Regarded as the Victorian eras greatest writer of ghost stories J Sheridan LeFanu 181473 gave expression to the fears and dread that often haunt sensitive individuals This collection contains four of his finest ghost stories each crafted with remarkable ingenuity and storytelling skill The title story offers a petrifying account of an English clerics bouts with a malignant spectral presence Squire Tobys Will recounts a sibling rivalry and disputed inheritance The Fortunes of Sir Robert Ardagh concerns a country gentlemans mysterious relationship with a sinister valet and Sir Dominicks Bargain presents LeFanus masterly variation on the theme of a pact with the devilAll four tales embody not only the suspense and terror expected of a ghost story but also a subtlety awareness and psychological depth that elevate them far above most efforts in the genre This inexpensive edition provides gripping entertainment as well as an excellent introduction to the intelligence and imagination that characterize LeFanus work