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The House by the Churchyard is a novel by Sheridan Le Fanu that combines elements of the mystery novel and the historical novel. Aside from its own merits, the novel is important as a key source for James Joyce's Finnegans Wake. - Wikipedia.
The House by the Church-Yard (1863) is a novel by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. An important source for James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake, The House by the Church-Yard is a hybrid of the mystery and historical genres of fiction. With its complex use of side plots and extensive frame narrative, the novel is central to Le Fanu’s legacy as an innovator whose literary works inspired Bram Stoker and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. During a routine interment at a churchyard in the historic village of Chapelizod, a grave is disturbed revealing a skull buried a century earlier. Upon examination, a gruesome discovery is made—not only does the skull show signs of severe head trauma, it contains a hole from an emergency trepanning procedure. Stirred by the discovery, an old man named Charles de Cresseron pieces together the story of a time the village had nearly forgotten. In the eighteenth century, a coffin was secretly buried in the churchyard, with no defining characteristics except for the initials “R.D.” As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that this burial is somehow related to a series of mysterious events—a love triangle between a general’s daughter, a local official, and a man who has taken residence in a home rumored to be haunted; the suicide of a disgraced prisoner; and a rivalry between a deeply indebted doctor and the agent of a local lord whose home has been infiltrated by a dubious imposter. As these plots swirl and converge, The House by the Church-Yard emerges as a masterpiece of suspense, a thriller that delights its reader just as much as it demands their attention. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s The House by the Church-Yard is a classic of Irish literature reimagined for modern readers.
In a chilling world of dark seduction and supernatural terror, this classic gothic novella is an early work of vampire fiction and a haunting feminist romance. Laura is a young and naïve girl, living alone with her father in an isolated yet beautiful castle. Surrounded by woodland, Laura's home is a lonely, almost impenetrable fortress, but when a carriage crashes outside its walls, she and her father offer their hospitality to the injured Carmilla. Mysterious and alluring, Carmilla tells Laura nothing of her life, but the two girls are inexplicably drawn to each other. As their relationship blossoms, Laura begins to experience unsettling dreams and her health rapidly declines. First published in 1872, Carmilla explores themes of forbidden desire and female sexuality, blurring the line between reality and fantasy. A masterpiece of gothic literature, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's eerie novella is a must-read for fans of horror and the supernatural.
Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu was one of the foremost writers of ghost stories in the Victorian era, penning such renowned works as Uncle Silas and In a Glass Darkly. This collection of spine-tingling short stories is sure to please fans of gothic tales from the golden age of horror writing.
Checkmate (1871) is a novel by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. Although less well-known than his more popular works of Gothic horror and mystery, including the vampire novella Carmilla (1872) and the novel The House by the Church-Yard (1863), Checkmate remains central to Le Fanu’s legacy as an innovator whose literary works inspired Bram Stoker and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Walter Longcluse is a mysterious gentleman, a drifter and self-made man whose travels throughout France, Austria, and England resulted in his accumulation of an immense personal fortune. With his calm demeanor and general friendliness, he is quickly accepted into the inner circle of the Arden family, a clan of aristocrats whose once luxuriant star has lately dimmed due to unpaid debts and the murder of one of their number. As Longcluse courts the lovely Alice, her brother Richard enjoys the older man’s company, and the two become fast friends. One night, however, a visit to a gambling club brings them face to face with Monsieur Lebas, a brutish figure who seems to recognize Longcluse and, later that evening, is discovered to have been murdered. As the story unfolds, clues planted discreetly throughout the plot lead to Le Fanu’s thrilling conclusion, which contains a well-designed plot twist too sinister to imagine. Checkmate is a tale of wealth and betrayal, a novel that raises more questions than answers for the reader held under its spell. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s Checkmate is a classic of Irish literature reimagined for modern readers.
The House by the Churchyard (1863) is a novel by Sheridan Le Fanu that combines elements of the mystery novel and the historical novel. Aside from its own merits, the novel is important as a key source for James Joyce's Finnegans Wake.
The foremost teller of scary stories in his day and a profound influence on both the novelists and filmmakers of the 20th century, Anglo-Irish author JOSEPH THOMAS SHERIDAN LE FANU (18141873) has, sadly, fallen out of scholarly and popular favor, and unfairly so. To this day, contemporary readers who happen across his works praise his talent for weaving a tense literary atmosphere tinged by the supernatural and bolstered by hints of ambiguous magic. A wonderful example of the Victorian haunted-house tale, The Evil Guest is one of Le Fanus almost-forgotten works, yet one that is still hugely enjoyable for todays readers. Indeed, it calls to mind later books it clearly inspired, from the mysteries of Agatha Christie to the tales of Stephen King. With a series of new editions of Le Fanus works, Cosimo is proud to reintroduce modern book lovers to the writings of the early master of suspense fiction who pioneered the concept of psychological horror.
Originally published in 1864, Uncle Silas will draw you into a shadowy world of suspense and horror, where secrets fester and malevolence lurks in the darkness. Maud Ruthyn, our young heroine, must navigate a treacherous journey through her enigmatic uncle's sinister mansion, uncovering family mysteries that could shatter her world. With its richly atmospheric prose and gripping narrative, this gothic masterpiece will send shivers down your spine as you confront the mysteries of Uncle Silas.
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