet ordinary girl who seems both weirded out and entranced by Carmilla, and Carmilla herself is a larger-than-life character -- sensual, obsessive, vibrantly erotic and extremely creepy, except when she goes off on crazy rants about how much she hates hymns and funerals.

Stoker brought the vampire into the limelight, but "Carmilla" seductively introduced the vampire's eerie allure long before that. Luscious and eerie.

A favourite
One of the best in the vampire genre. I always recommend this story to people who want to read a traditional vampire tale. People are often shocked that vampires can walk in daylight in this novella. I always point out that Dracula could walk in daylight, too.

Neat Gothic Supernatural Thriller (Sorry - No Lesbians)
"Carmilla" is an effective, and very creepy, Victorian supernatural thriller about Carmilla, a mysterious young woman with secrets, who befriends Laura, a lonely and sheltered young woman, who lives with her father in a castle in an Austrian forest.

If you have heard anything about this story at all, you have probably heard two things.The first thing you have likely heard is technically a spoiler -- it is not something that Le Fanu's Victorian readers would likely have guessed prior to the revelations at the end.

The second thing you have probably heard about this story is that it has something to do with lesbians.This is not really a spoiler because it is, for the most part, not true.I understand why people think this, but in all cases they are missing the real point of a passage, or are being misled by differences in Victorian norms, thought and language.The erotic "subtext" in this novella is a Red Herring -- quickly disposed of -- which points the way to the mystery's true solution. Carmilla's"passion" isn't erotic -- it's something else; she's not a lesbian -- she's ... something else.The real point of the story lies in its climactic revelations.

If, like many modern critics, you prefer to think of this as an allegorical "coming of age" story of suppressed lesbian desire, no-one can stop you.But really, the story makes a lot more sense, and is a lot scarier, the other way -- unless of course you're really scared of lesbians.

ADDENDUM: The English language has changed some, so it may help to add some tips on Victorian language.References to Laura's "breast" refer not to her bosom, but to a point just below her throat that she herself cannot even see.A "romance" is not a love story, but a story involving the supernatural."Romantic" does not mean "erotic"; as used here, it is closer to "superstitious"."Passion" does not mean "sexual desire", but refers rather to any strong emotion or anguish, and when Laura mentions "passions" being "terribly aroused" she does not refer to being extremely horny, but rather to being terribly traumatized.Finally, do not make the mistake of assuming those sexually repressed Victorians were more uptight about physical affection than we are.The reverse was true.The Victorians were uptight about sex, but free with affection, and a little hugging and kissing from a sexually-safe source (such as another girl) was regarded as reasonably normal.

A great tale of another age
This is a wonderful little story about a lonely little girl born into a good family (wealth, and character) who is visited and befriended by a petulant little child who turns out to be the most dangerous vampire in history. Carmilla reeks of a romance of times not seen in the urban and suburban vistas of America. Carmilla (the story, not the girl) is of a time when the darkness following sunset relegated everyone in the village to their homes and most oftn their sleeping quarters. There might be small gatherings to hear tales or sing songs, but these were not as frequent as one might imagine. Life was comprised of survivial first, community second, and recreation when one could find it. Into this mix the soft-spoken, beautiful doll who is Carmilla (the girl, not the story) enters, only to siphon off the very sanctity of a quiet little hamlet, turning it into a chilling town of death. Carmilla would have lasted in this village for quite some time had she not gotten carelss. Some speculate that she actually did not die (much like "The Laughing Jesus" controversy), but the tale is a bit ambiguous, just enough to lave doubt in the minds of the true believers.

This story is short and tightly focused on one incident, rathr than the saga of terror carmilla pread throughout her life travelling Europe. As such it leaves much to the imagination of exatly who carmillas was and how she became to be. Written before Braum Stoker ever heard of vampiers, this is simply the one of best tales of vampirism ever written.

This is the best vampire story ever

Carmilla is the most important vampire story ever written. She predates Braum Stoker and takes us back to a time long before modern medicine, electricity, or late-night runs to Starbucks. The tale is as dark as the countryside in which it is set. To truly understand the tale however you must understand the time it was told in, and its historical evidence.

There have been thousands of verified cases of vampirism throughout history. Priests, constables, mayors, doctors, lawyers and judges, magistrates, and any number of respected members of society have set their hand (and seal) to oath stating "I have hereby witnessed what can only be described as a vampire." This has happened time and again all over the world, and Carmilla, sweet loving daughter and succubus is a queen among them. The story is labeled fiction by the uninitiated, but it is more a faction, and more than enough time has passed to let it be known anyway. Modern science would be delighted to actually have the evidence today to examine, and sadly that is the dilemma, for the vampires (including our diminutive friend Mircalla, Malarca, and others...) have long-since abandoned us. They are simply nowhere to be found. But if you ever find yourself in a small lonely town far away from modern Europe you may catch a whiff of the sent, a trail gone cold, but still possible to follow. Carmilla was there before you. Perhaps, just perhaps... ... Read more

Product Description
"In a Glass Darkly", which was first published in 1872, collects together five classic gothic horror and mystery short stories by J. Sheridan Le Fanu. In "Green Tea" we have the story of Jennings, a clergyman who believes he is being followed by a demon in the form of a monkey. In "The Familiar" we have the tale of a sea captain who is stalked by 'the watcher'. "Mr. Justice Harbottle", the third installment of the work, relates the plight of Elijah Harbottle, who finds himself under attack by vengeful spirits. "The Room in the Dragon Volant" tells of a naive young Englishman in France who attempts to save a mysterious countess from her intolerable situation. And finally in "Carmilla" Le Fanu crafts a tale of a female vampire. Fans of gothic and horror stories will delight in this classic collection from one of the greatest writers of the genre. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

I Have Tried To Like These, But.
I have tried to like these stories, I approached them as someone new to Le Fanu's work, although I had heard of Carmilla and it's influence on Bram Stoker.
Sheridan Le Fanu (1814-1873) was liked and respected by my favourite Ghost story author M R James (1862-1936), so, not unreasonably I was expecting a similar experience, these stories may have frightened Victorians but by contempory standards they have not aged well.
Unlike similar stories by Poe, Kipling, Conan Doyle and MR James.
Contents.
1/ Green Tea. (Tedious.)
2/ The Familiar. (Better then the previous one.)
3/ Mr Justice Harbottle. (My Favourite, mainly because of the dream/nightmare scene)
4/ The Room in Le Dragon Volant. (Long winded for modern tastes.)
5/ Carmilla. (Probably Le Fanu's most famous story, a big influence on Stokers Dracula)
In summing up I would have to write, age has not been kind to these stories. Read M R James instead.

LeFanu's Masterpiece
"Horrific.""Superb.""Dark.""Masterful.""Gothic.""Brilliant."All these words and more spring to mind when attempting to describe In a Glass Darkly.This volume contains five tales ranging in length from thirty to seventy pages which purport to record a few of the many cases of the learned psychic investigator Doctor Martin Hesselius.
The first tale, "Green Tea," is perhaps the best ever written by LeFanu.It is narrated by the Doctor himself and records the case of a young man who believes he has awakened a demonic creature bent on his destruction.Hesselius urbanely dismisses this and claims to effect a cure with nothing more than a change in diet.It is obvious that he has gravely underestimated the force assaulting his client, as the shocking conclusion shows only too well.The story is brilliantly carried out and is one of the most frightening stories I have ever read.It is widely anthologized and many readers may be familiar with it but ignorant of the majority of the tales in this book.This is a great pity as they were meant to be read together, and although each of the stories can be read on its own with great pleasure, the cumulative effect should not be missed.
After "Green Tea" there appear two traditional ghost stories, "The Familiar" and "Mister Justice Harbottle."They lack the originality of "Green Tea," but both are quite chilling in their own right.Both stories handle the theme of the vengeful ghost with marvelous skill.
The fourth tale to appear is "The Room in the Dragon Volant."I do not wish to prejudice readers against it and so will refrain from discussing this narrative.It need merely be stated that here LeFanu gives in to his weakness of adding humor to his stories.Unfortunately for us, his comedic skill was rather meager.
The last story in the book is "Carmilla," the mother of all vampire stories.The horror of this novella can hardly be overemphasized.The description of Carmilla's nocturnal visits to her victim rank among the most grisly in all literature.There is only one trifling flaw in the entire narrative.This is the bizarre stupidity of the narrator, the young woman preyed upon.But this is more than made up for by the fascinating complexity of Carmilla herself.In this story, unlike most vampire tales of the period, Carmilla becomes a character instead of a mere monster.
In conclusion, it seems fit to remark upon the interesting form in which LeFanu chose to convey his tales.They are novellas, which seem to work particularly well for the kind of story that he told.More detail is given than in regular short stories, but the book is free from the constraints of the novel.The result is a work of genius.

