Elia Wilkinson Peattie (1862-1935) was a prolific American author, journalist and critic. Although she left school at 14, she was enormously talented, and by her 20s she was well established as a writer of short stories.

This collection showcases six of her best tales: 'The Piano Next Door', 'On the Northern Ice', 'A Child of the Rain', 'From the Loom of the Dead', 'Story of an Obstinate Corpse' and 'Story of the Vanishing Patient'.