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Arthur Conan Doyle: The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire

In “The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire,” a short story by Arthur Conan Doyle published in January 1924 in The Strand Magazine, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson face an unusual mystery when they receive a letter about a suspected case of vampirism. A concerned client, whose family is being torn apart by strange events, desperately seeks Holmes’ help. With his keen powers of observation and deduction, Holmes unravels a plot that defies conventional explanations, revealing the complexities of human relationships and the prejudices that can blind us to the truth. A story that combines Gothic elements with Holmes’ characteristic ingenuity in solving mysteries.

Bob Shaw: Light of Other Days

“Light of Other Days” is a short story by Bob Shaw, published in August 1966 in Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact. A couple in crisis travels to a rural area of Scotland, where slow glass panels are manufactured — a peculiar material that delays the passage of light and captures scenes with astonishing clarity. Amid a haunting and silent landscape, they visit a remote farm and meet the eccentric maker, who offers them a high-quality panel that has been storing light for ten years. However, what initially seems like a simple commercial transaction gradually reveals a deeper and more unsettling story.

Arthur C. Clarke: The Possessed

“The Possessed” is a short story by Arthur C. Clarke, published in March 1953 in Dynamic Science Fiction. It recounts the odyssey of the Swarm, an alien lifeform that travels through stellar radiation storms in search of a planet where it can take refuge. Upon arriving at a young world, it explores the surface and examines its emerging forms of life, hoping to find a suitable host to ensure its survival. As it studies this primitive planet, the Swarm faces a critical decision that will shape its future in a vast and hostile universe.

J. G. Ballard: The Subliminal Man

The Subliminal Man is a short story by J. G. Ballard, first published in January 1963 in New Worlds Science Fiction and later included in The Terminal Beach (1964). Dr. Franklin lives in a society obsessed with consumerism, where standardization and the constant replacement of goods define everyday life. Hathaway, an old acquaintance known for his eccentric and conspiratorial ideas, tries to warn him about mysterious giant structures that, according to him, control people’s minds through subliminal messages. Initially skeptical, Franklin begins to suspect that Hathaway’s theories might not be so far-fetched after all.

Oscar Wilde: The Fisherman and His Soul

“The Fisherman and His Soul” is a short story by Oscar Wilde, published in 1891 in the book A House of Pomegranates. It tells the story of a young fisherman who one day catches a mermaid in his nets. Fascinated by her beauty and enchanting voice, he agrees to set her free on the condition that, whenever he calls her, she will return to sing for him. As time goes by, the fisherman falls deeply in love and becomes willing to make any sacrifice to live with her in the sea — even to give up his own soul.

Arthur Conan Doyle: Playing With Fire

“Playing with Fire” is a short story by Arthur Conan Doyle, published in March 1900 in The Strand Magazine. The story follows a small group of intellectuals and occult enthusiasts who, driven by curiosity and a desire to explore beyond the material world, organize séances in a London house. The arrival of an enigmatic French visitor, an expert in psychic phenomena, introduces an unexpected twist to their experiments. As the session progresses, the participants cross increasingly dangerous boundaries, and what begins as a game becomes a disturbing and out-of-control experience.