Wednesday, April 1, 2015

A to Z Challenge: A is for After Dark by Wilkie Collins

Welcome to this year's A-Z Challenge where I will be taking the month of April to discuss some of the creepy classic stories known as Victorian era's penny dreadfuls.  For the letter "A", I am writing about a classic collection of works called "After Dark" written by by Wilkie Collins and first published in 1856.  For the purpose of my penny dreadful "A" theme post, I'm focusing on one of the first short stories in the collection, called "The Traveller's Story of a Terribly Strange Bed."

"The Traveller's Story of a Terribly Strange Bed."


This quick tale was a pleasant and easy read about an artist who in his youth traveled to Paris where he enjoyed the nightlife with his friends.  One night they decide to go a gambling house where the guy wins big and suddenly becomes the interest of bizarre onlookers.  As he celebrates his winnings with his new friends, he finds himself drugged and nearly killed by a strange looking bed.  The story was well told and held my curiosity to the very end.  It certainly leaves one feeling that the debauchery of one night scared our hero onto a straighter or better way of life.  I won't tell you any more because you'll just have to read it yourself.  I will say this...out of all the tales within this book, the only reason why I wanted to read this book was to learn more about the "Terribly Strange Bed."  I mean, why was it so terrible and strange?  The title had me from the start and I had to know more.  I liked it.  

Where can I get a copy of After Dark by Wilkie Collins?


I picked mine up from Amazon for free!  Woot.  See why I love Classics?  Click the link here and you can get yours' too.

Have an awesome day!

Mina Burrows



11 comments:

mshatch said...

I haven't read this but I've read 2 other books by Collins: The Moonstone and The Woman in White, which I enjoyed.

Sophie Duncan said...

A true use of the word 'terribly' in that story, I think :)

Great start to the A to Z.

Sophie
Sophie's Thoughts & Fumbles
FB3X
Wittegen Press

Bob/Sally said...

You can never go wrong with the classics - very cool pick!

A Tarkabarka Hölgy said...

Ooh! Is this the one where the top of the bed comes down? I remember reading that one when I was a kid and it put me off princess beds forever... :D
Happy A to Z! I love your theme.

@TarkabarkaHolgy from
Multicolored Diary - Epics from A to Z
MopDog - 26 Ways to Die in Medieval Hungary

S. L. Hennessy said...

Mina, as always you have one of the best themes. I love love love Wilkie Collins. Such creeptastic writing. And a TERRIFIC A post!

Chrys Fey said...

Oh, I want to read this now!

-Chrys Fey
Tremp’s Troops - A to Z Co-co-host
Write with Fey

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Mina - no wonder you were hooked by the title .. and Wilkie Collins is a great A for your A post .. I'll be over to get the freebie classic - thanks for the recommendation ..

Cheers Hilary

Nick Wilford said...

Killed by a bed? Yes, I'm intrigued. This theme is going to be fun!

Heather R. Holden said...

Drugged and nearly killed by a bed? I can't help but be curious now!

djinnia said...

All right you have officially taken the awesomest first A to Z post prize!

Anonymous said...

I'll have to take a look at that one -- especially since I can get it for free! Yay!
The title certainly does sound intriguing...