The Shining Hand and Other Tales of Terror

by J.E. Preston Muddock, John Pelan (Editor)

THE SHINING HAND AND OTHER TALES OF TERROR by Dick Donovan. Seattle, WA; Midnight House; 2004. 1st edition hardcover. Midnight House is pleased to announce a new edition of the fabulously rare collection Stories Weird & Wonderful by J.E. Muddock. Muddock, who went on to fame as "Dick Donovan" authored his first collection of weird tales in 1889. This volume is considered by experts to be far more scarcer than even his later book, Tales of Terror. Midnight House is pleased to not only reprint these classic ghostly tales of the Victorian era, but to offer an expanded edition with the addition of the novella "The Prophecy" which was written by Muddock in his later years and published under the Donovan byline in Chamber's Journal in 1926. This highly sought after collection of horror stories has been unavailable since its first appearance in 1889. This new edition features a essay on Muddock by editor John Pelan and gathers together these outstanding stories of the macabre that have previously been found only in the original volume or in scarce anthologies. This book marked an important turning point in the development of the modern ghost story and is a must for any serious collection of weird fiction. With wenty-three chilling tales spanning over three-hundred pages, there are many hours of chilling reading ahead... Midnight House is dedicated to the preservation of classic horror and weird fiction in handsome, inexpensive editions. Printings are limited to 500 numbered hardcover copies. The Shining Hand and other Tales of Terror features a striking cover by noted artist Allen Koszowski.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories

336 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2004

About the author

Joyce Emmerson Preston Muddock (or James Edward Preston Muddock), sometimes writing as Dick Donovan and "Joyce Emmerson (Preston) Muddock."

Reviews

[Alex Budris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grisly, Victorian-era tales of terror with a decidedly gothic bent. Crumbling houses. Ancient churches. Stormy winter nights. Muddock has a flair for language and can successfully evoke an especially vivid sense of place and atmosphere. Desolate cemeteries. Things that go 'bump' in the night. He was widely travelled, and it shows in his sense of varied, and sometimes exotic locales. While reading these stories - now I'm going to use a cliché - I was transported. I could hear the sleet pinging off the windows. Strange footfalls in the dark. Or smell the freshly fallen snow. The blood dripping from the ceiling. Howlings from the moor. This book surprised me by turning out to be an easy four stars. Next I have another collection from the same author, being the horror stories he wrote under the pseudonym 'Dick Donovan', which was primarily used for his detective tales. Doyle and his Sherlock Holmes stories were contemporary to Muddock, and they even appeared together in the same magazines.

I recommend you buy this book. It was published by Midnight House in 2004 in a limited, hand numbered edition of 500 copies. Currently, I think it's possible to track one down that costs about fifty dollars. The 'Dick Donovan' collection is more expensive.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This time, the Hamlet quote has gotten fewer and fewer so far. Like the first collection, Corpse Light, the stories are rife with murderous doppelgängers, unseen demons, vengeful ghosts, scientists goofing with corpses, animal magnetism, and people who want other people's riches badly and plotted badly. Still, fun to read those. However, the last one, The Prophecy, is a repeat performance of the other tale, The Mystic Spell, from the first collection The Corpse Light. Still, definitively recommended.