Carmilla

Before Dracula, there was Carmilla. In the isolated forests of 19th-century Styria, young Laura lives a quiet life in her father's remote castle—until the arrival of a mysterious and beautiful guest, Carmilla. As the two form an intense and unsettling bond, strange occurrences and unexplained illnesses plague the surrounding countryside. Slowly, Laura begins to suspect a dark truth: her charming new companion may be hiding a deadly secret. First published in 1872, Carmilla is Sheridan Le Fanu's haunting novella that helped shape the modern vampire myth and inspired countless works of horror, including Bram Stoker's Dracula. With its eerie atmosphere, gothic romance, and subtle undertones of forbidden desire, it remains one of the most influential and daring supernatural tales ever written. "A chilling, seductive masterpiece of gothic fiction." – The Guardian "One of the earliest and most enduring vampire stories—timeless and unsettling." – The New York Times ✅ Why Readers Love It: