Dracula's Guest

"Dracula's Guest" by Bram Stoker is a collection of short stories published in the early 20th century. It serves as a postscript to Stoker's renowned novel "Dracula," featuring a previously unpublished chapter and several other tales that explore themes of the supernatural and the macabre. The main story follows an unnamed English protagonist who unwittingly embarks on a chilling adventure, drawing him into the eerie traditions associated with Walpurgis Night. The opening of the book sets the stage for a suspenseful narrative as the protagonist prepares to take a carriage ride from Munich, where he is warned by his driver, Johann, about returning before nightfall due to supernatural dangers tied to Walpurgis Night. Despite Johann's fearful protests against taking a less traveled road, the protagonist insists on exploring a desolate area reputed to be haunted by the restless dead. As he ventures further into isolation, he encounters ominous signs and unsettling occurrences, culminating in a confrontation that evokes classic horror imagery—a graveyard, storms, and a mysterious entombed figure. These elements establish an unsettling atmosphere that hints at the existential horror awaiting the protagonist. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Abraham "Bram" Stoker was an Irish author who is best known for writing the 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula. During his lifetime, he was better known as the personal assistant of actor Sir Henry Irving and business manager of the West End's Lyceum Theatre, which Irving owned.