Review of “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe Halloween Countdown

28) The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe Plot:The narrator confesses to being nervous by nature, but he is not insane. His nervousness has increased his senses, not dulled them. His hearing is especially keen. What first led him to do what he did?  He doesn’t know. He loved the old man. The old manContinue reading “Review of “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe Halloween Countdown”

Review of “The Striding Place” by Gertrude Atherton Halloween Countdown

27) The Striding Place by Gertrude Atherton Plot: Weigall, “continental and detached,” has tired of grouse shooting. He finds the company at his host’s estate boring and the women “a dull lot.” What’s really bothering him is that his friend, Wyatt Gifford, a guest on a neighboring estate, has been missing for two days. ThisContinue reading “Review of “The Striding Place” by Gertrude Atherton Halloween Countdown”

Review of “Lazarus” by Leonid Andreyev Halloween Countdown

25) “Lazarus” by Leonid Andreyev Plot:According to the Bible story, Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha were friends of Jesus. Lazarus died and was buried while Jesus was in another town. He returned to find Mary and Martha in mourning, asked someone to roll the stone away from Lazarus’ tomb, and brought him backContinue reading “Review of “Lazarus” by Leonid Andreyev Halloween Countdown”

Review of “Out of the Deep” by Walter de la Mare Halloween Countdown

24) “Out of the Deep” by Walter de la Mare Plot: Jimmie’s Uncle Timothy has left him the house he grew up in as a neglected and unwanted child. After exhausting all alternatives, Jimmie moves in. He has no happy memories of living there. Relegated to an attic room without heat or light, he wasContinue reading “Review of “Out of the Deep” by Walter de la Mare Halloween Countdown”

Review of “The Monkey’s Paw” by W. W. Jacobs Halloween Countdown

22) The Monkey’s Paw by W. W. Jacobs Plot: In turn-of-the-20th-century Great Britain, an older couple, the Whites, live in a remote area with their son, Herbert. On a stormy night, a visitor, Sergeant-Major Morris, an acquaintance of Mr. White’s, arrives and regales the family with tales of his time in India. He brings aContinue reading “Review of “The Monkey’s Paw” by W. W. Jacobs Halloween Countdown”

Review of “The Demon of the Flower” by Clark Ashton Smith Halloween Countdown

20) The Demon of the Flower by Clark Ashton Smith Plot: On the planet Lophai, humans are subject to plants, which “[resemble] fields of rooted serpents that dance eternally to an other-world music.” Humans and all flora and fauna pay tribute to the supreme flower known as Voorqual, in which a demon more ancient thanContinue reading “Review of “The Demon of the Flower” by Clark Ashton Smith Halloween Countdown”

Review of “Green Tea” by Joseph S. Le Fanu Halloween Countdown

19) “Green Tea” by Joseph S. Le Fanu Plot:As recorded by the medical secretary of (the fictional) Martin Hesselius, the German physician, this is one of the doctor’s many cases, beginning with a meeting of a country clergyman, the Rev. Mr. Jennings in London. Hesselius and Jennings seem to hit it off well enough. JenningsContinue reading “Review of “Green Tea” by Joseph S. Le Fanu Halloween Countdown”

Review of “The Night Wire” by H. F. Arnold Halloween Countdown

17) The Night Wire by H. F. Arnold Plot:Told by a night manager at newspaper in a western seacoast town, this is set in the days when news came in by telegraph. The narrator describes John Morgan as a “doubler,” that is, someone who can listen to two feeds and type their contents on twoContinue reading “Review of “The Night Wire” by H. F. Arnold Halloween Countdown”

Review of “The Golden Bough” by David H. Keller Halloween Countdown

16) The Golden Bough by David H. Keller Plot: Newlyweds Paul and Constance (Martin) Gallien are on a road trip through Europe to find the house in a forest that Constance dreamed of the first night they were married. Paul is “of royal blood,” something not important as it once was, but he apparently stillContinue reading “Review of “The Golden Bough” by David H. Keller Halloween Countdown”

Review of “The Secret of Kralitz” by Henry Kuttner Halloween Countdown

15) The Secret of Kralitz by Henry Kuttner Plot: As his father was dying, he warned Franz, now the twenty-first Baron of Kralitz, that the House of Kralitz was cursed. He couldn’t tell him how it was cursed and warned him against trying to seek out the nature of the curse. When it was timeContinue reading “Review of “The Secret of Kralitz” by Henry Kuttner Halloween Countdown”