An anthology finalist award winner in the  Next Generation Indie Book Awards  and a  Gothic Readers Book Club Choice Award Winner ,  The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849  delivers 12 of the greatest horror stories for the first half of the 19th century. Andrew Barger, author of the award winning  Coffee with Poe: A Novel of Edgar Allan Poe's Life  read over 300 horror short stories to compile the dozen best. At the back of the book he includes a list of all short stories h

Edgar Allan Poe’s A Descent Into the Maelstrom stands out as a remarkable blend of horror and early science fiction. Published in 1841, this short story captures the terror and awe of a man caught in a deadly whirlpool. Poe’s ability to combine vivid natural descriptions with psychological intensity makes this tale unforgettable. It is not just a story of survival but a masterful exploration of human perception and fear. The Story’s Unique Place in Poe’s Work While Poe is of

I started a discussion on Kindle forums and asked for people's favorite horror short stories. Here is the consolidated list. Read some of these scary stories in Crypt Classics: The Best 19th Horror Stories Anthology I edited. It was a finalist in the anthology category of the Indie Book Awards.   Edgar Allan Poe : The Black Cat (2), The Cask of Amontillado (4), The Fall of the House of Usher, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar, The Pit and the Pendulum

The Collier's Family by Baron Friedrich Heinrich Karl de la Motte Fouque (1777-1843), who just happens to have the scariest name in my countdown, is a shining example of a good ghost story. This horror gem was first published in English in "Popular Tales and Romances of the Northern Nations," which was published in 1823. This three volume collection of tales by mostly German authors also contained "Wake Not the Dead." This is the third vampire short story we have on record a