Book excerpt: The story follows a female narrator who, accompanied by her tiny poodle and 3-foot-tall servant, comes across a gothic cathedral whilst walking in a city. When she ascends to the top of the steeple, she attempts to look through a small opening with her servant’s aid. Pushing her head through the hole, she realises that she appears to be inside a large clock face, and that she is destined for a rather novel demise. A humorous satire of the popular Gothic tale, this short story is highly recommended or fans of Poe’s comical work, and would make for a fantastic addition to any collection. Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) was an American author, editor, poet, and critic. Most famous for his stories of mystery and horror, he was one of the first American short story writers, and is widely considered to be the inventor of the detective fiction genre. Many antiquarian books such as this are becoming increasingly rare and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new biography of the author.