Man Overboard!

by F. Marion Crawford

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Supernatural, Classics

108 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1903

About the author

Francis Marion Crawford (1854-1909) was an American writer noted for his many novels. He was born at Bagni di Lucca, Italy. In 1879 he went to India, where he studied Sanskrit and edited the Allahabad Indian Herald. Returning to America he continued to study Sanskrit at Harvard University for a year, contributed to various periodicals, and in 1882 produced his first novel, Mr Isaacs. This book had an immediate success, and its author's promise was confirmed by the publication of Doctor Claudius: A True Story (1883). After a brief residence in New York and Boston, in 1883 he returned to Italy, where he made his permanent home. He also published the historical works, Ave Roma Immortalis (1898), Rulers of the South (1900) renamed Sicily, Calabria and Malta in 1904, and Gleanings from Venetian History (1905). The Saracinesca series is perhaps known to be his best work, with the third in the series, Don Orsino, set against the background of a real estate bubble, told with effective concision. A fourth book in the series, Corleone, was the first major treatment of the Mafia in literature.

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely compelling and well composed sailors' yarn. Mr Torkeldson (the narrator) tells you the story of a trip on the Helen B. Jackson (a sailing ship) when one of the Benton Boys (identical twins) went overboard. It seemed to be Jim who had bad luck. After this incident strange things happen aboard. There is always one more dish, spoon and even the dead man's pipe is constantly returning to Jack (the surviving twin). The cooks is out of his wits and suffers from brain fever. Later on we hear that Torkeldson, meanwhile Captain, is invited to the marriage of Jack and Mamie. But who is Mamie really marrying and who went overboard three years ago? There is an extremely nasty twist at the end of the story waiting for the reader. All those little details, the real story element (you can almost see Torkeldson sit next to you), the atmosphere and the slowly building up of tension culminate into a hair rising horror story. I absolutely enjoyed this story and can only highly recommend it.

[Pramod Nair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little by little during the next few days life on board that vessel came to be about as unbearable as you can imagine. It wasn't that there was much talk, for I think the men were shy even of speaking to each other freely about what they thought. The whole ship's company grew silent, until one hardly ever heard a voice, except giving an order and the answer. We were all thinking of the same thing. We all felt as if there were a hand on board, sometimes below, sometimes about decks, sometimes aloft, sometimes on the boom end; taking his full share of what the others got, but doing no work for it. We didn't only feel it, we knew it. He took up no room, he cast no shadow, and we never heard his footfall on deck; but he took his whack with the rest as regular as the bells, and—he whistled "Nancy Lee."

Published in 1903, Man Overboard!, a mystery/ horror short story by Francis Marion Crawford narrates the anomalous happenings onboard Helen B. Jackson, a four-masted schooner of New York, during a voyage carrying lumber for the West Indies, and the chilling events that continue after the strange journey. The entire story is presented to the reader through the eyes of a veteran seaman named Torkeldsen, who was onboard during the fateful voyage.

Since the story is narrated by an officer of the ship, the reader will find an abundance of nautical terms and naval jargon within the story. The narrative is fast paced and effectively captures the chilling atmosphere of an unnerving voyage, which offers the reader with a quick, satisfying reading experience.

[Samichtime · Rating 4 out of 5]

The scariness was lackluster, but the “setting” is a vibe if you catch my drift. 🌊It has film potential, though the only person in the audience would be me. And I would sneak my own snacks into the theatre.🍿🫣

[Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

On first read, I thought the ending ... predictable. The reason for that, though, is that this is precisely the sort of story told in many a Ripley’s Believe It or Not horror-comic book.

But this is an early example of the form. And upon second reading, I saw its art. It is very well done.

The form is that of a yarn. The author writes as if speaking in the first person, occasionally addressing the reader/listener, and you quickly realize the narration is by one old sea captain to another. There is plenty of nautical lore in it, and it reminds me that, like “The Upper Berth,” the author not unreasonably linked ghost tales and horror in general to the sea. And he knew whereof he wrote, for Crawford was an accomplished sailor, owning his own sailboat.

I think your appreciation of the story will go up if you have not been jaded on the genre. This is a well-constructed twin story, and the doppelgänger aspect makes it a classic, and resonates beyond the genre itself.

I own two copies of the tale, in my library — one in its original 1903 miniature-hardcover edition; very nice.

[Cassandra Glissadevil · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!
"There wasn't anything to be done, with the ship hove-to and the wheel lashed. If there was a man overboard, he must be in the water right alongside. I couldn't imagine how it could have happened, but I ran forward instinctively. I came upon the cook first, half-dressed in his shirt and trousers, just as he had tumbled out of his bunk. He was jumping into the main rigging, evidently hoping to see the man, as if any one could have seen anything on such a night, except the foam-streaks on the black water, and now and then the curl of a breaking sea as it went away to leeward. Several of the men were peering over the rail into the dark."
-F. Marion Crawford

It's obvious Crawford spent as much time sailing the oceans as Herman Melville. Deep dive into ship life, death, and the supernatual. One whale of white knuckle ride.

