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In the Dark
Edith Nesbit is today best known for her works for children: her 1906 novel The Railway Children is a classic of the genre. Yet Nesbit had a much darker side, which revealed itself in her tales of terror and the supernatural. Most of these tales were written before the author established herself as a writer of children's stories, and were soon overshadowed, to be nearly forgotten—with one or two exceptions—for almost one hundred years.
In 1988, Hugh Lamb edited In the Dark for the Equation Chillers series, and has now added a further seven stories for this expanded edition. Included are such famous tales as 'Man-Size in Marble' and 'John Charrington's Wedding', along with less well known—but equally chilling—stories of the supernatural and the macabre. In Nesbit's twilight world, the dead return from the grave; scientists pursue knowledge to the gates of death—and beyond; souls are bartered to the Devil in exchange for one last wish; a casual wager leads to madness; and a seemingly harmless maker of models exacts a terrible price for a wrong done years before.
In his introduction, Hugh Lamb examines the colourful life of Edith Nesbit, painting a portrait of a woman whose unconventional life set her apart from her Victorian and Edwardian contemporaries in the ghost story genre. He also looks at some of the events and experiences which may have inspired Nesbit's supernatural fiction—events which, in the author's words, gave her 'nights and nights of anguish and horror, long years of bitterest fear and dread'.
CONTENTS: Introduction by Hugh Lamb; Man-Size in Marble; Uncle Abraham's Response; From the Dead; The Haunted Inheritance; The Three Drugs; The Letter in Brown Ink; The Violet Car; John Charrington's Wedding; No. 17; The Pavilion; The House of Silence; The Mystery of the Semi-Detached; In the Dark; The Head; The Ebony Frame; Hurst of Hurstcote; The Five Senses; The Haunted House; The Shadow; The Detective; The Power of Darkness.
In 1988, Hugh Lamb edited In the Dark for the Equation Chillers series, and has now added a further seven stories for this expanded edition. Included are such famous tales as 'Man-Size in Marble' and 'John Charrington's Wedding', along with less well known—but equally chilling—stories of the supernatural and the macabre. In Nesbit's twilight world, the dead return from the grave; scientists pursue knowledge to the gates of death—and beyond; souls are bartered to the Devil in exchange for one last wish; a casual wager leads to madness; and a seemingly harmless maker of models exacts a terrible price for a wrong done years before.
In his introduction, Hugh Lamb examines the colourful life of Edith Nesbit, painting a portrait of a woman whose unconventional life set her apart from her Victorian and Edwardian contemporaries in the ghost story genre. He also looks at some of the events and experiences which may have inspired Nesbit's supernatural fiction—events which, in the author's words, gave her 'nights and nights of anguish and horror, long years of bitterest fear and dread'.
CONTENTS: Introduction by Hugh Lamb; Man-Size in Marble; Uncle Abraham's Response; From the Dead; The Haunted Inheritance; The Three Drugs; The Letter in Brown Ink; The Violet Car; John Charrington's Wedding; No. 17; The Pavilion; The House of Silence; The Mystery of the Semi-Detached; In the Dark; The Head; The Ebony Frame; Hurst of Hurstcote; The Five Senses; The Haunted House; The Shadow; The Detective; The Power of Darkness.
225 pages, Hardcover
Published June 15, 2000
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About the author
E. Nesbit
1,036 books999 followers
Edith Nesbit
(married name Edith Bland; 15 August 1858 – 4 May 1924) was an English author and poet; she published her books for children under the name of E. Nesbit.
She wrote or collaborated on over 60 books of fiction for children, several of which have been adapted for film and television. She was also a political activist and co-founded the Fabian Society, a socialist organisation later connected to the Labour Party.
Edith Nesbit was born in Kennington, Surrey, the daughter of agricultural chemist and schoolmaster John Collis Nesbit. The death of her father when she was four and the continuing ill health of her sister meant that Nesbit had a transitory childhood, her family moving across Europe in search of healthy climates only to return to England for financial reasons. Nesbit therefore spent her childhood attaining an education from whatever sources were available—local grammars, the occasional boarding school but mainly through reading.
At 17 her family finally settled in London and aged 19, Nesbit met Hubert Bland, a political activist and writer. They became lovers and when Nesbit found she was pregnant they became engaged, marrying in April 1880. After this scandalous (for Victorian society) beginning, the marriage would be an unconventional one. Initially, the couple lived separately—Nesbit with her family and Bland with his mother and her live-in companion Maggie Doran.
Initially, Edith Nesbit books were novels meant for adults, including The Prophet's Mantle (1885) and The Marden Mystery (1896) about the early days of the socialist movement. Written under the pen name of her third child 'Fabian Bland', these books were not successful. Nesbit generated an income for the family by lecturing around the country on socialism and through her journalism (she was editor of the Fabian Society's journal, Today).