LeFanu's Masterpiece

"Horrific.""Superb.""Dark.""Masterful.""Gothic.""Brilliant."All these words and more spring to mind when attempting to describe In a Glass Darkly.This volume contains five tales ranging in length from thirty to seventy pages which purport to record a few of the many cases of the learned psychic investigator Doctor Martin Hesselius.
The first tale, "Green Tea," is perhaps the best ever written by LeFanu.It is narrated by the Doctor himself and records the case of a young man who believes he has awakened a demonic creature bent on his destruction.Hesselius urbanely dismisses this and claims to effect a cure with nothing more than a change in diet.It is obvious that he has gravely underestimated the force assaulting his client, as the shocking conclusion shows only too well.The story is brilliantly carried out and is one of the most frightening stories I have ever read.It is widely anthologized and many readers may be familiar with it but ignorant of the majority of the tales in this book.This is a great pity as they were meant to be read together, and although each of the stories can be read on its own with great pleasure, the cumulative effect should not be missed.
After "Green Tea" there appear two traditional ghost stories, "The Familiar" and "Mister Justice Harbottle."They lack the originality of "Green Tea," but both are quite chilling in their own right.Both stories handle the theme of the vengeful ghost with marvelous skill.
The fourth tale to appear is "The Room in the Dragon Volant."I do not wish to prejudice readers against it and so will refrain from discussing this narrative.It need merely be stated that here LeFanu gives in to his weakness of adding humor to his stories.Unfortunately for us, his comedic skill was rather meager.
The last story in the book is "Carmilla," the mother of all vampire stories.The horror of this novella can hardly be overemphasized.The description of Carmilla's nocturnal visits to her victim rank among the most grisly in all literature.There is only one trifling flaw in the entire narrative.This is the bizarre stupidity of the narrator, the young woman preyed upon.But this is more than made up for by the fascinating complexity of Carmilla herself.In this story, unlike most vampire tales of the period, Carmilla becomes a character instead of a mere monster.
In conclusion, it seems fit to remark upon the interesting form in which LeFanu chose to convey his tales.They are novellas, which seem to work particularly well for the kind of story that he told.More detail is given than in regular short stories, but the book is free from the constraints of the novel.The result is a work of genius.

Super Reader
Perhaps the origin of the 'psychic detective' or ghostbuster genre,
with the use of Doctor Heselius as a framing character for these
stories as being part of his history of cases. Carmilla is a fine, fine
tale, with a disturbing female monster. Le Fanu is well worth
investigating for horror fans that have not done so in the past.

In A Glass Darkly
WARNING!My Oxford World's Classics paperback copy had pages of Thoreau's "Walden"inserted after p.158 of the story "The Room in the Dragon Volant."Missing are approx. 50 pages of the LeFanu story, so it's not like it's a bonus.I'm letting Amazon know about it, but check your copy on receipt!! Very disappointing to not know what happens, kind of like watching a thriller on TV and then the power goes out, but the broadcast stays on so you miss the middle.

