A compilation of vintage occult mysteries by Arthur Conan Doyle, Algernon Blackwood, J. Sheridan Le Fanu, and Helena Blavatsky, and others.
Whether they investigate paranormal mysteries or use their own supernatural gifts to solve crimes, occult detectives maintain an extraordinary hold on our imaginations. From X-Files to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, there are no shortage of contemporary examples. In The Weister Book of Occult Detectives, esoteric scholar Judika Illes delves into the literary roots of this enduring subgenre.
Among the ranks of occult detectives featured in this book are beloved favorites such as Dr. Hesselius, Dr. Taverner, Thomas Carnacki, and John Silence. They are joined by the more obscure or unjustly forgotten sleuths such as Shiela Crerar and Diana Marburg. Their investigative techniques range from palmistry and clairvoyance to psychometry, mesmerism, dreams, and good old deductive reasoning.
Judika Illes is a leading authority on magic, mysticism, and the occult as well as a lover of mysteries and detective stories. She is the editor of The Weiser Book of the Fantastic and Forgotten and the author of numerous books devoted to the magical arts. Visit her at www.judikailles.com