To savour these stories fully we must imagine ourselves in a slower, quieter world, lit by gas and tallow. Sitting by a crackling fire after a good dinner, we are disposed to be frightened a little. We may read of familiar settings: of railway stations, city streets, or country houses, but these are inhabited by fictional ghosts who often pursue their prey with deadly persistence, displaying both cunning and indiscriminate hostility. Our expectations of what a good ghost story should be, as well as how a ghost should behave, derive largely from the Victorian period. The presence here of tales by Amelia Edwards, Rhoda Broughton, and Margaret Oliphant reflect the important contributions made by women writers to the development of the genre, and with stories by J. S. Le Fanu, Henry James, and Vincent O'Sullivan, this is an anthology to attract both the newcomer and addict of the genre. This book is intended for lovers of ghost stories, Victorian literature, and short stories in general. Balance of classic and more recherche stories will appeal to both the newcomer and aficianado of the genre.