I do rate LeFanu's stories 4-5 stars though.Really well-written page turners! ... Read more

Product Description
Included in this volume are "Schalken the Painter," "An Account of Some Strange Disturbances in Aungier Street," "An Authentic Narrative of a Haunted House," "Ultor De Lacy," and "The Haunted Baronet." ... Read more

Product Description
The fourth volume of an eight book collection from 'the grandfather of the ghost story'

Whilst many highly regarded writers have created collections of strange and supernatural fiction and several other authors are now primarily known for their literary efforts within this genre, the author of this large collection surely stands alone. Not only is his body of supernatural and gothic fiction extremely substantial, he wrote ghost and horror fiction if not exclusively then certainly as the subject matter of the overwhelming majority of his considerable literary output. His authorship of novels and stories of the other worldly began from the first part of the nineteenth century making him one of the earliest specialist exponents of the genre in the 'modern' period. He is widely regarded as a master of his craft, and it is certain that once he had set out to create a thrill or chill in the minds of his reader one was sure to follow! J. Sheridan Le Fanu was without doubt the premier writer of ghostly fiction during the Victorian age and his influence on the genre can be seen in the work of his peers and those who followed after. An Irishman, in 1861 Le Fanu became the editor of the 'Dublin University Magazine' and this gave his fiction ready access to the public. 'The House by the Churchyard' and 'Wylder's Hand' were originally published in the magazine. This special Leonaur edition of Le Fanu's weird and supernatural fiction runs to 8 substantial volumes and is possibly the most comprehensive collection of his work yet assembled. It includes his highly regarded novels and a plethora of shorter works designed to provoke fear and horror among his dedicated aficionados.
This volume contains the novel The Wyvern Mystery, the novelette Mr. Justice Harbottle and nine short stories: Madam Crowl's Ghost; Passage in the Secret History of an Irish Countess; Pichon & Sons, of the Croix Rousse; Schalken the Painter; Scraps of Hibernian Ballads; Wicked Captain Walshawe, of Wauling; Squire Toby's Will; Stories of Lough Guir and Sir Dominick's Bargain.
All volumes are available in softcover and hardcover with dust jacket for collectors. Leonaur hardcovers feature real cloth bindings, gold foil lettering on their spines and head and tail bands. ... Read more

Product Description
The fifth volume of an eight book collection from 'the grandfather of the ghost story'

Whilst many highly regarded writers have created collections of strange and supernatural fiction and several other authors are now primarily known for their literary efforts within this genre, the author of this large collection surely stands alone. Not only is his body of supernatural and gothic fiction extremely substantial, he wrote ghost and horror fiction if not exclusively then certainly as the subject matter of the overwhelming majority of his considerable literary output. His authorship of novels and stories of the other worldly began from the first part of the nineteenth century making him one of the earliest specialist exponents of the genre in the 'modern' period. He is widely regarded as a master of his craft, and it is certain that once he had set out to create a thrill or chill in the minds of his reader one was sure to follow! J. Sheridan Le Fanu was without doubt the premier writer of ghostly fiction during the Victorian age and his influence on the genre can be seen in the work of his peers and those who followed after. An Irishman, in 1861 Le Fanu became the editor of the 'Dublin University Magazine' and this gave his fiction ready access to the public. 'The House by the Churchyard' and 'Wylder's Hand' were originally published in the magazine. This special Leonaur edition of Le Fanu's weird and supernatural fiction runs to 8 substantial volumes and is possibly the most comprehensive collection of his work yet assembled. It includes his highly regarded novels and a plethora of shorter works designed to provoke fear and horror among his dedicated aficionados.
This volume contains the novel, The Rose and the Key, the novelette Spalatro, From the Notes of Fra Giacomo, and the short stories The Bridal of Carrigvarah and The White Cat of Drumgunniol.
All volumes are available in softcover and hardcover with dust jacket for collectors. Leonaur hardcovers feature real cloth bindings, gold foil lettering on their spines and head and tail bands. ... Read more

Product Description
The final volume of an eight book collection from 'the grandfather of the ghost story'