It got worse after that, and the men watched the cook, and the cook watched the men, as if they were trying to catch each other; but I think everybody felt that there was something else.
-F. Marion Crawford

Excellent addtion to early 20th century horror collections.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nautical story narrated by Mr. Torkeldsen the first mate that sailed on a four-masted schooner the Helen B. Jackson, under Captain Hackstaff. Amongst the crew there was a set of identical twin sailors named Jim and Jack Benton which no one could tell apart, except that Jim was more silent and the cheerier one Jack was known to always whistle a tune named "Nancy Lee". Everything seems to go as planned until the frightful moment during a gale storm when one of the Benton Boys, goes overboard. After this incident, strange things happen aboard. Some even say that the ship is now haunted by the ghost of the poor boy who met his untimely and tragic doom. Several years later Mr. Torkeldsen is invited to the surviving twin's wedding where events unravel that lead to the revenant ghost of the dead twin causing a dire result.

A spectral image of a sailor in wet oilskins is observed.... "One of his wet, shiny arms was round Mamie s waist."

[Doodles McC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this horror story as a young adult, publish 1903. Absolutely compelling and well composed sailors' yarn. Mr Torkeldson (the narrator) tells you the story of a trip on the Helen B. Jackson (a sailing ship) when one of the Benton Boys (identical twins) went overboard. It seemed to be Jim who had bad luck. After this incident strange things happen aboard. There is always one more dish, spoon and even the dead man's pipe is constantly returning to Jack (the surviving twin). The cooks is out of his wits and suffers from brain fever. There is an extremely nasty twist at the end of the story. All those little details, the real story element (you can almost see Torkeldson sit next to you), the atmosphere and the slowly building up of tension culminate into a hair rising horror story.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining listening 🎶😮

Another will written seafaring adventure thriller short story by F. Marion Crawford about two bothers on a ⛵ sailing ship when one ☝ is lost at sea. But which one ☝ was it? Back in New England the first mate is invited to one of the bothers wedding but which bother? I recommend this novella to anyone looking for a quick read. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa as I do because of eye issues and damage from nerve damage caused by shingles. 🏡🔰⏰🐓 2022

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this book on my audio app on my phone. It was a fun short book about two twin brothers who were sailors, one died by falling overboard from the ship, but his ghost seemed to linger on throughout the voyage. Once they left the sea, we found out that the lost brother seemed to still be haunting his twin at their old family home. The dead brother got the last laugh and made this a very macabre story.

[Susan Molloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story, published in 1903, is told by Torkeldsen, a veteran seaman who has witnessed many a strange occurrence in his day, but nothing quite as weird as the one of twin sailors aboard the Helen B. Jackson. I highly recommend reading this well-written, fast-moving short tale.

[Cindy DeLong · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like stories with happy endings. This wasn't one of them.

[Izzie Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

My new favourite ghost story. Blown away. 5 stars.

[Tell Tale Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

-Gregory Kerkman

[Star Queen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spooky

[Dimitrios Dritsas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Αναζητούσα μια ναυτική ιστορία. Αυτή ήταν μια καλή ναυτική περιπέτεια, με μυστήριο και αναπάντεχα στοιχεία του υπερφυσικού να με γοητεύουν περισσότερο από όσο ανέμενα. Η λύση του μυστηρίου ως τις τελευταίες σελίδες. Διαμαντάκι

[Jason Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to four. I really enjoyed the ending, but parts of the journey were a tad stagnant. I thought this was going to have the same problem as "The Screaming Skull" in that it addressed the reader directly and frequently pulled me out of the story, but that happened only a couple of times in this and not incessantly. In fact, it wouldn't have disturbed me at all had I not just had a full dose of it right in the face with the skull story.

This is a nice little ghost tale, spooky if you believe in ghosts (which I do). That might be a prerequisite for getting a little bit of a chill, though I suppose an overactive imagination (which I also have), will work as well. It reminded me of parts of Stephen King's Duma Key, but this had more... subtlety?... whenever the ghost put in an appearance. The atmosphere was well crafted, especially in the final pages, and it was adequately suspenseful.

I must point out that it would be helpful if you're familiar with seafaring terms, for there's an abundance of them in this. I don't know them all that well myself, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. I was able to keep things in context, and follow what was going on even if I was unfamiliar with the specifics.

Check it out if you like short ghost stories.

[Latasha · Rating 2 out of 5]

a ghost story about twins. there was some funny bits in the story, like when he was talking about the men being superstitious but said that was beat out of him! and how the captain could curse. the story was very predictable. it was ok.