Books published by Valancourt Books

"In reading it I had several splendid shudders. . . . It is a piece of living literature, not merely an evening's entertainment." - E. B. Osborn, Morning Post"A bang-up ghost-murder-detective story with a background of bleak Northumberland moors, an old house full of haunts, [and] a Roman Centurion who appears . . . with death in his wake." - Scribner's Magazine"A well nigh perfect admixture of eerie horror, romance and good detecting." - Saturday Review"Truly a little masterpiece of a book. Reminiscent of Christie at the height of her powers in its brilliant use of misdirection. . . . Really a classic of its kind." - J. F. Norris, Mystery FileFrom the moment William Mertoun arrives to catalogue the library at Colonel Barr's old mansion on the desolate Northumbrian moors, he senses something is terribly wrong. Barr's brother Ian has just died, mysteriously and violently, and the Colonel himself is hidden away in a locked room, to which his sinister nurse denies all access. As strange and supernatural events begin to unfold, Mertoun learns the local legend of a ghostly Roman centurion, slain on the site sixteen centuries earlier, who is said to haunt the estate. Mertoun is sceptical at first, but after another murder, a harrowing seance, and an actual sighting of the spirit one lonely night on the moor, he realizes that he and everyone at Barr's mansion are in mortal danger. What does the ghost want, and can it be stopped? This first-ever reprinting of He Arrived at Dusk (1933), R. C. Ashby's classic tale of mystery and the supernatural, features a new introduction by Mark Valentine and a reproduction of the original jacket art.

Business is slow at the provincial bookshop owned by young Michael Ransome, which suits him fine, since he'd rather be asleep or drunk than at work anyway. Unfortunately, there's the small problem of earning a living, but Ransome thinks he's found a solution. Sir Jeremy Etchingham's library is set to be auctioned off, and there is a legend that a unique and priceless bibliographical rarity is among its books, a legend which Ransome thinks he alone knows. He is determined to get his hands on this treasure through fair means or foul, but he hasn't reckoned on 'the Ring', an illegal conspiracy of powerful London book dealers, who have their own designs on the book. . . .Knock or Ring (1957) was the first novel by Michael Nelson (1921-1990), who was more famous for his second book, the gay classic A Room in Chelsea Square (1958). A very funny and entertaining story of the unexpectedly shady world of antiquarian bookselling, Knock or Ring was well received on its initial release but has never been reprinted until now. This edition includes the original cover art by Sir John Verney and an introduction by London bookseller John Saumarez Smith.'A promising debut. Here is rollicking, yet far from vacuous, entertainment.' - Birmingham Post'An amusing and capable first novel.' - The Observer'Amusing and racy. The tricks of the trade are woven into a well-constructed plot.' - The Star'A rattling good novel . . . pleasant hours in the company of men who love books, angling and wine - what better ingredients can one ask from a novel?' - The Publisher

Azemia is a satirical attack on what William Beckford perceived as characteristically feminine novel-writing. First published in 1797, under the pseudonym Jacquetta Agneta Mariana Jenks, it joined its companion volume Modern Novel Writing, or, The Elegant Enthusiast (1796) in ridiculing the sentimental and sensational novels of the day, and especially the productions of William Lane's Minerva Press. However, it is also a biting political satire, attacking the Tory party and its leader, William Pitt the Younger, for the war with France, repressive legislation, and neglect of the poor. This is the first-ever scholarly edition of the novel and includes a new introduction by Robert J. Gemmett, as well as thorough annotations, a bibliography, and contemporary illustrations.William Beckford (1760-1844) was a novelist, travel writer, art critic, and collector. One of the most controversial figures of his time, as well reputedly the richest man in England, he is probably best remembered as the author of the Gothic novel Vathek (1786) and the creator of Fonthill Abbey. Robert J. Gemmett, Professor of English at the State University of New York, Brockport, is an acknowledged expert on William Beckford and is the author of numerous books and articles on his life and works. He is also editor of the first scholarly edition of Modern Novel Writing, published in 2008.

In 1894, the publishing house of Archibald Constable & Co. launched a series of novels by well-known authors called The Acme Library. The two tales paired in this volume were the first two entries in the set. Unlike Constable's publication of Dracula in 1897, the Acme Library was a failure, and copies of books in the short-lived series are quite rare today.In Arthur Conan Doyle's The Parasite, a sceptical scientist engages in dangerous experiments with Miss Penelosa, a hypnotist with deadly powers. Bram Stoker's The Watter's Mou' is a thrilling tale of romance and smuggling along the Scottish coast. These two short novels are fascinating in their own right, but also in how they reveal different sides of these two authors, best known for their creations Sherlock Holmes and Dracula.This edition features the unabridged texts of both novellas, taken from the scarce British first editions, and includes a substantial introduction by Catherine Wynne tracing the many parallels and convergences of the two authors' lives and literary careers. Also included are explanatory footnotes and an appendix containing Doyle's haunting story "John Barrington Cowles," Stoker's surreal "The Coming of Abel Behenna," and a 1907 interview of Doyle by Stoker.

The Mysterious Hand; or, Subterranean Horrours! (1811) is the story of two young lovers, Theodore Dalbert and Julia Bolton, and their attempts to escape the machinations of the diabolical Count Egfryd. Egfryd, one of the most remarkable villains in Gothic literature, is a gifted athlete, poet, and inventor, brilliant, handsome, charming - and ruthless. Angered at Theodore''s negative review of the his book of poems and enamoured of Julia, Egfryd will stop at nothing to destroy his rival and possess the lovely maiden. Egfryd''s wild and improbable schemes include framing Theodore for murder, attempting to rape Julia in a hot air balloon, and finally imprisoning them both on a remote island rigged with gunpowder to blow them both to bits should they attempt to escape. Can the two lovers avoid the snares of the wily Count or will they fall victim to his inveterate malice?A Gothic novel remarkable both for its rarity (fewer than five copies are known to survive) and its originality, The Mysterious Hand is a lost gem that will be enjoyed by readers, collectors, and specialists of Gothic fiction. And perhaps even more surprising than its unique plot are the modern views the author expresses on such issues as capital punishment, criminal justice, marriage, and sexuality. This edition includes a new introduction and notes by Caspar Wintermans as well as a reproduction of the title-page of the first edition.