Fully revised Second Edition. With a new Introduction and Bibliography by Dick Collins. The exploits of Sweeney Todd, 'The Demon Barber of Fleet Street', have been recounted many times in plays, films and musicals, but the origins of the character largely were forgotten for many years. The String of Pearls - the original tale of Sweeney Todd, a classic of British horror - was first published as a weekly serial in 1846-7 by Edward Lloyd, the King of the Penny Dreadfuls. One of the earliest detective stories, it became an important source for Bram Stoker's Dracula, but it was after over 150 years of obscurity that it appeared first in book form in the Wordsworth edition published in 2005. The one great mystery that has surrounded the book is who the author was - or was it possibly the work of more than one man? In his new introduction to this fully revised second edition, Dick Collins, by means of detailed research of contemporary records, has established finally the identity of the creator of this legendary figure. So here is the original story of the terrifying owner of that famous London barber-shop, and the secret recipe for Mrs Lovett's delicious pies...

Varney the Vampire (1847) is a penny dreadful novel by British writers James Malcolm Rymer and Thomas Peckett Prest. Originally serialized in cheap volumes, the novel introduced some of the most recognizable tropes of vampire fiction still used today, including the depiction of fangs and the use of a Gothic setting. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, Varney the Vampire is a story of tragedy, damnation, and revenge that pioneered many of the themes common to horror and pulp fiction today. Sir Francis Varney was condemned to an eternity of vampiric life following his actions during the reign of Oliver Cromwell. Having betrayed a royalist and killed his own son in a fit of rage, Varney was forced to suffer death and resurrection countless times over on his insatiable quest for human blood. In the nineteenth century, he targets the Bannerworths, a once-noble family fallen on hard times in their crumbling estate. Gruesome and tragic, the story manages to humanize the vampire without softening his terrifying actions or features, laying the groundwork for an action-packed romp through such legendary cities as London, Naples, and Venice. Varney the Vampire is a grisly penny dreadful novel, a quick-witted work of horror that has inspired generations of storytellers and readers alike. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Varney the Vampire by James Malcolm Rymer and Thomas Peckett Prest is a classic of British horror fiction reimagined for modern readers.

Varney the Vampire (1847) is a penny dreadful novel by British writers James Malcolm Rymer and Thomas Peckett Prest. Originally serialized in cheap volumes, the novel introduced some of the most recognizable tropes of vampire fiction still used today, including the depiction of fangs and the use of a Gothic setting. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, Varney the Vampire is a story of tragedy, damnation, and revenge that pioneered many of the themes common to horror and pulp fiction today. Sir Francis Varney was condemned to an eternity of vampiric life following his actions during the reign of Oliver Cromwell. Having betrayed a royalist and killed his own son in a fit of rage, Varney was forced to suffer death and resurrection countless times over on his insatiable quest for human blood. In the nineteenth century, he targets the Bannerworths, a once-noble family fallen on hard times in their crumbling estate. Gruesome and tragic, the story manages to humanize the vampire without softening his terrifying actions or features, laying the groundwork for an action-packed romp through such legendary cities as London, Naples, and Venice. Varney the Vampire is a grisly penny dreadful novel, a quick-witted work of horror that has inspired generations of storytellers and readers alike. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Varney the Vampire by James Malcolm Rymer and Thomas Peckett Prest is a classic of British horror fiction reimagined for modern readers.

Sweeney Todd: The Barber of Fleet Street (1846-1847) is a penny dreadful novel by British writers James Malcolm Rymer and Thomas Peckett Prest. Originally serialized in cheap volumes, the novel marks the debut of Sweeney Todd, a villain whose story inspired Stephen Sondheim's legendary musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979), which won a Tony Award for Best Musical and an Olivier Award for Best New Musical before serving as source material for Tim Burton's 2007 film of the same name. In London in 1785, a young sailor named Lieutenant Thornhill goes missing while on leave. Last seen on Fleet Street while entering the barber shop of Sweeney Todd, his mysterious disappearance inspires Colonel Jeffrey, a friend, to investigate. Discovering that Thornhill was carrying with him a pearl necklace for Johanna Oakley, the lover of a man lost at sea, Jeffrey questions the young girl. Disturbed by his story, and moved by Thornhill's honorable intentions, Johanna offers her help in his search. Suspicious of Todd, who has recently lost an assistant to a local insane asylum, she dresses as a young boy and goes to his barber shop to apply for the position. There, she begins to uncover Todd's secret operation, whereby murdering his unsuspecting patrons, he transports their bodies to Mrs. Lovett's shop to be turned into cheap meat pies. Sweeney Todd: The Barber of Fleet Street is a grisly penny dreadful novel, a quick-witted work of horror that has inspired several successful adaptations. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Sweeney Todd: The Barber of Fleet Street by James Malcolm Rymer and Thomas Peckett Prest is a classic of British horror fiction reimagined for modern readers.