Whilst many highly regarded writers have created collections of strange and supernatural fiction and several other authors are now primarily known for their literary efforts within this genre, the author of this large collection surely stands alone. Not only is his body of supernatural and gothic fiction extremely substantial, he wrote ghost and horror fiction if not exclusively then certainly as the subject matter of the overwhelming majority of his considerable literary output. His authorship of novels and stories of the other worldly began from the first part of the nineteenth century making him one of the earliest specialist exponents of the genre in the 'modern' period. He is widely regarded as a master of his craft, and it is certain that once he had set out to create a thrill or chill in the minds of his reader one was sure to follow! J. Sheridan Le Fanu was without doubt the premier writer of ghostly fiction during the Victorian age and his influence on the genre can be seen in the work of his peers and those who followed after. An Irishman, in 1861 Le Fanu became the editor of the 'Dublin University Magazine' and this gave his fiction ready access to the public. 'The House by the Churchyard' and 'Wylder's Hand' were originally published in the magazine. This special Leonaur edition of Le Fanu's weird and supernatural fiction runs to 8 substantial volumes and is possibly the most comprehensive collection of his work yet assembled. It includes his highly regarded novels and a plethora of shorter works designed to provoke fear and horror among his dedicated aficionados.
This volume contains the novel A Lost Name, the novelette The Last Heir of Castle Connor, and six short stories: The Phantom Fourth; The Quare Gander; The Secret of the Two Plaster Casts; The Spirit's Whisper; The Vision of Tom Chuff and Some Gossip About Chapelizod.
All volumes are available in softcover and hardcover with dust jacket for collectors. Leonaur hardcovers feature real cloth bindings, gold foil lettering on their spines and head and tail bands. ... Read more

Product Description
The penultimate volume of an eight book collection from 'the grandfather of the ghost story'

Whilst many highly regarded writers have created collections of strange and supernatural fiction and several other authors are now primarily known for their literary efforts within this genre, the author of this large collection surely stands alone. Not only is his body of supernatural and gothic fiction extremely substantial, he wrote ghost and horror fiction if not exclusively then certainly as the subject matter of the overwhelming majority of his considerable literary output. His authorship of novels and stories of the other worldly began from the first part of the nineteenth century making him one of the earliest specialist exponents of the genre in the 'modern' period. He is widely regarded as a master of his craft, and it is certain that once he had set out to create a thrill or chill in the minds of his reader one was sure to follow! J. Sheridan Le Fanu was without doubt the premier writer of ghostly fiction during the Victorian age and his influence on the genre can be seen in the work of his peers and those who followed after. An Irishman, in 1861 Le Fanu became the editor of the 'Dublin University Magazine' and this gave his fiction ready access to the public. 'The House by the Churchyard' and 'Wylder's Hand' were originally published in the magazine. This special Leonaur edition of Le Fanu's weird and supernatural fiction runs to 8 substantial volumes and is possibly the most comprehensive collection of his work yet assembled. It includes his highly regarded novels and a plethora of shorter works designed to provoke fear and horror among his dedicated aficionados.
This volume contains the novels All in the Dark and The Room in the Dragon Volant, the novelettes The Mysterious Lodger and The Watcher, and the short stories The Drunkard's Dream; The Ghost and the Bone-Setter, and The Legend of Dunblane.
All volumes are available in softcover and hardcover with dust jacket for collectors. Leonaur hardcovers feature real cloth bindings, gold foil lettering on their spines and head and tail bands. ... Read more

Product Description
The third volume of an eight book collection from 'the grandfather of the ghost story'

