A new entry in the popular Tales of the Weird series aiming to introduce readers to an important writer in the development of the genre who has been forgotten for too long. R. Murray Gilchrist’s writing is a unique blend of weird, decadent, Gothic and surreal, and will delight fans of the traditional ghost story along with the more Lovecraftian side of the Weird. There is a developing strand of academic interest in Gilchrist and his writing centering on his portrayal and exploration of ‘gender-eroding themes’ (Laurence Bush, 2011).

Through vampiric trysts, heady visions of ghostly processions and metaphorical tales of murdering one’s own psyche, the portrait of a truly unique writer of the strange tale emerges. R. Murray Gilchrist was lauded for his imagination and florid, illustrative style during the fin-de-siecle period, and this new collection showcases the very best of his short fiction.

Despite being admired by H. G. Wells and described by Arnold Bennett as ‘almost the peak of perfection in that difficult genre [of short fiction]’, Gilchrist and his works are now largely forgotten. Packed with thrilling encounters and unforgettable descriptions from the weirdest ebb of the writer’s mind, this anthology aims to introduce a new readership to Gilchrist’s entrancing and influential oeuvre.

 

Publication date: 19/08/21