The foremost teller of scary stories in his day and a profound influence on both the novelists and filmmakers of the 20th century, Anglo-Irish author JOSEPH THOMAS SHERIDAN LE FANU (18141873) has, sadly, fallen out of scholarly and popular favor, and unfairly so. To this day, contemporary readers who happen across his works praise his talent for weaving a tense literary atmosphere tinged by the supernatural and bolstered by hints of ambiguous magic. A wonderful example of the Victorian haunted-house tale, The Evil Guest is one of Le Fanus almost-forgotten works, yet one that is still hugely enjoyable for todays readers. Indeed, it calls to mind