Whilst many highly regarded writers have created collections of strange and supernatural fiction and several other authors are now primarily known for their literary efforts within this genre, the author of this large collection surely stands alone. Not only is his body of supernatural and gothic fiction extremely substantial, he wrote ghost and horror fiction if not exclusively then certainly as the subject matter of the overwhelming majority of his considerable literary output. His authorship of novels and stories of the other worldly began from the first part of the nineteenth century making him one of the earliest specialist exponents of the genre in the 'modern' period. He is widely regarded as a master of his craft, and it is certain that once he had set out to create a thrill or chill in the minds of his reader one was sure to follow! J. Sheridan Le Fanu was without doubt the premier writer of ghostly fiction during the Victorian age and his influence on the genre can be seen in the work of his peers and those who followed after. An Irishman, in 1861 Le Fanu became the editor of the 'Dublin University Magazine' and this gave his fiction ready access to the public. 'The House by the Churchyard' and 'Wylder's Hand' were originally published in the magazine. This special Leonaur edition of Le Fanu's weird and supernatural fiction runs to 8 substantial volumes and is possibly the most comprehensive collection of his work yet assembled. It includes his highly regarded novels and a plethora of shorter works designed to provoke fear and horror among his dedicated aficionados.
The volume contains the long novel House by the Churchyard and the short story Dickon the Devil.
All volumes are available in softcover and hardcover with dust jacket for collectors. Leonaur hardcovers feature real cloth bindings, gold foil lettering on their spines and head and tail bands. ... Read more

Product Description
Carmilla created the modern vampire. She was the first romantic vampire, and after inspiring Bram Stoker's Dracula she has continued with us, always in the shadow, influencing culture with a subtlety that is as alluring as it is elitist. A multi-layered story of love, loss, and a yearning for both a past and a future unobtainable, and finally of great sacrifice, Carmilla ranks as one of the world's great tragedies.A lonely young girl living in a desolate forest is befriended by a young countess after what seems a chance encounter. Laura's innocence prevents her from seeing the obvious, that her new friend Carmilla is a demon of the highest order, and one who has fallen passionately in love with her. Over time Carmilla's lust for Laura and her soul overpower her caution, and the serenity of a life of seclusion becomes a nightmarish existence for Laura as her world unravels in ways that can never be repaired. This is an archival quality presentation of the original unabridged story. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Love will have its sacrifices. No sacrifice without blood
The vampire has always been used to convey sexuality -- and one of the earliest ones, the title character of "Carmilla," is no exception. Years before Bram Stoker ever dreamed of Dracula. Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu wove together a luscious, haunting gothic mystery that centers around a lovely, immortal young woman with a taste for blood.

When a mysterious carriage crashes at their schloss, Laura's father offers to take care of a young lady named Carmilla, who has been stunned by the collision. Laura herself is struck by how similar the girl looks to a strange figure that visited her as a child -- and Carmilla claims that they've had some sort of mutual vision of one another.

Even more striking, Carmilla immediately becomes VERY attached to Laura ("You are mine, you shall be mine, you and I are one for ever"), and Laura is strangely entranced by Carmilla's speech.

As the days go by, Laura is increasingly bespelled by Carmilla, despite the young woman's strange behavior (and her weird resemblance to an ancient painting in the schloss, of a woman named Mircalla -- get it?), and is becoming increasingly ill and nervous. But when they visit an old friend, he reveals the shocking truth about Carmilla's true nature... and what she will do to Laura.

"Carmilla" is a true gothic novel in the best sense of the word -- a lushly-written little novella filled with ruined palaces, abandoned villages, moonlight and blood. And Le Fanu injects a not-so-subtle lesbian subtext into the story, since Carmilla seems to be as infatuated with Laura as she is hungry for her blood. Lots of kisses, adoring speeches, and Carmilla constantly creeping into Laura's bedroom.

And Le Fanu's writing is utterly exquisite. He swathes this eerie little story in a ghostly wrap of lush writing ("Over the sward and low grounds a thin film of mist was stealing like smoke, marking the distances with a transparent veil") and some deeply creepy moments, such as Laura waking to see Carmilla covered in blood.

Le Fanu also sketches out his characters quickly and effectively, despite the novella's brevity. Laura is a sweet ordinary girl who seems both weirded out and entranced by Carmilla, and Carmilla herself is a larger-than-life character -- sensual, obsessive, vibrantly erotic and extremely creepy, except when she goes off on crazy rants about how much she hates hymns and funerals.

