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The body of a woman who had been hanged infested by the devil -- Hobgoblins that appeared near the castle of Lusignan in 1620 -- A Young Lady murdered by an evil Spirit through her impious wishes, and afterwards transformed into a Black Cat -- The Night-mare -- A young gentleman who sold himself to the devil.These are just some of the forty-four short stories contained in this strange collection. First published in 1804 during the height of the Gothic literary phenomenon, Isabella Lewis's Terrific Tales sought to capitalize on the public's fascination with spectres, ghosts, demons, and other supernatural happenings.But the most shocking thing about these horror stories is, as Lewis claims, they are all true! Meticulously culled from accounts in ancient Roman texts, medieval monks' manuscripts, church documents, and actual legal records, and supported by factual evidence, these terrifying and bizarre tales will make even modern readers reconsider their beliefs regarding the supernatural.This curious book, which is very likely the first such collection of ghost stories published in the English language, is extremely rare today, with only four copies known to exist. The Valancourt Books edition reprints the unabridged 1804 text, together with a new preface, in a cloth-bound hardcover volume with an attractive dust jacket.

Mary Blyth is fired from her job for tardiness after being robbed and nearly murdered. But her luck seems to change for the better when a solicitor informs her that her distant uncle Benjamin Batters has died, naming her his sole heiress! He bequeaths to her a dilapidated old house, where impenetrable iron doors may guard terrible secrets.But the rats that infest the house, and the spirits that seem to haunt it, are not her only concerns. A trio of grotesque and ruthless thugs will stop at nothing to gain entrance to the house and the secrets it conceals. As the mystery deepens, a more frightening question arises: Is Benjamin Batters playing a murderous game from beyond the grave, or is he still alive? The novel''s relentless action builds in a crescendo until the horrifying truth of Batters''s fate is finally revealed!Richard Marsh''s The Joss (1901) can be read as a companion volume to his most famous novel, The Beetle (1897), which in its time outsold even Bram Stoker''s Dracula (1897). Like The Beetle, The Joss features a thrilling tale told from multiple points of view and a hideous, subhuman monster from the East. The Valancourt Books edition reprints the rare 1901 first edition, which survives in only a handful of copies worldwide, complete with a facsimile of its cover.

Clermont is the story of Madeline, a porcelain doll of a Gothic heroine, who lives in seclusion from society with her father, Clermont, whose past is shrouded in mystery. One stormy night, their solitude is interrupted by a benighted traveller, a Countess who turns out to be a friend from Clermont''s past.Madeline goes to live with the Countess to receive her education, but her new idyllic life soon turns into a shocking nightmare. Ruffians attack the gentle Countess, and Madeline is assaulted in a gloomy crypt. And to make matters worse, a sinister stranger appears, threatening to reveal the bloody truth of Clermont''s past unless Madeline marries him. Can she avoid the snares of her wily pursuers, solve the mystery of her father''s past, and win the love of her dear De Sevignie?This edition of Clermont includes the unabridged text of the novel, based on the first edition of 1798, as well as a new introduction and other supplementary materials.About the EditorNatalie Schroeder is Associate Professor of English at the University of Mississippi. She teaches courses in Victorian Literature, Dickens, and women''s literature.

The Forest of Valancourt is the story of young Lucien, who sets out to find his origins and prove himself worthy of the love of the young countess Adelaide. But he gets more than he bargained for when he saves the life of a man who proves to be his father, and who denounces Lucien to the Inquisition! Imprisoned in a dungeon and threatened with horrible torture, can Lucien escape his terrible fate and discover the truth behind his father's past?Only one copy of The Forest of Valancourt has survived; that copy is held in the Bodleian Library in Oxford, England. The Valancourt Books edition is newly typeset from that copy in an attractive cloth-bound edition with dust jacket, giving modern readers the opportunity to own a copy of this extremely rare work.