Sheridan Fanu

''The old woman opened the door, and the next moment I was in the presence of Uncle Silas.''In Victorian Derbyshire, 17 year old orphan and heiress Maud Ruthyn is sent to live at the claustrophobic Bartram-Haugh house with her mysterious Uncle Silas. Silas has a reputation for gambling debts and past accusations of murder, but now lives as a reformed Christian. Sinister schemes and preternatural events unfold as Silas, his son, and a malevolent governess plot against Maud and her fortune.Uncle Silas has been hailed by contemporaries and modern critics alike as one of the finest works of sensation fiction. With elements of tragic romance, horror, and psychological thriller, Uncle Silas shows Le Fanu at the height of his powers. With an introduction from Claire Connolly, this edition places the novel in its broadest context and unpicks the layers of Celtic, Christian, and mystic influence behind Le Fanu''s best known work.ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics ‘I was conscious of a love growing into adoration, and also of abhorrence.’ When lonely nineteen-year-old Laura welcomes an enigmatic stranger into her home in the heart of the Stryian forest, she has no idea that the beautiful Carmilla is not what she seems. Laura’s childhood nightmares have resurfaced, and a mysterious illness is beginning to take hold as the intimacy between the two women evolves into something more sinister. First published in 1872, twenty-six years before Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Le Fanu introduced Carmilla, the original female vampire with a taste for innocent young women. Having influenced countless horror stories for over 150 years, this Gothic tale of dark obsession, ancient legend and wayward daughters is a classic of the genre.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics. ‘I was conscious of a love growing into adoration, and also of abhorrence.’ When lonely nineteen-year-old Laura welcomes an enigmatic stranger into her home in the heart of the Stryian forest, she has no idea that the beautiful Carmilla is not what she seems. Laura’s childhood nightmares have resurfaced, and a mysterious illness is beginning to take hold as the intimacy between the two women evolves into something more sinister. First published in 1872, twenty six years before Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Le Fanu introduced Carmilla, the original female vampire with a taste for innocent young women. Having influenced countless horror stories for over 150 years, this Gothic tale of dark obsession, ancient legend and wayward daughters is a classic of the genre.

Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (1814–1873) was a highly influential Irish author, born in Dublin, whose work spread across the English-speaking world, where his impression can be found in the stories of Wilkie Collins, M.R. James, Bram Stoker and many others. Although trained as a lawyer, he became a writer of sensational literature, exploring the dark and fantastic, becoming one of the foundational purveyors of classic horror ghost stories, including his famous early work of vampire fiction Carmilla. His father was Richard Sheridan, playwright of The Rivals and The School for Scandal. This new collection of Le Fanu's stories, with a new foreword, is a must-read selection of classic writing. Flame Tree Gothic Fantasy, Classic Stories and Epic Tales collections bring together the entire range of myth, folklore, epic literature and modern short fiction. Highlighting the roots of suspense, supernatural, science fiction and mystery stories, the books in Flame Tree Collections series are beautifully presented, perfect as a gift and offer a lifetime of reading pleasure.

In an isolated castle deep in the Austrian forest, Laura leads a solitary life with only her ailing father for company. Until one moonlit night, a horse-drawn carriage crashes into view, carrying an unexpected guest – the beautiful Carmilla. So begins a feverish friendship between Laura and her mysterious, entrancing companion. But as Carmilla becomes increasingly strange and volatile, prone to eerie nocturnal wanderings, Laura finds herself tormented by nightmares and growing weaker by the day… Pre-dating Dracula by twenty-six years, Carmilla is the original vampire story, steeped in sexual tension and gothic romance.