Wylder's Hand (Crime Classics)

A lost classic by one of the 19th century's most prominent writers of ghost stories and suspense novels The Wylders and the Brandons share a history of intermarriage, bitter rivalry, villainy, and madness. The wedding of Mark Wylder to his rich and beautiful cousin, Dorcas Brandon, was to inaugurate a harmonious new era at Brandon Hall—but as the ceremony draws near, Mark disappears without trace, leaving Dorcas in shock, and the assembled family in a state of severe agitation. When Mark’s letters arrive back at the Hall, postmarked from Europe, the sinister figure of Captain Stanley Lake emerges from the wings to claim Dorcas as his own. First published in 1864, Wylder’s Hand was one of J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s most popular novels, but has been largely neglected, until now. It is a nerve-jangling tale of jealousy and murder, for fans of the grisly and gripping.

Dorothy L. Sayers

"The master of mystery and horror."

M. R. James, author, Casting the Runes

"He succeeds in inspiring a mysterious terror better than any other writer."

V. S. Pritchett, author, London Perceived

"The Simenon of the peculiar."

About the Author

J. Sheridan Le Fanu (1814–1873) was the premier ghost story writer of the 19th century and had a seminal influence on the development of this genre in the Victorian era. His best-known works are the novel Uncle Silas and the novella Carmilla, a lesbian vampire story which greatly influenced Bram Stoker. Robert Giddings is an eminent literary critic who reviews for such publications as the Guardian, the New Statesman, and the Sunday Times.

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