Stoker brought the vampire into the limelight, but "Carmilla" seductively introduced the vampire's eerie allure long before that. Luscious and eerie.

A very captivating read
I received this book on a Saturday morning, and easily had it finished by Saturday night. And not just because of the book's short length, either! The attention to detail, especially in the emotional aspects of the young girl's life, was engrossing. I found myself empathizing with most characters, something that rarely occurs for me. What caught me the most, however, was how the Le Fanu never spells anything out until the very end of the book, instead leaving you to make your own connections and conclusions. For the most part these conclusions were fairly straightforward, but others were very clever and unexpected. All in all, a great read, something I would recommend to any true vampire lover.

Wonderful
To make this short and simple, its an absolutely wonderful book. The story of a young woman who is befriended by another young woman and than learns her secret. The book keep me enthralled from start to finish. I have actually even passed this book on to a friend.

"Love is always selfish"
I found it interesting to read in the foreword that J. Sheridan Le Fanu was the son of a clergyman. It reminded me of Emily Bronte and the murmurs circulating following the publication of her Wuthering heights...'how could something so "dark" come from a child of a clergyman?' Well, you simply can't have light without dark, it is only natural, and the houses of clergyman during the early nineteenth century thankfully blessed us with literary demonstrations of this.

Le Fanu winds an explicitly detailed picture that allows the reader to actually become Laura and to experience a charming yet dangerous vampire friendship. I read it cover to cover in one sitting - I was that intrigued. What reader, upon utterly honest reflection, couldn't understand and empathize with a girl who has a "soul aching need to bond" with another who is like her? I imagine it's a feeling that has been familiar to most at some time in life.

It is commendable of the publisher to attempt to reintroduce Carmilla. Hopefully with the resurgence of interest in vampire love stories, thanks to the popularity of Twilight and New Moon, people who had not otherwise had the opportunity to experience the beauty of a classic story such as Carmilla can do so now.

A wonderful read!
I love Carmilla. This book definately needs to be read by the lovers of twilight show them what a REAL vampire story is all about. Great read, highly recommended! ... Read more

Product Description
Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (1814-1873) was an Irish writer of Gothic tales and mystery novels. He was the premier ghost story writer of the nineteenth century and had a seminal influence on the development of this genre in the Victorian era. Le Fanu studied law at Trinity College in Dublin. He soon abandoned law for journalism. In 1838 he began contributing stories to the Dublin University Magazine. He became owner of several newspapers from 1840, including the Dublin Evening Mail and the Warder. Le Fanu worked in many genres but remains best known for his mystery and horror fiction. He was a meticulous craftsman, with a penchant for frequently reworking plots and ideas from his earlier writing in subsequent pieces of writing. He specialised in tone and effect rather than "shock horror", often following a mystery format. Key to his style was the avoidance of overt supernatural effects. Among his famous works are: The House by the Church-Yard (1863), Uncle Silas (1864), Carmilla (1872), The Purcell Papers (1880), and The Evil Guest (1895). ... Read more

Product Description
Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (1814-1873) was an Irish writer of Gothic tales and mystery novels. He was the premier ghost story writer of the nineteenth century and had a seminal influence on the development of this genre in the Victorian era. Le Fanu studied law at Trinity College in Dublin. He soon abandoned law for journalism. In 1838 he began contributing stories to the Dublin University Magazine. He became owner of several newspapers from 1840, including the Dublin Evening Mail and the Warder. Le Fanu worked in many genres but remains best known for his mystery and horror fiction. He was a meticulous craftsman, with a penchant for frequently reworking plots and ideas from his earlier writing in subsequent pieces of writing. He specialised in tone and effect rather than "shock horror", often following a mystery format. Key to his style was the avoidance of overt supernatural effects. Among his famous works are: The House by the Church-Yard (1863), Uncle Silas (1864), Carmilla (1872), The Purcell Papers (1880), and The Evil Guest (1895). ... Read more