James’ favorite writer of ghost stories was, of course, J. Sheridan Le Fanu, and few of the former’s tales of terror are more closely modelled after the latter’s style than “The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral.” Le Fanu’s universe was bleak, vicious, and vengeful, and typically involved the gradual stalking and ensnarement of a brazen sinner by the spirit of his victim (or that of some avenging entity). This is most obviously reflected in James’ favorite story of Le Fanu’s, “The Familiar.”  ...

Although he is more closely – and rightfully – associated with weird fiction, fantasy, and sci-fi than with the traditional ghost story, O’Brien’s first speculative tale of mention features a chilling haunting. A classic Victorian-era ghost story, “The Pot of Tulips” presents an Americanization of the classic English genre. The Victorian ghost story was rarely content with mere fright. More often, it served as a moral instrument—a means of probing guilt, particularly the guilt of the...

“The Dragon Fang” – which is much less about its titular artifact and far more about a magical duck that mystifies the fools that would attempt to capture it – is a charming little piece of Oriental fantasy. This being said, there is nothing particularly horrifying about it, and the supernatural mechanics – though they deal injuries to the villains of the tale – are mystical rather than hideous. The story nonetheless deserves attention as an early example of American fantasy literature....