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The Best Supernatural Tales of Arthur Conan Doyle
How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. — Sherlock Holmes
When Holmes wearied of mundane Victorian reality, he reached for the cocaine; his creator Doyle reached beyond reality, to the occult mystery world as real to him as a hansom cab—so real that it became part of his fiction. It is no surprise that in the year "A Study in Scarlet" appeared (1887), this versatile writer was reading seriously in spiritualism, attending séances, and had already written some of the thrilling tales in this book.
The Best Supernatural Tales of Arthur Conan Doyle gathers together for the first time in an American edition the fifteen finest short stories in this genre by the master storyteller. Relative to his vast literary output, Doyle wrote comparatively few stories dealing specifically with spiritualism, Egyptian magic, psychometry, and other occult domains he knew so thoroughly — and these scattered stories, skeptically dismissed or simply buried beneath the mass of his detective, historical, sports, medical, and other pieces, have yet to receive their due as superior or typical examples of his narrative power.
The polymath Doyle has recourse to many twilit borderline realms of the beyond in these stories which appeared in various periodicals from 1880 to 1921. "The Bully of Brocas Court" gives a new slant to the Victorian ghost story in one of Doyle's favorite settings, the world of boxing. "The Captain of the Polestar " recalls the weird northern backdrop of the author's whaling adventures; "The Brown Hand" deals in body-soul bondage with a touch of the East. Two hackle-raising histories, "Lot No. 249" and "The Ring of Thoth," depend on the riddle of Egyptian mummy lore; "The Leather Funnel" and "The Silver Hatchet" involve psychometry, a material object's retention of an aura or memory of its past, which a sensitive being can "replay" through dreams. And then there is "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement," Doyle's speculative solution to the Marie Celeste conundrum, which was vehemently denounced when published (anonymously) because it seemed so true and so terrible.
Doyle readers, students of the occult, and anyone who loves an imaginative tale will wish to experience, through these obscure, rarely reprinted stories, what was personally so close to their author.
When Holmes wearied of mundane Victorian reality, he reached for the cocaine; his creator Doyle reached beyond reality, to the occult mystery world as real to him as a hansom cab—so real that it became part of his fiction. It is no surprise that in the year "A Study in Scarlet" appeared (1887), this versatile writer was reading seriously in spiritualism, attending séances, and had already written some of the thrilling tales in this book.
The Best Supernatural Tales of Arthur Conan Doyle gathers together for the first time in an American edition the fifteen finest short stories in this genre by the master storyteller. Relative to his vast literary output, Doyle wrote comparatively few stories dealing specifically with spiritualism, Egyptian magic, psychometry, and other occult domains he knew so thoroughly — and these scattered stories, skeptically dismissed or simply buried beneath the mass of his detective, historical, sports, medical, and other pieces, have yet to receive their due as superior or typical examples of his narrative power.
The polymath Doyle has recourse to many twilit borderline realms of the beyond in these stories which appeared in various periodicals from 1880 to 1921. "The Bully of Brocas Court" gives a new slant to the Victorian ghost story in one of Doyle's favorite settings, the world of boxing. "The Captain of the Polestar " recalls the weird northern backdrop of the author's whaling adventures; "The Brown Hand" deals in body-soul bondage with a touch of the East. Two hackle-raising histories, "Lot No. 249" and "The Ring of Thoth," depend on the riddle of Egyptian mummy lore; "The Leather Funnel" and "The Silver Hatchet" involve psychometry, a material object's retention of an aura or memory of its past, which a sensitive being can "replay" through dreams. And then there is "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement," Doyle's speculative solution to the Marie Celeste conundrum, which was vehemently denounced when published (anonymously) because it seemed so true and so terrible.
Doyle readers, students of the occult, and anyone who loves an imaginative tale will wish to experience, through these obscure, rarely reprinted stories, what was personally so close to their author.
302 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1979
10 people are currently reading
148 people want to read
About the author
Arthur Conan Doyle
15.9k books24.5k followersSir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was a Scottish writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for A Study in Scarlet, the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Holmes and Dr. Watson. The Sherlock Holmes stories are milestones in the field of crime fiction.
Doyle was a prolific writer. In addition to the Holmes stories, his works include fantasy and science fiction stories about Professor Challenger, and humorous stories about the Napoleonic soldier Brigadier Gerard, as well as plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction, and historical novels. One of Doyle's early short stories, "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement" (1884), helped to popularise the mystery of the brigantine Mary Celeste, found drifting at sea with no crew member aboard.
