Mary Shelley Presents: Tales of the Supernatural Vol. 1 by Nancy Holder, art by Amelia Woo (available only through Kymera Press)

Kymera Press, 2020

ISBN: 978-0-9965558-0-7

Available: Hardcover, trade paperback

Mary Shelley Presents: Tales of the Supernatural #1 is the first in a series from Kymera Press adapting stories by Victorian-era women writers of supernatural fiction. With a foreword by Lisa Morton, who just published her own anthology of Victorian women’s supernatural fiction, followed by Isabelle Banks’ poem “Haunted”, this first volume adapts “The Old Nurse’s Tale” by Elizabeth Gaskell, “Man-Size in Marble” by Edith Nesbit, “The Case of Sir Alister Moeran” by Margaret Strickland, and “Monsieur Maurice” by Amelia B. Edwards.  Each story is preceded by a short introductory paragraph from the publisher and the author, Nancy Holder, and then introduced by a spectral Mary Shelley, accompanied by her Creature. These authors have written some wonderful, chilling stories , but they do get wordy for an impatient, modern audience. Holder’s adaptations slim the stories down while preserving the quality of the storytelling, and Amelia Woo’s gorgeous color illustrations are a perfect accompaniment. The brilliant ghosts, period clothes, and detail in darkened woods and cemeteries pull the reader right in. Each adaptation is followed by the full text of the story. As someone with poor eyesight I could have wished the text was a little larger, but some of the original stories are very long– it took skill and collaborative effort to be able to successfully adapt them.

This is a great way to introduce readers to some excellent women writers who, until very recently, had not received recognition for their supernatural fiction, as well as a treat for those of us already familiar with these authors, who would love to see them gain a larger audience.  I’m hoping we won’t have to wait too long for volume 2. Highly recommended for ages 12+.

Editor’s note: In the interests of full disclosure, I backed the Kickstarter for this book.