Brandon Castle is full of mysteries and terrors
Lonely candles give feeble light to the eerie chill of the castle's endless hallways. Winding staircases descend into damp crypts of discarded skeletons while rat-infested secret passages lead to satanic altars. Towering over the castle's dank moat is the mysterious Grey Turret. Filled with legends of shadowy ghosts and terrifying demons, its only door has been locked for centuries.
Until now.
Someone has discovered the key and wants the terrifying power locked away in the Grey Turret.
"Who dares to defy the legend of the Grey Turret?"
Agatha? Hungry for power, nothing can stand in her way
Eldred? Her nervous brother, the perfect foil for a murderous plan?
Sir Rupert? The brave knight suffering from a heartbreaking loss?
Nemoni? The mysterious wild-man of the woods?
The Black Monk? Aided by Satan's black magic, can he be stopped?
Serialized in British newspapers throughout 1844, "The Black Monk" is an excellent example of the Victorian penny dreadful. Each week, eager readers would await the next penny's installment and "The Black Monk" delivered so many thrills and terrors that it became the mid-century's publishing phenomenon.
This edition includes the unabridged text of the 1844 edition along with all 54 original illustrations and features a new introduction by Curt Herr, Ph.D.
James Malcolm Rymer (1814-1884) was a major contributor to Victorian literature, yet remains largely unknown today. He wrote the first vampire novel in English, "Varney the Vampire; or, The Feast of Blood," and the original Sweeney Todd novel, "The String of Pearls." One of the most popular penny dreadful writers of the 1840s, his serialized novels are being rediscovered as excellent examples of mid-Victorian pop culture.
Curt Herr, Ph.D. has prepared the critical editions of several Victorian Sensation novels, such as "Ziska, Vendetta, Dene Hollow," and the notorious penny dreadful "Varney the Vampire, or, The Feast of Blood." He teaches Gothic and Victorian Sensation fiction at Pennsylvania's Kutztown University.

Title: Edith the Captive; or, the Robbers of Epping Forest. By the author of "Jane Brightwell," i.e. J. M. Rymer.] etc.Publisher: British Library, Historical Print EditionsThe British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. It is one of the world's largest research libraries holding over 150 million items in all known languages and formats: books, journals, newspapers, sound recordings, patents, maps, stamps, prints and much more. Its collections include around 14 million books, along with substantial additional collections of manuscripts and historical items dating back as far as 300 BC.The FICTION & PROSE LITERATURE collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. The collection provides readers with a perspective of the world from some of the 18th and 19th century's most talented writers. Written for a range of audiences, these works are a treasure for any curious reader looking to see the world through the eyes of ages past. Beyond the main body of works the collection also includes song-books, comedy, and works of satire. ++++The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification: ++++ British Library Anonymous; Rymer, James Malcolm; 1861, 62. 2 vol.; 8 . C.140.aa.35.

Title: Jessie Arnold; or, the Murder at the Old Well. A romance. By the author of "The Black Mantle," i.e. J. M. Rymer] etc.Publisher: British Library, Historical Print EditionsThe British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. It is one of the world's largest research libraries holding over 150 million items in all known languages and formats: books, journals, newspapers, sound recordings, patents, maps, stamps, prints and much more. Its collections include around 14 million books, along with substantial additional collections of manuscripts and historical items dating back as far as 300 BC.The FICTION & PROSE LITERATURE collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. The collection provides readers with a perspective of the world from some of the 18th and 19th century's most talented writers. Written for a range of audiences, these works are a treasure for any curious reader looking to see the world through the eyes of ages past. Beyond the main body of works the collection also includes song-books, comedy, and works of satire. ++++The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification: ++++ British Library Arnold, Jessie; Rymer, James Malcolm; 1852. 148 p.; 8 . C.140.b.33.

Title: The Dark Woman: or, the days of the Prince Regent. By the author of "Edith the Captive" i.e. J. M. Rymer], etc.Publisher: British Library, Historical Print EditionsThe British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. It is one of the world's largest research libraries holding over 150 million items in all known languages and formats: books, journals, newspapers, sound recordings, patents, maps, stamps, prints and much more. Its collections include around 14 million books, along with substantial additional collections of manuscripts and historical items dating back as far as 300 BC.The GENERAL HISTORICAL collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. This varied collection includes material that gives readers a 19th century view of the world. Topics include health, education, economics, agriculture, environment, technology, culture, politics, labour and industry, mining, penal policy, and social order. ++++The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification: ++++ British Library Anonymous; Rymer, James Malcolm; 1861, 62. 2 vol.; 4 . 12623.g.24.

Title: The Oath; or, the Buried treasure. By the author of "Ada, the Betrayed," &c. i.e. James M. Rymer.]Publisher: British Library, Historical Print EditionsThe British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. It is one of the world's largest research libraries holding over 150 million items in all known languages and formats: books, journals, newspapers, sound recordings, patents, maps, stamps, prints and much more. Its collections include around 14 million books, along with substantial additional collections of manuscripts and historical items dating back as far as 300 BC.The FICTION & PROSE LITERATURE collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. The collection provides readers with a perspective of the world from some of the 18th and 19th century's most talented writers. Written for a range of audiences, these works are a treasure for any curious reader looking to see the world through the eyes of ages past. Beyond the main body of works the collection also includes song-books, comedy, and works of satire. ++++The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification: ++++ British Library Anonymous; Rymer, James Malcolm.; 1850, 51.]. 126 p.; 8 . 12623.f.51.