Doyle was a prolific writer. In addition to the Holmes stories, his works include fantasy and science fiction stories about Professor Challenger, and humorous stories about the Napoleonic soldier Brigadier Gerard, as well as plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction, and historical novels. One of Doyle's early short stories, "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement" (1884), helped to popularise the mystery of the brigantine Mary Celeste, found drifting at sea with no crew member aboard.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 22, 2020
Arthur Conan Doyle to twórca jednego z najsłynniejszych detektywów w literaturze – Sherlocka Holmesa. Dzięki wydawnictwu C&T i mojej ulubionej serii Biblioteka Grozy, mogłam zapoznać się z bardziej mroczną i nadnaturalną częścią twórczości autora.
Tajemnicze widma, groźne talizmany, spirytystyczne eksperymenty, upiory, eliksiry, kontrolowanie umysłu. Brzmi jak pakiet niezłych pomysłów na nowele grozy i tak jest w rzeczywistości. Zbiór zawiera siedem opowiadań, z których pięć uważam za naprawdę dobre, a dwa pozostałe tylko odrobinkę mniej przypadły mi do gustu. Dla fanów opowieści z dreszczykiem pozycja obowiązkowa.
7/10
Tajemnicze widma, groźne talizmany, spirytystyczne eksperymenty, upiory, eliksiry, kontrolowanie umysłu. Brzmi jak pakiet niezłych pomysłów na nowele grozy i tak jest w rzeczywistości. Zbiór zawiera siedem opowiadań, z których pięć uważam za naprawdę dobre, a dwa pozostałe tylko odrobinkę mniej przypadły mi do gustu. Dla fanów opowieści z dreszczykiem pozycja obowiązkowa.
7/10
May 26, 2011
An excellent collection of stories from the author of Sherlock Holmes.
Though none of these stories feature everyone's favorite detective the same writting style and tone come through. Also these are fine examples of Doyle's remarkable attention to plot and detail.
A must read for anyone who has only ever read Sherlock Holmes stories. If you haven't read Sherlock Holmes then this collection would be a wonderful introduction to one of the best writers form an era full of excellent writers.
Though none of these stories feature everyone's favorite detective the same writting style and tone come through. Also these are fine examples of Doyle's remarkable attention to plot and detail.
A must read for anyone who has only ever read Sherlock Holmes stories. If you haven't read Sherlock Holmes then this collection would be a wonderful introduction to one of the best writers form an era full of excellent writers.
September 29, 2011
Doyle had brilliant story ideas! He wrote according to his time & place (ie several Egyptian and explorer-related tales), but the conflict of knowledge & fear are always relevant.
April 25, 2017
A surprisingly quick read. I found the stories enthralling and page-turning even though they are of course incredibly silly. Even Conan Doyle could see the silly side, in spite of his gullibility in the areas of spirituality and fairies, and so a handful of the stories are written in an humorous vein. Certainly a fun way to pass a dark evening with the wind blowing outside the door. There is racism because of the age of the writing so be warned.
February 3, 2025
The Best Supernatural Tales of Arthur Conan Doyle [Dover, 1976].
A selection of fifteen stories in the gothic horror vein from A.C. Doyle, originally published from 1880-1920, including:
“The Bully of Brocas Court”: On a desolate stretch of the Queen’s highway, an undefeated champion middleweight boxer meets a formidable, otherworldly foe.
“The Captain of the Polestar”: An epistolary story which takes the form a physician’s journal recounts hauntings on board a whaling ship.
“The Brown Hand”: A British doctor who served in India, is haunted by the ghost of a former patient who seeks to be reunited with his hand in the afterlife.
“The Leather Funnel”: A leather funnel which was used to water board a suspected murderess produces disquieting dreams.
“Lot No. 249”: An Oxford student reanimates a mummy’s corpse.
“The Great Kleinplatz Experiment”: A semi-comical story in which a stodgy professor and a spirited youth switch personalities after a session of mesmerism goes awry.
“The Ring of Thoth:” A student who fell asleep in the Louvre, awakens in the middle of the night and finds an attendant stalking around, who claims to be an almost four thousand year-old priest of Osiris.
“The Los Amigos Fiasco”: A farcical tale of a botched execution attempt.
“The Silver Hatchet”: A cursed antique weapon causes homicidal urges.
“John Barrington Cowles:” A beautiful woman with secret occult proclivities drives her various suitors to madness and death.
“The Americans Tale:” An American ruffian recounts the story of an ambush on the Arizona frontier, which met with strange and unexpected results.
***
Arthur Conan Doyle was one of the most popular authors of his age. In addition to the Sherlock Holmes stories, he wrote historical fiction, and science fiction, including The Lost World.
A selection of fifteen stories in the gothic horror vein from A.C. Doyle, originally published from 1880-1920, including:
“The Bully of Brocas Court”: On a desolate stretch of the Queen’s highway, an undefeated champion middleweight boxer meets a formidable, otherworldly foe.