In 1899 she had published The Adventures of the Treasure Seekers to great acclaim.
She wrote or collaborated on over 60 books of fiction for children, several of which have been adapted for film and television. She was also a political activist and co-founded the Fabian Society, a socialist organisation later connected to the Labour Party.
Edith Nesbit was born in Kennington, Surrey, the daughter of agricultural chemist and schoolmaster John Collis Nesbit. The death of her father when she was four and the continuing ill health of her sister meant that Nesbit had a transitory childhood, her family moving across Europe in search of healthy climates only to return to England for financial reasons. Nesbit therefore spent her childhood attaining an education from whatever sources were available—local grammars, the occasional boarding school but mainly through reading.
At 17 her family finally settled in London and aged 19, Nesbit met Hubert Bland, a political activist and writer. They became lovers and when Nesbit found she was pregnant they became engaged, marrying in April 1880. After this scandalous (for Victorian society) beginning, the marriage would be an unconventional one. Initially, the couple lived separately—Nesbit with her family and Bland with his mother and her live-in companion Maggie Doran.
Initially, Edith Nesbit books were novels meant for adults, including The Prophet's Mantle (1885) and The Marden Mystery (1896) about the early days of the socialist movement. Written under the pen name of her third child 'Fabian Bland', these books were not successful. Nesbit generated an income for the family by lecturing around the country on socialism and through her journalism (she was editor of the Fabian Society's journal, Today).
In 1899 she had published The Adventures of the Treasure Seekers to great acclaim.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
February 1, 2021
I thought that this book was good
February 28, 2016
Edith Nesbit's stories in this volume are often overlooked in the wider context of the horror, science fiction and fantasy genres. But once read, they are not easily forgotten. A couple of the stories are perhaps a little uneven in their delivery. But even so, a story such as 'The Shadow' will have you looking over your shoulder as you turn the page.
November 18, 2018
What a collection, all these stories are spooky and will make you uncomfortable for sure.
Liked her style of writing, it has some melancholy which makes it hard to put down.
Highly recommended if you are a fan of this genre.
Happy Reading!
Liked her style of writing, it has some melancholy which makes it hard to put down.
Highly recommended if you are a fan of this genre.
Happy Reading!
October 21, 2022
I always loved The Phoenix and the Carpet but I had no idea that E Nesbit had written so many ghost stories! These are really excellent too, so gothic and original, with human love and disappointment at their heart. They should be on the bookshelf alongside Susan Hill, Edith Wharton and MR James. Great Halloween reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 5, 2019
A nice collection of Victorian/Edwardian ghost stories - who even knew E Nesbit wrote ghost stories? Good period atmosphere.
Weirdly none of them as scary as the Ugly-wuglies in The Enchanted Castle.
Weirdly none of them as scary as the Ugly-wuglies in The Enchanted Castle.
July 9, 2024
It's not about the story but about her pen !
Classic Ghost stories in general are good but what makes them unique is the language .The way how they are written
The story here is about a man killing another and became hounted by his ghost till his death
Classic Ghost stories in general are good but what makes them unique is the language .The way how they are written
The story here is about a man killing another and became hounted by his ghost till his death
July 14, 2019
It's fun to read this book and imagine the context in which it was written, and imagine how different that is from our modern world.
October 8, 2025
Fascinating!
October 3, 2018
A very good collection. It tends to be a bit on the fancy side, but still good.
Man-Size in Marble - I think I've read this before.
Uncle Abraham's Romance was good.
From the Dead was pretty melodramatic to me, and I wasn't a big fan.
The Haunted Inheritance was good.
The Three Drugs was interesting.
The Letter in Brown Ink I liked.
The VIolet Car was also good.
John Charrington's Wedding was good, but a bit predictable.
No. 17 was fantastic.
The Pavilion was both good and horrible.
The House of Silence was good.
The Mystery of the Semi-Detached was good, and not what I expected.
In the Dark was good.
The Head was good and not what I expected at all.
The Ebony Frame I've read a few times before. It's pretty good.
Hurst Hurstoce was mostly ok, but there were some truly lovely lines.
The Five Senses was a bit odd.
The Haunted House I think I've read before? It was ok.
The Shadow was creepy and good. It was one where the story is all hidden.
The Detective was interesting.
The Power of Darkness was lovely.
Man-Size in Marble - I think I've read this before.
Uncle Abraham's Romance was good.
From the Dead was pretty melodramatic to me, and I wasn't a big fan.
The Haunted Inheritance was good.
The Three Drugs was interesting.
The Letter in Brown Ink I liked.
The VIolet Car was also good.
