The Skeleton Count, or The Vampire Mistress (1828) is a penny dreadful
by Elizabeth Caroline Grey. Although the novel's authorship is
frequently disputed, The Skeleton Count, or The Vampire Mistress is
likely the first vampire tale to be written and published by a woman.
Like most penny dreadfuls, the novel makes up for a lack in style with
an abundance of horror and romance. "When he had concluded the impious
formula, an awful silence reigned in the turret, and he perceived the
sheet gently agitated by the quivering of the limbs, which betokened
returning animation. Then a shudder pervaded his frame in spite of
himself, as he perceived the eyes of the corpse slowly open, and the
dark dilated pupils fix their gaze on him with a strange and stolid
glare." Desperate to live to eternity, Count Rodolph makes a dangerous
deal with the devil. Invigorated with his newfound power, Rodolph
reanimates the corpse of the beautiful Bertha, a fitting bride to
accompany him in his quest for everlasting life. Will she be a loyal and
irresistible vampire mistress, or will the Count's creation turn against
him? The Skeleton Count, or The Vampire Mistress is an entertaining
tale of terror and the occult from a prolific author of nineteenth
century penny dreadfuls. With a beautifully designed cover and
professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Elizabeth Caroline
Grey's The Skeleton Count, or The Vampire Mistress is a classic penny
dreadful reimagined for modern readers.