Dracula

‘Significant to Dracula’s initial and enduring appeal are centuries-old myths of the vampire, which Bram presented as fact. While religion is the official gatekeeper for the afterlife, myth and folklore have always provided options to explain the otherwise unexplainable, and tales of the undead have abided as long as the dead themselves.’ From the introduction by Dacre Stoker

On a trip abroad to visit the wealthy and secretive man who has been buying properties in the UK, Jonathan Harker finds himself trapped within the confines of Castle Dracula, unable to escape and prey to whatever dread nightmare stalks its corridors. Meanwhile in England, Jonathan’s fiancee, Mina, waits for news, not realising that soon, her life, and that of her best friend Lucy, will be under threat, as Count Dracula arrives. Only the eccentric Dr Van Helsing stands between Dracula and his prey.

The classic vampire novel, reprinted along with ‘Dracula’s Guest’, once included in the manuscript of Dracula, plus an extended ending to the novel presented by researcher Dacre Stoker, Bram’s great grand-nephew, and bestselling author of Dracul, the official prequel to Dracula.

‘The recollections of this weird and ghostly tale will doubtless haunt us for some time to come.’ Daily Mail

‘Dracula is THE vampire and the novel is THE vampire novel.’ The Guardian

‘Horrid and creepy to the last degree. It is also excellent, and one of the best things in the supernatural line that we have been lucky enough to hit upon.’ Pall Mall Gazette

314pp. 6×9 format paperback book.
ISBN: 978-1-84583-138-7
Published November 2019

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bram Stoker was born Abraham Stoker on November 8, 1847, in Dublin, Ireland, to father Abraham Stoker and mother Charlotte Matilda Blake Thornley Stoker. One of seven children, he suffered from illnesses that left him bedridden until around age 7, but made a full recovery.

In 1864, Stoker enrolled at the University of Dublin and studied mathematics at Trinity, graduating with honours in 1870.

Stoker then began working as a civil servant at Dublin Castle (Stoker’s father had also served as a civil servant at the castle, and helped his son land a position there). During this period, Stoker also worked as an unpaid writer for a local newspaper, the Dublin Evening Mail, penning reviews of various theatrical productions. Stoker also found time to write short stories, publishing ‘The Crystal Cup’ in 1872.

After nearly 10 years in civil service, Stoker was introduced to famed English actor Sir Henry Irving after reviewing a production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, featuring Irving, and the two quickly became friends.

In the late 1870s, Irving offered Stoker a management position at the Lyceum Theatre in London’s West End. His duties as manager included writing letters for Irving, as well as travelling worldwide on Irving’s tours. During this time Stoker married an aspiring actress named Florence Balcombe, who gave birth to their son, Irving Noel Thornley, in late 1879.

In 1875, Stoker published his first novel, The Primrose Path. He continued to publish writings while managing the Lyceum Theatre, including the short story collection Under the Sunset (1882) and his second novel, The Snake’s Pass (1890).

In 1897, Stoker published Dracula. While the book garnered critical success after its release, it didn’t achieve peak popularity until well after its author’s death. After Dracula, Stoker continued to publish an array of fiction and non-fiction works including Miss Betty (1898), The Mystery of the Sea (1902), The Jewel of Seven Stars (1904) and The Lair of the White Worm (1911), which was later published under the title The Garden of Evil.

Stoker served as Lyceum’s manager for nearly 30 years, until Irving’s death in 1905. He suffered a stroke shortly afterward, and spent much of his final years battling through poor health and shaky financial footing. Stoker died in London, England, on April 20, 1912, with various reports citing the cause as complications from a stroke, exhaustion or syphilis.