Leslie Shepard (1) (1917–2004)

Some were known to me (carmilla, Dracula's guest), and some were boring knock offs of better stories, but quite a few of them were genuinely awesome. In particular, some of the ones before Dracula's publication were quite interesting and unusual... But some of the later ones were also cool. I especially liked The Room in the Tower by EF Benson, which really nails the uncanniness of a recurring dream (though the ending was disappointing).

https://donut-donut.dreamwidth.org/877554.html

This is a lively collection of old vampire and supernatural stories that will be loved by anyone who, like me, is a fan of pulp horror. Many of the stories become a bit formulaic after a bit, but they are all mostly engaging and will not bother a reader who likes this genre. However, if you are looking for "serious" literature, rather than "fun," you should probably look elsewhere.

I'm not entirely sure if the version I own is the same as the one here, but it is divided into two parts, since show more this collection supposedly consisted of two different books. The first contains vampire stories only, and the second contains "paranormal" stories, about ghosts, the supernatural, and other such things. There is also a story by Charles Dickens about a serial killer, if I remember correctly, which, while clearly true to his humorous over-the-top style, is certainly not the Dickens we were taught to know in school.

Overall it was a fun light read, one that I'd turn to on a rainy day when I need something to occupy a few hours. show less