Book Genre Haunted Library of Horror Classics

Frankenstein wasn't the only classic horror novel created by a woman.

Within a decade of the 1818 publication of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, another Englishwoman invented a foundational work of science fiction. Seventeen-year-old Jane Webb Loudon took up the theme of reanimation, moved it three hundred years into the future, and applied it to Cheops, an ancient Egyptian mummy. Unlike Shelley's horrifying, death-dealing monster, this revivified creature bears the wisdom of the ages and is eager to share his insights with humanity. Cheops boards a hot-air balloon and travels to 22nd-century England, where he sets about remedying the ills of a corrupt government.

In recounting Cheops' attempts to put the futuristic society to rights, the young author offers a fascinating portrait of the preoccupations of her own era as well as some remarkably prescient predictions of technological advances. The Mummy! envisions a world in which automatons perform surgery, undersea tunnels connect England and Ireland, weather-control devices provide crop irrigation, and messages are transmitted with the speed of cannonball fire. The first novel to feature the concept of a living mummy, this pioneering tale offers an engaging mix of comedy, politics, and science fiction.

Manfred, the lord of the castle of Otranto, has long lived in dread of an ancient prophecy: it's foretold that when his family line ends, the true owner of the castle will appear and claim it. In a desperate bid to keep the castle, Manfred plans to coerce a young woman named Isabella into marrying him.

Isabella refuses to yield to Manfred's reprehensible plan. But once she escapes into the depths of the castle, it becomes clear that Manfred isn't the only threat. As Isabelle loses herself in the seemingly endless hallways below, voices reverberate from the walls and specters wander through the dungeons. Otranto appears to be alive, and it's seeking revenge for the sins of the past.

Dive into this collection of exquisite, classic horror stories--just make sure to have the lights on and the doors locked!

First published in 1904, Ghost Stories of an Antiquary contains eight tales of supernatural horror by genre master M.R. James. Highly regarded as a masterwork of horror, this collection is a must-have for fans of the frightful.

The stories in this collection include: "Canon Alberic's Scrap-Book," "Lost Hearts," "The Mezzotint," "The Ash-Tree." "Number 13," "Count Magnus," "Oh, Whistle and I'll Come to You, My Lad," and "The Treasure of Abbot Thomas."

Who dares to read The King in Yellow?

A man pursued by a church organist who wants his soul. An artist plagued by repeated sightings of a watchman who looks like a coffin worm. Ghosts, wayward cats, and scientific dabblings with dire consequences. Each of these ten tales is chilling in its own right, but taken together, they weave a wickedly eerie spell that is sure to enthrall.

United by vague references to a play with the same name, which never appears in the book--a play that "induces despair or madness in those who read it"--The King in Yellow is undoubtedly Robert W. Chambers' finest work. The book quickly gained an influence over generations of writers of "weird tales," long before there was even a name for them. H. P. Lovecraft greatly admired the book, hailing it as achieving "notable heights of cosmic fear."

Chambers' genius will take readers to the most horrifying place of all--their own imaginations.

This beautiful new reprint includes an introduction by creator and writer of True Detective, Nic Pizzalatto.

Nine spine-tingling stories from the creator of Sherlock Holmes

Mournful cries in an ice-bound sea, a potion that allows the user to commune with ghosts, an Egyptian priest who cannot die, and a mesmerist of unrivaled power. Brace yourself for these and other chilling encounters in The Parasite and Other Tales of Terror. Even before he created Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle terrified and delighted readers with tales of suspense, haunted by mysterious forces that defy rational explanation. These stories capture the unique draw of the uncanny and the curiosity that compels us all to ask, "Could it be true?"

Presented by the Horror Writers Association, and introduced by award-winning author Daniel Stashower, this collection illuminates Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's talent for the macabre and the supernatural. The Parasite and the other stories in this collection showcase Conan Doyle at his most inventive, sure to entertain both new readers and his most dedicated fans.

"Mysticism, horror, and racial identity merge fluidly in this thrilling tale... The suspense is tangible and the final reveal will leave readers reeling"--Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

From groundbreaking Black author Pauline Hopkins comes an uncanny example of classic horror, exploring identity, race, and spirituality

When medical student Reuel Briggs reluctantly attends a performance by the beautiful singer Dianthe Lusk, he can't help but fall for her. The very next day, their paths cross again when Dianthe's train crashes. To bring her back from the brink of death, Reuel draws on an eerie power he can't quite name. Soon, the two are engaged, and Reuel sets off on an archeological expedition to Africa to offset his debts before the wedding. But, in Ethiopia, unexpected danger and terror force him to confront the truth about his lineage, his power, and the disturbing history that lives in his very blood.