“The Captain of the Polestar”: An epistolary story which takes the form a physician’s journal recounts hauntings on board a whaling ship.
“The Brown Hand”: A British doctor who served in India, is haunted by the ghost of a former patient who seeks to be reunited with his hand in the afterlife.
“The Leather Funnel”: A leather funnel which was used to water board a suspected murderess produces disquieting dreams.
“Lot No. 249”: An Oxford student reanimates a mummy’s corpse.
“The Great Kleinplatz Experiment”: A semi-comical story in which a stodgy professor and a spirited youth switch personalities after a session of mesmerism goes awry.
“The Ring of Thoth:” A student who fell asleep in the Louvre, awakens in the middle of the night and finds an attendant stalking around, who claims to be an almost four thousand year-old priest of Osiris.
“The Los Amigos Fiasco”: A farcical tale of a botched execution attempt.
“The Silver Hatchet”: A cursed antique weapon causes homicidal urges.
“John Barrington Cowles:” A beautiful woman with secret occult proclivities drives her various suitors to madness and death.
“The Americans Tale:” An American ruffian recounts the story of an ambush on the Arizona frontier, which met with strange and unexpected results.
***
Arthur Conan Doyle was one of the most popular authors of his age. In addition to the Sherlock Holmes stories, he wrote historical fiction, and science fiction, including The Lost World.
November 2, 2017
I will give this book two stars. The reason for that is that I wasn’t very hooked at the beginning of any of the stories in it. There was no motivation so when supernatural stuff did happen it was just kind of meh. I, personally would not recommend this book to a friend because it just was not interesting to me and I can not imagine anyone enjoying this book completely and fully. It just wasn’t that good of a collection of stories
December 14, 2023
3.88⭐
Arthur Conan Doyle and His Supernatural Fiction by B. F. Bleiler 4⭐
The Bully of Brocas Court 3⭐
The Captain of the Polestar 4⭐
The Brown Hand 4⭐
The Leather Funnel 4.25⭐
Lot No. 249 4.5⭐
J. Habakak Jephson's Statement 5⭐
The Great Keinplatz Experiment 3.5⭐
The Literary Mosaic 3.5⭐
Playing with Fire 3.5⭐
The Ring of Thoth 4⭐
The Los Amigos Fiasco 3.25⭐
The Silver Hatchet 3.5⭐
John Barrington Cowles 4.25⭐
Selecting a Ghost 4.25⭐
The American Tale 3.5⭐
Arthur Conan Doyle and His Supernatural Fiction by B. F. Bleiler 4⭐
The Bully of Brocas Court 3⭐
The Captain of the Polestar 4⭐
The Brown Hand 4⭐
The Leather Funnel 4.25⭐
Lot No. 249 4.5⭐
J. Habakak Jephson's Statement 5⭐
The Great Keinplatz Experiment 3.5⭐
The Literary Mosaic 3.5⭐
Playing with Fire 3.5⭐
The Ring of Thoth 4⭐
The Los Amigos Fiasco 3.25⭐
The Silver Hatchet 3.5⭐
John Barrington Cowles 4.25⭐
Selecting a Ghost 4.25⭐
The American Tale 3.5⭐
February 28, 2025
Zanim trafiłam na tą książkę, to nie wiedziałam, że ten autor w ogóle pisał horrory. Miłe zaskoczenie.
Z opowiadań podobały mi się najbardziej dwa pierwsze. Wizja bycia w niebezpiecznej, strasznej sytuacji na zamkniętej, małej przestrzeni, z której nie ma ucieczki, jest najbardziej przerażająca.
Z opowiadań podobały mi się najbardziej dwa pierwsze. Wizja bycia w niebezpiecznej, strasznej sytuacji na zamkniętej, małej przestrzeni, z której nie ma ucieczki, jest najbardziej przerażająca.
July 9, 2023
Jestem ciekawa jakby opowiadania wyglądały na ekranie
March 2, 2017
This was a fairly well put together collection. Some stories were great, while others lacked. The most striking thing, however, was seeing these short stories and the influence they have had on film over the years. At least three stories I can directly relate to pulp films I've seen over the years and this connection came without truly pondering each story and then films I've seen, but was a natural association.
July 31, 2015
I had high hopes for this collection when I picked it up at Powell's City of Books two years ago. I mean, what could be cooler than some vintage Victorian supernatural mystery by one of the most celebrated authors of the day? A lot of things, it turns out. Truth be told, I'm becoming convinced that Doyle's imitators make for better reading than Doyle himself (especially good old scandalous Sax Rohmer).