John Charrington's Wedding was good, but a bit predictable.
No. 17 was fantastic.
The Pavilion was both good and horrible.
The House of Silence was good.
The Mystery of the Semi-Detached was good, and not what I expected.
In the Dark was good.
The Head was good and not what I expected at all.
The Ebony Frame I've read a few times before. It's pretty good.
Hurst Hurstoce was mostly ok, but there were some truly lovely lines.
The Five Senses was a bit odd.
The Haunted House I think I've read before? It was ok.
The Shadow was creepy and good. It was one where the story is all hidden.
The Detective was interesting.
The Power of Darkness was lovely.
August 13, 2019
Not as scary as I expected. Rationality emerges at the end, but the stories focus on the fears of the characters, and how they reacted to perceived threats. My mother declined to read it, saying it would give her nightmares, based on the cover picture.
December 18, 2015
Absolute genius! Thanks aunt raboohy for the recommend. You're the best!
June 24, 2018
Σαν διηγηματα είχαν ενδιαφερον. Υπηρχαν ομως παρα πολλοι θανατοι , πολλή τρελα και αρκετη ψυχοπαθεια.
October 14, 2021
I did want to see Haldane. He was always such a jolly chap-gay, and kindly, and simple, honourable, uptight, and full of practical sympathies. I longed to see him, to see the smile in his jolly blue eyes, looking out from the net of wrinkles that laughing had made round them, to hear his jolly laugh, and feel the good grip of his big hand. I went straight from the docks to his chambers in Gray's Inn, and I found him cold, pale, anaemic, with dull eyes and a limp hand, and pale lips that smiled without mirth, and uttered a welcome without gladness.
_______
My dear old man,' I said, 'I don't think you're mad. But I do think your nerves are very much upset. Mine are a bit, too. Do you know why I went to India? It was because of you and her. I couldn't stay and see it, though I wished for your happiness and all that; you know I did. And when I came back, she . . . and you . . . Let's see it out together,' I said. 'You won't keep fancying things if you've got me to talk to. And I always said you weren't half a bad old duffer.'
'She liked you,' he said.
'Oh, yes,' I said, 'she liked me.
_______
My dear old man,' I said, 'I don't think you're mad. But I do think your nerves are very much upset. Mine are a bit, too. Do you know why I went to India? It was because of you and her. I couldn't stay and see it, though I wished for your happiness and all that; you know I did. And when I came back, she . . . and you . . . Let's see it out together,' I said. 'You won't keep fancying things if you've got me to talk to. And I always said you weren't half a bad old duffer.'
'She liked you,' he said.
'Oh, yes,' I said, 'she liked me.
May 13, 2019
I love this collection. Nesbit's voice is not the slow, tedious prose I associate with the turn of the century (thank you, school system). The stories range from shades of doomed romance to glance-over-your-shoulder eerie to a few that are lighter in tone, though not without their own ghosts. I did not find myself having trouble falling asleep at night, however, not that I find that a reason to knock it. This is definitely a collection that I would recommend to a lover of classic ghost stories.
September 24, 2019
Very enjoyable old fashioned ghost stories, though there's the surprise that a few are proto-s.f. stories and at least one that seems like a precursor to the weird tale. I'm also a little surprised that while "Man-Sized in Marble" and "john Charrington's Wedding" have been frequently anthologized, "The Shadow" and "The Power of Darkness" have been mostly neglected by editors. On the whole, a very enjoyable collection.
October 5, 2021
Read, Enjoyed a lot, going back on my shelf until time to re read in the future. I have not read a classic in a while. Thus I forgot just how beautiful real writing can be- utterly beautiful. Although the content was definitely spooky and eerie it was still amazing in style and words. Each story held my complete attention and that's not always the case in short story collections, but this author could really grab and hold the reader until the end.
May 12, 2020
I love this collection! Dark and mysterious stories to give you the creeps! I love the other two books in the collection as well! Truly worth reading!
May 15, 2021
Tragicomic.
January 26, 2024
A wonderful collection of ghost stories. Easy read.
September 9, 2024
Good but dated
December 10, 2024
Reviewing just the titular short. Engaging and interesting from the start till the end, though the climatic portions fizzle out.
December 9, 2015
I can't believe that the writer was born in 1858, her short story is more like the type of horror stories you can read or watch in our time, I love her way in writing and for that I'm going to follow her other books
December 29, 2015
I was a little disappointed after reading this book. It seems as if there is no real point to the story. It appears to be incomplete at best. There is no horror to be found here, too. Just a case of psychological breakdown.
May 20, 2023
When a man reunites with an old friend, he is pulled into a tale he can hardly believe! Such a creepy tale that I Highly Recommend!
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews