Weird Women: Volume 2: 1840-1925: Classic Supernatural Fiction by Groundbreaking Female Writers

by Lisa Morton, Leslie S. Klinger (Editor)

Following the success of Weird Volume 1 , acclaimed anthologists Lisa Morton and Leslie S. Klinger return with another offering of overlooked masterworks from early female horror writers, including George Eliot, Zora Neale Hurston, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Edith Wharton.

Following the success of their acclaimed Weird Women, star anthologists Lisa Morton and Leslie S. Klinger return with another offering of overlooked masterworks from early female horror writers.

This volume once again gathers some of the most famous voices of literature—George Eliot, Zora Neale Hurston, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Edith Wharton—along with chilling tales by writers who were among the bestselling and most critically-praised authors of the early supernatural story, including Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Vernon Lee, Florence Marryat, and Margaret Oliphant.

There are, of course, ghost stories here, but also tales of vampirism, mesmerism, witches, haunted India, demonic entities, and journeys into the afterlife. Introduced and annotated for modern readers, Morton and Klinger have curated more stories sure to provide another "feast of entertaining (and scary) reads" ( Library Journal ).

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Classics, Anthologies, Gothic, Speculative Fiction

384 pages, Hardcover

Published September 7, 2021

About the author

Lisa Morton is a screenwriter, author of horror fiction, and Halloween expert. She is a winner of both the Black Quill and Bram Stoker Awards, and her short stories have appeared in more than 50 books and magazines. Her first novel, THE CASTLE OF LOS ANGELES, was released by Gray Friar Press in 2010, and her first collection, MONSTERS OF L.A., was published by Bad Moon Books in October 2011. She is a native and lifelong resident of Southern California, and currently resides in the San Fernando Valley.

Reviews

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Synapses are spoiler-free.

This collection of stories follows the same format as volume 1. A lot of the authors are unknown to me and the popular authors include rare works. There is only one story I've read here before. Before each story is a small paragraph about the author, when and where the story was published, and a bit about her writing career. This information really helps to center the story. The stories are a mixture of three to four stars with a few duds and a few excellent. The stories here certainly are on the obscure side being among stories not frequently anthologized so there will be new ones here for you. I do however prefer volume one over this volume.

1- 2. Reviews lost.

3. The Ghost in the Mill by Harriet Beecher Stowe (1870) - This is framed with some children begging Sam, who appears to be a black servant, to tell one of his famous tales and this is the one they ask for. A woman was courting the peddler who came around every spring and fall. Then he didn't come, next a letter came saying he'd be there by Thanksgiving and by that point he'd disappeared. He never came again and the woman got on with her life and married. Many years later, the narrator gets involved in a dark and stormy night, a mill, a ghost and justice. This again was full of dialect which is a device I don't like. However, the author was light-handed with it, making it easy to read yet still pulling off the accent when reading the dialogue. A surprising tale. You don't see it coming and it would have made a good fireside scare. It didn't scare me though. (3/5)

4. The Man With the Nose by Rhoda Broughton (1872) - Elizabeth and our unnamed narrator plan their honeymoon when the Lake District is suggested. Elizabeth's immediate and menacing refusal sets a tone of unease. When pressed for a reason, she reveals her unsettling experience with a mesmerizer that left her ill and a strong aversion to the bed's obnoxious red and green fern-leaf patterned chintz. They quickly dismiss the Lakes and opt for the Rhine instead.

However, after a few nights at their chosen destination, Elizabeth wakes up screaming, convinced they have both seen something—or someone. But the narrator has not. She insists that the figure was incredibly vivid, with a distinct, sharply chiselled nose and nostrils that seemed carved. It was an appearance unlike anything she had ever encountered. From that moment on, the figure haunts her dreams and begins to manifest more vividly during the day.

It’s perplexing why her husband refuses to believe her claims. His incessant use of the term "child" grates on my nerves. Yet, she plays to this by pouting. My mother told me, "Act like a child, be treated like one.

Is this figure—a spirit, perhaps—harmful? So far, he hasn’t committed any overtly sinister acts, yet Elizabeth’s fear deepens. What exactly does he want? Is she truly safe? This is a compelling story, well-paced and engaging, though it concludes with a jarring abruptness. (4/5)

5. Little White Souls (1883) I’ve read Florence Marryat before, and now it’s time for me to dive into one of her more than 70 novels!

This gem of a Gothic short story is packed with illicit affairs, harems, murder, ghosts, exotic locations, catty gossip, and gambling — truly enough to satisfy any Victorian woman's salacious heart. The writing is accessible, and the dialogue has a remarkably modern feel with quick, back-and-forth exchanges. It starts with the regimental ladies gossiping about the wife notorious for her infidelities, which is always entertaining, especially when the implication arises that Ethel’s “most faithful husband” might be involved. This scenario is bound to cause a blush, particularly given Ethel’s “condition.” Now, he plans to send Ethel and their little girl Katie away to England for 12 months while he stays behind with 'her.'

Ethel won’t stand for it, and readers can’t help but sympathize with the poor, maligned, yet overly dramatic woman. As is typical in a solid Gothic tale, the atmosphere is eerie and drenched in exoticism, set during the Raj in India. Ethel insists on taking Katie to a castle built and abandoned by Rajah Mati Singh, and that’s when the real troubles begin. The tension escalates, involving indigenous servants and the unsettling dynamics between two women from vastly different backgrounds. The suspense is palpable, especially with a baby in the mix, and the ending is profoundly sad. This short story is a superb entry in the Gothic genre.

6. Let Loose by Mary Cholmondeley (1890) - This supernatural tale is expertly crafted within a series of frames. The narrator begins by questioning her future brother-in-law about his habit of wearing high starched white collars regardless of the weather. He then takes the lead, sharing most of the story. The climax cleverly unfolds through the narration of an old clergyman. This layered approach keeps the pace brisk, though it may not appeal to everyone. It allows the author to delve into the backgrounds and main traits of these characters.

While the first narrator serves primarily as a device, the brother-in-law and the clergyman emerge as the real protagonists of their respective stories. Both men consider themselves intelligent and wise, reluctant to embrace superstition, yet they find themselves believing at the mere hint of supernatural events and acting in line with that belief. The malevolent supernatural element is skillfully woven into the narrative, culminating in a satisfying conclusion where each frame neatly closes, bringing us back to the original question about the high collars—something we might have momentarily forgotten. (5/5)

7. The Fullness of Life by Edith Wharton (1893) - A woman dies and sees it's not the end of life, she walks up to the Spirit of Life and begins talking about the Fullness of Life. She wasn't or didn't have that fullness. Her life was meagre. Her husband wasn't the love of her life. His boots creek. He slams the door. Reads railway novels. It's a beautiful tale with lovely language that flows. A brush of philosophy behind our dreams, that when they come true they don't feel like home and home is where the heart is. (4/5)

8. The Library Window by Mrs Oliphant (1896) - A young girl arrives at her Aunt Mary's home to recuperate. Perched in a windowsill, surrounded by her belongings and a curtain for privacy, she immerses herself in books and occasionally dabbles in stitching. One afternoon during tea with guests, a discussion arises regarding the window across from her—debating whether it’s genuine or merely a façade. Intrigued, our narrator observes the window closely, gradually gaining clarity on the room inside until she finally spots a man at a desk. This revelation fuels her obsession, propelling the story forward. The narrative unfolds with a brooding, melancholic atmosphere. Curiously, the narrator remains unnamed, referred to only by affectionate terms. As time passes, she grows increasingly pale, enhancing the sombre mood of the story. The conclusion resonates with the same melancholy tone, delivering a sombre yet impactful ending. (4/5)

9. Good Lady Ducayne by Mary Elizabeth Brandon (1896) - A young woman secures a position as a companion to a very old woman, who promptly takes her to Italy. The protagonist is a spirited girl, enjoying her independence while hiking and exploring. However, she begins to experience unsettling dreams and gradually grows weaker. This narrative uniquely mirrors the themes of Dorian Gray in reverse. It’s an outstanding story, and Braddon has long been a favourite of mine. Although this tale is known to be popular, I hadn’t read it until now. The narrative is captivating and while the plot may be predictable, it’s still a masterfully told and engrossing story. (5/5)

10. Marsyas in Flanders by Vernon Lee (1900) - Another story which uses a frame device. An Antiquary tells the story to the narrator. An effigy of Christ with no arms washes ashore during the Middle Ages and a cross is made for it to reside upon. The effigy brings about miracles and pilgrims come from near and far to see it. But strange things happen at night and the Prior is charged with consorting with the Evil One. This was incredibly boring. It picked up only at the end when there was a trial document. The tale is told mostly without dialogue, which usually puts me off, just like it did here. (1/5)

11. The Dead and the Countess by Gertrude Atherton (1902) - A priest tends his old graveyard next to a railway line. Each day, he sprinkles the graces with holy water, and the train passes by, but one day, he has no time to douse with water as the Countess lies dying, and he is praying by her side. As she passes, he returns to his duties, but the dead have woken up at the sound of the train, thinking it is Judgment Day, and they won't go back to sleep. This was a little hard to get into. Dense and strangely worded, but once I got settled, I loved the story and the picture-perfect ending. (4/5)

12. The Children by Josephine Daskam Bacon (1909) - A new maid comes to work to find the lady's maid near death and the lady newly widowed. First tasked with nursing the maid, then taking the position of lady's maid, she is continually baffled by the hushed mention of children. Have they been sent away? Have they died? Where are the children for the toys scattered around? This is a sad household filled with melancholia. But turns nostalgic when Sarah figures out how to deal with the absent children. I really enjoyed this story. I'm not much for happy endings but this bittersweet finale had me. (5/5)

13. The Trust by Alice Brown (1911) - An ethereal story that's a bit hard to grasp but is about lovers who see themselves in a past life and become satisfied they are not together in this life as they are sure to be in the next one. Very atmospheric. (3/5)

14. Broken Glass by Georgia Wood Pangborn (1911) - A woman coming home from her evening constitutional stops off to chat with a friend about children and servants. Then starts back out to find someone next to her talking about the nursemaid. A simple but ghostly story. (3/5)

15. Where Their Fire Is Not Quenched by May Sinclair (1922) - Harriott was unlucky in love when she was young, and when she was a bit older, she lost her way and took up with a married man for many years. They tried to end it several times but always came back to the routine until he died. Then Harriott mended her ways but her bedside confession did not include her biggest sin so upon her death she found things rather difficult. Predictable and didactic. (2/5)

16. Spunk by Zora Neale Hurston (1925) - A humourous story finishes the book. Spunk openly takes up with another man's wife. The man is very timid but things go so far he's driven to going after Spunk with a knife. Well Spunk is a big sized man and good shooter and when he's knifed in the back he turns round and kills the man but he's haunted afterwards by him. Feeling him pushing him on the logs especially when he's on the saw carriage. Usually I don't like dialect but it's used well here and kept simple so it's readable and one can "hear" it as they read. a well-told, fun ghost story. (4/5)

[M. K. French · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection stars famous women of literature, who wrote not just their great works but these short stories with spooky atmospheres. This includes stories by George Eliot, Zora Neale Hurston, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Edith Wharton, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Vernon Lee, Florence Marryat, and Margaret Oliphant. Vampires, mesmerism, witches, ghosts, and demons all feature, and the stories are annotated for modern readers. As our editors say, “A good story doesn’t have an expiration date.”

We open with Anna Maria Hall’s “The Drowned Fisherman,” written with the cadence of local speech as a fisherman brings his son with him on a rickety boat despite his wife’s uneasy feeling. Rather than follow him, the story follows his wife Kate. She fears the worst but won’t stop them from going out, and spends the night in the company of her son’s sweetheart, mending and doing what she could to keep her fears at bay. Kate isn’t the one that her son appears to when he drowns, and Stacia eventually comes to live with her.