First serialized in Colored American Magazine in 1902, this classic fiction exemplifies Pauline Hopkins's incisive writing and interrogates issues of race, blood, and history that remain urgent today.

This edition of Hopkins's classic horror novel is presented by the Horror Writers Association and introduced by award-winning author Nisi Shawl.

Includes notes, biographical information about the author, discussion questions for classroom use, and suggested further reading.

William Hope Hodgson's "cosmic horror" classic continues the Haunted Library of Horror Classics series.

In a ruined house at the edge of an abyss lies the diary of a madman...

Two friends on a fishing trip make an unsettling discovery when the river they've been following abruptly ends and reappears some 100 feet below the edge of an abyss. If that wasn't unnerving enough, the river runs along the remains of an oddly shaped house, half-swallowed by the pit.

Within the ruins, they discover the moldering journal of an unidentified man--the Recluse--who had lived in the house years ago. Its pages reveal the man's apparent descent into madness--why else would he chronicle haunted visions, trips to other dimensions, and attacks by swine-like creatures that have followed him home? After a horrific vision in which he witnesses the end of the earth and time itself, the Recluse awakens in his study to find nothing has changed--except that his dog has dissolved into a pile of dust. And then the "swine things" return...

Introduced by modern horror master Ramsey Campbell as "an enduring classic of cosmic terror," The House on the Borderland has inspired dozens of other classic horror novels and indelibly changed the genre. Influencing writers from H.P. Lovecraft to Terry Pratchett, this 1908 masterpiece shucks the conventions of Gothic horror and presents an eerie mix of sci-fi, fantasy, and the supernatural.

A chilling addition to the Haunted Library of Horror Classics.

When you have all you could ever want--power, wealth, influence, status--what's left to wish for?

First published in 1786, William Beckford's classic tale combines the lush setting of The Arabian Nights with a gothic nightmare. Vathek, the fierce ninth caliph of the Abassides, has the world at his feet. Nothing is beyond his grasp, until a hideous stranger sells him glowing swords with letters on them that cannot be translated even by experts--because the letters keep changing as if by magic!

Obsessed with obtaining the stranger's knowledge, Vathek undertakes an increasingly horrific search as he ventures into the underworld, meeting demons and witches. Will anything be enough to turn him from his foolish and terrifying quest? Or will the lust for power prove too strong to resist?

Featuring an introduction by acclaimed writer Joe R. Lansdale, the Haunted Library of Horror Classics is proud to present this classic gothic horror novel.

A timeless exploration of power, greed, and often elusive redemption, this shining example of literary occult horror poses the question: are the answers to ancient secrets worth your soul?

Perfect for fans of Edgar Allan Poe and Bram Stoker
For readers who enjoy classical literature and horror novels
Collect all of the Haunted Library of Horror Classics

"A fun new way to encounter the spine-tinglers of yesteryear." --Booklist

A horror classic for the modern reader, presented by the Horror Writers Association.

Rediscover the classic and come face-to-face with a creature "born of neither god nor man"

First published in 1897, Richard Marsh's classic work of gothic horror, The Beetle, opens with Robert Holt, an out-of-work clerk seeking shelter in an abandoned house. He comes face to face with a fantastical creature with supernatural and hypnotic powers; a creature who can transform at will between its human and beetle forms and who wrecks havoc when he preys on young middle-class Britons.

Featuring an introduction by bestselling author Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, the Haunted Library Horror Classics edition of The Beetle is a tale of revenge that takes the reader on a dark journey, one that explores the crisis of late imperial England through a fantastical and horrific lens.

"One of the most famous ghost stories that no one has actually read" (New York Times), The Phantom of the Opera is the first in the Haunted Library Horror Classics series presented by the Horror Writers Association. An unabridged edition of the novel that inspired the famous Andrew Lloyd Webber musical.

Deep beneath the Paris Opera House, a masked man lives in silence...

Every night at the Palais Garnier, hundreds of guests sit on the edge of velvet-covered seats, waiting for prima donna La Carlotta to take the stage. But when her voice fails her, La Carlotta is replaced with unknown understudy Christine Daaé, a young soprano whose vibrant singing fills every corner of the house and wins her a slew of admirers, including an old childhood friend who soon professes his love for her. But unknown to Christine is another man, who lurks out of sight behind the heavy curtains of the opera, who can move about the building undetected, who will do anything to make sure Christine will keep singing just for him...

This curated edition of The Phantom of the Opera, based on the original 1911 English translation by Alexander Teixeira de Mattos, brings an iconic story of love and obsession to today's readers and illuminates the timeless appeal of Leroux's masterpiece.