National Network for Equitable Library Service

This collected volume starts with the famous M. R. James story of occult revenge, "Casting the Runes", about a slighted occultist out for murderous revenge using his diabolical black arts to achieve it. It was adapted into the equally chilling movie Night of the Demon in 1957. Next up is another famous classic, W. W. Jacobs' "The Monkeys Paw", a brilliantly written tale of greed and getting what you wish for. The third story is "Hop-Frog" by Edgar Allan Poe - a classic yarn about the grisly revenge conjured up by a mistreated court jester. Poe is followed by another master of storytelling, Robert Louis Stevenson, with his tale of grave robbers and medical students, "The Body Sntacher", inspired by real events. Rounding off Volume 3 is one of the most well-known poems from Poe: "The Raven". It's beautifully written and concerns a raven's visit to a heartbroken lover as he appears to descend into madness.