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From the back cover: By the eerie flickering of the gas-lamps, in the dim shadows cast by guttering candles, dark creatures lurk in the menacing gloom and wait to pounce. The dying sculptor who sold his soul to the devil. The wax-work murderess who came to life. Grim death in a Victorian orphanage. Maggoty corpses fresh from the grave. The ghost with the gaping wound. Scalp-pricking tales of terror and evil from the masters.
In the dim, flickering light of the Victorian era, malevolent entities and supernatural forces emerge from the shadows to prey upon the unsuspecting. The collection presents a series of grim encounters where protagonists face existential threats, ranging from pacts with the devil to reanimated corpses. Each narrative operates within the constraints of 19th-century atmosphere, utilizing the period's specific social anxieties and architectural gloom to heighten the sense of dread. The stories are delivered through a variety of perspectives, often focusing on the vulnerability of the individual against encroaching, inexplicable evil.
This anthology is characterized by its adherence to the classic traditions of British horror fiction, drawing heavily on the aesthetic of the Victorian gothic. The stories rely on established tropes to evoke a specific sense of period-appropriate unease, prioritizing atmosphere and macabre imagery over modern psychological complexity. Readers likely find the collection to be a focused exercise in genre-specific dread, reflecting the sensibilities of mid-20th-century horror anthologies. The work serves as a testament to the enduring appeal of the gaslight era as a backdrop for tales of the supernatural and the grotesque.
Page Count:
191
Publication Date:
1976-01-01
Publisher:
Fontana
ISBN-10:
0006141498
ISBN-13:
9780006141495
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