George Eliot’s “The Lifted Veil” is a lengthy story that follows, written with the level of detail that most books written in the 1800s have. The aristocratic narrator can sense others’ thoughts and see some distance into the future but is unable to change it from happening.

Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “The Ghost in the Mill” was also included in her 1872 collection of short stories featuring the Oldtown character Sam Lawson.

We have ghost stories of different kinds here: a mysterious figure trying to take away a bride, a woman’s spirit trying to take a baby to replace the one that was killed, a man willing to revisit death on others after he died, and the Spirit of Life speaking to a woman after her own death. They’re not always scary, it’s more that the spirits are real things, with weight and ability to affect the living as if they were living themselves. The opening stories pave the way for the rest of the collection, with some spirits pushing past the boundaries of death to visit the living. Not all of them are to do harm, after all, and the woman in Edith Wharton’s entry will wait for however long it takes to keep her husband company again even though he’s not her soulmate because she’s his.

My favorite story is Mrs. Oliphant’s “The Library Window,” and not just because it mentions a lot of books! It starts off rather mundane, with a discussion whether a window is still in use, painted over or bricked over years ago; our narrator soon can see clearly that it is indeed a usable window, even if others can’t tell. Given the kind of collection this story is in, it’s a quietly creepy atmosphere that gets more intense over time.

Whoever believes that the Victorian or Gilded Age writers couldn’t do horror or spooky themes is sadly mistaken. Once you're accustomed to the literary allusions and writing style of the period, it's clear that these women have an incredible imagination and command of the creepy.

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

With sixteen paranormal tales, Weird Women Vol 2 is sure to contain something that will enthrall you.

Famous female writers, like Harriet Beecher Stowe, George Eliot, Edith Wharton, and Zora Neale Hurston are included among the forgotten female authors. The tales vary in length from eight to forty-four pages. The topics are as varied as ghosts and relationships.

My two favorite stories illustrate these topics. They are Let Loose and Spunk. Let Loose is the creepy little story of why one man always wears high starched collars that includes an ancient crypt and an evil dead man. In Spunk, a cocky man takes what he wants from life including other men’s wives. But, after killing a cuckold, he has to deal with the dead man’s spirit that has returned in an unusual form. The dialog reads like a poem. It is beautiful.

If you want to read some old-fashioned horror tales that still have the power to frighten, get a copy of Weird Women Vol 2. You won’t regret it. 4 stars!

Thanks to Pegasus Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

[gwendalyn _books_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is a great anthology to add to your collection and it’s the second volume, both are the perfect reads for my favorite time of the year Autumn 🍂

Weird Women: Volume 2 @pegasus_books
{1840-1925} Classic Supernatural Fiction by Groundbreaking Female Writers,

Morton and Klinger have curated another feast of ghosts stories, vampirism, Witches, demonic entities, afterlife!
An Anthology of Classical Supernatural Fiction Stories by Women Writers whose work has fallen sadly into obscurity.

This volume once again gathers some of the most famous voices of literature—George Eliot, Zora Neale Hurston, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Edith Wharton—along with chilling tales by writers who were among the bestselling and most critically-praised authors of the early supernatural story, including Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Vernon Lee, Florence Marryat, and Margaret Oliphant.

[Tegan | Snakes Don't Wear Braces · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the same vein as volume one, it's great to have a collection of classic supernatural fiction by female authors. Some of the language of the earlier pieces were a little dense to get through but there are some absolute gems. For some reason it just took me an awfully long time to get through.

[Hanah Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite short story in this anthology: “The Fulness of Life” by Edith Wharton

[Gabriela]

- The ghost in the mill (Harriet Beecher Stowe)
- Let loose (Mary Cholmondeley

[Katy S]

I gave up on this book about 60 pages in. The concept is novel (pun intended), being a collection of short stories from 1840-1925 of prolific women writers of the time. I however, could not get into it; you might say the veil remained "un-lifted" for me (as opposed to "The Lifted Veil" page 11).

The cover art and illustrations were neat on the title pages for the short stories. The lilies and skulls were a cool pairing.