The first warning sign in this collection actually comes in the editor's preface, in which he essentially admits that not all of these stories are gems (despite this being “The Best” of Doyle's supernatural fiction) and that in fact many of them display an unfortunate lack of imagination. I was really hoping that I'd forget these criticisms in a wash of ghosty genre bliss... but it was not to be. Some of the tales have a fun elements to them, a ship on an ice-floe, a reanimated mummy, a gaggle of dead authors trying to write together, etc., but none of it is quite enough to create a whole satisfying tale. Even the best of the stories here is still a few cents short.
One thing that especially bothered me was that Doyle couldn't ever give us a very strong conclusion, or even a very good reveal (something that's kind of surprising from such a famous author of detective fiction). Some of the stories simply end because time has run out. Probably most disappointing was the story that speculates as to the fate of the Marie Celeste (the mystery of a ship that vanished only to be found without a crew, unsolved to this day) and presents a pretty dull human plot which never actually gets into the realm of the supernatural.
By the time I forced myself to finish the collection (and it was a chore), I was disgusted and immediately ran to the comfort of my old friends, Poe and Lovecraft. I suggest you save time, and just skip Doyle's attempts at ghost stories. The best ones are little more than mildly diverting.
The first warning sign in this collection actually comes in the editor's preface, in which he essentially admits that not all of these stories are gems (despite this being “The Best” of Doyle's supernatural fiction) and that in fact many of them display an unfortunate lack of imagination. I was really hoping that I'd forget these criticisms in a wash of ghosty genre bliss... but it was not to be. Some of the tales have a fun elements to them, a ship on an ice-floe, a reanimated mummy, a gaggle of dead authors trying to write together, etc., but none of it is quite enough to create a whole satisfying tale. Even the best of the stories here is still a few cents short.
One thing that especially bothered me was that Doyle couldn't ever give us a very strong conclusion, or even a very good reveal (something that's kind of surprising from such a famous author of detective fiction). Some of the stories simply end because time has run out. Probably most disappointing was the story that speculates as to the fate of the Marie Celeste (the mystery of a ship that vanished only to be found without a crew, unsolved to this day) and presents a pretty dull human plot which never actually gets into the realm of the supernatural.
By the time I forced myself to finish the collection (and it was a chore), I was disgusted and immediately ran to the comfort of my old friends, Poe and Lovecraft. I suggest you save time, and just skip Doyle's attempts at ghost stories. The best ones are little more than mildly diverting.
November 27, 2016
Overall, a fun little collection of paranormal stories. Not the best I've read, but certainly still enjoyable.
Lot NO. 249: Best of the bunch in my opinion. The thought of an Egyptian corpse bounding towards you in the dead of night is terrifying. I also love the practicality of Englishmen. Fright and a bit of humor? Can't go wrong.
The Ring of Thoth: Second best. What can I say? I'm a sucker for ancient Egypt.
Selecting a Ghost: Third favorite of the lot. Comedic and paranormal is a winning combination every now and then.
The Captain of the Polestar: The only one that produced a slight chill up my spine. Something to do with the isolation of the arctic and ghosts....
The Leather Funnel: I liked it. The thought of sleeping next to an object and having dreams related to it's history and origins is very intriguing.
Playing with Fire: Warns of dabbling with the spiritual world. A fun story!
The Brown Hand: Insanely predictable. I would expect a craftier outcome from a man such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Lot NO. 249: Best of the bunch in my opinion. The thought of an Egyptian corpse bounding towards you in the dead of night is terrifying. I also love the practicality of Englishmen. Fright and a bit of humor? Can't go wrong.
The Ring of Thoth: Second best. What can I say? I'm a sucker for ancient Egypt.
Selecting a Ghost: Third favorite of the lot. Comedic and paranormal is a winning combination every now and then.
The Captain of the Polestar: The only one that produced a slight chill up my spine. Something to do with the isolation of the arctic and ghosts....
The Leather Funnel: I liked it. The thought of sleeping next to an object and having dreams related to it's history and origins is very intriguing.
Playing with Fire: Warns of dabbling with the spiritual world. A fun story!
The Brown Hand: Insanely predictable. I would expect a craftier outcome from a man such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 6, 2008
Doyle is great writing mystery and great writing horror.
November 6, 2014
A nice mix of supernatural subjects. Conan Doyle has a very readable style in most, which makes them a joy. Too bad Sherlock overshadows everything else Conan Doyle wrote.
June 8, 2007
See my review here: http://trebro.livejournal.com/220756....
April 17, 2017
A nice collection of ghost stories and murders outside of Doyle's Sherlock Holmes repertoire. The stories read very much like the early pulp tales. A very interesting read.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews