Twelve Gothic Tales

by Richard Dalby (Editor)

In this anthology we see a dozen fine examples of Gothic literature, spanning over one hundred and fifty years--from Mary Shelley and Charles Maturin's classic fiction up to an unexpected master of the macabre, Gerald Durrell. All of the tales feature sinister settings such as castles and
ancient houses, along with protagonists who are haunted by the tyranny of the past and physically or else spiritually incarcerated by their circumstances. Designed to provide an overview of the genre, and offering a balance of classic and more unusual stories, this is a book that will appeal to both
the newcomer and dedicated collector of Gothic fiction.

Genres: Gothic, Horror, Short Stories, British Literature, Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1999

About the author

Richard Dalby (1949-2017) was an editor and literary researcher.

Reviews

[Tim Pendry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A representative collection of twelve Gothic stories that are generally not seen elsewhere and are all to a reasonably high standard. Not a bad starting point if you want to get a 'feel' for the Gothic horror tale.

All have something to recommend them and there are no absolute duds but special praise for the last item - a genuinely disturbing story by Gerald Durrell, usually associated with benign memoires of animals.

[Bugg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the stories in this anthology were fantastic, others not so much. I did really enjoy observing how the language and storytelling progressed through the years that these short stories were written.

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent, creepy anthology with a variety of authors who are not in every story anthology. Great read.