Lost Tales by Mary Shelley and Bram Stoker: New Chapbooks

  

Withnail Books of Penrith, Cumbria, have just announced pre-orders for the latest in their series of limited edition chapbooks of rare literary works. This offers two lost tales: one, 'The Ghost of the Private Theatricals', is attributed to Mary Shelley and has been published before by the press in an edition of only 100 copies; the other, newly issued, is 'Gibbet Hill', a scarce story by Bram Stoker. 

'The Ghost of the Private Theatricals' is described as "a chilling short story, originally printed in the literary annual The Keepsake, credited simply to 'M.S.' ", and is accompanied by an afterword by Adam Newell presenting the case that this may be Mary Shelley.

 'Gibbet Hill' is 'an eerie short story by Bram Stoker, which was originally published in an Irish newspaper in 1890, but then forgotten until its recent rediscovery' by amateur researcher Brian Cleary in the National Library of Ireland.

Both chapbooks are in a limited edition of 250 copies on high quality stock and are accompanied by prints of scenes by J.M.W. Turner of the places that may have inspired the stories.

Publication is scheduled for week commencing 28 April, but orders are accepted now. Withnail's issues are not usually around for very long. 

 

A Ghost Story Newly Attributed to Mary Shelley

We have covered in the past Withnail Books’ well-designed booklets of rare pieces by Saki and T E Lawrence. Their latest announcement is, however, even more remarkable than these.

The press is offering The Ghost of the Private Theatricals, a terror tale by ‘M.S.’ originally published in ‘The Keepsake’ (London, 1844) edited by the Countess of Blessington, which the editor, Adam Newell argues should be attributed to Mary Shelley.

In an afterword, he explains the details of the original publication of the story and the reasons for thinking this might be by the author of Frankenstein. If this can be established, it is a highly significant literary find which will add to our understanding of Mary Shelley’s work in the Gothic form.

But readers of supernatural fiction will in any case want to read and enjoy this previously overlooked spectral story from the earliest days of the form, and decide for themselves.

Each copy includes an original, hand-printed linocut by Sharon Newell, inspired by the story, and the 36p A5 format booklet is printed on good quality paper and card covers. It in a limited edition of 100 copies and there is sure to be a high demand.