The Purcell Papers

The Purcell Papers is a collection of thirteen short stories by Irish Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu who is also the author of the more famous Uncle Silas and the vampire classic Carmilla. Le Fanu is one of the leading writers of Gothic tales. Along with novelists like Bram Stoker and Robert Louis Stevenson, he has contributed to the second Gothic wave that has developed in the late-Victorian period. Being originally published in Dublin University Magazine, the stories deal with Gothic themes and motifs such as supernatural elements, haunting ghosts, damsels in distress, usurpation, vengeance, Catholic paraphernalia, horror and fear of the unknown. The title of the collection is related to the name of the Catholic priest Rev. Francis Purcell and the stories purport to be found among his personal notes. In stories like The Ghost and the Bone-Setter, The Last Heir of Castle Connor and The Bridal of Carrigvarah, the first-person point of view used by the narrator contributes to the creation of more suspense, charm and horror by making the events appear highly personal and close to the reader.