Weird Women

Classic Supernatural Fiction by Groundbreaking Female Writers: 1852-1923

By: Lisa Morton - editor, Leslie S. Klinger - editor

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki, Gabrielle de Cuir, Justine Eyre, John Rubinstein, Paul Boehmer, Sile Bermingham

Length: 15 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

From two acclaimed experts in the genre, a brand-new volume of supernatural stories showcasing the forgotten female horror writers from 1852-1923.

While the 19-year-old Mary Shelley may be hailed as the first modern writer of horror, the success of her immortal Frankenstein undoubtedly inspired dozens of female authors who wrote their own evocative, chilling tales.

Weird Women, edited by award-winning anthologists Lisa Morton and Leslie S. Klinger, collects some of the finest tales of terror by authors as legendary as Louisa May Alcott, Frances Hodgson Burnett, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman, alongside works of writers who were the best sellers and critical favorites of their time - Marie Corelli, Ellen Glasgow, Charlotte Riddell - and lesser known authors who are deserving of contemporary recognition.

As railroads, industry, cities, and technology flourished in the mid-19th century, so did stories exploring the horrors they unleashed. This anthology includes ghost stories and tales of haunted houses, as well as mad scientists, werewolves, ancient curses, mummies, psychological terrors, demonic dimensions, and even weird Westerns.

Curated by Klinger and Morton with an aim to present work that has languished in the shadows, all of these exceptional supernatural stories are sure to surprise, delight, and frighten today's listeners.

©2020 Compilation and introduction © 2020 by Lisa Morton and Leslie S. Klinger (P)2020 by Blackstone Publishing

Exemplary curation and notes!

These stories comprise a hidden vein of brilliance lost in time now found here. These authors were not unsung. In their respective eras, they were well regarded and quite successful. That's not to say that they were never overshadowed, some were, but all in all, these were celebrated artists.

But time has passed, and the dust has settled and the canon, while expansive, is not always generous in the way it includes these extraordinarily talented and skillful storytellers.

This book rectifies that.

Here you will find truly engaging work that challenges and deepens the field of supernatural fiction you thought you knew.

The stories are read according to the gender of each piece's protagonist, so, there will be quite a lot of masculine voices to be found; equally, there will be pitch perfect women's performances to match even the best of them. And make no mistake--all of these narrators are well recognized voice artists you've likely encountered before; many times before, if you're a connoisseur of fine imaginative fiction.

These stories are not mere trifles. There is meat on these bones. Often fresh, admittedly often enough rotten--by intent!--and there are angles these stories take that would make even Lovecraft and Bierce rave. And, in fact, did! These stories are to a one well-wrought and well-narrated.

The only disappointment you will experience should you take them all on?

That it came to its inevitable end.

Personally? I hope there is a second volume and that this becomes a series.

too many male narrators

The Collection was good but it was extremely frustrating that there were so many male narrators when this is supposed to be a collection celebrating women authors in a genre typically dominated by men